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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday provided a battle between the top two teams in the nation, with No. 2 Indiana dethroning top-ranked Ohio State, 13-10, to win the conference title.
Heisman favorite Fernando Mendoza threw for 222 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-23 completed passes. On the opposing side, fellow Heisman contender Julian Sayin also threw for 258 yards and a touchdown. Both QBs also threw an interception, but it was a missed field goal by Jayden Fielding that cost Ohio State the game.
That swaps the two teams in terms of their likely College Football Playoff seeding, with the bracket to be announced on Sunday. After the Buckeyes' surprising loss, ESPN's Paul Finebaum weighed in on how Ohio State might fare in the CFP as they pursue a second-straight national championship.
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According to Finebaum, he’s not buying the hype on Indiana after their big win. In fact, he said he still believes in the Buckeyes when it comes to the CFP.
“I still think Ohio State is the team to beat. They had every chance in the world to win that game. They turned it over on fourth down, they missed a chip-shot field goal. They were nearly perfect all year long,” he said on SportsCenter.
"Something deep down in Ryan Day right now tells me he's not all that upset [with the loss to Indiana]," Finebaum suggested, referring to a similar situation happening with Michigan winning it all after a conference championship loss.
The loss to Indiana is the only loss Ohio State suffered all season, showing that, for the most part, they played very well. Some might contend that other teams had more challenging schedules, but there's no denying that the Buckeyes and Hoosiers both look great heading into the College Football Playoff.
As of this writing, Ohio State is still considered the favorite to win it all at DraftKings Sportsbook, among others. However, Indiana is right behind them in the odds, suggesting it could go to one of these two teams.
That said, other potential contenders emerged from Saturday’s CFP action, including the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Tech Red Raiders, who both looked strong in their conference championship game wins.
Read more: Ohio State QB Julian Sayin Sends Clear Message on Big Ten Title Game
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