Can Ohio State reach the Big Ten championship game after losing at Michigan?

(This story has been updated with new information).

This Ohio State football season took an unexpected detour on Saturday when the Buckeyes were defeated by Michigan in the 2024 version of “The Game” at Ohio Stadium. With the field expanded to 12 teams for the first time, they are not expected to be left out of the College Football Playoff.

But the setback was significant for Ohio State’s hopes of winning the Big Ten and securing a bye in the first round of this year’s CFP.

Ohio State entered the final weekend of the 2024 college football regular season in the driver’s seat, facing No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. But the Buckeyes and coach Ryan Day needed help heading into next week’s game against the Ducks in Indianapolis.

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Here’s a breakdown of the scenarios that were in play for Ohio State to reach the Big Ten Championship Game after its blowout loss to Michigan:

Can Ohio State reach the Big Ten Championship?

No. The Buckeyes needed both Penn State and Indiana to lose their games on Saturday. Ohio State had the tiebreaker because of its head-to-head wins over the Nittany Lions and Hoosiers this season.

But after Penn State beat Maryland on Saturday, Ohio State is one game behind both teams in the loss column. Penn State will now face Oregon in the Big Ten championship game.

Ohio State will have to wait for the College Football Playoff selection show on Dec. 8 to ensure it is still in the 12-team bracket and makes a big jump into the CFP. The Buckeyes can no longer get a bye in the first round because they didn’t make it to the Big Ten Championship Game.

Who does Penn State play?

Penn State emerged from the finale of the 2024 Big Ten regular season on Saturday with a 44-7 victory over Maryland in State College, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions secured a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game with a win against the Terrapins.

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