# 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game

The 2018 Big Ten Football Championship Game presented by Discover was played on December 1, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The eighth annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, it determined the 2018 champion of the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State, the East Division champion, defeated West Division champion Northwestern 45–24 to win its second straight Big Ten Championship.

## History

The 2018 Championship Game was the eighth in the Big Ten's 123-year history and the fifth to feature the conference's East and West alignment.

## Teams
### Northwestern Wildcats

After starting 1–3 with losses to Duke, Akron, and No. 14 Michigan, the Wildcats rebounded to win six of their next seven, including three wins over ranked teams (No. 20 Michigan State, No. 20 Wisconsin, and No. 21 Iowa); they clinched their first-ever Big Ten Championship berth with their win against Iowa. The Wildcats entered the Big Ten Championship Game with a record of 8–4, 8–1 in Big Ten play.

### Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes represented the Big Ten East Division in the game. Ohio State secured the spot with a 62–39 win over fourth-ranked Michigan. This was Ohio State's second consecutive season representing the East.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NU | OSU |
| 1 | 10:31 | 10 | 77 | 4:29 | OSU | Terry McLaurin 16-yard touchdown reception from Dwayne Haskins, Blake Haubeil kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | 6:27 | 2 | 80 | 0:51 | NU | John Moten IV 77-yard touchdown run, Charlie Kuhbander kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 1 | 3:29 | 8 | 65 | 2:58 | OSU | J. K. Dobbins 2-yard touchdown run, Blake Haubeil kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 2 | 6:09 | 8 | 21 | 3:26 | OSU | 42-yard field goal by Blake Haubeil | 7 | 17 |
| 2 | 1:21 | 9 | 78 | 3:53 | OSU | Terry McLaurin 42-yard touchdown reception from Dwayne Haskins, Blake Haubeil kick good | 7 | 24 |
| 3 | 13:23 | 5 | 75 | 1:37 | NU | Clayton Thorson 18-yard touchdown run, Charlie Kuhbander kick good | 14 | 24 |
| 3 | 8:03 | 11 | 85 | 3:24 | NU | Cameron Green 2-yard touchdown reception from Clayton Thorson, Charlie Kuhbander kick good | 21 | 24 |
| 3 | 1:21 | 6 | 60 | 1:29 | OSU | Chris Olave 29-yard touchdown reception from Dwayne Haskins, Blake Haubeil kick good | 21 | 31 |
| 4 | 10:34 | 7 | 76 | 1:50 | NU | 21-yard field goal by Charlie Kuhbander | 24 | 31 |
| 4 | 9:11 | 4 | 75 | 1:23 | OSU | Johnnie Dixon 9-yard touchdown reception from Dwayne Haskins, Blake Haubeil kick good | 24 | 38 |
| 4 | 4:09 | 8 | 54 | 2:32 | OSU | J. K. Dobbins 17-yard touchdown reception from Dwayne Haskins, Blake Haubeil kick good | 24 | 45 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 24 | 45 |

### Statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 21 Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
| No. 6 Buckeyes | 14 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
| Statistics | NU | OSU |
| First downs | 24 | 45 |
| Plays–yards | 68–418 | 87–607 |
| Rushes–yards | 24–151 | 46–108 |
| Passing yards | 267 | 499 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 27–44–2 | 34–41–1 |
| Time of possession | 24:08 | 35:52 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Northwestern | Passing | Clayton Thorson | 27–44, 267 yds., 1 TD, 2 Int. |
| Northwestern | Rushing | John Moten IV | 76 yds., 1 TD |
| Northwestern | Receiving | Kyric McGowan | 4 rec., 50 yds., 1 TD |
| Ohio State | Passing | Dwayne Haskins | 34–41, 499 yds., 5 TD, 1 Int. |
| Ohio State | Rushing | J. K. Dobbins | 68 yds., 1 TD |
| Ohio State | Receiving | Johnnie Dixon III | 7rec., 129 yds., 1 TD |