Dec 05, 2015 06:00 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

The Big Ten Championship game will be the most important conference title game in terms of deciding the College Football Playoff's (CFP) Top Four.

It may also be the best game to watch on championship weekend, as the Michigan State Spartans (5) and Iowa Hawkeyes (4) play with the same mentality: be physical and hold onto the ball.

Click here to listen to the game live via TuneIn. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET in Indianapolis, Ind.

Both teams are among the Top 30 in the nation for average yards allowed per game and both operate on offense with an emphasis on running the ball and controlling possession, keeping their opponent's offense on the sideline.

Now for the CFP scenarios:

Iowa would certainly clinch a spot among the final Top Four with a win, as the committee would have a hard time removing an undefeated conference champ from the Top Four.

Michigan State came one call short of an undefeated season, but they have had their fair share of close calls. Regardless, they got through a tough schedule with one loss, including a win over Oregon, and a road win against Ohio State with two backup quarterbacks.

The other possibility is Ohio State leapfrogging both teams even though they have no shot at the conference championship. If Michigan State wins, all three will have one loss and the CFP committee may choose Ohio State if they can disregard the Big Ten title.

"I just think it's a football game," Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio said in his weekly press conference. "I think championship games or games on a big stage, you know, usually they're pretty evenly matched, and the people that make the least amount of mistakes win, whether that's missed tackles, whatever the, big plays.

(Team stats: ESPN, Rankings: CFP)

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