Ohio State has won the past four Big Ten football championships, and the Buckeyes are a unanimous pick to make it five in a row by media members who cover the conference.
In the annual preseason poll by Cleveland.com, Ohio State garnered all 34 first-place votes to win both the Big Ten’s East Division title and win the conference championship game. Wisconsin was the pick of 29 pollsters to win the West Division, and Iowa received the other five first-place votes. The Gophers were picked to finish fourth in the West behind third-place Northwestern.
Minnesota opens its season against Ohio State on Sept. 2 at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Voting was based on seven points for first place and one for seventh in each division. The panel consists of at least one beat writer from all 14 Big Ten teams and a few who cover the entire league or have a national perspective.
Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave was voted preseason Offensive Player of the Year in a tight race. Olave, who had 50 catches for 729 yards and seven touchdowns last year, had 58 points and 11 first-place votes to edge Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (44.5 points, eight first-place votes) and Gophers running back Mohamed Ibrahim (36 points, four first-place votes), the reigning Big Ten Running Back of the Year. Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan received one first-place vote and finished 12th.
Northwestern safety Brandon Jacobs was voted preseason Defensive Player of the Year with 49 points and 11 first-place votes, surpassing Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis (33, eight), Ohio State defensive tackle Haskell Garrett (30.5, five) and Indiana linebacker Micah McFadden (28, six). Gophers defensive end Boye Mafe tied for 12th with two votes.
Results of the Cleveland.com‘s top coach poll will be announced Thursday.
Here are the results of the Cleveland.com poll:
Big Ten West
1. Wisconsin (29 first-place votes) 233 points
2. Iowa (5) 202
3. Northwestern 160
4. Gophers 146
5. Nebraska 91.5
6. Purdue 72.5
7. Illinois 47
Big Ten East
1. Ohio State (34 first-place votes) 238
2. Penn State 192
3. Indiana 169
4. Michigan 144
5. Maryland 79
6. Rutgers 77.5
7. Michigan State 52.5
Big Ten Championship Game
Ohio State over Wisconsin (29)
Ohio State over Iowa (5)
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
1. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State (11 first-place votes) 58 points
2. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Indiana (8) 44.5
3. Mohamed Ibrahim, RB, Gophers (4) 36
4. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa (1) 13
5. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State (1) 12
6. David Bell, WR, Purdue (1) 10
7 (tie). C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (2) 6
7 (tie). Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State (1) 6
7 (tie). Graham Mertz, QB, Wisconsin (1) 6
10. Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa (1) 5
11. Ty Fryfogle, WR, Indiana (1) 4
12. Tanner Morgan, QB, Gophers (1) 3.5
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
1. Brandon Joseph, S, Northwestern (11 first-place votes) 49 points
2. George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue (8) 33
3. Haskell Garrett, DT, Ohio State (5) 30.5
4. Micah McFadden, LB, Indiana (6) 28
5. Olakunle Fatukasi, LB, Rutgers (3) 18
6. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan 11
7 (tie). Jack Sanborn, LB, Wisconsin 7
7 (tie). Tiawan Mullen, CB, Indiana (1) 7
9. Zach Harrison, DE, Ohio State 3.5
10 (tie). Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State 3
10 (tie). Sevyn Banks, CB, Ohio State 3
12 (tie). Boye Mafe, DE, Gophers 2
12 (tie). Chris Bergin, LB, Northwestern 2
12 (tie). Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska 2
12 (tie). Jake Hansen, LB, Illinois 2
16 (tie). JoJo Domann, S/LB, Nebraska 1
16 (tie). Tyshon Fogg, LB, Rutgers 1
16 (tie). Owen Carney, LB, Illinois 1