Big Ten football predictions 2023: Conference standings, best game, conference champions

The Big Ten will be heavily impacted by conference realignment in 2024 as the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans and Washington Huskies will join the conference. 2023 will mark the final season where only 14 teams will compete in the conference as well as the final season of divisional play.

Take a look at our predictions for the upcoming season below.

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Big Ten standings

Big Ten East

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

2. Michigan Wolverines

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

4. Michigan State Spartans

5. Maryland Terrapins

6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

7. Indiana Hoosiers

The Big Ten East will likely be a three-team race this season. The No. 2-ranked Michigan Wolverines, No. 3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, and No. 7-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions are expected to compete for top spot. They will all face each other as well.

The Buckeyes will also face the No. 13-ranked ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and No. 19-ranked Wisconsin Badgers. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions will face the No. 25-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. Ohio State and Penn State represent the only two ranked opponents from Michigan's schedule.

Who wins this side of the conference will likely come down to the final game of the season. Look for the Buckeyes to avenge their back-to-back losses to the Wolverines, which followed an eight-game win streak, to head to the conference championship.

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Big Ten West

1. Wisconsin Badgers

2. Nebraska Cornhuskers

3. Iowa Hawkeyes

4. Purdue Boilermakers

5. Minnesota Golden Gophers

6. Illinois Fighting Illini

7. Northwestern Wildcats

The Big Ten West does not have the same firepower as the other side of the conference. This is evident from their 10 straight losses in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Furthermore, the division is wide open and has not been won by the same team in back-to-back years since the Wisconsin Badgers did so in 2016 and 2017.

The Badgers, who enter this season ranked 25th in the nation, may not be able to overcome the No .3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. However, they will likely be favored in every other game on their schedule.

Look for Wisconsin to earn a rematch with the Buckeyes as they represent their division in the conference championship.

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Best Game: Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines

The Penn State Nittany Lions will play both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines, and certainly deserve some love. However, those games will mark the seventh and 10th games on their schedule.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines, as always, will meet in the final game of the regular season. If both teams, or even one, enter the game undefeated, there will be plenty on the line.

Combined with the fact that it is a rivalry game in 'The Big House,' it is easy to see why this might just be the best game on the conference schedule.

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Big Ten champions

The winner of the Big Ten East has won the last 10 conference championships. Look for the Ohio State Buckeyes to extend that streak as they reach the College Football Playoff for the sixth time.