Michigan football vs. Ohio State moving on the schedule? Ryan Day says he'd consider it
INDIANAPOLIS — The Big Ten is changing in 2024 and because of it, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said the Buckeyes and Michigan football should consider moving the timing of their annual rivalry game.
When USC and UCLA join next year, the league will become a 16-team mega-conference as opposed to one with two divisions. The Big Ten had been split in two since advent of the Big Ten championship game in 2011; beginning with Legends and Leaders Division before realigning to East and West in 2014.
Under the new format that eliminates divisions, the two teams with the best record in the league will play one another for the conference crown. Those rules last year would have resulted a rematch between Ohio State and U-M one week after the Wolverines' 45-23 victory in Columbus.
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As would have been the case in 2021.
“I’m glad we still have the rivalry game (with Michigan),” Day said during Day 1 of Big Ten media days. “I do think we should consider when we play it just because you may end up playing them back-to-back weeks, which would be awkward. I know we need to consider the tradition, but I think it’s worth a conversation on when, because I think that’s significant just on how the season plays out.”
Michigan and Ohio State is one of the league's 10 protected matchups in its Flex Protect Plus football schedule model that begins next season. Under the new schedule, it guarantees every conference pairing will take place at least twice in a four-year span, once at each member institution's home stadium.
U-M and OSU have met in mid-to-late November every year (except the 2020 season that wiped out the matchup) since 1934 and Day worries it could potentially dilute the matchup.
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“If both teams are in the Big Ten championship already, could it minimize the game? That’s my concern,” he said. “Even if you played it Week 11, Week 10, no matter what, it’s gonna matter. But if you know you’re playing them in the Big Ten championship game already, it could be something we haven’t experienced before, that’s all. Again, I think it’s worth the discussion.
“I know that they’re talking about it. I don’t think any hard decisions have been made; I don’t think they’re going to be made here real soon. I just want to be part of those conversations.”
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said the two sides are indeed talking on the university-produced "Conqu’ring Heroes" podcast earlier this month, when he noted that discussions around timing of The Game already started with OSU AD Gene Smith.
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The two agreed not to move from the traditional time slot this season as the Big Ten enters its new $7 billion TV rights contract and sought new partners to fill its November prime time NBC slots.
For Manuel's part, he's actively against moving the showdown, at anytime.
"If we’re fortunate enough to do that, I look forward to playing them again a week later,” Manuel said on the podcast. “That brings out the excitement of college football.”
Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan vs. Ohio State moving? Ryan Day says it's worth a thought
