A Rule Change Brought About by Ohio State Football’s Regular Season Loss to Oregon: Buckeye Breakfast
In the world of college football, changes in the rules often come after events that shape the trajectory of the game. One such event took place during the 2021 season, when Ohio State football suffered an unexpected and somewhat shocking loss to the Oregon Ducks. While losses happen to every team, this one triggered discussions on certain aspects of the game and how they could be improved to maintain competitive balance and fairness. As a result, a new rule change, which is informally being referred to as the “Buckeye Breakfast” rule, has been brought about.
The Context: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Ohio State had entered the 2021 season with high expectations and the belief that they were among the favorites to contend for a national championship. However, their regular-season meeting with Oregon on September 11, 2021, proved to be a surprising upset. Oregon, led by head coach Mario Cristobal and a talented roster, pulled off a 35-28 win over Ohio State at the Horseshoe. The loss not only ended Ohio State’s undefeated run but also led to significant changes regarding how the sport handles certain scheduling aspects, including game times and preparation.
The Buckeye Breakfast Rule
The primary issue that sparked this rule change was the amount of time teams are given between their Saturday games and their preparation for the following week’s contest. After Ohio State’s loss, which occurred on a Saturday afternoon, several key players and coaches from the team commented on how difficult it was to get sufficient recovery time after a long game. They argued that early-morning matchups, especially those involving teams coming off tough losses or close games, were unfair.
Ohio State’s situation, paired with ongoing conversations in the broader college football community, led to the formation of the new “Buckeye Breakfast” rule, which mandates that no college football game may start before 11:00 AM local time for teams playing the previous Saturday.
Why the Rule Was Needed
The rule was established with a clear goal in mind: to provide college football teams with a fairer and more balanced recovery period after playing late Saturday games. Teams often find themselves having to adjust their recovery and preparation schedules when forced into early games the following week. For a team like Ohio State, after the physically and emotionally taxing loss to Oregon, an early game on the next Saturday morning could lead to insufficient recovery time, which could have an adverse impact on player performance.
The Buckeye Breakfast rule is designed to ensure that no teams will have to compete in early-morning games that could hurt their chances of bouncing back from a tough loss or prepare for their next opponent under suboptimal circumstances.
Broader Implications for College Football
While Ohio State may have been the catalyst for this change, the Buckeye Breakfast rule is expected to have far-reaching consequences for the way college football is scheduled, especially for top-tier teams. The rule helps ensure that teams have adequate recovery time and are not unduly penalized by early kickoffs, particularly after emotionally draining games or significant losses.
This change is also likely to have a ripple effect on the way television networks and conferences plan game broadcasts. The early morning games are often seen as an opportunity to capitalize on different time zones and maximize television viewership. However, the new rule ensures that these matchups will not come at the expense of teams’ physical health and game preparation.
Reactions to the Rule Change
There have been mixed reactions to the rule change, with some celebrating the fairness it introduces and others questioning its practicality. Some critics argue that it could make scheduling even more challenging, particularly for conferences that already struggle with balancing time slots and broadcast contracts. On the other hand, proponents of the rule, especially from the coaching ranks, believe it’s a much-needed step toward improving the quality of the game by considering the well-being of the student-athletes.