All Bruins

UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast: Three-Team Race for Big Ten Title Enters Final Weekend

Our latest episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast breaks down the thrilling three-team race for a Big Ten title and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Iowa, UCLA and Oregon all have a strong chance to win it.
Tom Cavanaugh|
Oregon’s Sam Boyle pitches against UCLA with the bases loaded during the 7th inning at PK Park in Eugene.
Oregon’s Sam Boyle pitches against UCLA with the bases loaded during the 7th inning at PK Park in Eugene. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 14 UCLA Bruins (37-14, 20-7) are in the midst of a three-team race for first place in the Big Ten with a conference title and No. 1 overall seed on the line, heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Numerous scenarios could result in any of the top three teams winning the title.

In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, UCLA Bruins On SI beat writer Tom Cavanaugh breaks down the several different scenarios that could play out this weekend and the likelihood that each will occur. The Bruins have one of the better chances to win their first Big Ten title.

You can watch the episode below:

Just two games separate the top three teams in the Big Ten standings and it is an incredible three-team race with just three regular-season games left. Iowa sits in first place, the Bruins are one game back and No. 5 Oregon is two games back in third place.

The race for the conference title awards the winning team with the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament as well as an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. There is a lot on the line for all three of these incredibly talented teams.

Here are the scenarios broken down...

Iowa (32-17-1, 21-6) wins the Big Ten if...

Iowa is facing another team in the race as Oregon travels to Iowa City for a three-game regular-season finale. The Hawkeyes have not captured a conference title since 1990 and control their own destiny.

SCENARIO NO.1: If the Hawkeyes swept the Ducks, which is fairly unlikely, Iowa would clinch the title and the No. 1 seed. Iowa is 2-8-1 against former Pac-12 teams this year, most recently losing two of three to the Washington Huskies and going 0-3-1 against No. 10 Oregon State.

SCENARIO NO. 2: Iowa also earns the conference title if they win at least one game over Oregon AND UCLA loses at least two games against the Northwestern Wildcats this weekend. Iowa has the most manageable path to winning the title since its reliance on other teams losing is limited.

No. 14 UCLA (37-14, 20-7) wins if...

The Bruins somewhat control their own destiny but will be rooting for the Ducks to win at most two games. UCLA is trying to make a statement in its first year of Big Ten baseball and deliver John Savage his fifth conference title as a head coach.

SCENARIO NO. 1: UCLA wins the Big Ten if they win at least two games over Northwestern this weekend AND Oregon wins at least two games against the Hawkeyes.

SCENARIO NO. 2: This scenario involves the Bruins sweeping Northwestern AND Oregon or Iowa each win one game in their series against each other. The Bruins cannot have Oregon or Iowa sweep the other.

If Iowa were to win two of three and the Bruins sweep, both teams would be 23-7 in conference, but the Bruins hold the tiebreaker over the Hawkeyes.

No. 5 Oregon (38-13, 19-8) wins if...

The Ducks have the toughest road to the title. They are the highest ranked team yet possess the worst conference record of the three teams. There is only one scenario that would give the Ducks their first Big Ten championship and a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

SCENARIO NO. 1: Oregon wins the title if it sweeps Iowa on the road this weekend and the Bruins lose at least one game against Northwestern. That result would put the Ducks at 22-8, holding the tiebreaker over UCLA if the Bruins were to finish with the same conference record.

Based on the outcome of these two series, we could utter madness this weekend. Any inning could cause the fortunes of these teams to rise or sink. So much is on the line in the final conference series of the year, and it could not be any more entertaining for elite college baseball.

Follow us on X (Twitter) @UCLAInsideronSI and @tcav30 and never miss another breaking UCLA story again.

Let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Tom Cavanaugh
TOM CAVANAUGH

Home/Baseball