College Football Playoff: What chaos does UCF need to reach the Top 4?

Step 2: Northwestern downs Ohio State to claim the Big Ten crown

Ohio State has their embarrassing blowout at Purdue as a blemish on their otherwise pristine record. Yet all the Buckeyes need to do to reach the Big Ten championship game is to win the next two games against Maryland and Michigan. If they take down their rivals from Ann Arbor, Urban Meyer’s squad will get the opportunity to defend their conference crown in Indianapolis.

Meanwhile, Northwestern went 0-3 in non-conference play but has dominated everybody but Michigan in Big Ten competition this year. The 6-4 Wildcats have already booked their trip to Lucas Oil Stadium on December 1 thanks to their head-to-head victories over both Wisconsin and Purdue. Even if they lose their last two games against Minnesota and Illinois, they will still be in Indianapolis.

When they get there, it would be far weaker for their case if a one-loss Buckeyes team is opposite Northwestern rather than a one-loss Michigan side that is undefeated in conference play. Dealing Ohio State their second loss of the season would knock the Buckeyes out of any shot of reaching the College Football Playoff and would render the Big Ten a non-factor in the Playoff race.

CAVEAT: Michigan could still theoretically make the Playoff as a one-loss team without a conference title, as Ohio State and Alabama have each of the past two seasons. For maximum chaos, the Wolverines would also lose at home in Week 12 against Indiana.