It is that time of year when a lot of people complain about the conference championship games not being College Football Playoff quarterfinals. I agree that if two teams (think Utah and Oklahoma) can settle a playoff debate on the field, they should play each other on this Conference Championship Saturday, instead of playing someone from their own conference. However, I firmly disagree with people who say that conference championships don’t mean much.
As the Wisconsin Badgers prepare to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game, it is worth noting that the pride created by beating a Midwestern powerhouse and neighbor would be extremely satisfying for Wisconsin. The larger reality of sharing the same part of the United States with 13 other teams — and then being able to say you are the champion in that conference of 14 schools — seems like a big deal to me. The fact that the Big Ten asks its champion to play 10 games (nine in the 12-game set schedule, then No. 10 in Indianapolis if able to qualify for the Big Ten Championship Game) makes a conference championship very substantial. Playing 10 out of 13 games in a season, and being the best team in those 10 games, is a huge accomplishment.
In a league of Ohio State, and Michigan, and Penn State, and Minnesota, and Iowa, a Big Ten championship stands out as a huge feat of athletic prowess and coaching acumen. If Wisconsin can win this title — and go to the Rose Bowl as a result — it would be an enormous achievement for Paul Chryst, his staff, his players, and the whole program.
Look at the Oregon program which beat Utah to win the Pac-12 title and go to the Rose Bowl, possibly as Wisconsin’s opponent. The Ducks fell on hard times as soon as Marcus Mariota left for the NFL. Yeah, Oregon is not in the playoff, but returning to the Rose Bowl is a big freakin’ deal for the Ducks. It was very similar for Washington to make the Rose Bowl last season. The Huskies hadn’t been to Pasadena since the 2000 season. They waited 18 years to return! A conference championship made that possible.
Let’s defend the honor of conference championships… and hope that Wisconsin can win one against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game tonight.