The question has finally been answered on the field — it will be the Michigan Wolverines headed to the Big Ten Conference Championship Game next week to represent the East after a huge win over Ohio State on Saturday. After a tight race in the West, Purdue has emerged on top after a win over Indiana to reach their first ever Big Ten championship game.
The teams with the best in-conference record in each division compete in the Big Ten Championship. The Big Ten employs a nine-game in-conference schedule. They announced that they will be keeping the existing divisions until UCLA and USC officially join the conference in 2024. For now, each team plays six divisional opponents and three cross-divisional opponents.
Here are the latest standings in the Big Ten ahead of the 2022 Big Ten Championship Game, scheduled to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on December 3.
Updated November 27, 12:20 a.m.
Big Ten East
1. Michigan: 9-0 B1G, 12-0 overall
2. Ohio State: 8-1 B1G, 11-1 overall
3. Penn State: 7-2 B1G, 10-2 overall
4. Maryland: 4-5 B1G, 7-5 overall
5. Michigan State: 3-6 B1G, 5-7 overall
6. Indiana: 2-7 B1G, 4-8 overall
7. Rutgers: 1-8 B1G, 4-8 overall
Big Ten West
1. Purdue: 6-3 B1G, 8-4 overall
2. Illinois: 5-4 B1G, 8-4 overall
3. Iowa: 5-4 B1G, 7-5 overall
4. Minnesota: 5-4 B1G, 8-4 overall
5. Wisconsin: 4-5 B1G, 6-6 overall
6. Nebraska: 3-6 B1G, 4-8 overall
7. Northwestern: 1-8 B1G, 1-11 overall
Purdue vs. Michigan in the Big Ten Championship Game
Tiebreaker rules, two teams tied
1. If two teams are tied, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.
2. If three or more teams are tied, steps 1 through 8 will be followed until a determination is made. If only two teams remain tied after any step (or sub-step), the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative. If three or more teams remain tied after any step, move to next step in tiebreaker with remaining tied teams.
Tiebreaker Rules, three or more teams tied
1. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
2. The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage within their division.
3. The records of the three (or more) teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5, 6, and 7).
4. The records of the three (or more) teams will be compared based on winning percentage against all common conference opponents.
5. The records of the three (or more) teams will be compared based on the best cumulative conference winning percentage of non-divisional opponents.
6. The records of the three (or more) teams will be compared against the highest placed non-divisional teams in their division order of finish (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7).
7. The team with the best overall winning percentage [excluding exempted games] shall be the representative. The representative will be chosen by random draw.