Badgers, Buckeyes picked to meet for Big Ten football title one more time in Indy

MADISON – Ohio State over Wisconsin. Again.

That is the result reporters who cover Big Ten football expect to see on Dec. 1 in Indianapolis. 

According to a Cleveland.com poll of Big Ten writers: 

UW was a unanimous pick to win the Big Ten West. 

Ohio State was the clear favorite to win the East.

Fourteen voters picked Ohio State to defeat UW in the Big Ten title game. The Buckeyes handed UW a 27-21 loss in the title game last season, denying the Badgers a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Thirteen voters chose UW to win the league title – nine over Ohio State, two over Michigan, one over Penn State and one over Michigan State. 

One voter chose Michigan State over UW.

Thirteen voters projected Ohio State to reach the playoff; 12 chose UW to qualify for the playoff; and two chose both UW and Ohio State to reach the playoff.

The full poll:

Big Ten East

1. Ohio State, 191.5 points (23.5 first-place votes)

2. Michigan State, 142 points (2)

3. Penn State, 141.5 points (1)

4. Michigan, 140.5 points (1.5)

5. Maryland, 75.5 points

6. Indiana, 60 points

7. Rutgers, 33 points

Big Ten West

1. Wisconsin, 196 points (28 first-place votes)

2. Iowa, 155 points

3. Northwestern, 138 points

4. Nebraska, 104 points

5. Purdue, 98.5 points

6. Minnesota, 64.5 points

7. Illinois, 28 points

Player of the Year voting

Here was the full voting, with players receiving three points for first place, two points for second and one point for third.

PRESEASON DEFENSIVE POY

1. Nick Bosa, Ohio State DE, 74 points (20 first-place votes)

2. Rashan Gary, Michigan DE, 38 points (6)

3. T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin LB, 24 points

4. Devin Bush, Michigan LB, 14 points (1)

5. Paddy Fisher, Northwestern LB, 8 points (1)

6. Joe Bachie, Michigan State LB, 5 points

7. Chase Winovich, Michigan DE, 2 points

8. D'Cota Dixon, Wisconsin S, 1 point

8. Olive Sagapolu, Wisconsin DT, 1 points

8. Khaleke Hudson, Michigan LB, 1 point

PRESEASON OFFENSIVE POY

1. Trace McSorley, Penn State QB, 66 points (14 first-place votes)

2. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin RB, 61 points (11)

3. JK Dobbins, Ohio State RB, 28 points (2)

4. Brian Lewerke, Michigan State QB, 7 points (1)

5. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State QB, 3 points

6. Noah Fant, Iowa TE, 2 points

7. Shea Patterson, Michigan QB, 1 point