The NCAA has way too many rules for its own good, and with an excess of rules comes some unforeseen problems. That's what has happened in preparation for this year's national championship game, as Ohio State will get a big advantage over Oregon this week, according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy:
Because Ohio State's spring semester doesn't start until Monday, the Buckeyes are not required to adhere to the NCAA's 20-hour rule, limiting countable athletic activities to four hours a day and 20 hours a week. Oregon's academic term began this week, so the Ducks cannot exceed 20 hours, according to NCAA rules.
That means Oregon can only do 20 hours worth of meeting, practicing, lifting, etc. this week, since the university is in session. Ohio State is not currently in session, so the Buckeyes can do whatever they want. That's usually not an issue for bowl games, since most take place during winter break, but since the championship game is so late, it could become a problem in the future.