The latest proposal for the expanded 24-tean CFP calls for the elimination of the Conference Championship Game (CCG). It got me wondering who would have been the Big Ten champion from 2011 to now if there was no CCG. I came up with 3 categories.
Outright Champion
3 - Ohio State (2014, 2019, 2020)
2 - Michigan (2022, 2023)
1 - Mich St (2011)
1 - Nebraska (2012)
1 - Iowa (2015)
1 - Wisc (2017)
1 - Oregon (2024)
Co-champion but won the tie-breaker
1- Mich St (2013)
1 - Penn St (2016)
1 - Ohio St (2018)
1 - Michigan (2021)
1 - Indiana (2025)
Co-champion but lost the tie-breaker
4- Ohio St (2013, 2016, 2021, 2025)
1 - Michigan (2018)
1 - NW (2018)
Total championships
8 - Ohio St
4 - Michigan
2 - Mich St
1 - Penn St
1 - Neb
1 - Iowa
1 - Wisc
1 - NW
1 - Oregon
1 - Indiana
Notes -
There were 2 tiebreakers where I got lazy and just picked the teams that in reality had won the CCG and said they won the tiebreaker. 2013 Mich St over Ohio St. 2025 Indiana over Ohio St. No idea who actually won the tiebreaker.
In 2012 Ohio St had a better conference record than Nebraska but was not elligible.
In 2015 Iowa finished 8-0 and won the outright championship without having to play Ohio St, Mich, Penn St or Mich St in the regular season.
