New week, new results, new guesses.
Everyone has four or five weeks done and head to head is coming into play so I've included that in parentheses on everyone's line. The bolded entries are the critical games left and important H2Hs.
IN (9-3) MD, @ NW, Pur, @ MSU (W - OSU, PSU, IA, ILL) (L - None)
MD (8-4) @ IN, NE, MN, @ PSU (W - IA, RU, OSU, Pur) (L- None)
MI (9-6) Bye, @ MN, NW, @ OSU (W - PSU, ILL, MSU) (L - NU, RU)
IA (7-5) @ PSU, OSU, MSU, @ NW (W - NU, MN) (L- MD, IN)
N (7-5) MN, @ MD, PSU, @ Pur (W - ILL, MI, NW) (L - IA)
RU (7-5) @ Pur, PSU, IL, @ MN (W - MI, NW) (L - MSU, MD)
MSU (7-5) NW, @ IL, @ IA, IN (W - Pur, RU. OSU) (L - MI)
IL (7-8) @ OSU, MSU, @ RU, Bye (W - (L - NU, MI, NW, IN)
Also rans
Pur (8-7) RU, Bye, @ IN, NE (W - NW MN, PSU) (L - MSU, MD)
PSU (5-7) IA, @ RU, @ NE, MD (W - OSU) (L - MI, IN, Pur)
MN (4-8) @ NE, MI, @ MD, RU (W - OSU) (L- Pur, IA, ILL)
NW (3-9) @ MSU, IN, @ MI, IA (W - ILL) (L - Pur, NU, RU)
OSU (3-12) IL, @ IA, Bye, MI (L - IN, MN, MSU, MD, PSU)
This is a six team race to the title. Indiana and Maryland meet this week and that will start up the shakeout action. It's my thinking that each of the six can take the title if things break favorably for them but a few teams do have a leg up on the others.
Indiana - Very, very favorable schedule all year long. When it's all over they will have faced just two of the top six and already own the H2H with Iowa. If they beat Maryland, just go ahead and ink them in for the title. One or two seed (ty schedule).
Maryland - Toughest remaining schedule. Fortunately for them they are good enough to not care. If they get past Indiana and us, well there's your champ. Also, Maryland will have faced four of the top six and already have set down Iowa and Rutgers. Legit one or two seed.
Michigan - Just like Indiana, a putz of a conference schedule all season long. They too faced only a pair of the top six. Oh, and they've lost to both of them. Still, they have a leg up - they only have three conference weeks left and it is a soft three weeks coming up. Too bad about those six losses but their schedule could give them a two or three seed and I would hate that. Schedule, SMFH.
Iowa - Schedule caught three of the top six, beat us, lost to MD and IN. Easy schedule left. Three - five seed. Won't get a two seed b/c H2H losses.
Nebraska - Needed to beat Iowa, still, a two to four seed is in reach. Want to win the title? Pray for unexpected losses among the few at the top. Could happen I suppose, it's the Big Ten.
Rutgers - Do not sleep on Rutgers. Only five losses and a made to order schedule left. Annnnnd, this is yet another top team with just two of the top six on schedule. A two seed is not out of reach.
Have I trashed Big Ten scheduling enough? What a piece of crap. Just look at the bolds on each line. Three of the top six face just two of the best. Three of the bottom five face five of the best and the other bottom two face four of them. Baseball - Big Ten's ugly step child.
Wow, this went long, sorry about that. Everyone OK?