The Big Ten’s best program is sporting a new quarterback and slew of new faces on defense. Ohio State has dominated the Big Ten divisional era (2011-present), winning six East Division titles and five Big Ten Championships. Will another team crash the party in 2021? Below, we look at the odds to win the 2021 Big Ten division titles, with college football picks, predictions and best bets.
Former QB Justin Fields finds himself in Soldier Field, not Ohio Stadium this fall, but sophomore signal caller C.J. Stroud heads a talented quarterback room for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, who is developing a reputation as a quarterback whisperer.
Stroud figures to be surrounded by a ton of talent. That talent base – formed by top-flight recruiting – figures to have the Scarlet & Gray in the driver’s seat for the East in 2021.
By virtue of a 21-20 win over Iowa Oct. 31, Northwestern edged the Hawkeyes for the West title in a truncated 2020 campaign. The Wildcats and Hawkeyes figure to be in a dogfight – or perhaps a Gopher and Badger fight – for the right to represent the division in this year’s circuit title game in Indianapolis.
2021 Big Ten East Division odds
Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, Aug. 25.
- Ohio State: -400 (bet $400 to win $100)
- Penn State: +550 (bet $100 to win $550)
- Indiana: +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000)
- Michigan: +1200 (bet $100 to win $1,200)
- Maryland: +4500 (bet $100 to win $4,500)
- Michigan State: +5000 (bet $100 to win $5,000)
- Rutgers: Unlisted
2021 Big Ten West Division odds
- Wisconsin: -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Iowa: +162 (bet $100 to win $162)
- Minnesota: +750 (bet $100 to win $750)
- Nebraska: +1200 (bet $100 to win $1,200)
- Northwestern: +1300 (bet $100 to win $1,300)
- Purdue: +3000 (bet $100 to win $3,000)
- Illinois: +4000 (bet $100 to win $4,000)
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2021 Big Ten East picks and prediction
Best bet
Ohio State (-400) is a leverage play here. The Buckeyes are worthy of as much as a -550 price because a) that’s the kind of talent gap their recruiting has produced, and b) they get their toughest conference tilt – vs. Penn State – in a home game. That home game will be Oct. 30, when OSU has had some time to gel on both sides of the ball.
Stroud – or maybe even another Buckeyes arm — will be behind the league’s best offensive line. He’ll have two big-time difference-makers to target, in WR Chris Olave and WR Garrett Wilson. To the rest of the East, Ohio State is the target. A moving target with more speed than any rival can muster.
New to sports betting? A $40 bet on Ohio State to win the East would return a profit of $10.
Contender
If you’re looking for a speculative play to knock off the Buckeyes, consider Penn State (+550).
The Nittany Lions started 0-5 in the COVID-19-delayed 2020 season. They rallied to finish 4-5. Former Oklahoma State and Ohio State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich takes over as offensive coordinator this year. Dynamic RB Noah Cain (5.3 yards per carry as a freshman) returns after suffering an injury last season.
So, were saying there’s a chance … at least a disproportionate one compared to the likes of overvalued Indiana or Michigan.
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2021 Big Ten West picks and prediction
BEST BET
Wisconsin (-140) is a worthy favorite to win the West and get back to Indianapolis for a fourth time in the last six years. The Badgers will play their closest pursuers – the Iowa Hawkeyes – at home Oct. 30. QB Graham Mertz and RB Jalen Berger figure as high-octane players on the offensive side of the ball and Wisconsin returns eight starters on a defense that fared well in defensive efficiency metrics a year ago.
UW is a solid play at this price.
Contender
Iowa (+162) will likely boast a secondary among the best in the Big Ten, and that makes the Hawkeyes dangerous. They just have a lot of danger spots to overcome. Iowa plays at Wisconsin in a key West battle, and the Hawkeyes have tough cross-over games against Penn State and Indiana.
However, Iowa’s recruiting numbers and the talent coming back are worth a tag in the high hundreds (+180 perhaps). Keep an eye on the odds.
Long shot
The dark horse is not a horse; it’s a train. The Purdue Boilermakers (+3000) came through a difficult COVID-19 slate with some respectable advanced analytic measures, especially on offense.
The throw-first Boilers will be a pain to play against, and if things get competitive with the top contenders losing a game here or there, Purdue can be there to pick up the pieces. At least often enough to add value to this long-shot tag.
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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.
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