2009: The Big 10's Search For Respect

The Big 10 has been down for the past few seasons but things seem to be looking up for the 09 season.  Ohio State should win the automatic BCS bid with another stout defense which has been a signature under coach Tressel.  QB Terrelle Pryor should develop into the top quarterback in the conference and one of the tops in the country this season and I believe he will be the difference in close games.  I don't think the Big Ten will get an at-large BCS bid this season but the conference should receive no less than 6 bowl bids and this is where the Big 10 could start to earn back some of the respect the conference has lost.  It wouldn't hurt if Michigan upset Ohio St and made it back to the top of the conference faster than we thought.

Here are my picks for the 2009 season.  How do you see the season playing out?

OHIO STATE  10-2 (7-1)

September 5 Navy, W
September 12 USC  8:00 PM ET, L
September 19 at Toledo, W
September 26 Illinois, W
October 3 at Indiana  7:00 PM ET, W
October 10 Wisconsin, W
October 17 at Purdue, W
October 24 Minnesota, W 
October 31 New Mexico State, W
November 7 at Penn State, L 
November 14 Iowa, W
November 21 at Michigan, W

IOWA  10-2 (6-2)

September 5 Northern Iowa, W 
September 12 at Iowa State, W
September 19 Arizona, W
September 26 at Penn State  8:00 PM ET, L
October 3 Arkansas State, W
October 10 Michigan  8:00 PM ET, W 
October 17 at Wisconsin, W 
October 24 at Michigan State  7:00 PM ET, W
October 31 Indiana, W 
November 7 Northwestern, W 
November 14 at Ohio State, L
November 21 Minnesota, W

MICHIGAN STATE  10-2 (6-2)

September 5 Montana State, W
September 12 Central Michigan, W
September 19 at Notre Dame  3:30 PM ET, W
September 26 at Wisconsin, W
October 3 Michigan, W
October 10 at Illinois, L
October 17 Northwestern, W 
October 24 Iowa  7:00 PM ET, L
October 31 at Minnesota  8:00 PM, W 
November 7 Western Michigan, W 
November 14 at Purdue, W
November 21 Penn State, W

MICHIGAN  9-3 (5-3)

September 5 Western Michigan, W
September 12 Notre Dame, W
September 19 Eastern Michigan, W
September 26 Indiana, W 
October 3 at Michigan State, L
October 10 at Iowa  8:00 PM, L
October 17 Delaware State, W
October 24 Penn State, W
October 31 at Illinois, W 
November 7 Purdue, W 
November 14 at Wisconsin, W
November 21 Ohio State, L

PENN STATE  9-3 (5-3)

September 5 Akron, W 
September 12 Syracuse, W
September 19 Temple, W
September 26 Iowa  8:00 PM ET, W 
October 3 at Illinois, L
October 10 Eastern Illinois, W
October 17 Minnesota, W
October 24 at Michigan, L
October 31 at Northwestern  4:30 PM ET, W
November 7 Ohio State, W
November 14 Indiana, W
November 21 at Michigan State, L

ILLINOIS  8-4 (5-3)

September 5 vs. Missouri*  3:40 PM ET, W 
September 12 Illinois State  7:00 PM ET, W
September 26 at Ohio State, L
October 3 Penn State, W
October 10 Michigan State, W 
October 17 at Indiana  7:00 PM ET, W 
October 24 at Purdue, W
October 31 Michigan, L
November 7 at Minnesota, L
November 14 Northwestern,W
November 27 at Cincinnati, L
December 5 Fresno State, W

MINNESOTA  7-5 (4-4)

September 5 at Syracuse, W 
September 12 Air Force  7:00 PM ET, W
September 19 California, L
September 26 at Northwestern, W
October 3 Wisconsin, W
October 10 Purdue, W
October 17 at Penn State, L 
October 24 at Ohio State, L 
October 31 Michigan State  8:00 PM ET, L 
November 7 Illinois, W
November 14 South Dakota State, W
November 21 at Iowa, L

NORTHWESTERN  7-5 (3-5)

September 5 Towson, W 
September 12 Eastern Michigan, W 
September 19 at Syracuse, W
September 26 Minnesota, L 
October 3 at Purdue, W 
October 10 Miami (OH), W
October 17 at Michigan State, L 
October 24 Indiana, W 
October 31 Penn State  4:30 PM ET, L
November 7 at Iowa, L
November 14 at Illinois, L
November 21 Wisconsin, W

WISCONSIN  7-5 (3-5)

September 5 Northern Illinois  7:00 PM ET, W
September 12 Fresno State, W
September 19 Wofford, W
September 26 Michigan State, L 
October 3 at Minnesota, L
October 10 at Ohio State, L 
October 17 Iowa, L
October 31 Purdue, W 
November 7 at Indiana, W
November 14 Michigan, W
November 21 at Northwestern, L
December 5 at Hawaii, W

PURDUE  4-8 (1-7)

September 5 Toledo, W
September 12 at Oregon, L 
September 19 Northern Illinois, W
September 26 Notre Dame  8:00 PM ET, W
October 3 Northwestern, L
October 10 at Minnesota, L 
October 17 Ohio State, L
October 24 Illinois, L
October 31 at Wisconsin, L 
November 7 at Michigan, L
November 14 Michigan State, L 
November 21 at Indiana, W

INDIANA  1-11 (0-8)

September 3 Eastern Kentucky  8:00 PM ET, W
September 12 Western Michigan, L
September 19 at Akron, L
September 26 at Michigan, L
October 3 Ohio State  7:00 PM, L
October 10 at Virginia, L 
October 17 Illinois  7:00 PM ET, L
October 24 at Northwestern, L 
October 31 at Iowa, L
November 7 Wisconsin, L
November 14 at Penn State, L 
November 21 Purdue, L

* neutral site game

schedules courtesy of espn.com

The Big Ten could end the regular season with 3 teams in the top 10 and 6 in the top 25 but it won't mean much without a successful bowl season.  If Ohio State can beat USC in their early season mega matchup, it could propel them to another appearance in the national championship game.  Michigan State is the only other Big 10 team that may get a BCS game if Ohio State gets to play for the national title.  If nothing else, it should be an exciting season.