How Many Big Ten Teams Make College Football Playoff? Oregon Ducks, Ohio State, Penn State Prediction

The Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Indiana Hoosiers all have realistic hopes at winning the Big Ten Championship Game, but will all four teams make the College Football Playoff?

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel carries the ball as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Big Ten Conference has three undefeated programs in the No. 1 Oregon Ducks, No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions, and No. 13 Indiana Hoosiers with the one-loss No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes riding their coattails.

NBC's Big Ten Saturday Night Analyst and 1982 national champion quarterback with Penn State Tood Blackledge believes the conference can get three of those members in the College Football Playoff's 12-team field.

"I think right now you look at Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State. I think those three right now. Then I think Indiana, depending on Kurtis Rourke and what that situation is, I think those four teams are certainly very likely candidates to be considered for the College Football Playoff. Illinois might be a notch below that, but I think those four teams for sure are serious contenders.”

- NBC's Todd Blackledge

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas (91) celebrates after defeating the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Oregon's coach Dan Lanning's goal is just winning the next game. After the regular season is done, receiving a bid into and taking the Big Ten Conference title is the name of the game for each of the three currently undefeated programs. The winner at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, Dec. 7, will receive a first round bye in the College Football Playoff.

Since Oregon, Penn State and Indiana don't play each other head-to-head, the crazy scenarios come out to play for who reserves that right if all finish with an undefeated regular season record:

1. Record against all common conference opponents.

2. Record against common opponents with the best conference record.

3. Best cumulative conference winning percentage of all conference opponents.

4. Highest ranking by SportSource Analytics (team Rating Score metric) following the regular season.

5. Random draw among the tied teams conducted by the Commissioner or designee.

Oct 19, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Tayven Jackson (2) walks with Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) after beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images / Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

After dismantling Nebraska 56-7, it seems as though the toughest game left on the Hoosiers' schedule will be a road trip to Ohio State on Nov. 23. Before the Buckeyes host the Hoosiers, they travel to Penn State on Nov. 2. The winner of that game could potentially stamp their ticket to the Big Ten Championship Game.

Blackedge is skeptical about the Hoosiers the most right now due to the uncertainty of quarterback Kurtis Rourke's health after having a successful thumb surgery. Rourke will be out for Indiana's game against Washington on Saturday, Oct. 26 but looks to be back under center at Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Will Indiana be the fourth Big Ten team to make the College Football Playoff this season? Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State have some distance between themselves and the Hoosiers in the AP Top 25 Poll.

No uncertainty surrounds quarterback Dillon Gabriel and what he's been able to put together this season for the Ducks according to Blackledge.

“I really think Dillon Gabriel is interesting. . . . He comes in, he’s an older guy, he gets away from a situation that maybe wasn’t great for him at the end. . . . The way the team rallies around him, very, very impressive. Not just his numbers on the field, but his effect on the team. He’s a very different personality than Bo Nix was, but from a competitive standpoint and a leader standpoint, they’re very, very similar.”

- NBC's Todd Blackledge

Next up on the schedule for Oregon is an important one with the No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini coming into Autzen Stadium on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT. The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings will come out on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

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