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ESPN’s FPI updates odds to win B1G ahead of Rivalry Week action
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As the regular season winds down to its final week, 5 Big Ten teams still have a chance to win their division and play for a Big Ten championship—3 in the West, 2 in the East.
Wisconsin will play Minnesota on Saturday in the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. A Badger win would send them to Indianapolis to represent the West. Iowa plays Nebraska on Black Friday in the Heroes Game. A Hawkeye win and a Minnesota upset would send Iowa east to play either Ohio State or Michigan. Minnesota needs a win, an Iowa loss, and a Purdue win over Indiana to force an elaborate tie-breaker atop the West standings.
It’s much simpler in the East. Ohio State plays Michigan in Ann Arbor, the winner goes to the title game.
Ohio State opened as a one-score favorite over its hated rival in the eyes of Vegas, but the Buckeyes are a heavy favorite by ESPN’s FPI to not only win Saturday but win the league.
Updated after a 56-7 beatdown of Michigan State, the Buckeyes now have a 50.7% chance of winning the Big Ten championship, according to FPI.
That’s up exactly 2 percentage points from where it was a week ago. Michigan also got a decent-sized bump (nearly 6 points) after handling Maryland 59-18.
As the Badgers, Wolverines, Hawkeyes, and Gophers are the only other teams still left in contention for bids to the game, they’re the only others with a chance. Here’s how it looks after Week 12:
- Ohio State — 50.7%
- Michigan — 26.7%
- Wisconsin — 17.4%
- Iowa — 2.6%
- Minnesota — 2.6%
The Buckeyes and Wolverines battle it out on FOX at noon ET on Nov. 27. Wisconsin and Minnesota kick off at 4 p.m. ET the same day. Iowa and Nebraska play on Nov. 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET on BTN.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.