Michigan Wolverines

Week 14 CFB Playoff Rankings: Four Big Ten Teams In Top 7

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Could two Big Ten teams make the college football playoff?

Remember in 2014, the first year of the college football playoff, when college football analysts debated whether or not two teams from the South Eastern Conference would get in? Well, fast forward two years, and the focus shifts to the Big Ten Conference.

As it stands, four Big Ten teams are ranked in the top seven. Ohio State’s No. 2, Michigan’s No. 5, Wisconsin’s No. 6, and Penn State’s No. 7. Here’s the only conundrum: the two best teams in the league will not play in the Big Ten title game.

Many believe that Ohio State will slip into the playoff regardless of it not winning the Big Ten title. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 in the country going into their match-up versus the No. 3 Wolverines, and they now have signature wins at Oklahoma, at Wisconsin, at Nebraska and at home versus Michigan. But, with two losses, Michigan eliminated itself from contention in the Big Ten title game.

One team that Michigan did beat, however, is Penn State in a 49-10 throttling in the Big House. Sure, Penn State finished 8-1 in conference play with one of its wins coming at home versus Ohio State (thanks to a no-call on pass interference and a fluke blocked field goal).

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But does that mean that the Nittany Lions are a better team than the Buckeyes overall? Not by a long shot. And in losing 49-to-10 versus Michigan, they certainly proved that they weren’t better than the Wolverines eighter.

Would the Nittany Lions have a shot at making the playoff if they beat the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten championship game, which would give them their second win versus a top-ten team? I honestly don’t think so. Penn State has two bad losses. The one mentioned above versus Michigan, and one versus Pitt.

The only way the Big Ten could conceivably send two teams into the playoff is if Wisconsin beats Penn State in the conference title game. Unlike Penn State, the Badgers don’t have any ugly losses. Their two losses came against Michigan and Ohio State by just a combined total of 14 points, and they have a signature win versus LSU tacked onto their resume.

So, could two Big Ten teams make the college football playoff? It’s possible if Wisconsin wins the conference crown, but there’s still a lot of football to be played. Nevertheless, it’s still aesthetically pleasing to see four Big Ten teams ranked in the top seven.

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