Bowl Projections for Every Big Ten Team

The Big Ten Conference is not receiving much respect from the national media. The highest ranked team for the Big Ten Conference in the BSC rankings is Michigan State at No. 15.

The Big Ten Conference can make a statement to the country by winning their bowls games. Currently, nine teams in the Big Ten Conference are bowl eligible. With a win in one of their two remaining games, Northwestern will be added to that list.

With 10 of the 12 teams eligible for bowl consideration, the Big Ten Conference should be given more respect than they currently receive.

 The Big Ten Conference has affiliation to eight bowls (Rose Bowl, Capitol One Bowl, Outback Bowl, Insight Bowl, Gator Bowl, Meineke Car Care Bowl, Ticket City Bowl and the Little Caesars Bowl). I look for the Big Ten Conference to receive at-large bowl bids that would send 10 of the 12 teams from the conference to postseason bowl games.

Each team in the Big Ten Conference has two games left to play and two teams will matchup in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game. Anything could happen in the remaining weeks.

Here is how I see the rest of the season coming to an end for each team that is bowl eligible in the Big Ten Conference, as well as which bowl game I predict the team to play in…..

Wisconsin

Bowl Projections: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Ca.)

Opponent: Oregon

Date / Time: January 2, 2012 at 5:00pm Eastern

TV: ABC

Wisconsin’s remaining schedule: (@ Illinois, Penn State)

Wisconsin has two tough games remaining on their schedule, but over the past two weeks, Wisconsin has looked like the class of the Big Ten Conference. Wisconsin will win at Illinois and beat Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium. This would give Wisconsin a 6-2 record in the conference and a 10-2 overall record.

Wisconsin will represent the Leaders Division in the Big Ten Championship game. After winning the Big Ten Championship, Wisconsin would be headed to the Rose Bowl to play the winner of the PAC 12 Conference, who I believe will be Oregon.

Nebraska

Bowl Projections: Capitol One Bowl (Orlando, Fl.)

Opponent: Georgia

Date / Time: January 2, 2012 at 12:00pm Eastern

TV: ESPN

Nebraska’s remaining schedule: (@ Michigan, Iowa)

Currently Nebraska needs help in order to make it to the Big Ten Championship game. I believe the Cornhuskers will win at Michigan and beat Iowa in Lincoln, Nebraska. Winning these two games would give Nebraska a 6-2 record in the conference and a 10-2 record overall. Nebraska would be tied with Michigan State, but the Cornhuskers hold the tiebreaker based upon head-to-head play. Michigan State will lose one of their remaining games, giving the Cornhuskers the trip to the Big ten Championship game. Once again, Wisconsin will be too much for Nebraska to handle.

Finishing second in the Big Ten Conference would send Nebraska to the Capitol One Bowl. Since the SEC will receive two bids to BCS Bowl games, Nebraska would play the loser of the SEC Championship game. I believe that team will be Georgia.

Michigan State

Bowl Projections: Outback Bowl (Tampa, Fl.)

Opponent: Arkansas

Date / Time: January 2, 2012 at 12:00pm Eastern

TV: ABC

Michigan State’s remaining schedule: (Indiana, @ Northwestern)

Michigan State controls their own destiny in the Legends Division. I believe Michigan State will lose their shot at a trip to the Big Ten Championship game when they lose at Northwestern.

Michigan State has been a different team on the road this year. They were able to win at Iowa last week, but Iowa is also an up and down team. Michigan State will beat Indiana, but the spread offense of Northwestern will be too much for the Spartans to slow down. Michigan State will finish with a 6-2 record in the conference and a 9-3 overall record.

Michigan State will finish third in the conference and be on their way to the Outback Bowl. The Spartans will be matched up against a tough Arkansas team in this game.

Michigan

Bowl Projections: Insight (Tempe, Az.)

Opponent: Texas

Date / Time: December 30, 2012 at 10:00pm Eastern

TV: ESPN

Michigan’s remaining schedule: (Nebraska, Ohio State)

Michigan has two tough games remaining on their schedule. I believe the Wolverines will split these games. Michigan will lose this week to Nebraska but will go to Columbus, Ohio and beat Ohio State. This will give Michigan a 5-3 record in the conference and a 9-3 overall record.

Michigan will finish fourth in the conference and be heading to the Insight Bowl. Michigan will play a team from the Big 12 Conference in this game. I believe that opponent will be Texas.

Penn State

Bowl Projections: Gator Bowl

Opponent: Auburn

Date / Time: January 2, 2012 at 12:00pm Eastern

TV: ESPN-2

Penn State’s remaining schedule: (@ Ohio State, @ Wisconsin)

Penn State was looking like the odds on favorite to win the Big Ten Conference and then everything came crashing down. First the scandal, than a heartbreaking loss to Nebraska, and now the Nittany Lions must play two hard games on the road.

Penn State will lose at Ohio State and at Wisconsin. This will give Penn State a 5-3 record in the conference and an 8-4 overall record.

Penn State will be going to the Gator Bowl to play a team from the SEC. I believe that team will be the defending National Champions, the Auburn Tigers.

Purdue

Bowl Projections: Meineke Car Care (Houston, Tx.)

Opponent: Baylor

Date / Time: December 31, 2012 at 12:00pm Eastern

TV: ESPN

Purdue’s remaining schedule: (Iowa, @ Indiana)

Many people might be thinking: Where did Purdue come from? The Boiler Makers are one of the hottest teams in the conference right now. With their upset win over Ohio State last week, Purdue is in position for a trip to a bowl game to play a good opponent.

Purdue has two games against teams they can beat. I believe Purdue will beat Iowa and then go on the road to beat Indiana. Purdue is playing good right now and Iowa is struggling. With two more wins, Purdue will be 5-3 in the conference and 7-5 overall.

Purdue will finish sixth in the conference and on their way to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Purdue will be happy to be going to a bowl game, but the bad news for Purdue is they will be matched up against a good Baylor team in the Bear’s backyard.

Ohio State

Bowl Projections: Ticket City (Dallas, Tx.)

Opponent: Texas Tech

Date / Time: January 2, 2012 at 12:00pm Eastern

TV: ESPN-U

Ohio State’s remaining schedule: (Penn State, @ Michigan)

Oh how the mighty have fallen!

Ohio State will beat Penn State and then lose to Michigan in the Big House. By splitting their remaining games, Ohio State will finish 4-4 in the conference and 7-5 overall. This will place the Buckeyes seventh overall in the conference.

Ohio State will put an end to a season that most Buckeye fans will wish to forget by going to the Ticket City Bowl to play Texas Tech. The good news for Buckeye fans is that their team would still be playing in a January 2 bowl game. The bad news is that the game is not the Rose Bowl.

Northwestern

Bowl Projections: Little Caesars (Detroit, Mi.)

Opponent: Ohio

Date / Time: December 27, 2012 at 4:30pm Eastern

TV: ESPN

Northwestern’s remaining schedule: (Minnesota, Michigan State)

Northwestern’s season can end two ways: losing their remaining games and not playing in a bowl game or winning at least one game and heading to the Little Caesar’s Bowl.

I think Northwestern will win both of their remaining games. By beating Minnesota and Michigan State, Northwestern will finish with a 4-4 record in the conference and a 7-5 record overall.

Northwestern will finish No. 8 in the Big Ten Conference which would place the Wildcats in the Little Caesar’s Bowl to play the loser of the MAC Championship game. I believe that team will be Ohio University.

Iowa

Bowl Projections: Military Bowl (Washington D.C.)

Opponent: California

Date / Time: December 28, 2012 at 4:30pm Eastern

TV: ESPN

Iowa’s remaining schedule: (@ Purdue, @ Nebraska)

Two weeks ago, Iowa looked like a team who could be playing in the Big Ten Championship game. With their lost to Michigan State last week, Iowa is looking more like a team that will finish near the bottom of the conference.

I do not believe Iowa will win either of their remaining games. Iowa will lose at Purdue and then at Nebraska. Losing these two games would give the Hawkeyes a 3-5 record in the conference and a 6-6 overall record.

The Hawkeyes would be eligible for a bowl and would likely accept a bid to the Military Bowl. The opponent for this game is scheduled to be Navy, but since the Midshipmen will not be eligible for a bowl game, the opponent will be an at-large team. I believe that team will be California.

Illinois

Bowl Projections: Beef O’Brady’s (St. Petersburg, Fl.)

Opponent: SMU

Date / Time: December 20, 2012 at 7:00pm Eastern

TV: ESPN

Illinois’s remaining schedule: (Wisconsin, @ Minnesota)

It will be interesting to see if the Big Ten Conference is awarded ten bowl games. If they are not, Illinois may be the team left out.

I think Illinois will make it to a bowl game with a lost against Wisconsin, followed by a much needed win over Minnesota. The win over Minnesota would give Illinois a 3-5 record in the conference and a 7-5 overall record.

Illinois will finish tenth in the conference and accept an at-large bid to the Beef O’Brady’s Bowl. This game is scheduled to be an at-large team eligible for a bowl versus the Conference USA No. 4. I think Illinois will get this bid and play SMU.