With Big Ten play beginning this week, we can finally add a head-to-head element to these theoretical comparisons. Everyone plays two league games over the next two weeks — one at home, one on the road. Those programs who have hidden from competition in the first month of the season must come out of hiding.

The No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) will meet No. 4 Penn State (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) in Dec. 7’s title game. The notable omission: No. 2 Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten), which lost 13-10 to rival Michigan (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten) on Saturday in the upset of the season.