Disclaimer 1: I went to Michigan State.
Disclaimer 2: I don't use those pretentious division names.
Disclaimer 3: I am, like most everyone with a brain, not a big fan of Penn State at the moment.
With that out of the way:
* - Ohio State and Penn State are ineligible for post-season play.
Wisconsin over Michigan in the conference title game. Michigan strikes me as a poor match up for Wisconsin.
Illinois - Always has talent, and a schedule that lends itself to 8-9 wins. Better coached than in previous seasons, Zook or no Zook.
Indiana - Well, there's no where to go but up from last year, right? Perhaps they beat Ball State this time. A conference win appears to be a year away.
Iowa - Another cushy schedule. Could win more games if they can figure out why Northwestern is their bogey team. No running game that we know of, but Vandenberg, if nothing else, won't turn the ball over (25 TD to 7 INT last season).
Michigan - Two difficult trips in conference are somewhat mitigated by Michigan State visiting Ann Arbor. I don't think Michigan is the better team, but I just have a gut feeling they're due in the rivalry, you know? However, at Notre Dame and at Purdue have not been easy trips for the coaching tree that Hoke comes from. 7-5 is possible.
Michigan State - Roles reversed with Michigan this year: no conference title game, but a BCS appearance is certain if the prediction is correct, at Michigan and at Wisconsin being the lone losses I see. With that defense, nothing is a sure loss on their schedule. I expect questions about the passing game to be answered quickly.
Minnesota - Jerry Kill gets this team into a bowl game in his second season. They can get two wins in conference. The game at home v. Purdue is the key game for both teams' post-season hopes, and I'll go with Kill and MarQuise Gray. He may not be the best thrower, but the dude's a horse.
Nebraska - One day the media is going to catch up on the fact that Nebraska doesn't play in the Big 12 North anymore. Or that they lost their talent pipeline to Texas. Or that Martinez is a better javelin thrower. Or that they're coached by Pelini. Solich wouldn't have lost at home to Northwestern, I'll tell you that much.
Northwestern - Another year, another 6-7 win season, another bowl appearance without a win. Better than when they laked the posts at any rate.
Ohio State - The only reason that team goes 6-7 last year was due to the suspensions. It's still Ohio State, there's still plenty of talent there. I'm not in love with Urban like the fawning media types, but he's going to win at least 9-10 games a year in Columbus, considering how dire that division is.
Penn State - Coaches that were offensive coordinators for New England have done so well after leaving Tom Brady. Oh, wait. And there's no offensive skill. They're a middle-of-the-pack MAC team when it comes to talent at the moment, and it's only going to get worse. And that's more than I care to say about that repugnant program.
Purdue - You know, there's a lot of talk about how Purdue has all this speed and have three QB's and can't possibly be crippled by injuries yet again. What's forgotten is that none of those QB's are anything better than average, and the team is coached by Danny Hope, who gets a pass from the media for reasons that escape me. A losing record in that division says something.
Wisconsin - Winners of the Big 12 North...I mean the Pac-12 South...unlike the 90's, this time when they've backed into the Rose Bowl they've played real teams that are well-coached, instead of Bob Toledo and UCLA. Simple schedule thanks to the 86ing of Penn State, the Horrible Kits Bowl at Nebraska being the lone loss I see.
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