Penn State players quickly set their sights on future opportunities following their latest close defeat to Ohio State, which occurred in front of a record attendance at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

They expressed a strong desire for the chance to compete against the Buckeyes again this season. Head coach James Franklin welcomed this sentiment during his press conference on Monday, conveying his approval of the team’s confidence and motivation to seek revenge.
“I’m totally fine with them having enough confidence and having enough grit and determination and anger at the moment, that they want a second shot,” he remarked. He noted that the current landscape of college football allows for such possibilities that were less common in the past.
The recent conference changes, including the removal of divisions and the expansion of the College Football Playoff from four to twelve teams, have paved the way for potential rematches between teams, sometimes even leading to multiple encounters in a single season.
Despite the challenges, a matchup between the third-ranked Ohio State (with a record of 7-1, 4-1) and the sixth-ranked Penn State (also 7-1, 4-1) in the Big Ten Championship is not entirely out of the realm of possibility, differing from the previous situation where the two teams were always placed in separate divisions since the Big Ten’s title match was established in 2011.
However, even if both teams win all their remaining games, they would require assistance to reach the championship level, given that Oregon (9-0, 6-0) and Indiana (9-0, 6-0) currently top the conference standings. A postseason rematch between the two programs might actually be more feasible than a championship showdown.
Historically, the Big Ten has been slower to implement divisional changes compared to other prominent conferences. For instance, the SEC introduced divisions in 1992 with the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina, allowing for a championship game to take place.
Meanwhile, the Big 12 formed in 1996 after merging with the Southwest Conference, and the ACC followed suit in 2005 after expanding its memberships. In contrast, the Big Ten and Pac-12 waited until 2011 to limit themselves to divisions and a championship game, while the Big 12 did away with divisions entirely in 2011 after Nebraska’s departure and Colorado’s move.
The Pac-12 transitioned from division champions to a format based on the top two teams in winning percentage in the 2022 season, although it has lost numerous members and is considerably less competitive now.
In June 2023, the SEC announced it would abolish divisions due to the acquisitions of Texas and Oklahoma, expanding to a total of 16 teams. The Big Ten followed suit shortly after by eliminating divisions, also gearing up for the arrival of Southern California and UCLA, along with Oregon and Washington in 2024.
On the other hand, Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi has voiced his reservations about a one-division structure. He pointed out that this format might result in situations where the top-tier teams do not face each other, leading to complexities involving tiebreakers.
The Big Ten’s previous divisional setup led to competitive disparities, as the scheme from 2011 to 2013, which divide teams by “Legends” and “Leaders,” ultimately did not prevent competitive imbalances.
The realignment of teams to the “East” and “West” divisions following the addition of Maryland and Rutgers in 2014 placed Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State—the three most successful programs in the league—together in the East division. While this enabled less dominant teams like Northwestern to reach the championship game from the West, it also resulted in an ongoing imbalance in competition.
Traditionally, the Big Ten has had the top teams battling for just one slot in the title contest, resulting in the East representative claiming victory over the last decade, with Ohio State winning five championships and Michigan taking the title in the last three seasons.