Now that the Ducks survived the “White Out” with a 30-24 double overtime win over Penn State, the path to their second Big Ten Championship Game appearance in as many years in the conference is clear as day.
Last season, Oregon was the only unbeaten team at the end of regular season clinching a trip to Indianapolis before its final game. Last week’s game was most likely the biggest obstacle for the Ducks. The biggest challenges remaining on their schedule are Indiana, Iowa and Washington.
No. 8 Indiana will be coming to Autzen Stadium next week, where the Ducks have not lost in 18 games over a two year span — the current collegiate record. Oregon will also be coming off of a bye week, which should serve as another advantage in its ability to handle business.
Iowa looked like it would be a challenge for Oregon before the season, in part due to its hostile stadium environment. Seeing how the Ducks handled going to Penn State and how Iowa struggled at home last week against Indiana, this game looks like it will be more manageable.
And of course, the Ducks all know about Husky Stadium. Washington suffered its first home loss in four years last week against reigning national champion No. 1 Ohio State. Who was the last team to win in Seattle? That’s right — Oregon. The Ducks battled in their last trip north two years ago, but ultimately fell short on a missed game-tying field goal as time expired. The Huskies have a lot more talent than they did for their blowout loss at Autzen last year, and being at home will be a big advantage for them.
As long as the Ducks don’t lose more than one of their remaining games, they will have another opportunity to play for a conference championship. The next big question will be who they match up against.
Penn State
Given their history in big matchups, it seems unlikely that the Nittany Lions will make another trip to Indianapolis this December. That said, no one expected them to be there last year, but late season losses for Ohio State and Indiana bailed them out. Penn State would have to beat both those teams to get to the championship this year. It has not beaten Ohio State since 2016, and with one loss already, losing to either of those teams would most likely cost it another crack at the title.
Indiana
The Hoosiers are coming off of an 11-1 regular season a year ago and are looking to make a similar spark. Their only loss was to Ohio State, which is not on their schedule this year. While it is unlikely that Indiana will come out of Eugene with a win next week, its only other serious threat is Penn State. There isn’t a clear “better team” going into that early November matchup, but it will likely play a role in which team goes to Indianapolis.
Michigan
After a rebuilding season saw them still go 8-5 last year, the No. 20 Wolverines are back in the hunt. After recruiting the No. 1 ranked player in the 2025 class in Bryce Underwood to be their quarterback, the future couldn’t be brighter in Ann Arbor. Michigan already has one loss, but the rest of its schedule contains unranked opponents until the final week when it plays Ohio State. The Buckeyes have not beaten the Wolverines in five years and holding that streak could send Michigan to Indianapolis.
Ohio State
Just like last year, Oregon vs Ohio State is the most likely matchup for the Big Ten Championship Game. The two do not play each other in the regular season this year. It was because of their loss in Eugene last year that the Buckeyes did not appear in Indianapolis after their fourth straight loss to Michigan. Ohio State is favored to win all its other games. If that holds, the Buckeyes could make an appearance even with a loss to Michigan. With two months of season remaining, it will be up to all five teams to determine which two will play on Dec. 6.
