:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67992101/1287265171.0.jpg)
The Ohio State vs. Illinois game scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to Covid-19.
Ohio State-Illinois is now canceled tomorrow. More positives came back today.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 28, 2020
This could become a real big problem. If Ohio State can’t play next week either it won’t be eligible for Big Ten title game.
Earlier today Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day was diagnosed with the virus as well. The Buckeyes were listed as 28-point favorites over the Illini tomorrow at DraftKings Sportsbook.
OSU is 4-0, but will want as many data points as possible heading into the College Football Playoff with SEC teams such as Texas A&M and Florida, as well as independent Cincinnati, also potentially being in the mix for one of the playoff spots. At best now, the Buckeyes will finish the season at 7-0 with wins over Michigan State, Michigan, and in the Big Ten Championship game. But if those two regular season games don’t get played, they’ll be ineligible to play for the Big Ten title.
If Michigan happens to fall below the scholarship limit before Dec 12, it makes Ohio State ineligible for the title game (and probably blesses us with Northwestern-Indiana)
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) November 28, 2020
And I don’t care how good you are: The College Football Playoff isn’t taking a 5-0 team. Even teams such as Cincinnati (who could still potentially add a game next week) would be 11-0 if they ran out with their schedule.
If the Buckeyes handle their business and get the games in, they’ll likely be in good shape with Notre Dame and Clemson potentially rematching in the ACC Championship. But even though it’s “just Illinois” it could very much have an impact on the final Playoff outcome.