The Big Ten’s first day of media days got underway on Wednesday morning as the conference prepares for this upcoming season.
It will be an eventful two days of media day both from an on and off-the-field perspective.
On the field, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State look like potential College Football Playoff contenders this fall. In contrast, schools like Wisconsin and Michigan State are looking for bounce-back seasons after struggling in 2022.
Off the field, Northwestern’s David Braun will speak for the first time since becoming the interim head coach of the Wildcats following Pat Fitzgerald’s firing. Additionally, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh is likely facing a four-game suspension for this upcoming season; we’ll have more below.
While the Big Ten does not have an official media poll, Cleveland.com has conducted its own for the last 13 years. The poll takes votes from 37 writers, with at least one beat writer for each program.
The poll results show that Michigan is the overwhelming favorite to win the Big Ten East and the Big Ten championship for a third straight season.
The Wolverines earned 27 first-place votes in the East division in the poll. Ohio State received eight, and Penn State received two. Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers, and Indiana rounded out the Big Ten East projected standings.
In the West, Wisconsin totaled 20 first-place votes, Iowa earned 16 from writers, while Minnesota was the only other Big Ten West school to nab a first-place vote. Those three schools would finish first, second, and third in the projected standings, with Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, and Northwestern filling out the rest of the division.