Still too much brand recognition in the current standings and it will be interesting to see where we land a month from now.
Interesting that MN is supposedly eliminated from contention, but some say Illinois is not. If both ended up 9-3 and one was in conversation and one wasn't that would see odd.
MN 9-3 with loses to tOSU, Iowa, and California. (Wins over Oregon, Nebraska and Northwestern)
ILL 9-3 with losses to tOSU, Indiana and Washington. (Wins over USC, Northwestern, and Duke)
The 6-3 field. #21 Iowa and #23 Tennessee
Minnesota
Illinois
Nebraska 7-3
Washington
Missouri
SMU 7-3
Wake Forest
ASU
Arizona
TCU
Pretty good analysis.
I hate espn fpi but espn has Minnesota as a 1% chance of winning out and a 0% chance of playoff.
Minnesota beats Oregon
Michigan beats northwestern
USC beats Iowa
Illinois beats Maryland
Washington beats Purdue
Next week
Oregon beats USC
Michigan beats Maryland
Nebraska beats Penn state
Iowa beats Michigan State
Minnesota beats northwestern
Washington beats UCLA
Illinois beats Wisconsin
Final week
Iowa beats Nebraska
Oregon beats Washington
Minnesota beats Wisconsin
Ohio state beats Michigan
Illinois beats northwestern
Final big ten standings:
Ohio State 9-0
Indiana 9-0
Minnesota 7-2 (beat Oregon, 1-0 in 4 way tie)
Oregon 7-2 (beat USC, 1-1 in 4 way tie)
USC 7-2 (beat Michigan, 1-1 in 4 way tie)
Michigan 7-2 (0-1 in 4 way tie)
Illinois 6-3
Iowa 6-3
Nebraska 5-4
Washington 5-4
I think Oregon or Minnesota is the third playoff team In this scenario. The other 3 all have a non conference loss. it’s Oregon if Minnesota is so far back they’re never directly compared. But if they get within 5 spots head to head in November makes a difference.
We would be kicking ourselves for cal game.
The only unrealistic part of the games I listed above is the gophers going 3-0

.
Gophers go 2-1 and you really want Illinois to drop a game and Michigan to make playoff for bowl reasons.
Gophers go 1-2 and I guess it doesn’t really matters what happens