Big 10 Considering Change That Would Be Huge News For Ohio State And Michigan

Big 10 logo

Getty Image / G Fiume


The Big 10 may have cost itself a chance to have 2 teams in the College Football Playoff this season.

When the conference decided to split itself into divisions in football, it unfortunately stacked one division with most of its best programs.

Since dividing into the East and West divisions, East division is contested between traditional powers like Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan. Meanwhile, the West usually sees Iowa and Wisconsin competing for the top spot with the rest of the division sporadically finding themselves in the mix.

Since the conference aligned into these two divisions, the East has won all 8 Big 10 Championship Games and Michigan is heavily favored to make it 9 in a row.

While in most years this means the conference isn’t in for any surprise upsets in the title game that could cost the conference a spot in the Playoff, this year is different. This season, the fact that their one division is so loaded could cost them a spot as 1-loss Ohio State could find themselves out of the Playoff because they aren’t competing in their conference title game.

Now it looks like the Big 10 could be ready to make a change. The conference’s commissioner told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that it will be discussed at their spring meetings.

It makes a lot of sense for the Big 10 to take a look at their divisional alignment because it doesn’t make a ton of sense for them to put the East at such a big disadvantage.

This year isn’t the first time the divisions made things a bit murky around Playoff time. Back in 2016, Ohio State only had one loss in the regular season, but it came at Penn State. Penn State had 2 losses, but one came during non-conference play.

On the other side of the conference, Wisconsin had lost to Ohio State and Michigan, but still got into the title game. Penn State beat Wisconsin, causing major debate over whether the 2-loss Penn State should be the 1st 2-loss team to make the Playoff.

Ohio State was selected over them, but it’s an issue that could have been settled on the field if the conference put its 2 best teams in the conference title game.

This year, the game between Michigan and Ohio State last weekend was essentially a playoff eliminator because one of the 2 teams wouldn’t make the Big 10 title game despite only suffering 1 loss all season.

At least it looks like they’re considering a more sensible alignment for the future.