The College Football Playoff picture is only a few weeks away from being fully in the committee’s hands. In the Big Ten, an argument could be made that the league has already separated the contenders from the pretenders through the season’s first month and a half.
Entering Week 9, there are four Big Ten teams that ESPN deems each has “work to do” to make the College Football Playoff field. Let’s start with No. 23 Illinois Fighting Illini (5-2), as it was idle this past weekend.
The Illini’s only two losses are to the two currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers. According to coach Bret Bielema, he is optimistic about his team’s chances to reach the College Football Playoff if Illinois were to win out.
“The best thing we can have for us is for Indiana and Ohio State to win out and play in the Big Ten Championship Game,” Bielema told reporters Monday.
By Bielema’s logic, the Buckeyes and Hoosiers could roll into the title game likely undefeated, with a possible College Football Playoff No. 1 seed on the line for whoever wins.
Illinois travels to Washington to play the Washington Huskies (5-2), a team still searching for a bit of respect. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Where do Michigan, Iowa, USC fit into this?
The No. 25 Michigan Wolverines (5-2) returned to the College Football Playoff discussion this past Saturday with a 24-7 win over the Huskies. The Wolverines now shift their focus to a hostile rivalry matchup with Michigan State (3-4), which is still without a conference win under coach Jonathan Smith this season.
If the Wolverines win out, it would include a win against the Buckeyes in the regular-season finale. Should it happen, the Wolverines will find themselves with a likely entry into the CFP. Kick is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
There is no room for error for the USC Trojans (5-2). Similar to the Wolverines and Iowa Hawkeyes, seven Big Ten teams find themselves tied for third in the league with 3-1 conference records. Despite the Trojans defeating the Wolverines head-to-head, it wasn’t enough for AP voters to rank the Trojans ahead of the Wolverines. USC faltered this past Saturday in South Bend, making every game from here on out a must-win.
Outside of a loss to the Hoosiers, the Hawkeyes may have more to prove than any team in the CFP “work to do category.” In review of the team’s remaining schedule, the Hawkeyes’ lone ranked opponent is the No. 6 Oregon Ducks (6-1) when they travel to Iowa City Nov. 8. Eliminating that game’s importance, Iowa doesn’t play a team currently ranked for the rest of the season.
Therefore, style points may have to come at a premium for coach Kirk Ferentz’s team. The Hawkeyes host the Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-2) this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
Following Week 9’s games, this list should dwindle slightly. However, even though the Trojans are on a bye this week, it will be crucial to monitor the scoreboard to determine if their chances of reaching the CFP are more than reasonable.
