The Michigan-Ohio State game won’t be played on the final weekend of the season. It’s the first time since 1942 that “The Game” won’t close out the B1G regular season.

That’s life in a season that has been rocked by a pandemic. The B1G’s fiercest rivalry game wasn’t moved for no reason, but instead in an effort to protect one of the most sacred football contests in the country.

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Michigan will make the trek to Ohio State on Saturday, Oct. 24, a full month earlier than it was previously scheduled. But moving the game gives the league flexibility. In the event that the game must be canceled, for whatever reason, it can be rescheduled at a later date.

Still, it’s going to be a little weird not seeing the Wolverines and Buckeyes clash on the final weekend of the season. And former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer even described it as “heartbreaking.”

“The critical thing is player safety and trying to play ‘The Game,'” Meyer said on Big Ten Network after the B1G released the schedule. “It is heartbreaking, to be honest with you, but adaptability, sacrifice are all going to be critical on everyone’s parts.”

Meyer coached in the intense rivalry game seven times while in Columbus, posting a perfect 7-0 record against UM. It was a game that always meant more to him than the rest, and one he never wanted to lose.

So, while it is a bit disappointing that “The Game” won’t be played on that final weekend, the hope is that the schedule will protect one of the best rivalries in the sport.