Conference writers predict Michigan will win Big Ten

As we get closer to Big Ten Media Days, another poll has Michigan football winning the conference this fall.

The recent story from Cleveland.com polled 34 writers in the Big Ten, and 17 picked Michigan to win the conference just ahead of Ohio State at 14.

Here is a summary of their poll results and breakdown of who was polled from the full story.

“Our voters, which included at least one beat writer from all 14 conference teams, as well as several writers that cover the league as a whole, saw the two divisions in very different ways. The East is a clear two-team race, while the West is wide open, with five of the seven teams receiving at least one first-place vote. Nebraska and Iowa were ahead of the pack, however.

“Each writer was asked to rank each division from top to bottom, with seven points awarded for a first-place vote, down to one point for a seventh-place vote. Here’s how the full divisions shook out.”

East Results

1. Michigan
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan State
4. Penn State
5. Indiana
6. Maryland
7. Rutgers

West Results

1. Nebraska
2. Iowa
3. Wisconsin
4. Northwestern
5. Purdue
6. Minnesota
7. Illinois

The three most popular conference championship game predictions:

1. Michigan over Nebraska (8)
2. Michigan over Iowa (8)
3. Ohio State over Iowa (6)

Another note from the story is 33-of-34 writers picked Michigan to finish first or second in the East.

This means very little since it’s mid-July, and more than a month before the season begins. It’s fun, but also frustrating to fans when they’ve been down this road and have in the end seen the Wolverines come up short. This could be the year, and I explain that here.

Follow on Twitter: @DavidRNoe/@MaizenBrew