No division helps the Buckeyes

The Ohio State football team found out who their 2024 and 2025 Big Ten opponents will be. Much of the schedule reveals that the division no longer exists. Gone are the days of the Big Ten East and Big Ten West. Now the top two teams in the conference are in the Big Ten Championship.

You’d think that would make Ohio State’s football team’s path to a Big Ten championship more difficult. It is, but it’s not all bad. In fact, this move is good for the Buckeyes. Why would a move that would make it harder for them to win the conference be a good thing?

That’s a good thing because now they don’t have to win the conference to make the College Football Playoff. However, when it expands to 12, it wasn’t necessary. With the addition of two tougher teams in the conference in USC and UCLA, and playing a really good team in the Big Ten Championship, Ohio State would have more leeway if they lost the game.

Of course, we fans don’t want to see them lose a game during the season. We have high expectations for this Ohio State football program. At the same time, a loss to a big USC, TTUN or Penn State team wouldn’t sink them like it did in the past.

Now the Buckeyes can afford one loss and maybe even two and still have a chance to play for a national championship. Does it reduce the value of the regular season? Absolutely does. But that gives the Buckeyes a better chance to win all we really care about, right?

I really wish the CFP hadn’t expanded due to the devaluation of the regular season, but we’re past that point. Not having a division gives the Big Ten the best chance to have multiple teams in the current CFP as well as the future expanded CFP.