The Big Ten doesn’t put out its own preseason media poll, but that hasn’t stopped The Plain Dealer from getting some of the media types together for an unofficial poll. On Friday, the paper announced the results of that poll, and the Wisconsin Badgers are picked to win the West Division.
However, it wasn’t a cakewalk for the Badgers as they took the vote over the Iowa Hawkeyes by just 10.5 points and by just four first place votes. Wisconsin had 183.5 points to the Hawkeyes’ 173, while the first place votes were spread out among four teams in the West.
Joining Wisconsin and Iowa in earning first place votes were Nebraska (5) and Northwestern (1).
That’s where the good news for UW stops though, because the Badgers received no votes to actually win the Big Ten title game.
Coming out of the East is favorite Ohio State, who earned 23 of the 33 first place votes in that division. Michigan State was the only other team to win first place votes, with 10.
According to the polling, Ohio State over Wisconsin got the most votes for the Big Ten title game matchup. Only one West Division team, Nebraska, earned a vote to win the Big Ten title game.
Ohio State earned 19 votes to win the Big Ten title game, with Michigan State earning nine and Nebraska with one vote.
Here are the full votes:
EAST
1. Ohio State, 195 points (23 first-place votes)
2. Michigan State, 180 points (10)
3. Michigan, 136 points
4. Penn State, 105.5 points
5. Maryland, 84 points
6. Indiana, 78.5 points
7. Rutgers, 33 points
WEST
1. Wisconsin, 183.5 points (15 first-place votes)
2. Iowa, 173 points (11)
3. Nebraska, 157.5 points (5)
4. Northwestern, 112 points (1)
5. Minnesota, 96.5 points
6. Illinois, 58 points
7. Purdue, 31.5 points
* there are more than 29 first-place votes in each division because of ties
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
