In the 1970s, commentators took great joy in lobbing the “Big Two and Little Eight” nickname toward the Big Ten. The midwestern game seemed to be played entirely on Michigan and Ohio State’s terms; the only program not named the Wolverines or Buckeyes to win even a share of the conference title from 1968 to ’80 was Michigan State in 1978.
The year 2025 has followed that pattern,but with one crucial difference. While the recession-proof No. 1 Buckeyes have started 10-0 behind one of the most dominant defenses in recent memory,No. 2 indiana-once one of the conference’s lovable losers-has rocketed to its own 11-0 start and at times has looked superior to Ohio State.
Such is the strength of the top of the Big Ten that, as in the SEC, neither team has locked up a berth in the conference championship. Here’s an overview of the state of play heading into the penultimate week of the regular season.
Of the league’s 18 teams,five remain in contention for the Big Ten title game. The Hoosiers, who lead the Buckeyes by half a game, have never made the championship and have not won the conference since 1967. Ohio State, also unbeaten, has won the game five times-most recently in 2020.
Among the one-loss cohort, USC has yet to play in the Big Ten championship, though it played in the Pac-12 championship four times (winning it 31-28 over Stanford in 2017). Oregon won the game last year,and Michigan won three in a row from 2021 to ’23.
Big Ten standings entering Week 13
- Indiana (11-0, 8-0)
- Ohio State (10-0, 7-0)
T-3.USC (8-2, 6-1)
T-3. Oregon (9-1, 6-1)
T-3. Michigan (8-2, 6-1)