Big Ten Showdown Looms: Can Oregon Survive Indiana and Ohio State’s Ruthless Pursuit?

There’s a buzz in the air as we inch closer to what promises to be an electrifying Big Ten Championship Game this December. While the final matchup remains up in the air, all eyes are locked onto the Indiana Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes, the two powerhouse squads seemingly destined to clash in Indianapolis. Now, I don’t say “destined” lightly—these teams have carved out impressive seasons so far, with Indiana riding high after a landmark 30-20 victory over Oregon that turned heads nationwide, while Ohio State leans on a deep well of postseason pedigree and sheer grit. But let’s not count out the Oregon Ducks just yet—they’re lurking, with tough road tests against Iowa and Washington standing between them and an improbable conference title shot. The roads ahead for these teams are no Sunday strolls, and any slip-up could shuffle the deck in surprising ways. Still, with rankings, tiebreakers, and history all swirling, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than the Buckeyes and Hoosiers carving their names onto the B1G trophy this year. I’m hooked—are you? LEARN MORE

The Big Ten Championship Game isn’t settled on yet, but ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg recognizes the chances are impossibly high that it’ll be the Indiana Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes meeting in Indianapolis this December.

As Rittenberg relays, the Oregon Ducks have an outside chance of crashing the conference championship party. Trips to face the Iowa Hawkeyes and Washington Huskies on the road could complicate their quest to get between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes, though.

“Ohio State and Indiana are the top two ranked teams in the country, and the top contenders for the Big Ten title. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers do not meet during the regular season. Indiana has zero ranked opponents left on its schedule and could post its first 12-0 regular season after recording its first 10-0 start just last season. Ohio State will finish with No. 25 Michigan, which, in case you’ve been stranded on an deserted island, has won four consecutive games against coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes,” Rittenberg wrote.

“No. 6 Oregon Ducks can still have a say, although the Ducks have lost the tiebreaker to Indiana and still face trips to Iowa and Washington. Six other teams have only one conference loss, including Michigan, so things could get interesting if Ohio State and Indiana start to stumble. But it would be a surprise if the league doesn’t come down to the Buckeyes and Hoosiers.”

IU is the nation’s newest darling because of a 30-20 victory over Oregon in Week 7. Their record is seen as more legitimate than OSU’s to this point. Still, the Hoosiers don’t own a single postseason victory in the modern era, having lost 27-17 to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in last year’s CFP. That was Indiana’s only CFP appearance.

Ohio State has been there and done that, having run through the Tennessee Volunteers, Ducks, Texas Longhorns, and Fighting Irish en route to the hardest title run in history. To name just one major notch on the Buckeyes’ belt.

Past success doesn’t dictate future results, especially in a sport with as many year-over-year changes as college football. If that’s how this worked, there wouldn’t be so much made about Ryan Day not beating the Michigan Wolverines since 2019.

With that said, Oregon will need an inordinate amount of breaks over the next six weeks to replace one of the top two teams in the conference and country in the B1G title game.