Ducks Digest

Michigan Upsets Ohio State: Penn State to Play Oregon Ducks in Big Ten Title Game

The Ohio State Buckeyes lost to the Michigan Wolverines, ruining their Big Ten Championship game hopes. Now the Penn State Nittany Lions will play the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis.

Charlie Viehl

Nov 9, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Beaver Stadium. Penn State won 35-6. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Beaver Stadium. Penn State won 35-6. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
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The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday morning 13-10, effectively eliminating the Buckeyes from a rematch with the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship Game. As a result, the Penn State Nittany Lions will now play the No. 1 Oregon Ducks in the conference championship game.

Penn State beat Maryland , 44-7, to punch their ticket and to play against the Ducks in Indianapolis on Dec. 7. The Indiana Hoosiers only could make the Big Ten Championship Game if Penn State lost to Maryland.

The Nittany Lions are 11-1, with their only loss coming to Ohio State. Penn State and Oregon were not scheduled to face each other during the regular season, meaning the matchup in Indianapolis will be the teams' first meeting of the year.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during the first half of the Michigan Wolverines gam
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches from the sideline during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Before losing to Michigan, the Ducks handed Ohio State its only loss of the season. After the Buckeyes defeated both Penn State and Indiana, they only needed a win over the Wolverines, their bitter rival, to punch their ticket to Indianapolis.

Certainly no love is lost between the Buckeyes and Wolverines. As the game ended, a fight broke out among both teams. Ohio State is clearly frustrated after missing out on the opportunity to compete for a conference championship and avenge the Buckeyes' only loss of the season, a 32-31 loss to the Oregon Ducks.

However, Michigan gets the last laugh after eliminating Ohio State from the Big Ten Championship Game. Buckeyes coach Ryan Day has lost four consecutive matchups with the Michigan Wolverines. Is his job security in question?

"Other than losing my father and a few other things, it's quite honestly for my family, the worst thing that's happened," said Day in the build up to the game.

Oregon has already clinched its spot in the Big Ten Championship Game after beating the Wisconsin Badgers and improving to 11-0. A loss to the Washington Huskies will not affect the Ducks' standing in the conference championship, but it can alter the College Football Playoff seeding.

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden (1) runs the ball chased by Michigan Wolverines defensive back Aamir Hall (12) i
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden (1) runs the ball chased by Michigan Wolverines defensive back Aamir Hall (12) in the second half at Michigan Stadium. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Will the news of Michigan beating Ohio State impact the Ducks and their late kickoff?

"I don't ever worry about that. I mean, our guys do a great job of preparing; we actually have a pretty full day regardless of what that looks like. We have walk throughs that morning, meetings, so it's not like they're just sitting in their hotel rooms watching TV," said Ducks coach Dan Lanning in the week before the Washington game.

Lanning has yet to beat Washington in his time at Oregon. The Ducks and Huskies will kick off at 4:30 p.m. PT.

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is a 23-year old Boston College graduate and is an Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans beat reporter for On SI. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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