<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Sponsors </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Dr Pepper </Td> </Tr> <P> The Big Ten Football Championship Game is a college football game that is held by the Big Ten Conference each year since 2011 to determine the conference's season champion . The championship game will pit the division champions from the conference's West and East divisions in a game held after the regular season has been completed . The game is held the first Saturday of December at 8 PM Eastern . </P> <P> The winner of this game will earn the Big Ten's automatic berth in the Rose Bowl Game, unless the team is selected to play in the four - team College Football Playoff . If this is the case, they will go to one of the bowls hosting the national semifinals . The winner of this game will also receive the Stagg Championship Trophy, and the most valuable player of this game will receive the Grange - Griffin Championship Game Most Valuable Player Trophy . </P>

When did the big ten championship game start