Big weekend, as we head into the home stretch!
Michigan won Friday to move into 2nd place (at least temporarily). Indiana also won, keeping them in 1st place.
Let's look at the remaining schedules for the top 7 teams, as they all have a realistic shot at winning the Big Ten and/or making the playoffs.
Opponents in bold currently (start of 5/8/21) have a wining record -- in the top 7 currently.
Indiana: RPI 99, ELO 42, SOS 252. Nebraska (2), Rutgers (1), Michigan (3), Nebraska (2), Ohio State (2), Maryland (3) -- 13 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Michigan: RPI 90, ELO 55, SOS 192. Michigan State (2), Indiana (3), Maryland (3), Nebraska (3) -- 9 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Nebraska: RPI 89, ELO 78, SOS 206. Indiana (2), Rutgers (2), Northwestern (3), Indiana (2), Ohio State (2), Michigan (3) -- 11 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Iowa: RPI 42, ELO 59, SOS 58. Penn State (2), Illinois (3), Northwestern (3), Michigan State (3). 0 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Maryland: RPI 107, ELO 64, SOS 167. Illinois (2), Purdue (3), Michigan (3), Indiana (3). 6 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Ohio State: RPI 58, ELO 101, SOS 39. Minnesota (3 -- all three from this weekend postponed to a future date), Michigan State (3), Nebraska (2), Indiana (2), Northwestern (3). 4 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Rutgers: RPI 67, ELO 82, SOS 77. Indiana (1), Nebraska (2), Minnesota (2), Penn State (2), Michigan State (3), Illinois (3). 3 games remaining against teams with winning records.
There's tremendous disparity in the remaining games/strength-of-schedule for the 7 teams still in contention. And the teams at the top currently have the most difficult paths ahead.
Iowa is sitting pretty as they've already gotten their toughest games out of the way. 0 games left against teams with a winning record currently (Illinois is .500, their toughest opponent). The Hawkeyes are 2.5 games out of 1st, but if they win the games they're supposed to, there's no reason why the Hawkeyes shouldn't finish top two in the conference -- and possibly win it, as the teams ahead of them in the standings could just beat up on each other.
Indiana's path is brutal -- so it'd be in their best interest to come out of this weekend 4-0 or 3-1 (they are 1-0 after beating Rutgers).
The main takeaway -- the Big Ten is wide open the rest of the way. Those top 7 could finish in just about any order.
Michigan won Friday to move into 2nd place (at least temporarily). Indiana also won, keeping them in 1st place.
Let's look at the remaining schedules for the top 7 teams, as they all have a realistic shot at winning the Big Ten and/or making the playoffs.
Opponents in bold currently (start of 5/8/21) have a wining record -- in the top 7 currently.
Indiana: RPI 99, ELO 42, SOS 252. Nebraska (2), Rutgers (1), Michigan (3), Nebraska (2), Ohio State (2), Maryland (3) -- 13 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Michigan: RPI 90, ELO 55, SOS 192. Michigan State (2), Indiana (3), Maryland (3), Nebraska (3) -- 9 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Nebraska: RPI 89, ELO 78, SOS 206. Indiana (2), Rutgers (2), Northwestern (3), Indiana (2), Ohio State (2), Michigan (3) -- 11 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Iowa: RPI 42, ELO 59, SOS 58. Penn State (2), Illinois (3), Northwestern (3), Michigan State (3). 0 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Maryland: RPI 107, ELO 64, SOS 167. Illinois (2), Purdue (3), Michigan (3), Indiana (3). 6 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Ohio State: RPI 58, ELO 101, SOS 39. Minnesota (3 -- all three from this weekend postponed to a future date), Michigan State (3), Nebraska (2), Indiana (2), Northwestern (3). 4 games remaining against teams with winning records.
Rutgers: RPI 67, ELO 82, SOS 77. Indiana (1), Nebraska (2), Minnesota (2), Penn State (2), Michigan State (3), Illinois (3). 3 games remaining against teams with winning records.
There's tremendous disparity in the remaining games/strength-of-schedule for the 7 teams still in contention. And the teams at the top currently have the most difficult paths ahead.
Iowa is sitting pretty as they've already gotten their toughest games out of the way. 0 games left against teams with a winning record currently (Illinois is .500, their toughest opponent). The Hawkeyes are 2.5 games out of 1st, but if they win the games they're supposed to, there's no reason why the Hawkeyes shouldn't finish top two in the conference -- and possibly win it, as the teams ahead of them in the standings could just beat up on each other.
Indiana's path is brutal -- so it'd be in their best interest to come out of this weekend 4-0 or 3-1 (they are 1-0 after beating Rutgers).
The main takeaway -- the Big Ten is wide open the rest of the way. Those top 7 could finish in just about any order.
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