A Buckeyes win would give the Big Ten back-to-back national champions for the first time since 1942, when the league was called the Western Conference. Paul Brown-coached Ohio State went 9-1 that year and was the third straight national champion from the conference. Voters crowned Minnesota in 1940 and '41.

The Big Ten could puff out its chest over having two of its teams in the Playoff semifinals, and the conference will have another point of pride if