Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. The Buckeyes have played in five of the first nine Big Ten Championship games, winning four of them. The only time the west - previously known as the Legends division - came out victorious was when Michigan State beat Ohio State in 2013. Since the Big Ten Conference expanded and began playing a conference championship game in 2011, the east division - which was known as the Leaders from 2011-2013 - has won eight times. Ohio State will look to continue the west division’s dominance, as well as the dominance it has had on the league. Initially, the Big Ten said teams must play in six games to be eligible for the conference title game, but after Ohio State fell below that minimum with the cancelation of the Michigan game, the league reversed its decision, letting the Buckeyes into Indianapolis. The Big Ten played an eight-game, conference-only schedule that kicked off in October this year, creating cancelations as COVID-19 issues overtook certain teams in the league.
And this year’s game has been set up in some unprecedented circumstances. For the 10th time in league history, the Big Ten will play a conference championship game this Saturday when the Northwestern Wildcats and Ohio State Buckeyes square off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
