Penn State AD Sandy Barbour has 'no problem' with Ohio State's Playoff bid
Over the last few weeks of the 2016 season, it was probably the biggest debate in college football. Should Ohio State or Penn State be headed to the College Football Playoff?
When the final rankings were released, it was the Buckeyes that found their way into the final four after an 11-1 finish with notable victories over Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan. Despite knocking off Ohio State and winning the B1G, Penn State was left on the outside.
The Rose Bowl is a pretty darn good consolation prize for the Nittany Lions, but there were plenty of Penn State folks unhappy with the committee’s final decision. Many are still upset with it.
But the University’s athletic director, Sandy Barbour, isn’t one of those who is shaking her fist at the selection committee, telling the world how the Nittany Lions were robbed of a potential national title. No, instead, Barbour actually has no problem with Ohio State’s bid in the College Football Playoff.
“We’re the [B1G] champions and didn’t go,” Barbour said, according to Landof10.com. “I think Ohio State should’ve gone. I have no problem with the fact Ohio State went.
“In fact, you know, we were arguably the best league in the country and we didn’t go. So let’s try to figure out why and what is there. [Whether] it’s we, Penn State, or we, as a conference…how do we address that in the future?”
Those comments by Barbour probably weren’t too well received in Happy Valley. Many supporters who believed Penn State belonged in the College Football Playoff pointed to the head-to-head victory over the Buckeyes and the B1G title as the trump cards.
Both Ohio State and Penn State lost their bowl games, which likely made the decision easier to cope with at the end of the year.