Battle for the Big Ten Title: The Year That Was and the Road Ahead

In two weeks, the Big Ten is going to have its first ever conference championship game in sunny Indianapolis, Indiana.  Twelve teams have battled it out for the past eight weeks in hopes of landing a spot. With one week left in the regular season, three teams are still in the hunt.

However, broken hearts abound.  Michigan's first year under Brady Hoke looked to be a Cinderella story until the team hit a brick wall in East Lansing.  After that, a loss to Iowa put the Wolverines too many games out.

Illinois looked like a legitimate Big Ten title contender for the first half of the season, but five straight losses in Big Ten play have proven otherwise...Fool me once, Ron Zook...

Nebraska was hoping that its first year in the Big Ten would be one big Husker party, but lopsided losses to Wisconsin and Michigan have ensured that the Huskers' season would end on a sour note.

Ohio State, despite everyone's shock, actually took control of the Leaders division race for a couple of weeks before blowing back-to-back games to Purdue and Penn State.

That leaves three teams, two of which are still waiting on a chance to earn a spot in the game on the field.

Already In: Michigan State Spartans, Legends Division (6-1)

Remaining Opponent: Northwestern (3-4)

Michigan State was the first Big Ten team to clinch its spot in the Big Ten title game.  The Spartans began the season on a quest to repeat as Big Ten champions. Despite an uncompetitive loss to Nebraska in Lincoln, the Spartans have spent the majority of the season looking like the best team in the conference.  

Michigan State won back to back home games against Michigan and Wisconsin (the best game in the Big Ten this year) in October. They used dominating defense in big road wins against Iowa and Ohio State.

Michigan State hasn't proven to be as good of an offensive team as a year ago, but the Spartan defense is one of the best in the nation, and coach Dantonio has ridden that to what could quite possibly be his second consecutive ten win regular season and one-loss Big Ten season.

The Spartans have the defense to match up with either of the Leaders division challengers.

Two Teams, One Slot: Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (5-2), Leaders Division

One team is supposed to be here, one team is not.

Wisconsin entered the season not just at the head of almost everyone's Big Ten title predictions, but on the shortlist for BCS national championship contenders not from the SEC.

The Badgers returned most of last year's record-setting offense, added a potential Heisman trophy candidate and spent the first half of the season pasting everyone to step on the field with them.  This all culminated with a 48-17 victory over Nebraska.

However, things weren't that simple.  By the end of October, Wisconsin had lost two games in a row on last second touchdown passes—once to Michigan State and once to Ohio State—and at that point the Badgers were at best the third team in line for a spot in Indianapolis.

Soon, thanks to losses by both Penn State and Ohio State, the road to Indianapolis was once again rerouted through Madison, Wisconsin.

The Badgers still have the most dynamic offense in the conference, with possibly the best quarterback and best running-back in the conference, behind a large and experienced offensive line.  Both losses have been the failure of the Wisconsin defense to stop late drives.

There is nothing Wisconsin would love more than another shot at Michigan State—this time on a neutral field.

On the other sideline is a team that just wants some respect.

Nobody pegged Penn State for a ten-win team in August.  The Nittany Lions were coming off a disappointing seven win season and were starting year two of the Great McGloin/Bolden Debate.  The team simply looked like it wouldn't be capable of keeping up with some of the Big Ten's better offenses unless the defense had a major turnaround.

In the end the offense proved that it would be just about as bad as everyone figured, but the defense was so good that it didn't matter.

Penn State lost in week two to Alabama and then won seven straight games.  Despite playing teams like Temple, Purdue, and Illinois close, Penn State was able to sneak out victories in each of the games.  A loss to Nebraska at home following the bye week is the only loss in the Big Ten season.

If Penn State wins against Wisconsin in Madison it would be a season-defining win for a Penn State team that has yet to beat a ranked team, or beat a very good offensive team yet this season.  To silence all these doubters at the same time, the program that is buried under the worst controversy in NCAA history must produce Penn State's biggest win in years.

Who wins?

Smart money is on the home team: Wisconsin.  Three of Penn State's road games so far this year are Indiana, Northwestern, and Temple—not exactly a daunting series of games.  Winning big against Ohio State was a good sign, but Penn State will need more to overcome a team with an offense.

As for the rematch between Wisconsin and Michigan State, that might be too close to call.