Big Ten Bowls

So the Big Ten has 7 teams bowl eligible, 3 teams that will not be bowl eligible this year (IU, Illinois and Purdue) and Michigan with an outside shot. To fill the 8 bids the Big Ten is likely to receive, we will assume Michigan beats Ohio State

Before I go through the projections, a quick explanation of how the Big Ten receives it’s bowl berths. As a member of BCS, the Big Ten champion receives an automatic berth with a tie-in to the Rose Bowl. There is a possibility that a second Big Ten team gets selected to the BCS as at-large bid. As for the non-BCS bowls that the Big Ten is affiliated with, the Bowls are not obligated to choose their teams in exact order of standings. For example Big Ten #3 does not mean the team that finished 3rd, in the Big Ten, but has the 3rd choice of all Big Ten teams available. A bowl can only select a 6-6 team from a conference if no 7-5 from that conference are still available.

Rose (Big Ten Champion): Ohio State

Date: January 1st

Ohio State’s victory over Iowa and Penn State the past two weeks guarantees them the Big Ten Championship and a spot in the Rose Bowl. Even if they do fall to Michigan this week, they own the tie-breakers for the championship. After another crazy weekend in the Pac-10, Oregon remains in the driver seat towards a Pac-10 championship and will most likely be the team that faces Ohio State. Oregon vs Ohio State should be a good match-up between teams that have been up and down this season.


Fiesta Bowl (BCS At-large): Iowa

Date: January 4th

This has been the big topic of debate, which Big Ten team will get selected and where will they go. Stewart Mandel has it leaning this way, but warns if the Fiesta Bowl picks TCU, the Orange would probably grab Penn State. This article does a pretty good job summing up the possibilities of how the BCS will breakdown. In my own opinion I think Boise State should play in this game, but would not be surprised if Oklahoma State is chosen as Iowa’s opponent. I would like to see Iowa play Boise to see Boise play against another power conference school. Boise would try to recreate the magic from their last appearance here when they shocked Oklahoma. Oklahoma State would be a good game as well, even if they are playing without their best WR. Zac Johnson is a duel threat Quarterback who has been playing well all year.


Capital One Bowl: (Big Ten #2) Penn State vs (SEC #2)

Date: January 1st

Penn State is likely to play LSU in this game. It would be a match-up between the two third place finishers in their conference. I’d be concerned with Penn State’s weak offensive line against LSU usually stingy defense. LSU’s offense has been underwhelming this year. I could see this game going either way.


Outback Bowl: (Big Ten #3) Wisconsin vs (SEC)
Date: January 1st


Champs Sports: (Big Ten #4) Northwestern vs (ACC #4)
Date: January 1st


Alamo Bowl: (Big Ten #5) Michigan vs (Big 12 #4)
Date: January 2nd


Insight Bowl: (Big Ten #6) Minnesota vs (Big 12 #6)
Date: December 31st


Little Ceasers: (Big Ten #7) Michigan State vs (MAC)
Date: December 26th