Ohio State AD comments on possibility of OSU-Michigan playing back-to-back weeks under new B1G scheduling model

Ohio State and Michigan could be seeing a lot more of each other under the B1G’s new “Flex Protect Plus” scheduling model. The conference will no longer use divisions, instead sending the top 2 teams to the conference championship game.

As expected, The Game is one of the B1G’s 11 protected rivalry contests, meaning Ohio State will continue to face Michigan annually in the regular season. The Buckeyes and Wolverines could potentially be looking at multiple meetings in a calendar year if they finish as the B1G’s top 2 teams.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told reporters Thursday that he and Michigan AD Warde Manuel agreed that it’s good for the B1G to keep The Game as an annual regular-season meeting, even if it means playing back-to-back weeks.

Ohio State AD Gene Smith on the possibility Michigan-Ohio State would play back-to-back weeks:

“That is a possibility. We talked about that, Warde and I. We agreed to that for the betterment of the league and our television partners.”

— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) June 8, 2023

There is also, of course, the possibility that Ohio State and Michigan could play in the regular season, B1G Championship Game and the College Football Playoff, especially when the postseason expands to more rounds.