New York, New York - For the first time in college football history, the Big Ten looks poised to send two teams into the playoffs.

As the College Football Playoff (CFP) era enters its eighth year, the Big Ten conference has been well-represented throughout thanks to Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have made six playoff appearances, while Michigan added one too.

But are we in for a change this season?

With a number of high-profile losses throughout SEC football, there's every chance the answer could be yes.

There are still three more weeks left of the regular season, which means a lot of football still is left to be played.

But if Ohio State and Michigan meet on the field undefeated on November 26, how likely will the committee be to break with precedent?

Ohio and Michigan should advance to Indianapolis undefeated, as long as they don't allow any unexpected slip-ups between now and their hugely anticipated matchup in Ohio Stadium.

The victor of the showdown will be the sizable favorite over the Big Ten West challenger for the conference title and will easily be a top selection for the playoffs.

The loser, however, would likely end the regular season with a 11-1 record – and this is where things get tricky.

Despite the excellent record, which would probably be superior to those of most teams from rival conferences, that program will still be uncertain of its playoff place.

When we compare a one-loss Michigan team to a one-loss SEC team, the Wolverines will be sweating it.

Their Charmin Ultra Soft non-conference schedule was the reason Michigan was left outside the first release of the CFP top four rankings.

Blowout wins against Colorado State (51-7), Hawaii (56-10), and UConn (59-0) – all three unranked programs with first year coaches – did absolutely nothing to impress the selection committee.

As we know, quality of opponents are important factors when separating 11-1 teams and with their schedule, the Wolverines are in an uneasy position.

Michigan’s schedule ranks 83rd nationally and 22nd of the 23 Power 5 teams from the first CFP rankings.

This isn't the case for the Buckeyes, whose season-opener triumph over Notre Dame trumps everything the Wolverines had on their non-conference schedule.

The Buckeyes schedule was deemed 24th nationally and competes well with the SEC top-ranked teams, LSU (44th), Georgia (42th), and Tennessee (19th).

This is the reason why the selection committee adores the conference, as well as the Buckeyes, this year.

It all means that, should Ohio fall short in its meeting against Michigan, it still a great chance in making it to the playoffs with a 11-1 season record, keeping the Big Ten's hope for a two member appearance in this year's playoffs alive.