For the first time in College Football Playoff history, the Big Ten will have two teams competing in the four-team playoff this season. Big Ten champion Michigan will be making its second straight appearance and Ohio State will return to the playoff for the fifth time. The Big Ten would love nothing more than to see the bitter rivals duke it out for all of the marbles in the national championship game, but history has already been made for the conference by having two playoff teams this year.
The Big Ten will have its traditional spot in the Rose Bowl occupied by Penn State, which finished in third place in the East Division but ended the season ranked in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff selection committee’s final rankings. It is the fourth Rose Bowl trip for the Nittany Lions since joining the Big Ten and the fifth trip overall. Unfortunately, Penn State doesn’t have a great Rose Bowl record to speak of, but this is a new opportunity against Pac-12 champion Utah.
The Big Ten is leaving one bowl spot vacant in its lineup this season with the three teams playing in the New Years Six and not having an additional bowl-eligible team to fill the remaining spot. Here is the entire Big Ten bowl lineup for this year’s bowl season.