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Big Ten Title Hopes Take Hit With Out-Of-Conference Losses

Less than a month into the college football season, the results haven't been particularly good for the Big Ten.

Big Ten Championship - Ohio State v Wisconsin
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Traditional powers Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State have lost nonconference games. There are five unbeaten teams left in the league and No. 4 Ohio State plays at No. 10 Penn State on Sept. 29.

Penn State needed overtime to beat Appalachian State in the season opener. Ohio State ? There's been nothing to complain about on the field, going 3-0 with a victory against TCU during coach Urban Meyer's suspension.

Indiana v Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Trace McSorley #9 congratulate DaeSean Hamilton #5 after a touchdown reception during the third quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers on September 30, 2017 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State defeats Indiana 45-14. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Still, this past weekend was awful. Big Ten teams went 6-7 in nonconference games, including 1-2 vs. Power Five conferences. It was the worst week in nonconference play for the Big Ten since it went 3-6 overall, 0-5 vs. Power Five on Sept. 13, 2014.

"When you look at the bottom part of the league it was a very difficult week," ESPN college football analyst and former Texas coach Mack Brown told The Associated Press. "When you look at where the league is in in its position to still have someone in the College Football Playoff, I'd say they are right on schedule."

In 2014, Ohio State seemed doomed with a loss at home to Virginia Tech on Sept. 6. Michigan State lost at Oregon and Wisconsin dropped its season opener to a nationally ranked LSU.

Big Ten Championship - Ohio State v Wisconsin
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates with the trophy after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Experts buried the Big Ten in the playoff chase.

Then the Buckeyes got better and won the rest of their games, beating Alabama and Oregon in the playoffs to win the national title.

Two years later, Clemson won the national title after edging Auburn and Troy in early games and surviving a November loss to Pittsburgh.

This year, Ohio State and Penn State are the Big Ten's flag bearers. Iowa could be the dark horse with a defense led by one of the best lines in college football.

"I think there are teams that can compete for the national championship and maybe even win it," Big Ten Network analyst Dave Revsine said. "I also think there are teams that have not achieved along the lines of what people were expecting at this point."

Big Ten Championship
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 05: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after beating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Count Michigan State and Wisconsin in that group. Few expected the Spartans to lose at Arizona State two weeks ago. The Wisconsin loss at home this past weekend to BYU was an even bigger surprise.

Michigan also lost its opener at Notre Dame.

The Big Ten started the season with five teams ranked in the top 14 of the AP Top 25 and three have lost. Things could get tricky for the Big Ten when its best teams start playing each other.

In 2014, Penn State and Michigan were both having down years and once Ohio State got revved up it tore through the conference.

Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin still could do damage in the Big Ten. The east powers, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State, play each other, and Wisconsin has road games against Michigan and Penn State.

Outback Bowl -  Michigan v South Carolina
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 1: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines looks on from the sidelines during the second quarter of the Outback Bowl NCAA college football game against the South Carolina Gamecocks on January 1, 2018 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

With those nonconference losses, the Big Ten went from a conference that could have multiple playoff contenders late in the season to one that could have its best teams cannibalize each other. No team with two losses has made the College Football Playoff in its four-year history.

The second-tier of the Big Ten has had some struggles early, but that might not matter much to the playoff race.

"I don't think this has anything to do with the college football playoffs," Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said of the slow start. "It has to do with the depth of the Big Ten and the depth of Big Ten East. If Ohio State wins out, they are going to the college football playoffs regardless of what type of team they are. An undefeated Big Ten team is going to the playoffs."

Brown warned not to make too much out of what happens early.

Northern Iowa v Iowa
IOWA CITY, IOWA- SEPTEMBER 15: Runningback Xavior Williams #9 of the Northern Iowa Panthers loses his helmet as he is brought down on a return in the first half by defensive back Matt Hankins #8 of the Iowa Hawkeyes on September 15, 2018 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

"We won't know who the best teams are until the sixth or seventh week of the season," Brown said. That's when you see teams with depth, leadership and confidence."

© 2018 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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