I admit – the idea is seductive. It would be fantastic to see Urban Meyer team hoist the first CFP championship trophy, then say a few poignant words before handing it over to the redshirt freshman QB that got him there. Imagine the scarlet and gray confetti still floating about the stadium, the cameras, Carmen Ohio playing softly in the background. It would be the most rewarding end for a fan base that has been forced into spending the past few years on the defensive.

But as heretical as it may seem, if you are a College Football fan, and not just an OSU fan, you should want OSU to miss the playoffs this year. Actually, the same goes if you are a fan of any other Big10 or Big 12 team. Actually actually, the same goes if you are a fan of anything but the SEC.

That there is a disgusting amount of SEC bias present in the media, there is no doubt. While it’s fashionable to be on the anti-SEC bandwagon nowadays, savvy CFB fans have been documenting SEC bias going all the way back to 2004, when Auburn was shut out of their shot at the title, and the powers-that-be initiated the most comprehensive marketing campaign in sports history. One that led to the Frankenstein-monster we have today, where ESPN is at the mercy of its own irrationality, terrorizing the peaceful world of CFB fans for the sake of its own impulsive short-term satisfaction.

CFB fans should unite into a new goal: hope for an outcome to the 2014 season that destroys and squashes the blatant and deliberate attempts to influence CFB for one network’s monetary gain. Even Shane Falco knew to “shoot the hostage,” before dodging bullets on a surfboard in his time-travel phone booth (or something like that).

To “shoot the hostage,” the media must be forced to acknowledge the hard truth about the SEC: that it’s a conference with one or two elite teams, a handful of good ones, and a bunch of weak ones. (In other words, no different than any other Power 5 conference.)

Therefore, the best scenario going forward is for the SEC to send two representatives to the College Football Playoffs (CFP). Why? Consider the delicious chaos:

1. Including two SEC teams would, more than any other action, force a massive nationwide discussion on the role the media’s interests play in amateur sports. Simply, the media empire most responsible would be forced ever more so on the defensive, which is good, because its position can’t be rationally defended. The two selected would likely be SEC West teams, and the Mays and Fowlers of the world would have to defend the idiotic notion that a team that didn’t even win its own division should be allowed to play for national title, in lieu of the superior teams that won their divisions and conferences, “because reasons.”
2. Both SEC representatives would likely lose. One for sure. Shoot, depending on seeding, one may even eliminate the other. Based on a fair assessment of the teams (as of early November), it’s not likely that any of the potential SEC representatives could best an Oregon, or TCU, or Florida State this year. Result: SEC would fare poorly in the CFP.
3. Sending two teams to the CFP would result in the more average SEC teams sliding up into the former bowl slots, where they would be overmatched by a lot of elite teams. Teams like OSU, TCU, Michigan State, Nebraska, Arizona State or Oregon, etc., would likely feast on the remaining members of the SEC who didn’t get selected. Shoot… even Michigan might win a December 20th bowl against an SEC bottom-feeder in Hoke’s last game. Result: SEC would fare more poorly in bowl games than they usually do.

To sum up: imagine a scenario where OSU finishes an excellent season with a high-profile bowl trophy, perhaps against an overmatched SEC opponent in the Citrus Bowl. One where the SEC does poorly in both the CFP and in the rest of the bowls. One where the B1G and perhaps the Pac 12 does well. One that starts with ESPN having to defend their conference’s superiority, and ends with egg all over Chris Fowler’s face.

This would not only validate the critics’ points of view, but humiliate and embarrass those caught with ulterior motives. It would also raise the possibility that next year’s rankings might start out a little more realistic than in years past… and in FY15, that improved objectivity would further benefit teams like Ohio State that are positioning themselves for a real championship run.

With their win over Michigan State in East Lansing, Ohio State is now the only Big Ten team without a loss in conference play. Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin all remain at one loss in the Big Ten West, setting up what’s sure to be a hectic final three weeks of the regular season in the Big Ten.

Penn State 13, Indiana 7

Penn State got back in the win column for the first time in five tries with their victory in Bloomington. Indiana took the lead late in the second quarter when Mark Murphy intercepted Christian Hackenberg and returned it 47 yards for a score. The lead was short-lived however when Bill Belton took a handoff 92 yards to the house.

A pair of Sam Ficken field goals in the second half ended up being the difference as Penn State improved to 5-4 on the season while Indiana remained winless in conference play and fell to 3-6 overall. The Nittany Lions return home next weekend and will host Temple while Indiana will make a trip to Piscataway to take on Rutgers.

Minnesota 51, Iowa 14

Minnesota dominated Iowa in this rivalry game to take home the Floyd of Rosedale. Iowa scored the first touchdown of the game on their opening drive when Mark Weisman pounded the ball in from a yard out. After that, it was all Golden Gophers. Minnesota rolled off 51 straight points after the Weisman touchdown before Iowa got a late score with less than a minute to play.

Mitch Leidner was 10-13 passing for 138 yards but added four touchdowns, three of which went to Maxx Williams. The Golden Gophers held the Hawkeyes to just 205 yards of offense as they kept pace with one loss in the Big Ten West. Minnesota hosts Ohio State on Saturday while Iowa will go to Illinois for their final road game of the season.

Wisconsin 34, Purdue 16

Melvin Gordon added to his Heisman resume with another big game, this time rushing for 205 yards and a touchdown. Gordon also reeled in three passes from Joel Stave for 47 yards and another touchdown. Stave threw for a season-high 219 yards and two touchdowns.

Purdue struggled offensively, especially in the run game. The Boilermakers managed just 26 yards on the ground as they fell to 3-7 on the year. Wisconsin moved to 4-1 in the Big Ten, setting up a showdown at the top of the Big Ten West next week when they host Nebraska. Purdue has the week off before hosting Northwestern at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Michigan 10, Northwestern 9

Northwestern scored the potentially game-tying touchdown with three seconds left in the game but decided to go for two and the win and failed when Trevor Siemian slipped in the backfield. Siemian threw for 273 yards on the day and a touchdown to go with two interceptions. The Wildcats combined for -9 rushing yards on the day.

De’Veon Smith led the Wolverines to victory with 121 yards and the Wolverines’ only touchdown of the day. Devin Gardner had just 109 yards passing and was picked off twice in an offensive struggle. Northwestern will visit Notre Dame next weekend and the Wolverines have the week off to prepare for a visit from Maryland.

Ohio State 49, Michigan State 37

On Saturday night in East Lansing, the Buckeyes made a statement and got their revenge for Michigan State ripping away their national title chances last season. By doing so, Ohio State kept themselves in the playoff picture for this year. J.T. Barrett had one of his best games of the season against one of the best defenses in the country. The redshirt freshman threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns while running for 86 yards and two more scores.

Jeremy Langford had 137 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Connor Cook threw for 358 yards and two TDs but was just 25-45 passing the ball as the Spartans lost their first conference game of the season. Michigan State will look to rebound when they visit Maryland and the Buckeyes will go on the road again to play Minnesota.

Who do you think will take control of the Big Ten West when Wisconsin welcomes Nebraska to Camp Randall? Nebraska winning out until the Big Ten Championship Game would be the best-case scenario for Ohio State as they look to climb in the top four. Give us your prediction below!