Big Ten Football: Predicting the Winners for Every Big Ten Bowl Game

Bowl season is upon us, and it's time to look at the Big Ten's holiday destinations—and to make predictions. Most of the Big Ten will be bowling again this season, giving the conference an excellent opportunity to improve it's on-field reputation against some quality opponents.

The Big Ten qualified 10 teams for the postseason this year, including Ohio State's berth in the first-ever College Football Playoff. Michigan State also earned a spot in a "New Year's Six" bowl, heading to the Cotton Bowl Classic.

But according to our friends at OddsShark.com, not a single Big Ten team is favored in a bowl game this season. Is it possible the Big Ten could be shut out of the win column and post a ridicule-worthy 0-10 mark?

Note: All game odds are courtesey of OddsShark.com.

Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl

BRADLEY LEEB/Associated Press

Who: Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
When: Dec. 26, 1 p.m. ET
Line: Louisiana Tech -4

Head coach Tim Beckman got his team to a bowl game for the first time under his leadership, and it likely saved his job. For now.

Beckman will be back for a fourth season in 2015, but in the meantime, the Illini will have to find a way to knock off Conference USA runner-up Louisiana Tech. Beckman isn't exactly a popular guy—and his occasional missteps with the media often cause fans and alumni to cringe—but a bowl win could go a long way toward smoothing things over.

But just because the Bulldogs hail from a non-power conference doesn't they mean are a pushover. Despite a relative lack of schedule strength, Louisiana Tech has distinguished itself with solid performances throughout the season.

Illinois, on the other hand, ranks below 100th nationally in both total offense and total defense.

The Bulldogs have also been particularly good at takeaways this year, finishing with a plus-14 margin in the category. Illinois was minus-two.

Prediction: Louisiana Tech 35, Illinois 24

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Who: Penn State vs. Boston College
When: Dec. 27, 4:30 pm ET
Line: Boston College -2.5

Penn State returns to bowl eligibility after a few seasons under sanction, and the Nittany Lions' six wins were enough to earn a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl in New York City. Penn State will face Boston College, which finished 7-5 and fourth in the ACC's Atlantic Division.

Like Illinois, Penn State isn't particularly good on offense. The Nittany Lions rank 117th in total offense (325.6 yards per game). But unlike the Illini, Penn State is one of the best around on defense.

The Nittany Lions not only led the Big Ten in total defense this season but also finished second in the nation—allowing just 269.8 yards per game.

Boston College brings a similarly impressive defense to New York, as the Eagles are 11th in total defense. So we'll have to look at the offenses for some separation.

While Boston College's No. 85 scoring offense isn't overly impressive, it's a significant improvement upon Penn State's No. 115 scoring offense. Boston College also dominates most offensive statistical category when comparing the two teams.

For example, Boston College scores a touchdown almost twice as often as Penn State. The Eagles average one touchdown every 22.2 plays while Penn State runs 44 plays between touchdowns. Boston College also gains nearly six yards per play while Penn State barely reaches 4.5 yards per play.

The list goes on, and there's not a lot of good news for the Nittany Lions on the offensive front.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams in a decade. Boston College defeated Penn State, 21-7, on Sept. 11, 2004.

Prediction: Boston College 20, Penn State 16

Quick Lane Bowl

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Who: Rutgers vs. North Carolina
When: Dec. 26, 4:30 pm ET
Line: North Carolina -3

Rutgers, despite facing an almost entirely new slate of opponents in its first season as a Big Ten member, found a way to win seven games and earn a bowl trip. 

The Scarlet Knights will face the Tar Heels from North Carolina, who finished tied for third in the ACC's Coastal division with a 6-6 record.

Both Rutgers and UNC struggle in the run game, but UNC's deficiencies usually come without turnovers. The same can't be said for Rutgers—the Knights have lost 13 fumbles this season.

If Rutgers can limit its own mistakes while finding a way to slow down UNC's playmaker, Marquise Williams, then the Knights have an excellent shot at winning this game.

Prediction: Rutgers 31, North Carolina 27

Foster Farms Bowl

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Who: Maryland vs. Stanford
When: Dec. 30, 10 pm ET
Line: Stanford -13

These two teams had very different seasons: Maryland succeeded in earning a bowl trip in its first Big Ten season, while Stanford struggled to a 7-5 finish that clearly didn't measure up to preseason expectations.

Stanford still puts a strong defense on the field, as the Cardinal have the second-best scoring defense in the nation. Maryland will have to capitalize on opportunities when in the red zone, where the Terps scored 90 percent of the time.

Stanford also has some weapons on offense, so ball control will be a critical factor. Stanford loves to run the football, so if Maryland can make plays up front, the Terps could get the Cardinal off of their game plan early.

Still, this matchup in Santa Clara, Calif., is a virtual home game for Stanford. Cardinal fans aren't knowing for traveling and have a hard time filling up their own 50,000-seat stadium, but Stanford's defense makes winning this bowl a tall task for the Terrapins.

Prediction: Stanford 35, Maryland 17

TaxSlayer Bowl

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Who: Iowa vs. Tennessee
When: Jan. 2, 3:20 pm ET
Line: Tennessee -3

Both the Hawkeyes and Volunteers take pride in playing solid defensive football. Iowa has allowed just 24.0 points per game, while Tennessee has allowed just 23.9. With neither team possessing particularly explosive offenses (both teams rank in the 70s for scoring offense), expect a low-scoring affair.

Experience might be the difference in this bowl. Iowa is thick with upperclassmen who have played on big stages before. Tennessee, on the other hand, has a starting roster made up primarily of underclassmen.

Tennessee has every appearance of a resurgent team, though. While the Vols haven't quite been able to win their close games yet, Tennessee could enter 2015 as a team that can upset the apple cart in the SEC East, and maybe—just maybe—make a run at the division title.

That being said, Iowa's experience will provide the edge in what should be a close, low-scoring game.

Prediction: Iowa 23, Tennessee 21

National University Holiday Bowl

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Who: Nebraska vs. Southern California
When: Dec. 27, 8 pm ET
Line: Southern California -4

If Nebraska and USC met under benign circumstances, it would be an intriguing matchup. Throw in the hoopla of a bowl game and the fact that Nebraska has just fired Bo Pelini, and the Holiday Bowl has been kicked into high gear.

Nebraska has been particularly good this season when successfully running the football. In fact, the Huskers are 8-0 this season when the team, led by Ameer Abdullah, rushes for 175 or more yards. When the Huskers rush for below 175 yards, they're just 1-3.

Clearly, Nebraska needs to find a way to get Abdullah into the picture early and often. If USC can find a way to force the game into Tommy Armstrong's hands, the Trojans' odds of victory go up dramatically.

Nebraska also has its work cut out for it on defense.

USC's Cody Kessler is a cut above most quarterbacks in the nation, and Nebraska hasn't been particularly stellar in defending the pass this season (seventh in passing defense in the Big Ten).

The Huskers should be able to keep it close long enough to have a shot down the stretch, but in the end, USC's incredibly efficient passing offense will simply be too much.

Prediction: USC 31, Nebraska 27

Outback Bowl

Andy Manis/Associated Press

Who: Wisconsin vs. Auburn
When: Jan. 1, noon ET
Line: Auburn -6.5

The Outback Bowl has become one of the top bowl games in the nation, thanks to its ties with the Big Ten and SEC. It's always fun when these two conferences get together on the field, and it's even more fun when both teams finish near the top of their conference standings.

This year, fans will be treated to two traditional conference powers in Auburn and Wisconsin.

If you're a fan of hard-nosed running, this is a bowl game you won't want to miss. Both teams love to run the football, but each has its own style of racking up big yardage.

Auburn relies on the read-option led by quarterback Nick Marshall and running back Cameron Artis-Payne. Wisconsin will hand off the ball the nation's leading rusher, Melvin Gordon, who will run right at the defense—and usually over the defense.

After watching the Big Ten Championship Game, however, there's now a proven blueprint to defeat Wisconsin: stop Gordon. Ohio State limited Gordon to 76 rushing yards, his second lowest total of the season. The result? Wisconsin lost, 59-0.

Wisconsin also has to deal with losing head coach Gary Andersen, who somewhat surprisingly left Wisconsin to take the job at Oregon State. What isn't surprising is the fact that athletic director Barry Alvarez will take over as interim head coach of his Badgers for the bowl game (he did the same thing for the 2013 Rose Bowl Game, which Wisconsin lost).

Wisconsin is coming off of a demoralizing 59-0 loss and the exit of its head coach. If Auburn can play its own game and limit the big plays from Gordon, the Tigers should walk away with a victory.

Prediction: Auburn 41, Wisconsin 31

Citrus Bowl

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Who: Minnesota vs. Missouri
When: Jan. 1, 1 pm ET
Line: Missouri -6.5

In previous seasons, the Capital One Bowl was the destination for the top non-BCS team from the SEC and top non-BCS team from the Big Ten. Now—reverting to its traditional Citrus Bowl name—the game will still feature a top team from each conference, but the selection process has been tweaked.

The Big Ten can now reassign teams as it sees fit, and many of the conference's bowl-eligible teams received a healthy boost this season thanks to Ohio State and Michigan State being placed in games the College Football Playoff committee selects.

For Minnesota, that means a first-ever trip to the Citrus Bowl, where the Golden Gophers will take on SEC East Division champion Missouri.

Both teams struggle on offense, so it's imperative Minnesota uses the weapons it has available.

Anyone who has seen Minnesota play this season knows all about running back David Cobb. He's certainly going to play a big role in any Gophers win, but if Minnesota really wants to stand a chance against Missouri, the Gophers need to get tight end Maxx Williams involved.

Williams was an All-Big Ten tight end and a Mackey Award finalist this season. While the run game is where the Gophers make their living, getting Williams involved as a pressure-release valve would go a long way toward keeping the Tigers honest.

Head coach (and Big Ten Coach of the Year) Jerry Kill is making big strides at Minnesota, but he has to prove the Gophers are able to compete with the best. Minnesota's lack of a reliable passing attack will be deadly against an SEC defense.

Sure, Missouri managed to find a way to lose to lowly Indiana this season, but don't expect the Gophers to sneak up on the Tigers in a bowl game.

Prediction: Missouri 35, Minnesota 21

Goodyear Cotton Bowl

SAM RICHE/Associated Press

Who: Michigan State vs. Baylor
When: Jan. 1, 12:30 pm ET
Line: Baylor -1.5

Although the Spartans fell short of their ultimate goal of winning a conference title and participating in the College Football Playoff, Michigan State is still one of two Big Ten programs selected to play in a CFP-affiliated bowl game.

The Spartans will face Baylor and its prolific offense in the Cotton Bowl. The Bears have the No. 1 total offense this season (581.3 yards per game) and the nation's top scoring offense (48.8 points per game). But it's safe to say Baylor hasn't seen a team like Michigan State.

The Spartans are 12th nationally in scoring defense (19.9 points per game) and seventh in total defense (293.5 yards allowed per game). The highest-ranked Big 12 team in each category are TCU (15th in scoring defense) and Texas (27th in total defense).

Against Texas, Baylor scored just 28 points. West Virginia also held the Bears to fewer than 30 points, so it is possible.

This game pretty easily boils down to strength versus strength. Will MSU be able to stymie the Baylor attack? And, if so, can the Spartans score enough points to stay out in front down the stretch?

Michigan State must prevent this game from turning into a track meet.

If Baylor gets an early lead, it will be difficult for the Spartans offense—even as the much-improved seventh-ranked scoring offense nationally—to keep up. If, however, Michigan State can frustrate Baylor and force the Bears to play from behind, Sparty has an excellent shot at a fourth consecutive bowl victory.

Prediction: Michigan State 31, Baylor 28

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Who: Ohio State vs. Alabama
When: Jan. 1, 8:30 pm ET
Line: Alabama -9

Ohio State finally has that long-awaited Big Ten title—its first since 2009—and it was rewarded with a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff. 

That's the good news.

The bad news, depending on how you look at it, is the Buckeyes will have to defeat top-ranked Alabama to earn a trip to the championship game.

The Buckeyes proved they can shut down an offense led by a Heisman finalist when they knocked off Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin, 59-0. Ohio State will have to do that again when it faces the Crimson Tide and Heisman finalist Amari Cooper.

The betting line opened with Alabama as a nine-point favorite over Ohio State, despite the Buckeyes holding an edge on scoring offense (45.2 points per game for Ohio State vs. 37.1 for Alabama), total offense (507.6 yards per game vs. 490.5), yards per rush attempt (5.8 vs. 5.1), yards per play (7.0 vs. 6.7) and turnover margin (plus-nine vs. minus-one).

Ohio State is still going to have to rely on a quarterback that started the season third on the depth chart. He wasn't relied on heavily, but Cardale Jones performed well in his first start, finishing 12-of-17 for 257 yards and three touchdowns in the Big Ten Championship Game. 

Then again, Alabama is a much different team than Wisconsin, it's understandable how the oddsmakers came to their conclusion.

That doesn't mean I agree with it, though.

There are two mentalities in the Sugar Bowl this season. Alabama, which is used to winning big games, has come to expect winning. Because of that expectation, the Crimson Tide have developed a deep fear of losing. Alabama is obviously a talented and well-coached team. However, all dynasties end.

Alabama's fall might be coming sooner than anyone in the Cotton State would care to admit.

Prediction: Ohio State 42, Alabama 35