BCS Projection: 7 Teams with Better Odds in Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State Aftermath

For the umpteenth year in a row, the college football offseason has been rocked by high-profile scandal, with this year's epicenter triangulating between Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor and athletic director Gene Smith, among scores of others, at Ohio State.

The Buckeyes figure to struggle in their pursuit of a seventh consecutive Big Ten title, as the dust left behind by Tressel and Pryor's departures will likely take some time to settle.

As the university awaits the results of an impending and probably lengthy NCAA investigation, the task falls to interim coach Luke Fickell to lead what remains of a tattered and torn football program onto the field and officially close the book on the Tressel era.

Of course, OSU's 2011 schedule wouldn't have exactly been a cakewalk even without the latest round of scandals, as Pryor was set to sit out the first five games of the season, along with several of his teammates, for selling school-administered memorabilia in recent years.

Not to mention the string of stressful contests facing the Buckeyes in the Big Ten this fall.

With that in mind, here are seven teams that stand to benefit most from the fall of the Scarlet and Grey.

Michigan Wolverines

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COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Denard Robinson #16 of the Michigan Wolverines runs with the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

The most obvious benefactor of the embarrassing saga that has befallen Ohio State is, of course, Michigan.

The Wolverines haven't defeated the Buckeyes in "The Game" since 2003 while watching their rivals romp to the BCS year after agonizing year.

Even with the relatively recent turmoil of Rich Rodriguez's firing and Brady Hoke's subsequent ascension to the top gig in Ann Arbor, the Maize and Blue still look like a model of stability by comparison, giving Denard Robinson and company a serious edge over their competitors at the Big House in late November.

Michigan State Spartans

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COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 20: Mascot of the Michigan State Spartans runs onto the field during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium October 20, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo By Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Michigan State was already going to miss out on facing Terrelle Pryor with Sparty set to spar with the Buckeyes in Columbus during the fifth game of Ohio State's season.

Now, the odds of the Spartans coming out on top in that game are clearly even better than they were before, as is that of the likelihood that Mark Dantonio's team repeats as a Big Ten champion. 

Wisconsin Badgers

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MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 16: James White #20 of the Wisconsin Badgers rushes for a touchdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall Stadium on October 16, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin defeated Ohio State 31-18. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Get

Wisconsin also happened to snag a share of the Big Ten title in 2010, and now that Ohio State is, at least on paper, out of the running, the Badgers have one less team to worry about in pursuit of another season-ending spot atop the conference leaderboard.

Even with an open before this game, there seems a proverbial fat chance that the Buckeyes will be able to slow down the tandem of Montee Ball and James White in Bret Bielema's backfield.

Illinois Fighting Illini

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CHAMPAIGN, IL - OCTOBER 02: Head coach Ron Zook of the Illinois Fighting Illini watches as his team takes on the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium on October 2, 2010 in Champaign, Illinois. Ohio State defeated Illinois 24-13. (Photo by Jonathan Dani

Prior to the aforementioned bye week, the Buckeyes will take on the Fighting Illini in Champaign.

Illinois coach Ron Zook faces an uphill battle in 2011 to keep his job after a somewhat underwhelming 7-6 season in 2010, though the troubles that have ousted Ohio State from the Big Ten's elite should help the Illini chalk up one more win this fall to avenge a 24-13 loss in Columbus last season.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

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ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 04: Head coach Bo Pelini of the Nebraska Cornhuskers leads his team against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cowboys Stadium on December 4, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. The Sooners beat the Cornhuskers 23-20. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty

Ohio State's trip to Nebraska on October 8th looked to quite possibly be the game of the year in the Big Ten this season, especially with Terrelle Pryor slated to return from his five-game suspension.

In light of recent events, the Cornhuskers appear poised to apply a serious whoopin' to the Buckeyes as Bo Pelini guides Big Red through the transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten.

Penn State Nittany Lions

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COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 13: Head Coach Jim Tressel of the Ohio State Buckeyes greets Head Coach Joe Paterno of the Penn State Nittany Lions at midfield following the Buckeyes' 38-14 win over the Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Colum

If you haven't figured it out already, the rest of the Big Ten is quietly rejoicing Ohio State's offseason demise, if only because so many teams stand to add another notch to the win column at the Buckeyes' expense now.

And since Penn State does indeed play in the 12-team league, Joe Paterno must be pleased that the gauntlet at the end of the Nittany Lions' 2011 schedule won't be quite as daunting, with games against Wisconsin and Nebraska broken up by a road trip to the Horseshoe in mid-November.

Oregon Ducks

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Terrelle Pryor #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes checks the coverage against the Oregon Ducks during the 96th Rose Bowl game on January 1, 2010 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Assuming Ohio State would've weathered the early storm of the season without Terrelle Pryor under center and Dan "Boom" Herron behind him, the Buckeyes would have been in contention for another appearance in the Rose Bowl, at the very least, where they very well could have faced off with Pac-12 title favorite Oregon.

Of course, the Ducks lost to the Buckeyes in the 2010 Rose Bowl, 26-17, as Pryor ran and threw all over Oregon's defense on the way to earning MVP honors.

Chip Kelly's crew certainly won't mind not having to deal with containing Pryor should Ohio State somehow manage to still come away with the Big Ten's automatic BCS berth at the end of the 2011 season.