Big 10: Oregon has clinched spot in title game

• Paolo Uggetti, ESPNNov 19, 2024, 05:32 PM ET

In its inaugural season as a member of the Big Ten, Oregon has formally clinched an area in the conference title game– on a Tuesday.The Ducks, once again No. 1 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, appeared to have clinched a berth in the championship when they beat Wisconsin on Saturday to go to 11-0 this season and 8-0 in conference play. The Big Ten, however, did not validate that was the case till Tuesday afternoon.

“Following a comprehensive assessment of all possible situations over the final 2 weeks of regular season play across all 18 teams, the Big 10 Conference determined there are no conditions whereby the Ducks do not complete No. 1 or No. 2 [in the league],” the conference said in a news release.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated The conference

likewise released a

different file detailing the 10 tiebreaker situations that could happen over the remaining games. The 3 teams competing for the other spot in the title game are Indiana(7-0 in conference play), Ohio State(6-1, with its only loss to Oregon)and Penn State (6-1, with its only loss to Ohio State ). Each of those groups has 2 conference games staying, and Ohio State and Indiana take on this weekend.In 8 of the 10 tiebreaker scenarios, Oregon would face either Indiana or Ohio State in a rematch of their exhilarating October matchup that the Ducks won 32-31. If the Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes, they are bound for the title game even if they lose to Purdue the following week. If the Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers, they remain in unless they lose to Michigan in the season finale.Penn State can meet Oregon in the title game just if the Nittany Lions triumph

and get assist on other fronts. Penn State would likewise require Indiana to lose to Ohio State and Purdue, and Ohio State to lose to Michigan. Alternatively, it would need Indiana to lose to Ohio State and beat Purdue while the cumulative conference winning percentage of all conference opponents for Penn State remains higher than Indiana’s and Ohio State loses to Michigan.Oregon is on a bye today, then will face Washington on Nov. 30 in its last game of the routine season as the

Ducks attempt to tape an undefeated routine season for the 2nd time in program history (2010). If Oregon beats Washington, it will also clinch an outright berth as the No. 1 seed in the title game.The Big 10 title game is set for Dec. 7 at Lucas Oil Arena in Indianapolis.