Wisconsin Football: Breaking Down Big Ten Championship Scenarios

By Tyler Hunt | Nov 22, 2016

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; General view of the logo on the field prior to the game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Conference football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports /

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Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) looks to throw the ball during the second half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Ohio State Buckeyes

While Saturday’s contest with Michigan ultimately keeps one team alive in terms of the playoff, it doesn’t settle the Big Ten East completely. Ohio State sits in an odd spot, as a defeat of Michigan does not give them the automatic bid. Penn State handed the Buckeyes their only loss this season, and the Nittany Lions hold the tiebreaker because of it. If the Buckeyes win, they would still need a loss from Penn State to jump into the title game. A win keeps the Buckeyes in the playoff discussion, but they will still need additional help to walk away with a Big Ten Title. The playoff committee seems to lean toward teams that win their conference championship, so Saturday’s results could potentially damage Ohio States chances. However, with wins over Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and potentially Michigan it appears that the Buckeyes could jump a team like Washington despite not winning the Big Ten. Ohio State comes off an ugly victory against Michigan State, 17-16, so neither team is playing their best football heading into Saturday.

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