2011 Big Ten Conference Prediction

Obviously this is just a prediction, doesn't mean that its going to happen. There are some very intriguing match ups this season, and Nebraska happens to be in a lot of them just because of their schedule. Their are several push games that could go either way, but their has to be a winner. Here is the 2011 Big Ten Conference prediction in the Leaders, Legends, and B10 Conference Championship game in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

LEADERS DIVISION
1. OHIO STATE: (11-1 (7-1)
Lets be real here, OSU lost Pryor and some players will be ineligible for the early part of the season. We are not talking about Indiana here, OSU is loaded with talent. They have depth at every position. They have players riding second string that would start at other B10 Institutions. OSU will play Miami in week 3, which has a feel to it that it should be played at a Prison instead of a stadium. Here is my big shock for OSU, they go undefeated all year, winning at Nebraska even, but stumble at Michigan. Michigan rises to the challenge on the last weekend of conference play at home and beats OSU.

2. WISCONSIN (9-3 (5-3)
Wisky loses some good players, including their QB, and yes they are getting the NC State QB that transferred over, but I just don't see them having the season they had last year repeat its self. They will lose to Nebraska at home, they will lose at Michigan State who does really well against them, and then they lose at the Horseshoe. You really think Ohio State is going to let Wisky come in there, and push them around after what happened last year?

3. PENN STATE (8-4 (5-3)
PSU will lose to Alabama at home in week 2. The PSU defense will need to improve, and so will the QB play. I have PSU losing at Northwestern, at Ohio State, and at Wisconsin. I think this is the year that PSU finally beats Iowa at home. Iowa has some ? marks. 

4. ILLINOIS (5-7 (2-6)
If this is correct, the Zooker era ends in Illinois. They will lose to Arizona State in week 3, and they will lose to Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and by that point Zook will be done, and the season will be extremely disappointing and they will fall to the golden gophers the last game of the season in the Twin Cities. It will be cold, they won't even want to be there, and Minnesota will take advantage for their program's sake. 

5. INDIANA (4-8 (1-7)
Indiana will start off ok with a weak schedule besides the lose to Virginia. But after that its all down hill until Purdue comes to town the last weekend of the season. Hoosiers blast Purdue and look to the future to improve.

6. PURDUE (3-9 (0-8)
Purdue will start off 3-0 until they lose to Notre Dame which will then start the cycle downward. They may beat Minnesota and Illinois to improve the record, but still at Penn state, at Michigan, at Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa at home. That is brutal. Purdue is a victim of schedule, and they may finish 5th or even 4th if Illinois completed collapses, but its still not going to be pretty.

LEGENDS DIVISION
1. NEBRASKA (10-2 (6-2)
Their is a strong chance that Nebraska won't finish first due to their schedule, but they have a very good defense, and defense wins games. Nebraska will be 4-0 going into conference play, they will lose to Ohio State at home, and at Penn State. They may lose at Wisconsin instead of Penn State, I just have a feeling that they will struggle at Penn State, and will frustrate Wisconsin's offense.  Michigan State or Iowa could beat them as well, but both games are in Lincoln.

2. IOWA 10-2 (6-2)
Iowa comes in with a new QB, but a very good QB, new RB's and one that destroyed Missouri. Iowa will have a great Offensive Line, and will be very strong at TE, and good at WR. Iowa's big question is the defensive line. But Iowa proves every year in the past decade that they can grab kids that came into the program as TE, LB and turn them into NFL defensive lineman. In the past 10 years, Iowa has 12 defensive lineman in the NFL. Iowa goes 4-0 through non-conference, and loses at Penn State. Iowa will beat Northwestern for the first time in 4 years, that game is at night in Kinnick. Iowa will win out and lose to Nebraska the last game of the season on Black Friday. Iowa could win that game as well as Penn State, but also lose to Northwestern and Michigan state for that matter. Iowa has their best seasons when they fly under the radar, and nobody has them this high.
 
3. MICHIGAN STATE (9-3 (5-3)
MSU has question marks on the defensive side of the ball. They return Cousins at the QB position. MSU could be a sleeper in the Legends division, they could easily be #1 if things go right for them. MSU will be 4-0 in non-conference play and will lose at Ohio State, at Nebraska,  and at Penn State. If they win some of those and win the others, then they will be headed to Indianapolis instead of Nebraska.      

4. NORTHWESTERN (9-3 (5-3)
Northwestern has to improve on defense, they return a lot of their starters on offense including QB Dan Persa. Northwestern is another team that could be up towards the top. Here is my issue with Northwestern. They are a good team, but if the passing game gets shut down by a Nebraska along with MSU, then they are done. The other issue is they have no home field advantage. Its one of the worst stadiums, its not intimidating at all.

5. MICHIGAN (8-4 (4-4)
Great for Michigan they got a new head coach who brings back the Michigan style of old, and some passion. Bad news is your program was in transition from pro style to the Rich Rod spread. I know the O-lineman are trying to get back to being physical and not agility, but it doesn't happen over night. The QB Robinson is now in a style that is new and odd to him. There has been so much hype about Michigan all of sudden going to be a player this year, and I don't buy it. I know they have talent, but that defense was horrendous last year. Maybe they will surprise all of us, I'm not drinking the Kool-aid yet. Michigan will beat Notre Dame this year, I was going back in forth on it, but its a night game, the first one ever at the Big House, so you got to think that Michigan will play crazy good that night. I see Michigan losing at Northwestern, at Michigan State, at Iowa, and to Nebraska at home.

6. MINNESOTA ( 5-7 (2-6)
Minnesota opens their season at USC, that is tough. They will lose at Michigan, to Nebraska and Iowa at home back to back weekends, then lose to MSU, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and then they beat Illinois in the last game. Minnesota has a stretch of some really tough games. Iowa will reclaim Floyd of Rosedale will be motivated after a horrendous game their a year ago. 

The Legends Division is really wide open, where as the Leaders is really down to Wisconsin and Ohio State. 

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
OHIO STATE VS. NEBRASKA
Ohio State wins the B10 title proving everybody that they are still the elite team of the conference, they battle every week to prove themselves and adversity. Obviously if Ohio State can't play in title game due to Bowl ban, then Nebraska would play Wisconsin, and that could go either way as it would be another rematch.