The history of college football includes a number of defunct relics, a list that ranges from leather helmets to the BCS.

Next season, the 4-team era of the College Football Playoff will join that historical list of bygone traditions. The CFP field will officially expand to 12 teams, and with it, on-site games in the first round of the Playoff.

Before we leave the 4-team era, a field of Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama wait to duel it out for the 2023 national title. That field also included one of the more heated debates for the No. 4 seed in recent memory with undefeated Florida State left out.

As we embark on the final version of the 4-team field, it’s worth revisiting the B1G teams to make the current Playoff system. For now, there’s a clear-cut decision for the No. 1 spot on this list, but it will be worth revisiting after the results of this season.

Here is a ranking of the top B1G teams ever to participate in the 4-team Playoff:

9. 2016 Ohio State

In one of the more heated CFP selections of the 4-team era, Ohio State made the field in 2016-17 as the No. 3 seed without a B1G championship. In fact, the Buckeyes did not even win the B1G East in 2016.

To be fair, Ohio State did register wins over Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan, but a road loss to Penn State kept the Buckeyes from the B1G title game. A nonconference loss to Pitt ultimately kept the Nittany Lions from the Playoff despite winning the B1G.

In the end, the Buckeyes produced one of the more lopsided CFP appearances of the 4-team era with a 31-0 loss to Clemson. JT Barrett threw 2 interceptions, Tyler Durbin missed 2 field goals and Ohio State punted 7 times while being held below 100 yards rushing.

8. 2015 Michigan State

Michigan State secured the B1G’s second all-time CFP appearance in 2015, and how the Spartans got there was not a fluke. Mark Dantonio’s program beat Oregon at home and Michigan and Ohio State on the road in the regular season. Then, the Spartans delivered a goal-line TD for the ages in a B1G title win over Iowa.

Unfortunately, questions about Michigan State and the health of Connor Cook were evident heading toward the Playoff. The Spartans averaged just 29.8 points per game in 2015 and gave up over 20 points per game defensively.

Facing Alabama, the game was still close with a 10-0 deficit at halftime, but Michigan State never had an answer for Jake Coker. He completed 83.3% of his passes as the Tide dominated and rolled to a 38-0 shutout in the semifinal.

Stars for Michigan State this season included Aaron Burbridge delivering 1,200 yards receiving, Darien Harris delivering 90 total tackles, Demetrious Cox recorded 4 takeaways and Shilique Calhoun posting 10.5 sacks.

7. 2021 Michigan

Jim Harbaugh and Michigan finally conquered their Ohio State giant in 2021, kickstarting a string of 3 straight B1G titles and CFP appearances. However, it’s arguable this Wolverines team overachieved when one considers the blown lead and meltdown vs. Michigan State and the near defeat on the road to Penn State.

Cade McNamara started at QB all season long while JJ McCarthy was mixed into the action as a true freshman. Hassan Haskins established a new program record with 20 rushing touchdowns, and Aidan Hutchinson delivered a game-wrecking season with 14 sacks.

Unfortunately, the cracks in this team were quickly apparent in the Playoff. Georgia built a 27-3 lead heading into halftime, McNamara had 2 interceptions and the Wolverines failed to crack 100 yards rushing on the biggest stage of the season.

6. 2020 Ohio State

The 2020 season was topsy-turvy for all involved, and the B1G’s decision to originally call off the football season certainly hurt the conference overall. In the end, Ohio State had just 5 regular-season games and did not get The Game against Michigan before the B1G reversed course on a minimum games requirement to put the Buckeyes in the B1G title game.

Remarkably, the 2020 season was the last time a B1G team played for the national title after Ohio State steamrolled Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. Justin Fields delivered 6 touchdowns and Trey Sermon rushed for almost 200 yards in the semifinal win.

Unfortunately, hopes for Ohio State hanging with No. 1 Alabama were never realized. The Tide scored 52 points as DeVonta Smith delivered a first-half hat trick while shredding the Buckeyes.

5. 2022 Ohio State

Ohio State had a great shot to pull off the unthinkable in 2022. Despite a loss to Michigan in The Game and without the benefit of a B1G Championship, the Buckeyes were given a shot to take down No. 1 Georgia’s shot at history.

Day’s program nearly did it, falling one point and an errant game-ending field goal shy of toppling the defending champions in their own backyard. Unfortunately, “almost” only carries so much weight when dealing with a program that maintains title expectations like Ohio State.

Admittedly, it feels weird that an Ohio State team that finished 11-2 overall without any championships or postseason wins lands in the top 5 of the list. And questions about why the Buckeyes lost at home to Michigan remain extremely valid.

For starters, Ohio State once again had CJ Stroud under center, and he delivered 41 passing touchdowns. Injuries in the backfield took their toll, but the rest of the offense included Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Cade Stover and Julian Fleming while Tommy Eichenberg, Steele Chambers, Ronnie Hickman and JT Tuimoloau guided the defense.

4. 2019 Ohio State

Coming out of 2018, the pressure was on in Columbus. Ryan Day assumed the head coaching role from Urban Meyer, and Day faced the prospects of replacing Dwayne Haskins and a group of other offensive pieces that included Mike Weber, Parris Campbell, Johnnie Dixon and Terry McLaurin.

For his first big move, Day went out and grabbed Justin Fields as his starting QB in the transfer portal. That move paid off with Fields finishing 3rd in Heisman Trophy voting that season and leading the Buckeyes to 13-0 regular season while averaging 46.9 points per game.

Once in the Playoff, Ohio State went toe-to-toe with Clemson in a game that came down to the final moments and included a fair share of controversy. Shaun Wade was ejected in a play that swung momentum, and a scoop-and-score touchdown for the Buckeyes was overturned on review.

Even if Ohio State did get past Clemson, it’s unlikely any team was able to stop Joe Burrow and the juggernaut LSU team in 2019. And with the questions currently facing Day in Columbus, this 2019 squad might have been his most balanced to date.

Fields led the offense with 51 total touchdowns while JK Dobbins was a 2,000-yard rusher in 2019. Defensively, Chase Young terrorized passers with 16.5 sacks while Jeff Okudah, Shaun Wade, Damon Arnette and Jordan Fuller provided a dynamic secondary.

3. 2023 Michigan

I get it. This Michigan team has been hailed as Jim Harbaugh’s best in Ann Arbor, and the Wolverines even rolled to the No. 1 overall seed in the Playoff.

To be fair, this Michigan team’s season is also not complete, so it’s possible the 2023 Wolverines push for the No. 1 overall spot on this list come January. But, for now, the numbers do not stack up favorably to the 2022 version of Michigan.

Trying to decipher the full body of work for this year’s Michigan team is tricky. Rival fans would argue the Wolverines should be left off entirely for the sign-stealing saga. However, UM fans (and coaches and players) will point to the fact the team went 13-0, perceivably against tougher odds than other teams.

For now, this version of the Wolverines is safely anchored into No. 3 with an offense that took a step backward from 2022.

2. 2022 Michigan

Michigan has two teams that finished the regular season 13-0 on this list. And while the book is still unwritten on the 2023 team, the performance in 2022 certainly trumped this past season.

Led by top-10 units on either side of the ball, Michigan saw JJ McCarthy produce 27 total touchdowns after grabbing the starting QB position. Blake Corum also paced the offense with 18 rushing touchdowns while Donovan Edwards delivered 1,100 yards from scrimmage and huge big-game performances late in the year.

The defense (and a pair of McCarthy pick-6s) carry the weight of the 51-45 loss to TCU, but the rest of the 2022 performance from the defense was spectacular. Junior Colson delivered 101 tackles, Michael Barrett was dynamic in the middle of the defense, Mazi Smith plugged the middle, and Mike Morris was a monster pass-rusher.

The final position of this Michigan squad might need to be revisited following the completion of this year’s  Playoff, but the regular-season numbers carry the day for now.

1. 2014 Ohio State

Not only is Ohio State’s 2014 team the last national title winner from the B1G (for now), but how that Buckeyes team rolled to the title is incredible. A preseason injury to Braxton Miller opened the door for JT Barrett to burst onto the scene until a season-ending injury against Michigan.

Without Barrett, Cardale Jones delivered 3 touchdowns in a B1G Championship rout of Wisconsin and the Buckeyes stormed into the Playoff after entering Championship Weekend at No. 6 overall. However, Ohio State’s trip to the CFP was expected to be brief.

Led by Urban Meyer, the Buckeyes rolled into a matchup against Nick Saban, OC Lane Kiffin and No. 1 overall Alabama. In the end it was Ohio State’s defense that carried the day with 3 interceptions off Blake Sims.

In the CFP National Championship, the defense once again stepped up and covered for an offense that turned the ball over 4 times. That victory gave the Buckeyes the first-ever national title in the 4-team Playoff era.

That Buckeye squad was also not short on star talent. Ezekiel Elliott led the offense with over 1,800 yards rushing while Michael Thomas, Devin Smith and Jalin Marshall led the receiving unit. Joshua Perry, Vonn Bell, Darron Lee, Joey Bosa and Michael Bennett led a star-studded defense.