Big Ten Update

Unless something very odd happens, all of the championship intrigue in the Big Ten from now until November 30 will be centered on the Legends Division. Ohio State has and will continue to put a stranglehold on the Leaders Division. The next three opponents for the Buckeyes are Purdue, Illinois and Indiana. The games need to be played but I am not expecting miracles. Michigan State has the same 4-0 conference mark as OSU but they have a much tougher road to hoe to clinch the Legends. Sparty has a huge game Saturday hosting Michigan and then has to play at Nebraska and at Northwestern before a home game against Minnesota. Those games are all winnable but since the teams are all inconsistent it is hard to sort out the type of games remaining for MSU. Taken as a group, there is enough competition for a cumulative sense of worry. Still if they win Saturday it is hard to see anyone else making a move on them. And even if they lose to the Wolverines, they would still have an advantage over their rivals who still would have to play OSU. As for everyone else, there are some very good games remaining. Is 6-2 Minnesota, winners of two straight as they are inspired by their head coach Jerry Kill, legit? If they take care of business Saturday at Indiana and then beat Penn State next weekend, they would be playing rival Wisconsin on November 23 for a ranking and possible January bowl game. Can Nebraska turn it around? That is funny to say for a 5-2 team, but they have yet to beat a guaranteed bowl team and have a tough schedule the rest of the way. Iowa? Wisconsin? Penn State? Can anyone make a run at a nice season. Can Northwestern halt their awful slide?