Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has pounded the strength-of-schedule drum throughout the summer, much like his SEC counterpart, Greg Sankey. When it comes to college football's toughest slates, the Big Ten's nine-game league format -- along with a 10th contest against a Power Four opponent -- should result in additional automatic bids in future playoff expansion.

With the historic expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams, the race for the national championship has opened up in a way it never has been before.