3 Big Ten teams that deserve CFP spot over SEC teams in 12-team field ft. Indiana
Big Ten fans know endless conference debating season is officially here in college football. A 12-team College Football Playoff offers new opportunities to eight teams, but those spots will fill in quickly. The SEC is the standard bearer of college football conferences. But the Big Ten will likely get four teams into the CFP.
Here's the case for three likely non-champions to beat out SEC teams.
Again, likely (to use the term loosely) league champion Oregon isn't included in this calculus. The Big Ten's champion gets an automatic spot in the playoff.
3 Big Ten teams that deserve CFP spot over SEC teams
#1. Ohio State
Ohio State is a solid 9-1 and particularly if they can beat Indiana and Michigan, they're deserving of a playoff spot. Frankly, even a 10-2 Buckeye team should get into the field. Yes, Ohio State played a weak non-conference schedule. But the Buckeyes also played at No. 1 Oregon and No. 4 Penn State. They're about to face No. 5 Indiana at home.
A trio of top-five games with two on the road gives Ohio State a schedule the equal of any SEC team. Sure, the bottom of the Big Ten is weak. But Ohio State has done the heavy lifting to earn a spot in the playoff.
#2. Penn State
The case for the Nittany Lions isn't quite as strong. Barring a massive upset, Penn State will go 11-1. But the only currently ranked teams on State's schedule are No. 2 Ohio State and No. 24 Illinois. That said, Penn State played a fairly ambitious pre-conference slate, hosting a Bowling Green team that's now 6-4 and going to West Virginia.
Penn State might lack marquee wins, but it also lacks damaging losses that many of the SEC contenders took. There's no loss to Kentucky (Ole Miss) or Vanderbilt (Alabama) or Arkansas (Tennessee) lurking in Penn State's schedule. Those SEC contenders all lost games to teams that aren't ranked in the current CFP top 25. Penn State didn't.
#3. Indiana
The Hoosiers are the controversial Big Ten squad. Yes, they're 10-0. Yes, they have played a comically bad schedule, including an awful non-conference slate. But aside from that non-conference slate, the schedule is essentially a matter of luck. Indiana didn't exactly plan to only play one team from the Big Ten's top seven squads.
Moreover, the fact that Indiana likely comes in at 11-1 does give them an advantage. Like Penn State, Indiana has avoided an embarrassing loss. They've also avoided any loss, with the possible exception of Ohio State coming up on Saturday. That should be enough to get the Hoosiers into the CFP.
What do you think of the B1G's top squads? Should all four make the CFP? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.