Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Documents show Ohio State briefly considered going independent after B1G initially canceled 2020 season

Spenser Davis

By Spenser Davis

Published:

Text messages released by Ohio State today show that Buckeyes athletic director Gene Smith briefly explored taking OSU independent for the 2020 season.

Those conversations took place after the Big Ten initially decided to suspend the 2020 season due to COVID-19. However, the conference ultimately decided to play an eight-week conference schedule that began in October.

Smith mentioned that Nebraska was also interested in going independent for one season due to the Big Ten’s decision.

Here’s a couple messages sent by Smith to Ohio State president Kristina Johnson, via Chris Hummer of 247Sports:

There’s also a message from Smith on the topic of a spring season, which was sent on August 11, 2020. Smith said the Buckeyes were not in favor of postponing the season until the spring.

Later that day on Aug. 11, the Big Ten announced it would not be moving forward with a fall campaign.

Here’s Smith’s message:

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren apparently alleged that a letter from parents of Ohio State players was “manufactured,” via Turner’s Andy Wittry.

Wittry also noted a pair of interesting proposals — one from Illinois AD Josh Wittman and the other from Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs:

Of course, the Big Ten ultimately decided to pursue a late start to the fall season. The conference played an eight-week conference-only schedule that ultimately produced Ohio State as Big Ten champions and sent the Buckeyes to the College Football Playoff.

Most — if not all — Big Ten stadiums are expected to operate at 100 percent capacity for the 2021 season.

Spenser Davis

Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.