Big Ten East tiebreaker scenarios: Looking at possible scenarios if Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan finish 11-1

The Big Ten East could be in line for the top three teams to finish 11-1. Currently, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines are both 9-0, while Penn State is 8-1. However, Ohio State and Michigan still need to play one another, while Penn State is set to host the Wolverines this Saturday.

So, if the Nittany Lions upset Michigan, and the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes at home, all three teams would be 11-1, so who would go to the Big Ten championship?

Big Ten East tiebreaker explained

If all three schools go 11-1, but one of the losses comes to a school outside the round-robin among the three schools. If that happens, the tiebreaker rules are listed on the Big Ten official website as:

• The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage in games between the tied teams.
• The records of the three (or more) tied teams will be compared based on winning percentage within their division.
• The records of the three (or more) teams will be compared against the next highest-placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5, 6, and 7).
• The records of the three (or more) teams will be compared based on winning percentage against all common conference opponents.

But, what gets more interesting is if Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State all go 11-1, with their losses coming to one another.

However, that tiebreaker is a bit quirky as the rule is that the records of the three (or more) teams will be compared based on the best cumulative conference-winning percentage of non-divisional opponents.

That means the records of the Big Ten West opponents that the schools beat would be counted. As of right now, Penn State would be winning that tiebreaker as they have beat Illinois, Iowa, and Northwestern and their records are 8-10.

Ohio State, meanwhile, has beaten Minnesota, Purdue, and Illinois, with those three schools having a record of 7-11. Michigan has beaten Minnesota, Purdue, and Nebraska who also have a 7-11 record.

But, the easy way for the East to be decided is for Michigan to beat Penn State on Saturday and then the winner of the Wolverines vs. Ohio State on Nov. 25 will determine the division winner.