Ryan Day: Moving Michigan-Ohio State game 'worth a conversation'

Indianapolis — Ohio State coach Ryan Day said moving the Michigan-Ohio State game from its traditional spot at the end of the regular season is worth discussing in light of the Big Ten moving from divisions beginning in 2024.
The elimination of divisions was announced in June to accommodate the additions of Southern California and UCLA. Under that arrangement, Michigan and Ohio State could potentially finish the regular season as the league’s top two teams and meet each other a week later for the Big Ten championship game. That couldn’t happen before because of the East-West divisions and the winners playing for the title.
Day, speaking Wednesday at Big Ten media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, praised the conference for doing “the best they could” to maintain rivalries in the new structure and said the goal is to get as many teams as possible into the playoffs.
“I’m glad we still have the rivalry game (with Michigan),” Day said. “I do think we should consider when we play it just because you may end up playing them back-to-back weeks, which would be awkward. I know we need to consider the tradition, but I think it’s worth a conversation on when, because I think that’s significant just on how the season plays out.”
He pointed to last season when Michigan defeated Ohio State for a second straight season, but while the Wolverines went on to play the Big Ten title game, both teams reached the four-team playoff.
“If it was the same way it was this past year, we would have been playing back-to-back games and who knows, maybe even playing again in the playoffs,” Day said. “I just think that needs to be taken into consideration. Not that we should move it, but I think it’s worth talking about.”
He wondered aloud about the level of competition in the final regular-season game if both teams already know they’re in the Big Ten title game.
“If both teams are in the Big Ten championship already, could it minimize the game? That’s my concern,” he said. “Even if you played it Week 11, Week 10, no matter what, it’s gonna matter. But if you know you’re playing them in the Big Ten championship game already, it could be something we haven’t experienced before, that’s all. Again, I think it’s worth the discussion.”
Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said on an in-house Michigan podcast in June that he and OSU athletic director Gene Smith have had conversations about this.
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“And my reaction is, if we’re fortunate enough to do that, I look forward to playing them again a week later,” Manuel said on the podcast. “That brings out the excitement of college football.”
Day said this isn’t something imminent.
“I know they’re talking about it, I just don’t think any hard decisions have been made, and I don’t think they’re gonna be made here real soon,” Day said. “I just want to be part of those conversations.”