The annual rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan is called “The Game”. This is played on the last day of the regular season. They have played each other in the last game of the season since 1935. The only two exceptions were in 1942 (to include military service teams in the Big Ten because of World War II, what a cool story) and 2020, when they did not play because of COVID. With College Football potentially moving to 16 or 24 teams in the College Football Playoffs, is it time to consider moving the Ohio State vs. Michigan game earlier in the season?
The reason this change might be necessary is to avoid rematches in the College Football Playoffs. If it expands to 24 teams (which seems likely), Ohio State and Michigan would probably make it every year. The other reason is that moving it to the middle of the season helps the losing team recover and achieve a better seeding in the College Football Playoffs. This might not be worth it for either fan base, because of how much the rivalry means, but it could be a realistic change either way.
The financial ramifications of the change could be huge, though, as the Ohio State-Michigan game is often among the highest-rated. This past season, that game had 18.4 million viewers. Could the ratings get the same amount if the game were moved to the middle of the season? Possibly, but it is a risk. People are used to watching the game at the same time every year. Fox has invested billions in the Big Ten, so they might not be inclined to move the game. If the game were moved to the middle of the season, it could cost Fox millions of dollars in lost advertising money.
Both schools might also not want the game changed to the middle of the season. Both schools wield a ton of power in the conference as the two biggest brands in the Big Ten. An example was Friday night games. Neither Michigan nor Ohio State said that they played a Friday night game. The Big Ten has complied with this request, and neither has played a Friday night game. If both schools say let's keep it where the game is, then it would not change.
In a sport that is constantly changing, the one constant has been the games between Ohio State and Michigan. Would the Big Ten want to change the date of the rivalry? Currently, it does not seem to be happening. If or when they go to the 24-team College Football Playoffs, then it could be a discussion point. As of now, the last weekend of the season still belongs to Ohio State and Michigan.
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