Big Ten Championship Prediction: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State

Which team will take home the Big Ten title? Oregon tries to continue its perfect season while Penn State attempts to validate its status as a contender.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel scores a touchdown against Ohio State on Oct. 12, 2024. / Chris Pietsch / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The eyes of the college football world will be on Indianapolis on Saturday night for the Big Ten championship.

No. 1 Oregon and No. 3 Penn State will square off in what is sure to be one of the most hyped games of championship weekend and of the college football season. The fact that Penn State is in this game is a shocking surprise. It seemed inevitable that Ohio State and Oregon would meet for a rematch of their classic battle earlier this season. However, Michigan's upset of the Buckeyes in Columbus catapulted Penn State into this opportunity. It is up to James Franklin and the Nittany Lions to take advantage of it.

Dan Lanning and Oregon have been on a mission all season. The Ducks are the clearcut best team in college football. They are the Football Bowl Subdivision's only remaining undefeated team. The closest the Ducks have come to slipping up was at Wisconsin when they had been playing for eight straight weeks without any rest. Even in that scenario, they came away with a victory despite a lot of adversity. 

Franklin’s inability to win big games is one of the biggest storylines going into this game. He is 1-11 against Ohio State and 2-6 against Michigan. This Oregon team is as good as any of those Ohio State or Michigan teams were. The Ducks have a dynamic offense led by veteran, record-breaking quarterback Dillon Gabriel. His command over the offense is impressive to watch. Even though it is his first season in the system, it looks like he has been there for years.

Penn State needs to prove in this game that it can finally get over the hump. If the Ducks can get it done, they will be 13-0 for the first time in school history and will earn the No. 1 seed in the playoff bracket. If Penn State wins, the Nittany Lions will have a strong argument to be the No. 1 seed, while Oregon falls to No. 5. 

Even though the No. 5 seed will have an arguably easier path than the No. 1 seed (despite having to play an extra game), Oregon is fully focused on completing its perfect season. Winning the Big Ten Conference in their first season in the conference would be quite the statement to make. Additionally, Penn State has not shown it is capable of winning a game of this magnitude since the Nittany Lions won the conference in 2016.

Prediction: Oregon 35, Penn State 21

---

MORE: Trying to Make Sense of a Wild Week for Nebraska Football

MORE: Florida State Announces Hirings of Former Nebraska Coaches Tony White and Terrance Knighton

MORE: Nebraska Football Signee Conor Booth Wins Gatorade Player of the Year

MORE: I-80 Club: What Happens Now for Nebraska Football?

MORE: Nebraska Forward Natalie Potts Shares Positive Message After Surgery

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.