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2009 Big Ten Conference Football Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on July 20, 2009

big ten 72009 Here is my quick rundown on how I see the Big Ten Conference shaping up this fall. If you would like to read my full report on each team, be sure to check out my college football betting articles archive. And also, be sure to take advantage of our special $500 match bonus at BetUS!

1st Place: Ohio State Buckeyes – The Buckeyes lose some star power with guys like Beanie Wells, James Laurinaitis, and Malcolm Jenkins moving on, but head coach Jim Tressel has proven his ability to reload time and time again and his 83-19 record at Ohio State speaks for itself. With talented dual-threat QB Terrelle Pryor poised for a breakout season, I expect the Buckeyes to take home at least a share of the Big Ten title. Ohio State is listed at +155 to win the Big Ten championship.

2nd Place: Penn State Nittany Lions – Penn State lost its big play receiving unit, but with star QB Daryll Clark and 1,200-yard rusher Evan Royster manning the backfield, the Lions should have enough fire power to contend for another Big Ten title. Penn State is listed at +250 to win the Big Ten championship.

3rd Place: Iowa Hawkeyes - With eight starters returning on a defense which ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense (13.0 points per game), the Hawks will once again be one of the toughest teams to score against. A daunting schedule, which includes road games with Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State, is likely the only thing standing in the way of another Big Ten title for coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa is listed at +550 to win the Big Ten championship.

4th Place: Michigan State Spartans – While plenty of talent remains, a small step backward is likely after losing 1,600-yard rusher Javon Ringer and steady game-manager Brian Hoyer. Michigan State is listed at +550 to win the Big Ten championship.

5th Place: Illinois Fighting Illini – Illinois has the potential to put the best offense in the Big Ten on the field this season with quarterback Juice Williams and wide receiver Arrelious Benn forming a dynamic duo, but a defense which allowed nearly 27.0 points per game in 2008 will likely keep the Illini from title contention. Illinois is listed at +650 to win the Big Ten championship.

6th Place: Northwestern Wildcats – Under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, I expect the Wildcats to endure more peaks and less valleys. Matching last year’s nine win season will be tough, but a stout defense and avoiding Ohio State on the schedule should have the Wildcats bowling again in 2009. Northwestern is listed at +2600 to win the Big Ten championship.

7th Place: Wisconsin Badgers – The quarterback position is still an issue and that’s why the Badgers will remain a middle of the league team. We can expect to see a heavy dose of running back John Clay this season and his ability to dominate possessions will keep the Badgers competitive. Wisconsin is listed at +900 to win the Big Ten championship.

8th Place: Michigan Wolverines – Improvement is on the way following a 3-9 2008, and a bowl game is not completely out of the question in Rich Rod’s second season, but the Wolverines still figure to take a few lumps in 2009. Michigan is listed at +1200 to win the Big Ten championship.

9th Place: Minnesota Golden Gophers – After winning seven of their first eight games, the Gophers dropped their final five. In that stretch, they were beaten at home by Northwestern, Michigan, and Iowa. With a much tougher non-conference slate likely to keep Minnesota from such a strong start, it will fall out of the bowl picture this season. Minnesota is listed at +2500 to win the Big Ten championship.

10th Place: Purdue Boilermakers – Purdue is coming off its worst season in more than a decade and it figures to get even worse before it gets better in Danny Hope’s first season as new head man. Purdue is listed at +8000 to win the Big Ten championship.

11th Place: Indiana Hoosiers – A defense which ranked 108th nationally in points allowed per game and 107th in yards allowed per contest will keep the Hoosiers at, or near, the bottom of the barrel in the Big Ten. Indiana is listed at +6200 to win the Big Ten championship.

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