Badgers are favorites to win Big Ten's West Division, according to poll

MADISON – Wisconsin is the prohibitive favorite to win the Big Ten West Division title in 2017.

Yet most reporters who cover the Big Ten expect to see East Division champion Ohio State win the league championship game in Indianapolis.

UW received 31 of the 38 first-place votes in a poll conducted by Cleveland.com.

Only four voters picked UW to win the league title – three over Ohio State and one over defending champion Penn State. 

Northwestern received five first-place votes and Nebraska received two.

The Buckeyes received 34 of 38 votes to win the East and 29 votes to win the league title – 22 over UW, five over Northwestern and two over Nebraska.

Five voters project UW to qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Penn State tailback Saquon Barkley is the favorite to be named the league’s offensive player of the year. Ohio State end Tyquan Lewis is the favorite to be named the league’s defensive player of the year.

Here's a look at the voting:

EAST

1. Ohio State 260 (34 first-place votes)

2. Penn State 231.5 (7 first-place votes)

3. Michigan 192 (1 first-place vote)

4. Michigan State 128

5. Indiana 114

6. Maryland 100.5

7. Rutgers 38

(Note: first-place votes equal more than 38 because of ties for first)

WEST

1. Wisconsin 259 (31 first-place votes)

2. Northwestern 219 (5 first-place votes)

3. Nebraska 176.5 (2 first-place votes)

4. Iowa 164.5

5. Minnesota 131

6. Purdue 57

6. Illinois 57

Big Ten title game 

Ohio State over Wisconsin (22)

Ohio State over Northwestern (5)

Ohio State over Nebraska (2)

Wisconsin over Ohio State (3)

Wisconsin over Penn State (1)

Penn State over Wisconsin (4)

Michigan over Wisconsin (1)

Big Ten champion

Ohio State (29)

Wisconsin (4)

Penn State (4)

Michigan (1)

College Football Playoff

26 voters picked Ohio State to make playoff

4 picked Wisconsin to make playoff

3 picked Penn State to make playoff

1 picked Michigan to make playoff

3 picked both Ohio State and Penn State to make playoff

1 picked both Ohio State and Wisconsin to make playoff

Offensive Player of the Year

Saquon Barkley, PSU, 103 points (30 first-place votes)

J.T. Barrett, OSU, 59 points (5 first-place votes)

Trace McSorley, PSU, 30 points (2 first-place votes)

Justin Jackson, Northwestern, 25 points, (1 first-place vote)

Mike Weber, OSU, 2 points

L.J. Scott, MSU, 2 points

Alex Hornibrook, UW, 2 points

Rodney Smith, Minnesota, 2 points

Troy Fumagalli, UW, 1 point

Simmie Cobbs, Indiana, 1 point

Jamarco Jones, OSU, 1 point 

Defensive Player of the Year

Tyquan Lewis, OSU, 61 points (12 first-place votes)

Josey Jewell, Iowa, 59 points (11 first-place votes)

Rashan Gary, Michigan, 23 points (3 first-place votes)

Tegray Scales, Indiana, 19 points (4 first-place votes)

Jerome Baker, OSU, 12 points (2 first-place votes)

Sam Hubbard, OSU, 11 points (2 first-place votes)

Jack Cichy, UW, 10 points (1 first-place vote)

Maurice Hurst, Michigan, 9 points (1 first-place vote)

Marcus Allen, PSU, 9 points

T.J. Edwards, UW, 7 points (1 first-place vote)

Nick Bosa, OSU, 4 points (1 first-place vote)

Godwin Igwebuike, Northwestern, 2 points

Steven Richardson, Minnesota, 1 point

Blessuan Austin, Rutgers, 1 point