The Big Ten champion used to punch its ticket to Pasadena as soon as it hoisted the trophy.
The BCS era changed things. Ohio State has traveled to Arizona and to New Orleans to play for a national championship despite winning the Big Ten in 2002, 2006 and 2007. When the Rose Bowl was designated as the national championship in 2001 and 2005, Illinois went to the Sugar Bowl and Penn State went to the Orange Bowl, respectively.
The destination pool for the Big Ten champion will be expanding even more when a four-team playoff arrives in 2014.
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten Blog
