In the 1970s, commentators took great joy in lobbing the “Big Two and Little Eight” nickname toward the Big Ten. The Midwestern game seemed to be played entirely on Michigan and Ohio State’s terms; the only program not named the Wolverines or Buckeyes to win even a share of the conference title from 1968 to ’80 was Michigan State in 1978.
The year 2025 has followed that pattern, but with one crucial difference. While the recession-proof No. 1 Buckeyes have started 10–0 behind one of the most dominant defenses in recent memory, No. 2 Indiana—once one of the conference’s lovable losers—has rocketed to its own 11–0 start and at times has looked superior to Ohio State.
Such is the strength of the top of the Big Ten that, as in the SEC, neither team has locked up a berth in the conference championship. Here’s an overview of the state of play heading into the penultimate week of the regular season.
Who are the top contenders for the Big Ten championship game?
Of the league’s 18 teams, five remain in contention for the Big Ten title game. The Hoosiers, who lead the Buckeyes by half a game, have never made the championship and have not won the conference since 1967. Ohio State, also unbeaten, has won the game five times—most recently in 2020.
Among the one-loss cohort, USC has yet to play in the Big Ten championship, though it played in the Pac-12 championship four times (winning it 31–28 over Stanford in 2017). Oregon won the game last year, and Michigan won three in a row from 2021 to '23.
Big Ten standings entering Week 13
1. Indiana (11–0, 8–0)
2. Ohio State (10–0, 7–0)
T-3. USC (8–2, 6–1)
T-3. Oregon (9–1, 6–1)
T-3. Michigan (8–2, 6–1)
T-6. Iowa (6–4, 4–3)
T-6. Washington (7–3, 4–3)
T-6. Minnesota (6–4, 4–3)
T-6. Illinois (7–3, 4–3)
T-6. Nebraska (7–3, 4–3)
T-11. Northwestern (5–5, 3–4)
T-11. UCLA (3–7, 3–4)
13. Rutgers (5–5, 2–5)
T-14. Maryland (4–6, 1–6)
T-14. Penn State (4–6, 1–6)
T-14. Wisconsin (3–7, 1–6)
17. Michigan State (3–7, 0–7)
18. Purdue (2–9, 0–8)
Big Ten championship game matchup if season ended today
If the season ended today, the Buckeyes would play the Hoosiers for the Big Ten championship. The two teams did not play this year, but did play last season, when No. 2 Ohio State overwhelmed No. 5 Indiana 38–15 in the penultimate week of the season. The Hoosiers have not beaten the Buckeyes in football since 1988, when they crushed a down Buckeyes team 41–7 (the two teams tied in 1990).
Despite Indiana’s long losing streak in the series, the Hoosiers have played Ohio State close on numerous occasions this century. In ’20, to cite a recent example, the No. 3 Buckeyes barely edged out No. 9 Indiana 42–35 in a game Ohio State led 35–7 at one point.
How Week 13 will affect Big Ten championship game scenarios
For the Hoosiers, it’s a simple calculus: as long as they beat Purdue on Nov. 28, they will play for their first Big Ten title in 58 years. Indiana can also backdoor its way into the title game while on the couch this week, if the Trojans beat the Ducks (plausible) and the Terrapins beat the Wolverines (less so).
At the other end of the spectrum, with the Buckeyes likely to beat the Scarlet Knights Saturday, the Big Ten's three one-loss teams are all on thin ice. If Ohio State wins, any of those three teams that lose would be eliminated. In this vein, the USC-Oregon loser is a near-lock for elimination, while Michigan should get a chance to knock another Buckeyes season askew if it beats Maryland.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Big Ten Championship Game Scenarios Entering Week 13: Can Anyone Unseat Indiana, Ohio State?.
