GC – Last Updated on November 20, 2022 10:15 pm
2021 Football Preview – Big Ten Handicapping
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College football season is right around the corner and it is time to analyze the Big 10 and which teams have chances to win the conference and which ones do not.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the betting favorite once again, but teams like Penn State and Wisconsin could definitely make things interesting by having strong seasons.
I definitely expect Ohio State to have a good season but I do wonder how they will do this year without Justin Fields as the quarterback. At this point, there has been no official announcement about who the quarterback will be this year. I look for the offense to be very good this year because the Buckeyes have lots of talent at receiver and all of their QB options have a lot of talent. Another question I have is will Wisconsin be able to knock off Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship Game? They came close a couple years ago, but ultimately fell short. I definitely feel the Badgers are a good team and could be a force in this conference for the 2021 season.
2021 Big Ten Conference Predictions Value Bet: Wisconsin +900
As stated before, I feel that this Wisconsin team can be very good and it would not shock me if they won the Big 10. The Badgers did not have a great year in 2020, but I look for them to bounce back and be competitive in 2021.
The first thing they have to do is win their division which is very doable. Northwestern is a tough team in the West, but I believe Wisconsin will be better than the Wildcats. The winner of this division will likely draw Ohio State, which Wisconsin could take down and shock lots of people.
I really like the value that this team has at +900. Wisconsin is the favorite to win the West in 2021 and I agree with that because they have the most talent in the West. Their stout defense was a staple of this club last year and they should be strong again this year. As for the offense, I definitely think it could be a high scoring one. They have talent at running back and receiver and quarterback Graham Mertz has lots of potential. I look for him to have a strong season this year.
2021 Big Ten Conference Predictions Best Pick: Ohio State -170
I understand that this is the obvious pick and it is not very original, but I still feel it is the best option. This is the best team in the conference and yes, there are teams that could potentially challenge them, but there is no team that is at the level of the Buckeyes. There is a reason why they are such heavy favorites.
Even though there are teams such as Penn State, Northwestern, and Wisconsin, that are good teams, Ohio state is a lot of better than all of them. I understand that you cannot automatically pick the most talented team and they could slip up, but I personally find it unlikely that anyone in the conference takes them down.
Overall, the schedule for this team is very favorable. I would say the toughest game for them comes in week 2 when they play host to the Oregon Ducks. From there, they quite frankly should not have trouble with any other school. Sure, going to Indiana will not be easy and a date with Penn State could make for a competitive game, but Ohio State should be able to take care of those teams.
2021 Big Ten Conference Predictions: Long Shot Bet: Northwestern +3000
Northwestern was a good team last year and they were able to win the Big 10 West. I still feel they can be decent this year, but I do not have high expectations.
Coach Pat Fitzgerald will definitely have his hands full this year given how many new people will be getting playing time, but at the same time, I will not count him out. The defense was the best part of their game last year and I look for that to continue in the 2021 season. I am not so sure about their offense. The wildcats will have a new receiving corps this year as their top ones are no longer there. I expect them to have a good rushing attack this year, which got stronger as the year went on last year. I get this team is not the most talented and it is unlikely they win the Big 10, but I cannot ignore the great value they have at +3000.
2021 Big Ten Conference Predictions Bad Bet: Michigan +1000
For many years now, Michigan has had expectations, but they just cannot live up to them. We always hear about how good of a coach Jim Harbaugh is, but the reality is, in the big games, the Wolverines do not win with him as a coach. They were not good last year and I see that happening again in 2021.
Their schedule is by no means favorable. They have to go on the road to Wisconsin and Penn State and play host to Indiana and Ohio St. I have a hard time believing the Wolverines will do well in those games.
I get that this team has value at +1000 but I just cannot envision them winning the Big Ten. I would consider it a bad investment to pick them.
2021 Big Ten Conference Futures Betting Odds
- Ohio State -170
- Penn State +800
- Wisconsin +900
- Michigan +1000
- Iowa +1200
- Indiana +2000
- Minnesota +2000
- Nebraska +2500
- Northwestern +3000
- Rutgers +5000
- Maryland +6000
- Michigan State +6000
- Purdue +7500
- Illinois +15000
2021 Big Ten Conference Predictions: Money on Ohio St. and Wisconsin (Bet Now at any of our Reviewed Online Sportsbooks!)
2021 should be a very exciting season for the Big Ten. Some key players from last year are gone and some are still there. I am curious to see how some new faces will do in this conference. It will be very interesting to see how things shake out. I know lots of people are wondering will this be the year Michigan knocks off Ohio State or will someone besides the Buckeyes win the conference. Of course it could happen, but I find it unlikely.
Ohio State is an obvious pick, but other teams I feel can have very good and exciting years are Penn State and Wisconsin. I envision a Ohio St vs. Wisconsin Big Ten championship game which I think would make for a great matchup.
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