The 2014 Championship Game was the fourth held in the Big Ten's 119-year history, and the first to feature the conference's new division alignment of East and West.

After that season Meyer became head coach for the Florida Gators and Gary Andersen became defensive coordinator for the Utes.

With only one loss on their record, from Virginia Tech in week 2, OSU defeated Michigan State to take the lead of the Big Ten East division on November 8.

At the start of November the Big Ten West division was a four-way tie between the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Golden Gophers and Badgers.

The Badgers clinched the Big Ten West division by defeating their rivals, Minnesota, in the last game of the season.

Criticizing the subjectivity of the selection process, Meyer said that he left the starting lineup in the game despite Ohio State ahead 45–0 in the third quarter—risking players' health by not resting the starters, and poor sportsmanship—because "I don't think the 'eye test' and 'people think' is going to get enough to bump TCU and Baylor".