Rosemont, Ill. – With victories on Saturday, Michigan State and Ohio State concluded conference play with matching 8-0 records, the first time since 2002 and just the second time since 1943 that two Big Ten teams finished with perfect marks. The Spartans and Buckeyes will meet in the third annual Big Ten Football Championship Game on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Michigan State will make its second title game appearance in three years while Ohio State will play in the championship game for the first time. The winner of the 2013 Big Ten Football Championship Game will earn the Amos Alonzo Stagg Championship Trophy and a chance to play in one of two historic games in Pasadena, Calif. – the 100th Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1 or the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game on Jan. 6.
Michigan State defeated Minnesota today to end the regular season with a perfect conference mark for the first time since finishing 7-0 in 1966. The Spartans earned the outright Legends Division title last Saturday, the program’s second outright division crown in three seasons after finishing first in 2011. Michigan State improved to 8-0 in the Big Ten and 11-1 overall.
Ohio State edged Michigan today to secure its second straight outright Leaders Division title. The Buckeyes built on their school record with a 24th straight victory, which is tied for the fourth-longest winning streak in Big Ten history, and improved to 8-0 in conference and 12-0 overall. Ohio State produced an unblemished conference mark for the second straight season and fourth time since 2002.
The Spartans and Buckeyes will meet for the first time since the 2012 Big Ten opener, when Ohio State edged Michigan State, 17-16, in East Lansing, Mich. In a back-and-forth game, Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller connected on a 63-yard scoring strike to Devin Smith to take a 17-13 lead in the third quarter. The Spartans added a fourth-quarter field goal, but Ohio State held on for the one-point victory in Urban Meyer’s first Big Ten game as a head coach.
The Big Ten announced on Nov. 27 that a limited number of suites were still available for the 2013 Big Ten Football Championship Game, but both the general public tickets and the team ticket blocks have sold out. Those interested in purchasing a suite for the 2013 Big Ten Football Championship Game should contact Stephanie Arnold of Indiana Sports Corp at 317-237-5036. Every Big Ten Football Championship Game ticket will allow complimentary admission to the Big Ten Fan Fest presented by Dr Pepper, to be held at the Indiana Convention Center on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7.
For more information on the Big Ten Football Championship Game, go to www.bigten.org.