No conference has done more for its image in the last year than the Big 10. It’s more competitive. It has big-time names. And the conference can finally compete with other conferences in college football on the gridiron.
This year’s Big 10 race is setting up as the most exciting of any in the nation, with oddsmakers pegging four teams with legitimate chances at winning the conference crown.
Who will win?
It’s a horse race on the East side between Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. All three teams return starters from already established teams and have recruited well enough in recent years that new players can slot in the lineup right away.
The drawback for those teams being not only in the same conference, but the same division, is that they could beat up on each other, leaving a national championship chance in the dust.
For my taste, it’s hard to go against the Buckeyes. They’re the favorite, but they still have better value than many other conference favorites at +125. Ohio State returns 15 starters from last year’s playoff-qualifying team, including experienced quarterback J.T. Barrett. The biggest thing is if Ohio State can stay focused throughout the year. They’re the most talented team in the Big 10 and possibly across the college football landscape. Talent is never an issue. The biggest issue is staying focused each week.
Who else?
Michigan lost a lot of playmakers last year, but will fill those roles with talented younger players. The Wolverines can compete with anyone, but I’m worried about consistency with the younger players.
Penn State pretty much brings back everyone from their Big 10 title team last season and has some big games at home. However, I’m not sure I can trust the Nittany Lions. They were a below average football team for the first half of 2016 and then got hot after beating Ohio State in a game that featured plenty of mistakes by the Buckeyes.
Is Penn State more like the first half team from 2016 or the second half one? In the rugged East, I’m not sure I can risk money if I don’t know that answer.
We’ve talked a lot about the East. How about the West? Well, it’s probably only about Wisconsin. The Badgers are a solid, consistent team that should be able to navigate against a West division that doesn’t feature any standout teams. The Badgers are a conservative pick to come out of the West, so they should be considered as a title contender.
Dark Horse
I’m not going to sleep on Michigan State. The Spartans will be better, and are going off at +2500, so they should at least garner some attention. The biggest issue is that the Spartans play in the East, so the schedule becomes much more daunting.
So, for my main dark horse, I’m looking to the West, and jumping on the Cornhuskers bandwagon. This team will resemble more of what Mike Reilly wants to do. The quarterback will be a passer. The team will feature a more balanced attack offensively. If the defense can make strides, I expect this team to be in the conversation for a West division title.
That’s all I’m looking for in my dark horse — just get to the Big 10 title game and see what happens. I’ll look for a few losses by everyone out West, with the Cornhuskers prevailing.
Big 10 title odds
Ohio State +125
Michigan +400
Wisconsin +450
Penn State +500
Nebraska +2000
Northwestern +2000
Michigan State +2500
Minnesota +2800
Iowa +2800
Indiana +8000
Maryland +10000
Illinois +15000
Purdue +15000
Rutgers +25000
