Media picks Michigan football to win Big Ten in annual poll
The last time Michigan football was picked to win the Big Ten, it was 2019. However, it did not go so well for the Wolverines, who were trotting out an injured Shea Patterson at quarterback after he suffered a torn oblique on his first snap, and with a defense that was starting to lose its luster. The maize and blue are hoping not to repeat history.
The history that the Wolverines are hoping to repeat is to win a third-straight Big Ten Championship, which is what the media is predicting via the annual Cleveland.com poll.
37 voters from across the Big Ten participated and the Wolverines got the most first-place votes in the East (27) while also getting 27 votes indicating it would beat whichever team made it out of the West.
1-Michigan (27 first-place votes) 248
2-Ohio State (8) 226
3-Penn State (2) 192
4-Maryland 143
5-Michigan State 105
6-Rutgers 74
7-Indiana 48
1-Wisconsin (20 first-place votes) 233
2-Iowa (16) 232
3-Minnesota (1) 176
4-Illinois 152
5-Nebraska 116
6-Purdue 89
7-Northwestern 38
Michigan over Iowa (11)
Michigan Minnesota (1)
Ohio State over Iowa (4)
Ohio State over Wisconsin (4)
Penn State over Iowa (1)
Penn State over Wisconsin (1)
However, the poll does not have a good track record at predicting the eventual winner of the conference. Only three times in its history has it been correct, all three times being picks for Ohio State.
2022: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Michigan.
2021: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Michigan.
2020: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Ohio State.
2019: Pick: Michigan. Actual: Ohio State.
2018: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Ohio State.
2017: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Ohio State.
2016: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Penn State.
2015: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Michigan State.
2014: Pick: Michigan State. Actual: Ohio State.
2013: Pick: Ohio State. Actual: Michigan State.
2012: Pick: Michigan. Actual: Wisconsin.
2011: Pick: Nebraska. Actual: Wisconsin.
As said, they play the games for a reason, but not in modern history have the Wolverines had so much returning talent with so much upside while other teams are breaking in key pieces, such as the starting quarterback.
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