You don't have to get their record right, but I'd like to have a little contest to see who can come closest to guessing the final regular season standings for the Big Ten.

Here's my attempt:
1 - Michigan
2 - Wisconsin
3 - Ohio State
4 - Penn State
5 - Iowa
6 - Purdue
7 - Indiana
8 - Michigan State
9 - Illinois
10 - Minnesota
11 - Northwestern

Feel free to argue with mine, but post yours as well.

btw, I think picking the order 5-11 is the most difficult. The top 4 are pretty much a given. Plenty of teams seem to have the talent to be able to fight for the middle of the pack, so it will be interesting to see who ends up getting those middle spots and who has a completely crappy season.

Sweet, I'm totally feelin' this. I need time to do a little research though so I'm not ready yet. I'll post when I get back from Vegas. I was pretty proud of some of my predictions last year (Manningham 1st team BT, OSU 1st, Michigan 2nd, etc.) So I like the opportunity to try to knock it out preseason and it gives ya a reason to gloat later. I want "Told you So II" this year. haha

1 - Ohio State
2 - Michigan
3 - Wisconsin
4 - Iowa
5 - PSU
6 - Purdue
7 - Michigan State
8 - Illinois
9 - Minnesota
10 - Indiana
11 - Northwestern

Dark Horses - Michigan State, and Illinois (If both teams find stability in their QB's and avoid another year of disastrous injuries. MSU will avoid penalties due to strict Dantonio discipline. Illinois has a killer class and some new weapons for Juice Williams).

Potential Disaster Years - Penn State (QB isn't consistent and seems to lack confidence at times) - Iowa (Despite having the easiest schedule in the big ten that still might not matter due to lack of experience)

I put OSU at the top assuming that they can find a quarterback that can manage a game without making turnovers, so the D can take over from there. If OSU has to dick around and find the right guy than Michigan will take the top spot for sure.

My Big 11

1 - Michigan
2 - Wisconsin
3 - Penn State
4 - Ohio State
5 - Iowa
6 - Purdue
7 - MSU
8 - Illinois
9 - Minnesota
10 - Indiana
11 - Northwestern

The thing I've noticed so far is that I have the Hosiers rated much higher than anyone else. They're going to be a mess dealing with the tragic loss of their coach, but my feeling is that they get a little more motivation to win for Terry - but in addition to that, I'm completely aboard the Lewis, Hardy, Thigpen hype train.

1-Wisconsin
2-Ohio State
3-Michigan
4-Penn State
5-11 Who cares, but I'll go with Jethro on Indiana being a surprise team to jump in there at #5
6-Iowa
7-Illinois
8-Purdon't (HipDigIt gave me that one)
9-MSU
10-Minnesota Golden Goophers
11-Northworstern

I think UM loses to both Wisconsin and OSU, and Wisconsin beats OSU to win the crown. Until I see something different out of Lloyd, I'm going with Tressel to keep bouncing him on his lap.
I'm falling off the Kirk Ferentz bandwagon, he lost it last year big time.
It will remain to be seen if Zook can actually coach even almost as good as he can recruit.
UM's defensive losses are huge, and I lost alot of faith in those last two games (didn't have much to begin with, watching them struggle against Penn St and Northworstern and Minnesota, not to mention Ball State).

1. Wisconsin
2. Michigan
3. Penn
4. Ohio State
5. Iowa
6. Indiana
7. Illinois
8. Perdue
9. MSU
10. Minnesota
11. Northwestern

Wisconsin will miss Stocco too much at QB and fall to third.

OUCH! Stocco finally graduated? My prediction for Wisconsin to finish first was based on the fact that they would have a 33 year old quarterback playing in his tenth full season. CRAP!

Wisconsin will miss Stocco too much at QB and fall to third.

Thats my biggest worry but Donovan has some experience and led them to 1 1/2 wins last year (Buffalo gets 1/2). They only have one or two other key losses and return almost the entire team. For some reason they have had OSU's number the last few years, and I think they are mad about that UM loss last year.

I'm flipping Wisconsin and Penn State. I have no faith in a team that is breaking in a new QB, no matter what they have returning. This is college football, and the new QB will be tested, and they usually don;t deliver. Penn State is being undervalued, according to Kirk Herbstreidt today on the radio, and I've got to agree with him. For some reason, I can NOT imagine UM beating them for the NINTH time in a row!

I'm flipping Wisconsin and Penn State. I have no faith in a team that is breaking in a new QB, no matter what they have returning. This is college football, and the new QB will be tested, and they usually don;t deliver. Penn State is being undervalued, according to Kirk Herbstreidt today on the radio, and I've got to agree with him. For some reason, I can NOT imagine UM beating them for the NINTH time in a row!

It's early. However Zip I think you underestimate the "system" in Cheeseville. These guy have been doing it pretty successfully in recent years with a succession of clones like Bollinger, Sorgi, and Stocco. Hey with 16 starters back they're just going to plug in the latest model and let it roll. I like their team. I like "Bulemia" and with my burgeoning waistline I might could use a dose. It is tempting to me to plop them atop the league and tie them up with U-M but I'm going to pass. I see it playing out like a favorite old movie that we come across on the box and can't stop watching.

1) U-M 7-1...too much on the O-side for the Little 9.
OSU 7-1...Best coach in the league, smothering "D" an underated QB who will be programmed to "manage the game" like Krenzel did on the way to the NC. They will lose at A2 though removing the "O'fer U-M" noose from the senior classes neck.

2) Cheezitz-6-2...the clone fucks it up once and OSU finds a way to beat them.
Penn State-6-2 and I agree that they beat Lloyd for a FIRST for them.

3) and down....... I don't give a fuck!!

MSU will go 3-5 and go bowling. It may be the Cherry Bowl but bowling none the less. I don't think they are as bad as the experts say.

Hip:
You are correct on the Cheese, but I think what you're saying is "until they actualy DO it...", and I agree. Tough choice, especially with UM in Camp Randall, but I still lack faith in hew QB's.

From bodog.com


Odds to win the 2007 Big 10 Conference Championship

Illinois
20/1

Indiana
30/1

Iowa
8/1

Michigan
2/1

Michigan State
18/1

Minnesota
25/1

Northwestern
20/1

Ohio State
4/1

Penn State
4/1

Purdue
18/1

Wisconsin
3/1

That would make the bookmakers' projected order of finish:

Michigan
Wisconsin
OSU & PSU (tie)
Iowa
MSU & Purdue (tie)
Illinois & NW (tie)
Minnesota
Indiana

Does everyone still feel confident about these predictions now that the Big Ten Seson is upon us....................oh yeah and that the Big Ten sucks as whole right now.

Can you ever remember it being this wide open in any previous year?

I agree that the league looks bad, top to bottom.

Oh boy! Check out homeboy Mallet in Filly's avatar. No offense Filly, but you gotta change that up fast. Dude looks like a straight up geek.

Oh boy! Check out homeboy Mallet in Filly's avatar. No offense Filly, but you gotta change that up fast. Dude looks like a straight up geek.

WOW WOW WOW..................Mallett doing that pose was quite possibly the only cool thing that happened in the game on Saturday. If you don't think that is super hot than you need to re-think some things boss. When you have nothing exciting going on with your team and a true freshman throws his first touchdown pass and then runs down the field and does that with his reciever it is what you call hotttttt!!!

I have pictures of Jehru Caulcrick humping a pelican. You want that for an avatar instead, Tre?