Rosemont, Ill. – With victories on Saturday, Michigan State and Ohio State secured berths in the third annual Big Ten Football Championship Game to be played on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Spartans will make their second title game appearance in three years while the Buckeyes 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 collected a road victory at Northwestern today to earn the outright Legends Division title, the program’s second outright division crown in three seasons after finishing first in 2011. The Spartans improved to 7-0 in the Big Ten and 10-1 overall and host Minnesota in their regular season finale on Nov. 30.
Ohio State defeated Indiana today to secure at least a share of a second straight Leaders Division title. The Buckeyes set a school record with their 23rd straight victory, the fifth-longest winning streak in Big Ten history, and improved to 7-0 in conference and 11-0 overall. Wisconsin earned a road win at Minnesota today to improve to 6-1 in the Big Ten and 9-2 overall and still maintains hopes for a share of the division title. But Ohio State clinched a berth in the championship game based on its victory over the Badgers on Sept. 28. Both teams wrap up the regular season on Nov. 30, with Ohio State at Michigan and Wisconsin hosting Penn State.
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.
Ticket blocks for the 2013 Big Ten Football Championship Game are being held for Michigan State and Ohio State and will be sold through university ticket offices. Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster atwww.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. 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 Big Ten Football Championship Game tickets, go to www.bigten.org.