Ohio State football: Fewer conference games good for Big Ten

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta has said the Big Ten is considering doing away with divisions and dropping to an eight-game conference schedule. The opening created by the reduction of the conference slate would be filled by a PAC-12 or ACC opponent, thanks to the alliance created by the three leagues. The question now is, are fewer conference games and scheduling a Power 5 opponent a good thing?

My initial reaction was no. I thought Big Ten teams should adopt the same practice as the SEC of scheduling an FCS or low-level Power 5 opponent late in the season to give them a breather before a rivalry game. Alabama has been seen taking on the likes of Western Carolina, The Citadel, and Mercer the week before their Iron Bowl showdown with in-state rival Auburn.

The Tigers have countered by tussling with always-feared Louisiana-Monroe, Liberty, and Samford leading into playing Bama. The College Football Playoff committee has never once penalized SEC teams for this practice, so why shouldn’t the Big Ten follow suit?

A school like Youngstown State or Eastern Illinois would fit nicely into the schedules of the Ohio State football program and Michigan the week before their matchup. I’m sure teams like Northern Iowa or Murray State would enjoy picking up a huge check for playing Iowa or Nebraska the week before those two have their Thanksgiving Friday battle. If this practice is good enough for the SEC, it is good enough for the Big Ten, right?

Wrong. The SEC scheduling teams like this late in the season is bad for college football and the Big Ten doing it would make things worse. What is bad for college football is also bad for college football fans. There are far too many uninteresting matchups each season, we don’t need to add more.

I’ll use the Buckeyes 2022 non-conference schedule as an example. After starting the season with Notre Dame, they follow with Arkansas State and Toledo. Who would be a more interesting addition to fill the opening created by one less conference game?

Indiana State or Pitt? Youngstown State or UCLA? Take a look at other Big Ten non-conference schedules for 2022 and tell me if adding a PAC-12 or ACC opponent isn’t better for all involved. College football needs more meaningful regular-season games and this is one way to create them.

If you’re still not convinced, think of this: What is more fun? Beating up on an outmanned FCS team or hammering Pitt and watching Mark May’s head explode….again? Yeah, I figured you’d like that idea. I sure do.