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Sep 20, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Big Ten Championship Game Ramifications in Oregon, Indiana Matchup Explained

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Charlie Viehl | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The No. 3 Oregon Ducks are set to host the No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers in a highly-anticipated matchup in Autzen Stadium on Saturday. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks will have their hands full with the Hoosiers as both teams are vying for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game at the end of the season.

Indiana is the only ranked team remaining on Oregon's schedule, and after the Ducks beat Penn State on the road, Lanning and his group can take an inside track to the conference title game with a win over the Hoosiers.

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

With a loss, Oregon most likely has to win out and get some help from other Big Ten teams in order to compete for the conference title.

As for Indiana, an upset win over Oregon moves the Hoosiers up to the top of the conference standings and gives them a much bigger margin of error. Like Oregon, Indiana does not face Michigan or Ohio State, and the Hoosiers do not have any teams currently ranked left on their schedule.

As a result, owning the tiebreaker over the Ducks might come into play should the Hoosiers slip up.

Only Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and No. 15 Michigan are perfect in Big Ten play through week 6. With two of them squaring off on Saturday, the Oregon vs. Indiana matchup will certainly shake up the top of the Big Ten standings.

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Big Ten Title Contenders

Other early contenders for the conference title include No. 1 Ohio State, No. 15 Michigan, No. 17 Illinois, Nebraska, USC, Washington, Iowa, and Maryland. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, only Ohio State (-275) and Oregon (-190) have minus odds of making the Big Ten Championship Game.

The Buckeyes and the Ducks are followed by Indiana (+220), Michigan (+300), USC (+1400), and Illinois (+1500) with the best betting odds of making the conference title game.

As for winning the Big Ten, Ohio State is the favorite (+120), followed by Oregon (+165), Indiana (+700), and Michigan (+800).

In 2024, an undefeated team (Oregon) and a one-loss team (Penn State) competed in the Big Ten title game. Meanwhile, the eventual national champions, two-loss Ohio State, didn't make the game.

In 2025, two undefeated teams could make the Big Ten Championship, and teams like USC, Nebraska, and Maryland, might already be eliminated from the conference title race. Still, the regular season stakes are still quite high for the teams at the top.