Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State AD Gene Smith in favor of scrapping B1G divisions

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Ohio State AD Gene Smith in favor of scrapping B1G divisions

The Big Ten has been in its current structure with the East and West Divisions since 2013.

That could be coming to an end soon, and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith is in favor of scrapping those divisions and finding a new model to play conference football games.

Smith came out as an advocate for ditching divisions while meeting with the media to discuss to new Big Ten television rights deal, which will net the conference a massive payout each year.

“I’ve gotten to the point where I’m comfortable going no divisions,” Smith said. “In that, like I said earlier, we need to talk about tie-breakers and those types of things. So we have to get down to the details around that. But I also want to hear what our television partners have to say, which is why we’ve waited until we knew who they are. I don’t know what their perspectives are. So I’m in favor of it. I think it’d be better for us, particularly when UCLA and USC gets into the mix.”

Divisions will still be around in 2022; Ohio State is the favorite to win the East. But don’t expect them to be around forever. Smith wants to do away with them and find a new way to play conference football games.

Buckeyes come out big winners in new conference TV deal

The Big Ten just signed a new television rights deal that sets a new standard for college football conferences. With the current system, the league will split the annual revenue evenly between the 16 schools — which will include USC and UCLA shortly after the new contract kicks in.

Spoiler alert: Ohio State is the biggest winner.

Sure, the other 15 member institutions will certainly benefit from the massive, record-breaking seven-year deal put in place by multiple networks, including CBS, NBC and Peacock, FOX, and others, and the league. The new revenue will help keep the Big Ten ahead financially of the almighty football power conference, the SEC.

As the other athletic departments put plans in place for new ways to spend their boatloads of cash, Ohio State can continue to stay stride for stride with the Alabamas and Georgias of this sport — while the Illinois, Purdues and Indianas are still just trying to catch the Buckeyes.

READ: Buckeyes win big with new Big Ten television deal

Full coverage of Buckeyes training camp

The Ohio State quarterbacks took their turn speaking to the media Thursday after the latest training camp session inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

And Lettermen Row’s Spencer Holbrook and Tim May are back with a Practice Report to break down everything we learned from C.J. Stroud, Kyle McCord and quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis.

What did Heisman Trophy favorite C.J. Stroud say about being named a captain this weekend by the Buckeyes? How are the backup quarterbacks progressing this training camp? What is Kyle McCord doing to make sure he is the heir to the quarterback position at Ohio State next fall? The Lettermen Row guys break it all down.

Don’t miss the Practice Report with Spencer and Tim as they try to squeeze in so many different topics to discuss after hearing from the Buckeyes quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis and the signal-callers.

Miss any of the coverage so far from Ohio State training camp? Catch up here:

READ: Kevin Wilson, Buckeyes offense working to hang banners, earn big rings

READ: How J.T. Tuimoloau can follow familiar second-year path, become elite for Buckeyes

WATCH: Evan Pryor injury impact, how Buckeyes defensive line can reach high ceiling

READ: Buckeyes staying silent on defensive hybrid role as grand unveiling nears

READ: Four Buckeyes who can continue upward movement as training camp hits third week

Counting down

Buckeyes season opener vs. Notre Dame: 15 days away

Ohio State vs. Michigan: 99 days away

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