The theme for much of 2020 has been to maintain six feet of social distance.

Or two yards, however it is looked at. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields believes that’s the easy part if it means getting to play Big Ten football this fall.

“I don’t think it’s a big challenge for us,” Fields said. “Our team has done a great job with staying safe and being social distanced and doing all the right things.”

Because the Big Ten will begin its football schedule later than the ACC, Big 12 and SEC, speculation about College Football Playoff consideration may swirl. Among the criteria to be selected include conference championships, strength of schedule and head-to-head competition.

Fields doesn't think a team's number of games will change the selection committee's evaluations.

“I think the playoff committee does a good job with evaluating each team and seeing what teams they think should be in the playoff," Fields said. "I don’t think different amount of games is going to change the outcome of the playoff.”

On an individual scale, Fields believes the number of games an individual player appears in is important.

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According to the Big Ten, the “earliest a student-athlete can return to game competition is 21 days following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.”

That time frame equates to three weeks, and in a season set to be eight games with no bye weeks, each day matters more than before.

“I think the COVID protocol if you test positive, you’re out for at least 21 days and of course you don’t want that to happen,” Fields said. “I mean that’s three games right there, you might as well sit the rest of the season out.”

RELATED: Buckeyes must go undefeated to make CFP, Fields says

Fields said he watched the first several weeks of college football with teammates. One word summed up how he felt getting to see other teams and conferences play football and not the Big Ten: hurt.

“I really was just putting all my faith in God,” Fields said. “Of course watching these games this past weekend I was watching with a few teammates and we were hurt because we didn’t have the opportunity to play this year. But now we do.”

The limbo between two - and now three - revised schedules and postponement and resumption decisions likely contributed to the feelings among those Buckeyes.

But Fields and Ohio State have stayed persistent, and the quarterback recognizes the fact there are bigger things than what appears at the surface.

“With all that’s going on, Coop talked to the team,” Fields said. “This small sacrifice, not going to party or hanging out with people, that’s a small sacrifice to what we want to accomplish. That’s just a small sacrifice for a bigger reward.”

Fields referred to the video posted by @OhioStateFB on Twitter in August. Fifth-year defensive end Jonathon Cooper, who redshirted his senior season with hopes of having a complete, healthy final year, spoke to the team and stressed the importance of being mindful.

“That’s why I’m back, I don’t care about wearing a mask, I don’t care about being social distanced,” Cooper said. “For me, being a fifth-year senior here, all the work I put in here, this is an easy sacrifice and all I ask y’all is to think about that too, man.”

Plenty of individuals at Ohio State have been thinking about those sacrifices. According to head coach Ryan Day, Fields and others who have spoken about the protocols enforced at Ohio State, players feel safest at team facilities.

With the chance to play football now back on the table, Fields and Ohio State must remain persistent as they have fought to play.

But to Fields, he knows what he and the team must do.

“We know what’s at risk, we know what we have to do to stay safe, social distance," Fields said. "Our staff, they’ve done a great job reminding us to wear our masks, stay socially distanced and stuff like that.

“We’re just grateful for the opportunity we have and we’re just very excited to get out there on the field."