The Big Ten Conference first adopted a football championship game in 2011 following the conference's expansion to 12 teams and two six-team divisions. Wisconsin won the inaugural Big Ten title game, defeating Michigan State on Dec. 3, 2011, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The top two teams in the 2025 College Football Playoff rankings, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana, will play for the 2025 Big Ten championship Saturday in Indianapolis. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Here is a look at some notable facts, stats and records from the Big Ten championship game and a list of the teams that have won the conference since its inception in 1896 as the Western Conference:
Most championship game wins
Ohio State, five
Most championship game appearances
Ohio State and Wisconsin, six
Most team rushing yards in a championship game
Wisconsin, 539 in 2012
Most team rushing touchdowns in a championship game
Wisconsin, eight in 2012
Most team rushing attempts in a championship game
Wisconsin, 50 in 2012
Most total yards in a championship game
Wisconsin, 640 in 2012
Most first downs in a championship game
Ohio State, 31 in 2018
Most points in a championship game
Wisconsin, 70 in 2012
Most combined points in a championship game
101, Wisconsin (70) and Nebraska (31) in 2012
Most passing yards by a player in a championship game
Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State), 499 in 2018
Most completions by a player in a championship game
Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State), 34 in 2018
Most pass attempts by a player in a championship game
Aidan O'Connell (Purdue), 47 in 2022
Most touchdown passes by a player in a championship game
Dwayne Haskins (Ohio State), five in 2018
Most rushing yards by a player in a championship game
Trey Sermon (Ohio State), 331 in 2020
Most rushing attempts by a player in a championship game
J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State), 33 in 2019
Most rushing yards by a quarterback in a championship game
Braxton Miller (Ohio State), 142 in 2013
Most rushing touchdowns by a player in a championship game
James White (Wisconsin), four in 2012
Longest rush in a championship game
Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State), 81 yards in 2014
Longest completion in a championship game
C.J. Beathard to Tevaun Smith (Iowa), 85 yards in 2015)
Most receptions by a player in a championship game
Charlie Jones (Purdue), 13 in 2022
Most receiving yards by a player in a championship game
Tez Johnson (Oregon), 171 in 2024
Most receiving touchdowns by a player in a championship game
Three, Devin Smith (Ohio State) in 2014 and B.J. Cunningham (Michigan State) in 2011
Most field goals made by a player in a championship game
Mitchell Fineran (Purdue), five in 2022
Longest field goal in a championship game
James Turner (Michigan), 50 yards in 2023
Most total tackles by a player in a championship game
Jerome Baker (Ohio State), 16 in 2017
Most sacks by a player in a championship game
Three, Chase Young (Ohio State) in 2018 and Denicos Allen (Michigan State) in 2011
Big Ten Conference championship all-time winners list
2024: Oregon
2023: Michigan
2022: Michigan
2021: Michigan
2020: Ohio State
2019: Ohio State
2018: Ohio State
2017: Ohio State
2016: Penn State
2015: Michigan State
2014: Ohio State
2013: Michigan State
2012: Wisconsin
2011: Wisconsin
2010: Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin
2009: Ohio State
2008: Ohio State, Penn State
2007: Ohio State
2006: Ohio State
2005: Ohio State, Penn State
2004: Iowa, Michigan
2003: Michigan
2002: Iowa, Ohio State
2001: Illinois
2000: Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue
1999: Wisconsin
1998: Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin
1997: Michigan
1996: Northwestern, Ohio State
1995: Northwestern
1994: Penn State
1993: Ohio State, Wisconsin
1992: Michigan
1991: Michigan
1990: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State
1989: Michigan
1988: Michigan
1987: Michigan State
1986: Michigan, Ohio State
1985: Iowa
1984: Ohio State
1983: Illinois
1982: Michigan
1981: Iowa, Ohio State
1980: Michigan
1979: Ohio State
1978: Michigan, Michigan State
1977: Michigan, Ohio State
1976: Michigan, Ohio State
1975: Ohio State
1974: Michigan, Ohio State
1973: Michigan, Ohio State
1972: Michigan, Ohio State
1971: Michigan
1970: Ohio State
1969: Michigan, Ohio State
1968: Ohio State
1967: Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue
1966: Michigan State
1965: Michigan State
1964: Michigan
1963: Illinois
1962: Wisconsin
1961: Ohio State
1960: Iowa, Minnesota
1959: Wisconsin
1958: Iowa
1957: Ohio State
1956: Iowa
1955: Ohio State
1954: Ohio State
1953: Illinois, Michigan State
1952: Purdue, Wisconsin
1951: Illinois
1950: Michigan
1949: Michigan, Ohio State
1948: Michigan
1947: Michigan
1946: Illinois
1945: Indiana
1944: Ohio State
1943: Michigan, Purdue
1942: Ohio State
1941: Minnesota
1940: Minnesota
1939: Ohio State
1938: Minnesota
1937: Minnesota
1936: Northwestern
1935: Minnesota, Ohio State
1934: Minnesota
1933: Michigan, Minnesota
1932: Michigan, Purdue
1931: Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue
1930: Michigan, Northwestern
1929: Purdue
1928: Illinois
1927: Illinois, Minnesota
1926: Michigan, Northwestern
1925: Michigan
1924: Chicago
1923: Illinois, Michigan
1922: Chicago, Iowa, Michigan
1921: Iowa
1920: Ohio State
1919: Illinois
1918: Illinois, Michigan, Purdue
1917: Ohio State
1916: Ohio State
1915: Illinois, Minnesota 1914: Illinois
1913: Chicago
1912: Wisconsin
1911: Minnesota
1910: Illinois, Minnesota 1909: Minnesota
1908: Chicago
1907: Chicago
1906: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
1905: Chicago
1904: Michigan, Minnesota
1903: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern
1902: Michigan
1901: Michigan, Wisconsin
1900: Iowa, Minnesota
1899: Chicago
1898: Michigan
1897: Wisconsin
1896: Wisconsin
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