The Big Ten Conference was established in 1895 and despite the name, there are now 14 teams in the Big 10. Some of the more recent additions include Pennsylvania State University, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the University of Maryland, and Rutgers University. The COVID-19 pandemic saw a reduced season in 2020 and the 2021 schedule has some changes to the one originally released in 2017.
There are no significant changes to the number of games or schedule for each of the participating teams. However, 6 Big Ten games were played at the same home stadium in both 2019 and 2020 and they have been reversed for this season. Many of the rivalry games will be played on the last week of the season, including Ohio State vs Michigan, Michigan State vs Penn State, Indiana vs Purdue and Wisconsin vs Minnesota.
The NCAA Football Big Ten season commences on the 28th of August and Ohio State are the defending champions having picked up their fourth consecutive Big Ten Championship in 2020. It will be interesting to see how many players Ohio State lose in the NFL Draft but even if they suffer heavy losses, they will remain the team to beat in 2021. Ryan Day’s team will feature a battle for the quarter-back position between Kyle McCord, C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller III and it will be intriguing to watch throughout the campaign.
Kerry Coombs has a bit of work to do on the defensive side of things as Ohio gave up 5.85 yards per play last season. Nonetheless, they will come into the 2021 season as the favorites to win their fifth Big Ten Championship in succession. If you have been searching for the best place to bet on the NCAA Big Ten Championship, you must check out the bookmakers featured on this page. Not only will you find detailed reviews of each online sportsbook but also information regarding the latest bonuses and promotions.
Moving on in our NCAA Big Ten preview and come to Indiana. Michael Penix Jr suffered a season ending knee injury in 2020 and they will be hoping he is 100% fit and can play throughout the 2021 campaign. Running back Stevie Scott and receiver Ty Fryfogle return to the team plus their strong defense from last season should remain intact. If Indiana can keep Penix Jr fit, they should mount a strong challenge this season.
Penn State suffered a hugely disappointing 0-5 start last season and although they will point to several factors such as injuries, opt-outs, and coaching changes, they cannot afford to make the same start in 2021 if they want to challenge for the Championship. Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington return at receiver but there is room for improvement in the defense having conceded a school record 27.2 points per game last season.
Some of the other contenders for the 2021 NCAA Big Ten Championship include Wisconsin, Iowa, and Northwestern but at the time of writing, it is Ohio State who are the favorites to taste success.
