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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The college sports ecosystem will change later this month, and it has nothing to do with the transfer portal or name, image and likeness. It’s about gambling. The NCAA recently approved a rule change which will allow its athletes to bet on professional sports. The new rule was originally scheduled to go into effect Saturday, but that has been delayed until at least Nov. 22, the NCAA Division I board announced Tuesday. Athletes will still be prohibited from betting on college sports, and they won’t be allowed to share inside information with bettors. However, the rule change amplifies a new frontier coaches such as Ohio State’s Ryan Day are learning to manage. “Yearly, we have a huge talk about gambling,” Day said. “Gambling is really one of the hot topics. Every year, I try to identify — we try to identify as a staff — the top 4-5 things that we think can jam our players up and distract them or get themselves off track. One of them is gambling." Latest Ohio State Buckeyes news Penn State’s season has fallen apart, but these 7 players could still give Ohio State trouble this weekend Haynes King, the coaching market and the Winners and losers from College Football Week 9 Ohio State’s Ryan Day outlines his bye week: Corn mazes, AI and a funny Halloween-themed story How Ohio State football is honoring a pair of Buckeye greats before game vs. Penn State Along with these annual conversations, Ohio State provides frequent reminders of the dangers of gambling. C.J. Barnett, OSU’s assistant athletic director of player development and external affairs, recently posted articles throughout the Buckeyes’ locker room about the NBA’s gambling case. The dangers of gambling also extend beyond the athletes placing bets. Mobile betting has made it easier than ever to gamble on collegiate sports, ranging from game spreads to player props. When bets don’t cash, athletes become the target for upset gamblers. “I think that’s another part of this game that’s changed,” Day said. “The fans, the people who are gambling on the game — they’re even more invested than they’ve ever been before because not only is their team winning or losing, but they’re winning or losing financially. There’s a lot that comes with that." Caleb Downs named Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist Ohio State junior safety Caleb Downs was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award on Tuesday. The award is given annually to the best defensive back in college football. Downs, who is the only returning 2024 finalist for the Thorpe Award, has recorded 34 tackles and an interception this season. Key dates
