One bid for the Big Ten championship game was claimed on Friday night as Indiana blew out Purdue to complete their 12-0 regular season. The Hoosiers know where they'll be on Saturday, Nov. 29. The only question left is who they'll face off against in Indianapolis. Will it be the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes? Or will No. 5 Oregon force a rematch? Or will No. 15 Michigan crash the party?
Everything will be decided on Saturday, No. 29. Ohio State and Michigan will battle in Ann Arbor at 12 p.m. ET. Oregon hopes they'll still be in the running when they kick off against Washington at 3:30 p.m. ET. Let's look at the standings and all the tiebreaker scenarios in play.
Current Big Ten football standings
Big Ten Standings | Conference Record | Overall Record |
|---|---|---|
1. Indiana Hoosiers | 9-0 | 12-0 |
2. Ohio State Buckeyes | 8-0 | 11-0 |
3. Oregon Ducks | 7-1 | 10-1 |
4. Michigan Wolverines | 7-1 | 9-2 |
5. USC Trojans | 6-2 | 8-3 |
6. Iowa Hawkeyes | 6-3 | 8-4 |
7. Washington Huskies | 5-3 | 8-3 |
8. Northwestern Wildcats | 4-4 | 6-5 |
9. Illinois Fighting Illini | 4-4 | 6-5 |
10. Minnesota Golden Gophers | 4-4 | 6-5 |
11. Nebraska Cornhuskers | 4-5 | 7-5 |
12. UCLA Bruins | 3-5 | 3-8 |
13. Penn State Nittany Lions | 2-6 | 5-6 |
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 2-6 | 5-6 |
15. Wisconsin Badgers | 2-6 | 4-7 |
16. Maryland Terrapins | 1-7 | 4-7 |
17. Michigan State Spartans | 0-8 | 3-8 |
18. Purdue Boilermakers | 0-8 | 2-9 |
Big Ten tiebreaker scenarios for the 4 remaining contenders
Indiana Hoosiers
Remaining Schedule: None
- Clinched Big Ten title game berth with win over Indiana
The Hoosiers were likely to head for Indianapolis whether they won or lost. Winning would just make it very simple...and they did that with no drama. Purdue was outmatched in every way and Indiana made sure that was very clear. After a relatively modest first quarter, Fernando Mendoza and company turned up the head in the second quarter. They led 28-3 at the break and doubled-up in the second half to come away with a 56-3 win.
Indiana now awaits their Big Ten title game opposition. They won't need to bite their nails on Saturday. They just need to watch.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Remaining Schedule: at Michigan
- Win and in.
- Lose and out.
Indiana's win on Friday night simplified things for Ohio State, though not in the way they may have wanted. Before the Hoosiers clinched their place in the championship game, there was a scenario where the Buckeyes could lose and still get in. That's no longer on the table. Ohio State has to beat Michigan to get a bid to play in Indianapolis.
If they lose, they're still in line to get into the College Football Playoff, but without a first round bye...and without the rivalry bragging rights they so desperately want.
Oregon Ducks
Remaining Schedule: at Washington
- With win over Washington, need Ohio State loss to Michigan
Oregon's loss to Indiana would have put them in tiebreaker hell against Indiana, but the Hoosiers are still in, so they just need to have something over Ohio State and Michigan. And they do, so long as the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes again. The Ducks have the conference opponent win percentage tiebreaker over both teams.
A trip to Washington is the easier of two hurdles, and even that won't be a cakewalk. The Huskies are tough to beat at home and quarterback Demond Williams Jr. only raises the bar. At least the Ducks will know if they have a shot at the Big Ten title game by the time they kick off. If Ohio State wins, that'll end their hope of repeating as conference champs. If Michigan wins, however, a win over Washington will put them through to Indy for a rematch with Indiana.
Michigan Wolverines
Remaining Schedule: vs. Ohio State
- With win over Ohio State, need Oregon loss to Washington
Michigan played spoiler to Ohio State last year by keeping them out of the Big Ten championship game, but that win was only worth bragging rights in Ann Arbor. This year, another upset win over their rivals could put them in the Big Ten title game. It's not as easy as beating the Buckeyes (who are 9.5-point favorites over the Wolverines). Michigan also needs Washington to pull off an upset of their own against Oregon.
If Michigan beats Ohio State for the fifth time in a row, they'll have their eyes on Husky Stadium in the next window. An Oregon loss clinches the Wolverines place in the title game against Indiana (and give them an outside chance at getting to the College Football Playoff). An Oregon win will keep them at home.