2018 Big Ten Preview
Ohio State has locked this conference down since Urban Meyer arrived in Columbus but will break in several new starters at key positions. Wisconsin has an experienced team and is ready to breakthrough. Michigan has a lot of talent. Will they get great QB play to lead them to the Big Ten title game? Stars are all over the league on the defensive side of the ball.
Overview
- 11 teams will go to bowl games
- The Big Ten is ranked fifth in our conference power rankings
- Ohio State is the top ranked team in the conference at #2 and Illinois is the lowest ranked at #104 in our 2018 power rankings.
- The top of the conference is strong. The Big Ten Champ this year should be a lock for the College Football Playoff.
What to Watch in 2018
- Michigan at Notre Dame – Shea Patterson, QB transfer from Ole Miss, makes his Wolverine debut on a big stage. Can Michigan get a win that’ll propel them forward this season? Access our week 1 college football predictions to see if the Wolverines or Fighting Irish will start 2018 with a win.
- Speaking of the Wolverines, can Jim Harbaugh get a signature win this season? Michigan needs double digit wins this season or doubt is going to creep into the minds of the faithful in Ann Arbor.
- With what Scott Frost did at UCF, it’s hard to temper expectations at Nebraska. It’ll be a transition year in Lincoln, but Big Red fans should be excited.
- Will anyone in the West challenge Wisconsin? The Badgers have begun to separate themselves as the dominant team of the Big Ten West. The rest of the division should be competitive but the Badgers are clearly the frontrunners for a repeat trip to the Big Ten title game.
- The bottom of the conference needs improvement. Can Lovie Smith improve the Illini?
- QB Trace McSorley will have a new offensive coordinator at Penn State but look for him to keep the Nittany Lions competitive this season.
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2018 Big Ten Predictions
BIG TEN EAST
| RANK | BIG TEN EAST | W | L | CONF W | CONF L |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 12 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 13 | Michigan Wolverines | 9 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 16 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 9 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| 30 | Michigan State Spartans | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 77 | Indiana Hoosiers | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| 84 | Maryland Terrapins | 5 | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| 88 | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 5 | 7 | 2 | 7 |
BIG TEN WEST
| RANK | BIG TEN WEST | W | L | CONF W | CONF L |
| 3 | Wisconsin Badgers | 11 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 40 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 46 | Purdue Boilermakers | 8 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 56 | Northwestern Wildcats | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| 69 | Minnesota Golden Gophers | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| 66 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| 104 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 2 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
2018 Big Ten Championship Game
Wisconsin over Ohio State. The Badgers break through with a big win to claim a Big Ten title.
See more in our 2018 College Football Preview. Access data driven college football predictions all season long.
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