It was supposed to be a defensive struggle. That was the narrative, anyway. You had the Wisconsin Badgers, led by Heisman finalist Melvin Gordon, walking into Lucas Oil Stadium as slight favorites. On the other side, the Ohio State Buckeyes were reeling. They had just lost their second-string quarterback, J.T. Barrett, to a broken ankle against Michigan. They were down to a third-stringer, Cardale Jones, a guy mostly known at the time for a years-old tweet about not wanting to play "school."
What happened next wasn't just a football game. It was a demolition. A 59-0 massacre that fundamentally altered how the College Football Playoff committee looks at "style points" and late-season momentum. Honestly, if you were a Wisconsin fan that night, it felt less like a game and more like a three-hour recurring nightmare.
The Big Ten 2014 championship game remains the most lopsided result in the history of the conference title game. It didn't just crown a champion; it vaulted a team from the outside looking in (No. 5 in the rankings) into the top four, eventually leading to a National Championship.
The Cardale Jones Factor and the "12th Man"
Nobody knew what to expect from Cardale Jones. He had a rocket for an arm, sure, but he had almost no meaningful snaps. He was a mountain of a man, standing 6'5" and weighing 250 pounds.
Urban Meyer didn't blink. He opened up the playbook and let Jones rip it. By the end of the first quarter, it was 14-0. By halftime, it was 38-0. It felt like every time Jones threw the ball, it was landing in the hands of Devin Smith for a 40-yard touchdown. Smith caught three touchdowns that night, averaging a ridiculous 33.8 yards per catch.
Wisconsin's defense, which was ranked among the best in the nation, looked like they were stuck in mud. They couldn't pressure Jones, and they certainly couldn't cover the deep ball. It was a total system failure.
What Happened to Melvin Gordon?
This is the part that still boggles the mind. Melvin Gordon came into that game with over 2,200 rushing yards on the season. He was the most feared offensive weapon in the country.
He finished the game with 76 yards on 26 carries. That's 2.9 yards per carry.
Ohio State's defensive line, led by Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett, lived in the Badgers' backfield. They played with a level of desperation and violence that Wisconsin simply wasn't prepared for. Every time Gordon tried to bounce a run outside, Darron Lee or Vonn Bell was there to met him. It wasn't just a physical win for Ohio State; it was a psychological one. They took away Wisconsin's identity.
🔗 Read more: Why Funny Fantasy Football Names Actually Win Leagues
The Playoff Committee’s Dilemma
You have to remember the context of December 2014. This was the first year of the College Football Playoff. There was no precedent. TCU and Baylor were sitting there with one loss, and Ohio State was sitting at No. 5.
Most experts thought the Buckeyes were dead in the water because they were playing with a third-string quarterback. The committee had explicitly stated that injuries to key players would be taken into account.
Then 59-0 happened.
The committee couldn't ignore it. The sheer dominance of the Big Ten 2014 championship game forced their hand. It proved that Ohio State wasn't just "good despite the injury," but potentially better or more explosive. Jeff Long, the committee chairman at the time, basically admitted that the "decisive" nature of the win moved the needle.
It set a dangerous precedent that we still see today: It's not just about winning; it's about how much you can hurt your opponent on national television.
Gary Andersen’s Sudden Exit
The fallout in Madison was swift and weird. Just days after the 59-0 loss, head coach Gary Andersen left Wisconsin to take the job at Oregon State.
People were stunned. You don't leave a top-tier Big Ten program for a bottom-tier Pac-12 program unless something is fundamentally broken. Rumors swirled about Andersen's frustration with Wisconsin’s admissions standards and the lack of flexibility for junior college transfers. But let's be real: losing by nearly 60 points on the biggest stage didn't help.
The 2014 game marked the end of an era for the Badgers and the start of a brief, confusing period before Paul Chryst returned to stabilize the ship.
💡 You might also like: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
The Statistics of a Blowout
If you look at the box score, it looks like a glitch in a video game.
- Total Yards: Ohio State 558, Wisconsin 258.
- Third Down Conversions: Wisconsin was 5-of-18.
- Turnovers: Wisconsin had 4, Ohio State had 0.
Ezekiel Elliott, who would eventually become the hero of the playoff run, had 220 yards and two touchdowns on just 20 carries. He was hitting holes so fast the linebackers didn't even have time to fill. It was a masterclass in zone-blocking.
The most telling stat? Wisconsin’s quarterbacks, Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy, combined for three interceptions and zero touchdowns. They were forced to throw because they were down early, and they simply didn't have the arm talent to keep up with Ohio State's secondary.
Why the 2014 Championship Matters Today
When people talk about the "Big Ten power structure," this game is the pivot point. It solidified Ohio State as a national juggernaut that could overcome any adversity. It also reinforced the "Big Ten West" stigma—the idea that the West champion was often a sacrificial lamb for the East powerhouse.
Even now, whenever a team goes into a conference title game with a backup quarterback, the Big Ten 2014 championship game is the first thing analysts mention. It's the "Cardale Jones Blueprint."
It also served as a warning to the rest of the country. Don't let the Buckeyes get hot in December. They went on to beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and Oregon in the National Championship. None of that happens if they win 21-17 against Wisconsin. They needed the 59 points to get the invite.
Lessons for Modern Bettors and Fans
If you're looking at modern conference championships, there are a few takeaways from this specific blowout that still apply.
First, ignore the "backup quarterback" narrative if the rest of the roster is elite. Ohio State had NFL talent at every single position. A quarterback change didn't change the fact that their offensive line was better than Wisconsin's defensive front.
📖 Related: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
Second, momentum is a real, tangible thing in college sports. Ohio State was playing for the memory of Kosta Karageorge, a teammate who had passed away earlier that week. They were playing with an emotional edge that Wisconsin couldn't match.
Third, the "eye test" is king. The committee wants to see dominance.
Actionable Insights for College Football Historians
For those looking to understand the evolution of the Big Ten, studying the 2014 season is mandatory.
- Watch the tape of Ezekiel Elliott’s vision: Notice how he presses the line of scrimmage to force linebackers to commit before cutting. This game was his "coming out party."
- Analyze the defensive shell: Ohio State used a "cover 4" look that dared Wisconsin to throw deep. Wisconsin couldn't, and it suffocated their run game.
- Check the recruiting classes: The gap between these two teams in 2014 was largely due to the "blue-chip ratio." Ohio State simply had more four and five-star athletes who could play in space.
The Big Ten 2014 championship game wasn't just a win for the Buckeyes; it was a statement of intent. It showed that the Big Ten could produce a team capable of out-athleting the SEC and the Pac-12. While it was a dark day for the city of Madison, it was the day the modern era of Ohio State football truly began.
If you're ever in Columbus, you'll still see "59-0" shirts. In Madison? They don't talk about it. It’s a game that is best remembered for what it created: a playoff system that rewards the bold and a Buckeye dynasty that shows no signs of slowing down.
To understand where the Big Ten is going, you have to look back at that night in Indianapolis. It was the night the "Big Two, Little Eight" mentality died and gave way to a world where one dominant performance could change the entire national landscape. No game since has matched that level of shock value.
Next Steps for Deep Research:
- Review the 2014 College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings from Week 14 to Week 15 to see the exact jump Ohio State made.
- Examine the coaching transition from Gary Andersen to Paul Chryst to see how the 59-0 loss influenced Wisconsin's return to a "traditional" power-run identity.
- Compare the 2014 Buckeye roster to the 2024-2025 rosters to see how the "Cardale Jones" archetype of quarterback has evolved in the Ryan Day era.