Big Ten tiebreakers: Championship Game clinching scenarios in Week 14

Rivalry Week provides some of the biggest moments each college football season.

This year is no different, especially with everything that is at stake.

As the final week of the 2025 college football regular season begins, four teams in the Big Ten are still alive in the race for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game. Two teams — Ohio State and Indiana — control their own destiny while both Oregon and Michigan have outside shots at a spot in Indianapolis.

All told, there are seven different Big Ten Championship Game possibilities.

Let’s dive into the standings, the tiebreakers, and the scenarios.

What are the Big Ten standings?

Here are the current Big Ten standings. Teams listed in bold are still alive when it comes to the Big Ten Championship Game:

Indiana Hoosiers

Week 14 Matchup: @ Purdue, Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET

Clinching Scenarios:

-Win
–Or Ohio State loss

The path is pretty clear for the Indiana Hoosiers. A win over 2-9 Purdue is enough to get Indiana to their first Big Ten Championship Game in school history. Indiana has won the Big Ten twice — first in 1945 and then again in 1967 — but both of those titles came prior to the inception of the Big Ten Championship Game.

Even if the Hoosiers manage to lose tonight to the Boilermakers, they would still advance to the Big Ten Championship Game if the Buckeyes lose to the Wolverines Saturday afternoon.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Week 14 Matchup: @ Michigan, Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET

Clinching Scenarios:

-Win
–Or Indiana loss and Oregon loss

Similar to Indiana, the Buckeyes also control their own destiny. A win over Michigan in The Game and Ohio State is headed to the Big Ten Championship Game.

However, if Ohio State loses to Michigan, they need more help than just one team losing. Why is this the case? Let’s say Indiana, Oregon, and Michigan all win this weekend. Indiana would be in the Big Ten Championship Game with a 9-0 conference record. Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan would have matching 8-1 records.

The first tiebreaker in the Big Ten is head-to-head record, which does not apply when there are three teams. The second tiebreaker is record against common opponents, and those three teams are each 2-0 against Washington and Wisconsin in this scenario. Only the fourth tiebreaker breaks the tie, as Oregon has the “best overall record of conference opponents among tied teams.”

Oregon Ducks

Week 14 Matchup: @ Washington, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET

Clinching Scenarios:

-Win and Ohio State loss

While the Ducks are still alive for a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game, they do not control their own destiny, and a win over Washington will not be enough. Oregon also needs Ohio State to lose to Michigan. As outlined above they can get to Indianapolis and take on the Hoosiers, but if Indiana and Ohio State both lose, Oregon will actually take on Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game. In that scenario, all four teams would have matching 8-1 conference records, and Oregon would get the first spot due to having the “best overall record of conference opponents among tied teams” once the fourth tiebreaker was put into play.

As for the other spot in that game, the common opponents between Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio State would be Purdue and Wisconsin, and Indiana’s hypothetical loss to the Boilermakers would drop them out of the running, leaving just Michigan and Ohio State.

And then Michigan’s win over Ohio State would give the Wolverines the spot against Oregon.

Michigan Wolverines

Week 14 Matchup: vs. Ohio State, Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET

Clinching Scenarios:

-Win and Indiana loss or Oregon loss

The Wolverines also do not control their destiny, but have multiple paths to Indianapolis.

First, they need to beat Ohio State. Then they can get in if Indiana loses (as outlined above where they would face Oregon) or Oregon loses. If Indiana wins, Michigan wins, and Washington wins, then Indiana would be in with a 9-0 Big Ten record. Oregon’s 7-2 Big Ten record would drop them out of the running, leaving Ohio State and Michigan with matching 8-1 records in the conference. But Michigan’s win over Ohio State would put them in the title game.

There is even a scenario where the Big Ten Championship Game would be a rematch of Ohio State-Michigan. If Purdue, Michigan, and Washington win, then Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio State would have matching 8-1 records in Big Ten play, while Oregon’s 7-2 conference record would knock them out of the running.

Since there is no head-to-head among Michigan/Ohio State/Indiana, then the second tiebreaker would come into play, record against common opponents. Since the common opponents for those three schools are Purdue and Wisconsin, Indiana’s hypothetical loss to the Boilermakers would knock them out, leaving Michigan and Ohio State as the last two standing.

For more on the seven potential Big Ten Championship games and scenarios, you can see the official Big Ten website.