What’s At Stake In the Big Ten Title Game? Everything for Oregon, Penn State

Odds and ends: Oregon -3.5 (FanDuel), this is the first meeting between programs since the 1995 Rose Bowl, a 38-20 Penn State win that helped the Nittany Lions finish the season undefeated (12-0)

What’s at stake:

Oregon is a sure-fire pick no matter what happens in this game but the Ducks want the No. 1 overall seed and a first-round bye. Having your first game being in the quarterfinals is much more preferred than risk being upset in the first round.

Penn State also is part of the 12-team field no matter what transpires in Indy. But stun the Ducks and get a bye and home-field advantage? That would be a huge development for the Nittany Lions.

How they got here:

The Ducks needed a last-second field goal to beat Boise State on Sept. 7 and then won their next three games by at least 21 points. They defeated Ohio State 32-31 in a major showdown on Oct. 12 and then beat four straight Big Ten opponents — including Illinois and Michigan — by an average of 26.5 points. Saturday’s 49-21 whipping of Washington furthered displayed that Oregon is by far the best team in the land.

Penn State won its first seven games before once again falling to Ohio State, dropping coach James Franklin to 1-10 versus the Buckeyes during his tenure. The Nittany Lions bounced back impressively with wins of 29 and 39 points against Washington and Purdue, respectively. Penn State closed with a 44-7 rout of Maryland and landed the championship game spot due to Michigan’s win over Ohio State.

RELATED: CFB Signing Day: Oregon, All They Do is Win

X Factors:

Oregon

RB Jordan James

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel is the player most opponents fear because of his pinpoint accuracy.  James is a beneficiary. He had 1,166 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, contributing 95 or more yards in eight of 12 games. Ohio State rushed for 176 yards against Penn State earlier this season.

S Tysheem Johnson

He second in tackles with 55 and always seems to know where to be in the back end. Leads team with three picks in 2024.

Penn State

TE Tyler Warren

He holds almost every record and knows style points, too, based on his Saquon-esque hurdle of a would-be tackler in the win over Maryland last week. Warren has 81 receptions for 978 yards and six scores, topped by that memorable career-best outing of 17 catches for 224 yards against Southern California on Oct. 12.

DE Abdul Carter

Put together a dominant season that counts 19.5 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks, while terrorizing opposing offensive linemen.

The Chalkboard:

The Ducks departed the Pac-12 for the Big Ten, where wins weren’t supposed to come so easily. But Oregon thrived in its new environment and has been the top team in the nation all season. No matter what happens in the conference title game, the Ducks are the team to beat in the 12-team playoff field.

One narrative Franklin despises is that his program beats all the teams it should and falls short in the big games. Penn State’s loss to Ohio State made Franklin 1-10 against the Buckeyes. So here you go coach, a perfect chance to temporarily silence that chatter, especially since a win over the Ducks gives the Nittany Lions a first-round bye.

Also Read:
LSU’s Brian Kelly bristles as five-stars chasing cash at all costs