The Big Ten media has spoken and the overwhelming opinion is that Ohio State will emerge from the 2017 season as conference champion.
The Big Ten doesn't conduct an official poll at conference media days like the rest of the Power 5 does, but Cleveland.com tallied votes from the press throughout the conference.
The Buckeyes received 29 of a possible 38 votes to win the conference title, making 2017 the third straight year that Ohio State has been the preseason favorite in the poll. That could be a bad omen for Urban Meyer's outfit, however, as it's never won the Big Ten when picked to do so by the preseason poll.
Penn State and Wisconsin both received four votes to claim the conference crown, while Jim Harbaugh and Michigan garnered just one.
The media also picked the Wolverines to finish third in the East division behind the Buckeyes and Penn State, a spot that would mirror the first two seasons under Harbaugh's reign.
School | Points | 1st-place votes |
---|---|---|
Ohio State | 260 | 34 |
Penn State | 231.5 | 7 |
Michigan | 192 | 1 |
Michigan State | 128 | 0 |
Indiana | 114 | 0 |
Maryland | 100.5 | 0 |
Rutgers | 38 | 0 |
Wisconsin was almost an equal favorite for the West division, as the Badgers received 31 first-place votes, 26 ahead of Northwestern, and 29 ahead of Nebraska.
School | Points | 1st-place votes |
---|---|---|
Wisconsin | 259 | 31 |
Northwestern | 219 | 5 |
Nebraska | 176.5 | 2 |
Iowa | 164.5 | 0 |
Minnesota | 131 | 0 |
Purdue | 57 | 0 |
Illinois | 57 | 0 |