Ohio State won an all-expenses paid BCS title trip in the Fiesta Bowl against Miami (Fla.) and the Orange Bowl moved ahead of the Rose to select Iowa as an at-large. Ohio State earned the conference’s automatic bid based on its overall unbeaten record, and Iowa lost to Iowa State after a hand injury to Banks. “I say that because Iowa is absolutely complete. “I think Iowa is the better football team,” Minnesota coach Glen Mason said that year. The Buckeyes had the league’s defensive player of the year, safety Mike Doss. The Hawkeyes featured the Silver Football winner and Heisman Trophy runner-up, quarterback Brad Banks. Iowa led the league in scoring at 37.2 points per game, and the Buckeyes gave up just 11.0. Ohio State had the league’s powerhouse defense, and its Big Ten margin was 185-88 and 91-34 in its final four.

The Hawkeyes outscored league foes 350-130, including 161-43 in their final four games. Iowa (yes, Iowa) was an offensive juggernaut. 3 Iowa were unbeaten with different focuses. This became the nightmare scenario for the Big Ten. 9 Wisconsin had the chops to qualify for the Rose Bowl as an at-large team.īackground: The best Big Ten game never played took place in 2002. 5 chaos, would have vaulted Ohio State into the BCS championship. That extra win against a ranked opponent, coupled with the Dec. In this case, they would beat Michigan in consecutive weeks and - because of the wackiness that ensued on the season’s final weekend in 1998 - Ohio State’s additional quality win would vault it past Florida State and into the BCS title game (Fiesta) against Tennessee.īetter or worse? Clearly better. The Buckeyes, who were upset 28-24 by Nick Saban and Michigan State, were the preseason No. Considering Ohio State was 1-0, Michigan was 1-1 and Wisconsin was 0-1 in their head-to-head battles, that’s where we will start. What would have happened? We could experience a scenario like this as early as 2024. In looking at the old Big Ten tiebreaker policies, it appears Michigan was eliminated because it had two non-conference losses and Wisconsin claimed the Rose Bowl nod because Ohio State had appeared in the Rose Bowl more recently. 9 Wisconsin, which earned the automatic champion bid over No. Yet which team claimed the Big Ten’s tiebreaker? No. Wisconsin and Ohio State didn’t play each other. The next week, Ohio State beat Michigan 31-16.

Wisconsin opened the season 9-0, then lost 27-10 at Michigan. Background: Let’s start with the most nonsensical situation of maybe the past 25 years.

Big ten championship game 2018 time