2011 Preview: Big Ten

State of the Conference:
The Big Ten is, like its west-coast brethren, embarking on a new division-based adventure, and will hold the inaugural Big Ten Title Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. There are four new head coaches in the league, Minnesota's Kill, Indiana's Wilson, Ohio State's Fickell, and Michigan's Hoke. There is a new team in the league, and brand-new divisions, they-which-shall-not-be-named. All is new in the oldest major conference. Will the champion be too? With Ohio State and Michigan on the downswing, several other programs look to capitalize. Will it be the new kid, Nebraska? The upstart Wisconsin? Dark Horse Michigan State? We shall see.

2010 Champion: Wisconsin (Tied with Michigan State and Ohio State)

2011 Predicted Championship: Wisconsin over Nebraska

Predicted Finishes:
East(ish) Division
1. Wisconsin (11-1, 7-1 B1G)
2. Ohio State (9-3, 5-3 B1G)
3. Penn State (8-4, 5-3 B1G)
4. Illinois (7-5, 4-4 B1G)
5. Purdue (5-7, 2-6 B1G)
6. Indiana (5-7, 1-7 B1G)
West(ish) Division
1. Nebraska (10-2, 6-2 B1G)
2(tie). Iowa (8-4, 4-4 B1G)
2(tie). Michigan State (8-4, 4-4 B1G)
2(tie). Northwestern (8-4, 4-4 B1G)
5. Michigan (7-5, 4-4 B1G)
6. Minnesota (4-8, 1-7 B1G)

Surprise Team: Illinois
Illinois will go to a bowl game two years in a row for the first time in a while, and along the way will knock off one of the three teams above it in their Division

Upset Alert: Northwestern over Iowa
This one is easy to call, because it happens every year. Iowa comes in with a long winning streak, and Northwestern wins 17-14 or some other ungodly score. Iowa QB throws inexplicable picks, and Iowa fans fume for another year.