Oregon Wins Big Ten in First Season
In a thrilling, back-and-forth battle, Oregon defeated Penn State 45-37 to win the Big Ten Championship. In their first season as members of the Big Ten, Oregon claimed the title, securing the number-one seed in the College Football Playoff. Penn State, on the other hand, drops to the sixth seed and will host SMU in the playoff's first round. Oregon came out firing, scoring on each of their first four drives to take a commanding 28-10 lead. However, Drew Allar and the Penn State offense responded, cutting the Ducks’ lead to just seven points by halftime. Penn State received the ball to start the second half with a chance to tie the game but came up short, missing a field goal attempt.
Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks’ offense demonstrated why they’re ranked number one in the country. Gabriel finished 22 of 32 for 283 yards and four touchdowns against the third-ranked Nittany Lions. Tez Johnson, the transfer from Troy, was Gabriel’s primary target, catching 11 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown. Together, Gabriel and Johnson wore down Penn State’s defense, controlled the clock, and consistently gained yards through the air.
With under two minutes left and the game still within one score, Penn State had a chance to tie. However, Drew Allar’s pass intended for Harrison Wallace III was intercepted by Oregon’s Nikko Reed, sealing the victory for the Ducks. Throughout the game, Penn State's defense struggled to stop Oregon's offense, which continued to march down the field and put points on the board. The first half alone saw 55 total points, the highest-scoring first half in Big Ten Championship history. James Franklin, now 0-6 against top-five teams at Penn State, will look to regroup after the loss.
The Big Ten will send four teams to the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Oregon stays at number one, while Penn State drops to number six and will host SMU. Ohio State, ranked at number eight, will face Tennessee at home, and Indiana enters at 10th overall, heading to Notre Dame. As the top seed, Oregon receives a first-round bye, while the other three Big Ten teams will be in action the weekend of December 20th.
