Big Ten figures out days later that Oregon is in championship game

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Big Ten figures out days later that Oregon has clinched spot in championship game

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Nov 19, 2024 7:19 PM ET

Let's have a conference called the "Big Ten" that's actually 18 teams large. Or how about the "Big 12," which has 16 member universities? How about the Atlantic Coast Conference with two teams in California?

Some realignment had become normal over the years but the "super conferences" that have been created in the past season are just silly. The above are just a few of the examples that college football fans have looked past as the Big Ten and SEC pillaged every other conference and changed the landscape of college football as we knew it.

It will take some time to get used to a game like Oregon vs. Ohio State being a Big Ten matchup. Speaking of the Ducks, things have been so convoluted, that it took the powers that be several days to figure out that Oregon had actually clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game this past weekend with its win over Wisconsin.

Megaconference tiebreakers are so confusing that the Big Ten didn't realize until today that Oregon clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game. pic.twitter.com/MgmVzpNBvy
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 19, 2024

The conference had to take several days to determine all the possibilities that got Oregon in the Big Ten title game with one game left remaining (against Washington, which is also, weirdly, a Big Ten matchup now).

These are all the tiebreaker scenarios that clinched Oregon's B1GCG spot.

I still argue that coinflip would have more public support than some of these confusing tiebreakers. pic.twitter.com/qWCMEwDBry
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) November 19, 2024

Oregon is 11-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country, but in this scenario, even a loss to Washington would find them in the championship game. They're also almost assuredly a College Football Playoff team now that the 12 team format is about to be featured.

Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten), Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) and Penn State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) are the other teams in the running to face Oregon, with each remaining team having two conference games remaining. Notably, No. 2 Ohio State will play No. 5 Indiana on Saturday, so one of those teams will be out of the running.

As it stands, Oregon (100%), Indiana (97%), Ohio State (95%) and Penn State (88%) each have a great shot of making the CFP as well. In Oregon's case, much like the Ducks' spot in the Big Ten championship game, it's guaranteed, according to ESPN's playoff predictor.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

More must-reads: