At some point, the Big Ten must leave no doubt and make it easy on the College Football Playoff selection committee.

What will it take for one of the nation's most competitive conferences, annually packed with nationally-ranked teams, to end its drought and get back to the final four?

Out of 15 total Playoff contests (including national championship finals) since the new format's inception in 2014, the Big Ten has played in only four games and has been shutout in each of its last two tries — Ohio State during the 2016-17 season and Michigan State the previous year.

We're speculating here and every year is supposed to be judged differently under the same criteria, but those performances seem to have indirectly soured the league's overall value in the eyes of the selection committee, evidenced by members' reluctancy during the 2017 season to schedule a rematch in the semifinal between Ohio State and Clemson.

Michigan State AD Bill Beekman said earlier this year he believes expansion is inevitable, especially when you have Power 5 champions from the Big Ten — and Pac-12 for instance — being excluded every year.

“I do think there’s got to be some sort of reasonable limit to the thing,” Beekman said. “Shutting out too many of the Power Five conferences too often – I don’t think it’s wise decision making and I think eight gets you to a reasonable number. There will absolutely be pressure at some level (but) there’d be people having us play year-round. There’s always that slippery slope.”

Here are several reasons ahead of the 2019 season on why the Big Ten should end its final four hiatus this fall: