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247Sports panel predicts final standings, award winners for B1G’s 2021 season
Published:
The 2021 college football season is almost here.
A panel of 247Sports writers went on the record Thursday morning with their predictions about the Big Ten’s 2021 campaign. The group includes 18 college football reporters.
Here’s their predicted final standings in each division:
East Division
1. Ohio State, 126 (18)
2. Penn State, 102
3. Indiana, 92
4. Michigan, 73
5. Rutgers, 41
6. Maryland, 37
7. Michigan State, 33
West Division
1. Wisconsin, 126 (18)
2. Iowa, 101
3. Minnesota, 74
4. Northwestern, 76
5. Nebraska, 61
6. Purdue, 37
7. Illinois, 23
Both Wisconsin and Ohio State were unanimously picked as division winners. Penn State and Iowa were clear second choices in the East and West, respectively. The Buckeyes were also unanimously picked to win the Big Ten Championship.
Michigan State and Illinois were picked to finish in the basement. The Spartans are still in a transition period with new coach Mel Tucker, and the Illini will use this year to install Bret Bielema’s schemes on both sides of the ball.
Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud finished tied for first in preseason conference Player of the Year voting. Both received five votes.
Ryan Day (7) narrowly beat out Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst (5) for Coach of the Year.
The 2021 Big Ten season gets underway on Aug. 28 with Nebraska at Illinois.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.