Big Ten Championship Game scenarios after Week 12: Dan Lanning's Oregon leads a tight race
The 2024 college football season is now in the final stretch as things have turned to Week 13, with the Big Ten playing great football over the first 12 weeks of the season. The 18 teams have a combined 107-75 record, including a dominant 42-10 mark in nonconference games.
In the latest rendition of the AP Top 25 poll, five Big Ten teams are ranked, with four among the top five teams in the nation. No other programs received the same recognition from voters.
While the more important College Football Playoff rankings had four Big Ten teams ranked in the top five entering the week, they will not be updated until Tuesday. Multiple teams still have an opportunity to reach the Big Ten championship game.
The No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks and No. 5-ranked Indiana Hoosiers are undefeated in conference play, while the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions have just one conference loss. Take a look at the conference championship game scenarios for each of those programs below.
Big Ten Championship Game scenarios after Week 12
#1 Oregon Ducks
The top-ranked Oregon Ducks secured their spot in the Big Ten championship game with their Week 12 win over the Wisconsin Badgers. They are 11-0 overall and 8-0 in conference play. The Ducks will face the Washington Huskies in their final game following an open week.
#2 Indiana Hoosiers
The fifth-ranked Indiana Hoosiers control their own path to the conference title. However, it is not an easy road. They are 10-0 overall and 7-0 in conference play. The Hoosiers will face the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in their first matchup against a ranked opponent before playing the Purdue Boilermakers to close the season. They will reach the Big Ten championship game if they win both games.
#3 Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes also control their own path to the postseason. They are 9-1 and 6-1 in conference play, with their lone Big Ten loss coming in a Game of the Year contender against the Oregon Ducks. If Ohio State can beat the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan Wolverines over the final two weeks, they will reach the Big Ten championship game.
#4 Penn State Nittany Lions
The No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions have a path to the Big Ten championship game, but they will need help. They are 9-1 overall and 6-1 in conference play, with their lone Big Ten loss coming to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Penn State will need to win its final two games, which will come against the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Maryland Terrapins.
They would need the Buckeyes to beat the Indiana Hoosiers but lose to the Michigan Wolverines. The head-to-head tiebreaker between the Nittany Lions and Hoosiers would come down to cumulative conference winning percentage. As things stand, Penn State's conference opponents are 46-44 while Indiana's are 42-49.