UNDATED (AP) — Third-ranked Ohio State will be able to play in the Big Ten title game against Northwestern.
The conference has dropped the minimum six-game requirement instituted for the pandemic-shortened season. The unbeaten Buckeyes have played just five games, with three others canceled due to COVID-19 issues involving their opponents.
Ohio State was in line to meet the six-game requirement until Saturday’s game against Michigan was canceled.
The conference title game is slated for Dec. 19.
In other virus-related developments in college football:
— The SEC championship game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Florida will be played before a socially distanced crowd of 16,500 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This will be the largest crowd to attend a football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since the pandemic began.
— Indiana and Purdue have canceled Saturday’s football game because of an increase in COVID-19 cases at each school. It’s the first time since 1919 that the annual in-state rivalry will not be played. Both teams canceled practices Tuesday, pausing all team activities.
— Marshall says Friday’s regular-season football finale against Charlotte has been canceled due to injuries and a lack of available Thundering Herd players at key positions, which it attributed to COVID-19 issues.
— Washington has paused football activities after a rise in positive COVID-19 cases within the Huskies’ program, leaving Saturday’s game against Oregon in jeopardy.
— The Atlantic Coast Conference says it will allow limited fans to attend its football championship game between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 4 Clemson on Dec. 19. The state of North Carolina previously issued public-gathering restrictions for outdoor venues because of the coronavirus pandemic, allowing schools to fill 7% of their stadium capacity for fans. Following that guidance, the ACC said Wednesday that capacity would be set at 5,240 for Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
