Oregon Clinches Spot in 2024 Big Ten Title Game Ahead of Latest CFP Bracket Rankings

A surprising announcement on Tuesday helped No. 1 Oregon continue to solidify its spot in the College Football Playoff.

The Big Ten announced that the top-ranked Ducks clinched a spot in the conference championship game following "a comprehensive evaluation of all possible scenarios over the final two weeks of regular-season play."

Per Ryan Clarke of The Oregonian, the Big Ten appears to have misinterpreted its own tiebreaking rules when it previously announced that Oregon needed Ohio State and Penn State to lose this weekend in order to clinch its spot in the conference title game. The Big Ten said in its release that the evaluation determined that "there are no conditions whereby the Ducks do not finish No. 1 or No. 2."

Oregon is one of the last remaining undefeated teams in FBS at 11-0 entering its bye this week. The last time the Ducks achieved an undefeated regular season in 2010 under former head coach Chip Kelly, they made it to the national championship game but lost 22-19 to Auburn on a last-second field goal.

Under current head coach Dan Lanning, Oregon looks poised to claim its first national title in program history. The Ducks have not slipped in their first season in the Big Ten after leaving the Pac-12. They have shown the capability to blow out their opponents and also remain resilient in close games.

Now, Oregon is guaranteed the chance to try to add a conference title to its mantle. No. 2 Ohio State (9-1) and No. 5 Indiana (10-0) will face each other on Saturday, with the winner potentially earning a spot in the conference championship game against the Ducks.