When it comes to preseason polls, the Big Ten is different from its Power Five compatriots. While the other four conferences all poll media members and release the results during media days, the Big Ten doesn't. Instead the conference releases a list of "players to watch" in each division.
Which is fine, but, you know, the public wants predictions.
Thankfully Doug Lesmerises of Cleveland.com is always around to pick up the Big Ten's slack, comprising his own poll of Big Ten media members for their predictions, and on Friday, he released the results.
Lesmerises polled 39 voters, and Ohio State was the top choice to win both the Big Ten East, and the Big Ten title. Here are the final results, with first-place votes in parentheses.
EAST
1. Ohio State (31)
2. Michigan (14)
3. Michigan State (1)
4. Penn State
5. Indiana
6. Maryland
7. Rutgers
WEST
1. Iowa (33)
2. Nebraska (3)
3. Wisconsin (2)
4. Northwestern (1)
5. Minnesota (1)
6. Illinois
7. Purdue
I have to say I'm a bit surprised that the gap between Ohio State and Michigan was wider than I anticipated. There's been a lot of buzz surrounding the Wolverines this offseason, and with Ohio State having to replace so many players, I thought more than 14 voters would choose them to win the East. That being said, I agree with the majority that Ohio State is the division's likely champ.
In the West, I'm even more surprised to see how popular of a choice Iowa is. I know the Hawkeyes won the division last year, but I don't believe the gap between them and everybody else is nearly as great as the voting suggests. For proof of this, just look at the fact that five teams received first-place votes, including Minnesota.
I have to think that so many people chose Iowa simply because they didn't know who else to go with.
