The inaugural Big 10 Football Championship will be played Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium. The two teams going for the championship is the #13 Michigan State Spartans and the #15 Wisconsin Badgers. Whoever wins the game not only gets the title of best team in the Big 10 but also the chance to play in the Rose Bowl.
These two teams met back in October when Wisconsin traveled to Michigan State. The game was won by the Spartans because of a successful 50-yard Hail Mary pass that would make Doug Flutie proud. As you could tell by that game and their current rankings, both teams are pretty equal. The game on Saturday will probably be another nail-biter.
The Michigan State Spartans are 10-2, their only losses coming at Notre Dame and at Nebraska. Their best wins came at home against Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The Spartans rank 64th in total offense, 43rd in total points scored, 3rd in total defense, and 6th in total points allowed. I am shocked at how average their offense is. Senior quarterback Kirk Cousins is coming off a solid 2010 season and seemed poised to be one of the best passers in the country. Obviously he has been far from spectacular. The spectacular part of Michigan State has been their defense, which is the best in the Big 10.
The Wisconsin Badgers come into this game with a 10-2 record, but their only losses came in dramatic fashion. I’ve already talked about their loss to Sparty. The other loss came at Ohio State when the Buckeyes scored a touchdown in the final minute of the game. Wisconsin ranks 12th on total offense, 4th in total points scored, 7th in total defense, and 4th in total points allowed. I thought this was one of the best teams before the season and I still believe they’re one of the Top 8 teams. They are easily the best two loss team. It’s easy to say, but if they would have stopped Ohio State and Michigan State on their final drives, Wisconsin would be 12-0 and a game away from playing in the national championship.
These teams are pretty equal, but I would give a slight edge to Wisconsin since their offense is a little more explosive than Michigan State’s. This should be a very close game, just like their meeting earlier in the season was. Remember, whoever wins not only claims the Big 10 Championship, but also the chance to play in the Rose Bowl Game.
Predicted score: Wisconsin-30, Michigan State-28
The game is played at 8:15 this Saturday and will be aired on FOX.
UPDATE 12/4/2011: Wisconsin has defeated Michigan State 42-39 to claim the Big 10 Championship. The Badgers will be heading to the Rose Bowl Game. The Spartans' bow destination is unknown.
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