COLUMBUS – The Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis on Saturday marks what the Buckeyes hope is the final step on the path to the College Football Playoff.
Big Ten Championship
(4) OSU (5-0) vs (14) Northwestern (6-1)
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis; Sat., Dec. 19 (Noon/FOX)
Ohio State’s meeting with Northwestern is a rematch of the 2018 game, which the Buckeyes won 45-24. OSU has won 32 of the last 33 meetings.
Nine FBS conferences hold championship games Friday and Saturday and Ohio State and defending national champion Clemson go into the weekend with the most at stake.
There also are a few other games rescheduled because of COVID-19.
Clemson is No. 3 in the playoff rankings and would lock up a sixth straight appearance with a win over Notre Dame in the ACC title game while No. 4 Ohio State would be in position for a spot with a win over Northwestern.
The top two teams are Alabama and Notre Dame. Both probably could lose and still get in.
The Big Ten Champions Week undercard begins Friday night with Nebraska visiting Rutgers. Minnesota visits Wisconsin on Saturday in the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe and Illinois goes to Penn State but Saturday night’s game between Maryland and Michigan State has been canceled after an outbreak of COVID-19 in College Park.