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The Big Ten hasn't won a national championship since Ohio State in 2002.
The Big Ten just became an even bigger favorite to become the first Power 5 Conference left out of the College Football Playoff.
Braxton Miller's season-ending shoulder injury could turn out to be an insurmountable obstacle for Ohio State - and an unwanted gift for Michigan State.
There will be an obvious and immediate impact on the Buckeyes as they transfer the leadership of their offense from a veteran quarterback who's won a lot of games to a backup who's never taken a significant college snap.
If that weren't disappointing enough for the Big Ten, which hasn't won a national title in 12 years and hasn't played for one in seven seasons, there could be collateral damage to the league's best team.
Don't let the preseason polls and pundits fool you. Michigan State, which beat Ohio State in last year's Big Ten Championship Game 34-24, already was the team to beat again. Sparty has a returning starter at quarterback in Connor Cook - who outplayed Miller in that game - and features a lights-out defense that held the Buckeyes scoreless for the final 20 minutes.
Until Monday, their regular-season rematch Nov. 8 in East Lansing promised to be the Big Ten game of the year.
Beat Miller and Ohio State again, and people finally might start to give Michigan State the credit it deserves. The Spartans would have a marquee victory to wave in the face of the playoff selection committee.
Beat Ohio State now, without Miller, and that win will come with an asterisk.
Given the sad state of the rest of the conference, where most of the excitement comes from Bo Pelini's fake Twitter account - @FauxPelini - Michigan State's Sept. 6 game at Oregon may be its best and last chance to take down another legit national championship contender.
If the Spartans drop that game to the Ducks, it's not a stretch to suggest the Big Ten could be all but out of the playoff chase by the end of the season's second weekend.
Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany has to see which way the wind off Lake Michigan is blowing. If he's as smart as everyone thinks he is, he'll beat the rush and start beating the drum for an eight-team playoff now.