Big Ten Wednesday: Order of Finish
It’s Big Ten Wednesday, during the last week of my 2009 preview. We are really getting close to game week now. Check out my rundown of the Big Ten.
Big Ten: Order of Finish
1. Penn State (7-1)
2. Ohio State (7-1)
3. Michigan State (6-2)
4. Iowa (6-2)
5. Illinois (6-2)
6. Wisconsin (4-4)
7. Northwestern (2-6)
8. Michigan (2-6)
9. Minnesota (2-6)
10. Purdue (1-7)
11. Indiana (1-7)
If the top of the rankings looks a little familiar, that’s because this is pretty much exactly what happened last year. Penn State and Ohio State are clearly the cream of the crop once again this year. Whoever wins in Happy Valley on Nov 7th will likely go to the Rose Bowl. Since the game is home for Penn State I have them edging out the Buckeyes in another close game.
There is a log jam at 6-2 in the conference. Any one of these teams could rise up and challenge the two front runners. If anyone is going to do it, I would think Michigan State would have the advantage, not playing Ohio State and getting Penn State at home. However, I wouldn’t write off Illinois with an experienced Juice Williams, or Iowa with a Kirk Ferentz led team and a returning QB in Ricky Stanzi.
The bottom half of the conference will probably be pretty bad. Michigan has another year before they will start to return to glory. Minnesota or Northwestern could surprise, but Purdue is breaking in a new coach and Indiana is Indiana.
I hate to say it, but I think I agree that Penn State will win that key game on Nov. 7. That’s OK; the bowl people always seem to like an at-large OSU team because Buckeye Nation travels so well. The Fiesta Bowl it is once again!
there is only one problem with the rankings. with Iowa at 6 and 2 that means they beat one of the three teams ranked ahead of them in the standings. since the travel to all three of them the best chance they have to win away is at michigan state, thus putting them at #3 in the conference. unless they are lucky enough to win in happy valley or at the horseshoe then they will climb the rankings pretty fast.