You had to figure the Big Ten Championship Game between No. 4 Wisconsin and No. 8 Ohio State was going to be a physical matchup for the right to (maybe) make the College Football Playoff. But did anyone think it would be so physical that it would tear up the field at Lucas Oil Stadium?
If you bet that it would, congrats, because that's exactly what happened.
Seriously. The turf monster, previously undefeated against college football players, got ripped in half. See for yourself.
That's quite the divot. pic.twitter.com/I42xU0hvBy
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 3, 2017
The incident happened in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game when Badgers running back Chris James dove in for a one-yard touchdown. Since the play happened in a phone booth, both sides dug in to try to make a play. And ... well ... the turf paid the price. That's when field manager Eric Harlow had to run out on to the field, in front of thousands upon thousands of people -- and many more viewing at home -- and try to fix this thing in a timely manner. No pressure at all.
Lucas Oil Stadium Field Manager Eric Harlow has a bachelor's degree in turf grass management from Purdue.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 3, 2017
He was previously a groundskeeper for the Phillies & Nationals. pic.twitter.com/RO2ZiFnWmK
But the longer it took for the field to be fixed, the more time the internet had to make plenty of jokes about it.
Big Ten Football, so much grit they broke the field pic.twitter.com/KkRyRz0x9N
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) December 3, 2017
When you want to peek at your Christmas gifts and have to rewrap them the same way... 👀 pic.twitter.com/MCPXK0pZzD
— Stadium (@WatchStadium) December 3, 2017
Big Ten officials trying to sweep that 31 point Buckeye loss to Iowa under the rug pic.twitter.com/J4DSOU3nFD
— Tob (@WhatAboutTob) December 3, 2017
After a short delay, the turf was fixed and the game resumed with Ohio State ultimately winning 27-21. I've seen plenty of natural grass get torn up over the years. I don't think I've ever seen turf get that torn up before. That might be the biggest #B1G thing that could have happened in the Big Ten Championship.