It's Possible The Big Ten Could Only Get Two College Football Playoff Teams
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The Big Ten has sent at least three teams to each of the first two editions of the College Football Playoffs under the 12-team format, and delivered a champion in both. But one analyst believes that this year could have their smallest contingent yet.
As it stands right now, the Big Ten has three teams comfortably in striking distance of the College Football Playoff. Ohio State and Indiana have been top-10 teams all year and currently rank fourth and fifth respectively, but UCLA is the newcomer, rising all the way to No. 12 in the most recent poll.
However, Chris Fallica of Fox Sports believes that UCLA’s time in the College Football Playoff discussion may be short. He believes that the team is “so overrated” following their big win over Oregon this past. Fallica then described the path by which only two teams reach the playoff from the Big Ten.
“This could be a situation where the Big Ten, with no great non-conference wins [only gets two],” Fallica said.
.@chrisfallica is pumping the brakes on the Big Ten hype and believes only TWO Big Ten teams will make the CFP
“UCLA is so overrated now.” pic.twitter.com/z0KOsRIjTm
— Bear Bets (@BearBetsPod) October 14, 2026
Fans not buying it
As it stands, the Big Ten has two teams that are undefeated and seven teams that are sitting on only one loss right now. Thus far, there hasn’t been a Big Ten team with one loss or fewer that got left out of the College Football Playoff under the 12-team format. The past few years have indicated pretty strongly that non-conference schedule doesn’t matter as much as the win-loss columns.
As a result, fans were quick to dismiss Fallica’s take that only two teams from the conference could make the postseason:
“This might be one of the dumbest takes in college football. Please bring back real analysts and journalists instead of people just looking for clicks,” one user on X declared.
“Do they call him the bear because he has the same IQ as one?” another remarked.
“Don’t worry ucla fans, he’s always always wrong. Hates the big ten too. Very weird!” wrote a third.
As for UCLA’s actual odds of making the College Football Playoff, the Bruins appear to be thriving under first-year head coach Bob Chesney. Interestingly enough, Chesney was hired out of James Madison – the same place Indiana got Curt Cignetti from.
Not to compare the two, but Chesney led James Madison to the College Football Playoff last year and has won a whopping 18 of his last 20 games dating back to the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl with JMU. Cignetti won a national title with the Hoosiers in his second trip to a College Football Playoff.
Will Bob Chesney do for UCLA what Cignetti did for Indiana?
This story was originally published by The Spun on Oct 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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