B1G Bowl Projections, Week 11: One side settled

The West is settled.

Northwestern clinched the Big Ten West Division title on Saturday with a win over Iowa plus Purdue’s loss to Minnesota.

The Wildcats will play either Michigan or Ohio State in the B1G Championship Game on Dec. 1 in Indianapolis. They also should be in pretty good position for a good bowl despite their 0-3 nonconference record.

The two East Division contenders remaining are still in line for a slot in the New Year’s Day 6 bowls, and perhaps the College Football Playoff as well. Michigan is No. 4 and poised for a CFP spot as things stand, but there are still a lot of variables in play over two regular-season weeks plus the conference title games.

We also lost another bowl from our projection list this week, the Quick Lane. Here is the scenario: We are projecting just eight B1G teams to be bowl eligible. Minnesota, Maryland and Indiana are all a win away at 5-5 and Illinois is still not out of it at 4-6. But I don’t see any of those teams becoming eligible.

Look at their remaining schedules:

Maryland: vs. Ohio State, at Penn State

Indiana: at Michigan, Purdue

Minnesota: Northwestern, at Wisconsin

Illinois: Iowa, at Northwestern

From all of these candidates, I rate Indiana as having the best chance to prove me wrong with a victory over the archrival Boilermakers in the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket. Minnesota needs to hope Northwestern lets its foot off the gas with a B1G title game spot clinched, and Maryland and Illinois have little hope in their remaining games. The Terrapins will spend all offseason regretting Saturday’s loss to Indiana.

Now, check out this week’s projections:

Jim Tomlin

Longtime newspaper veteran Jim Tomlin is a writer and editor for saturdaytradition.com and saturdaydownsouth.com.