The Big Ten Championship Game between top-rated Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana promises to be one of those special encounters that will be remembered for years to come. The Buckeyes, defending national champions, have enjoyed a perfect regular season and are aiming to become one of the rare teams in recent college football history to win back-to-back titles.
Indiana, on the other hand, has risen dramatically from the lower tier of the Big Ten over the past two years. Just two seasons ago, the Hoosiers were 3-9, but with the arrival of head coach Curt Cignetti, the team has skyrocketed. After finishing 11-2 last year, Indiana has matched Ohio State’s 12-0 record this season.
In a previous era, a conference championship game between two undefeated teams would have meant everything to the Big Ten. The winner typically earned a spot in the Rose Bowl and had a shot at the national championship, while the loser would head to another high-profile bowl game to regain pride.
This time around, however, the outcome may not significantly impact either team’s national championship chances—unless the game ends in a blowout or significant injuries occur. Still, claiming the Big Ten title would be a momentous achievement for Indiana, playing in the Big Ten title game for the first time.
### Ohio State’s Position: Little to Gain or Lose
For Ohio State, the stakes appear to be different. The Buckeyes have already met their regular-season goals. Head coach Ryan Day faced intense pressure a year ago after losing his fourth straight game to Michigan, leading many fans to question his future. However, the expanded College Football Playoffs gave Ohio State another chance.
Seeded No. 6 in the tournament, few expected the Buckeyes to win the title, but they defied expectations by defeating Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame en route to the national championship. Quarterback Will Howard, running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, and wide receivers Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate led a dominant Ohio State team that won all postseason games by at least 14 points.
This year, Ohio State had to rebuild after losing Howard, Judkins, Henderson, and Egbuka to the NFL. Still, with Smith, Tate, new quarterback Julian Sayin, and running back Bo Jackson, the Buckeyes opened the season as 1.5-point favorites against top-ranked Texas—despite many expecting the Longhorns to prevail.
Ohio State handled Texas and every opponent in between with a resolute defense and tactical execution. After stifling Texas 14-7, the Buckeyes marched to an 11-0 record heading into the season finale against Michigan. The Wolverines were eager to notch five straight wins over Ohio State, which would have propelled them into the College Football Playoffs and the Big Ten title game.
However, the Buckeyes overcame a 6-0 deficit to claim a decisive 27-9 victory. Now, Ohio State can fully focus on their quest for a 10th national championship. While winning a 41st Big Ten title would be an accomplishment, it is somewhat “ho-hum” for a program of this stature. The national title remains the ultimate goal.
Even in the event of a loss to Indiana, Ohio State is likely to secure a first-round bye in the College Football Playoffs. The key for Day, Sayin, Jackson, and Smith is to avoid a blowout loss or injuries. For a program with Ohio State’s history, the Big Ten title game does not hold as much weight with the College Football Playoffs on the horizon.
### Indiana’s Moment of Pride
Indiana has long been known as a basketball state, even before the Bob Knight era. The football program has historically played second fiddle. The Hoosiers tied for the Big Ten championship in 1967 with Purdue and Minnesota, which remains the only time they appeared in the Rose Bowl. Indiana has never claimed an outright Big Ten championship.
Winning the title game against Ohio State would give Indiana a chance to claim that honor for the very first time in school history. Coach Cignetti has been a miracle worker in just two seasons at Bloomington, steering the Hoosiers to new heights. Led by a brilliant quarterback in Fernando Mendoza—a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate—Indiana has taken care of business against every opponent.
Their 30-20 win at Oregon in mid-October stands out as their most impressive accomplishment to date. Like Ohio State, Indiana will be highly seeded in the College Football Playoffs, regardless of the Big Ten title game’s outcome.
However, hanging that Big Ten championship pennant at Memorial Stadium would be one of the best recruiting tools the program has ever had. Winning the conference title would ignite a pride in the football program that has been largely absent in the past.
Ultimately, the Big Ten championship game means far more to Indiana than to Ohio State. For the Hoosiers, it is a chance to make history and elevate their football program to new heights. For Ohio State, it is a stepping stone on the path toward another national title.
https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-football/why-big-ten-championship-game-means-everything-to-indiana-and-nothing-to-ohio-state
