Big Ten Betting Preview | West Division | 2021 NCAA Football

As the 2021 College Football season gets rolling, we take a look at the Big Ten West Division and its teams’ odds. Both sides of the Big Ten are incredibly stacked with talent this season.

Outside the prominent Ohio State, a handful of teams could contend for the West and the conference. Wisconsin heads into the season as the favorite to win the Big Ten West, but that could change any weekend after a single loss.  

Iowa, Minnesota, and Northwestern are all going to be stout this season, so Wisconsin cannot afford to ever take their foot off the gas. 

Let’s take a look at the Big Ten Conference schedule, betting odds, and then break down some of the top odds to win the West Division and the Big Ten Championship Game.  

2021 Big Ten Football Schedule

Saturday, August 28
Illinois vs Nebraska 

Thursday, September 2
Minnesota at Ohio State
Temple at Rutgers

Saturday, September 4
Penn State at Wisconsin
Indiana at Iowa
Michigan State at Northwestern
West Virginia at Maryland
Oregon State at Purdue
Western Michigan at Michigan
UTSA at Illinois

Saturday, September 11
Oregon at Ohio State
Washington at Michigan
Iowa at Iowa State
Illinois at Virginia
Rutgers at Syracuse
Buffalo at Nebraska
Miami University at Minnesota
Ball State at Penn State
Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin
UConn at Purdue
Youngstown State at Michigan State
Idaho at Indiana
Indiana State at Northwestern
Howard at Maryland

Saturday, September 18
Auburn at Penn State
Nebraska at Oklahoma
Purdue at Notre Dame
Michigan State at Miami
Minnesota at Colorado
Cincinnati at Indiana
Maryland at Illinois
Tulsa at Ohio State
Kent State at Iowa
Northern Illinois at Michigan
Delaware at Rutgers

Saturday, September 25
Wisconsin vs Notre Dame (in Chicago)
Nebraska at Michigan State
Illinois at Purdue
Rutgers at Michigan
Colorado State at Iowa
Ohio at Northwestern
Indiana at WKU
Kent State at Maryland
Bowling Green at Minnesota
Akron at Ohio State
Villanova at Penn State

Saturday, October 2
Michigan at Wisconsin
Indiana at Penn State
Northwestern at Nebraska
Iowa at Maryland
Minnesota at Purdue
Ohio State at Rutgers
WKU at Michigan State
Charlotte at Illinois

Saturday, October 9
Penn State at Iowa
Michigan at Nebraska
Wisconsin at Illinois
Maryland at Ohio State
Michigan State at Rutgers

Saturday, October 16
Nebraska at Minnesota
Army at Wisconsin
Michigan State at Indiana
Purdue at Iowa
Rutgers at Northwestern

Saturday, October 23
Ohio State at Indiana
Northwestern at Michigan
Wisconsin at Purdue
Maryland at Minnesota
Illinois at Penn State

Saturday, October 30
Penn State at Ohio State
Iowa at Wisconsin
Michigan at Michigan State
Minnesota at Northwestern
Purdue at Nebraska
Indiana at Maryland
Rutgers at Illinois

Saturday, November 6
Ohio State at Nebraska
Iowa at Northwestern
Penn State at Maryland
Michigan State at Purdue
Illinois at Minnesota
Wisconsin at Rutgers

Saturday, November 13
Michigan at Penn State
Northwestern at Wisconsin
Minnesota at Iowa
Purdue at Ohio State
Maryland at Michigan State
Rutgers at Indiana
SE Louisiana at Nebraska

Saturday, November 20
Nebraska at Wisconsin
Michigan State at Ohio State
Michigan at Maryland
Minnesota at Indiana
Purdue at Northwestern
Illinois at Iowa
Rutgers at Penn State

Friday, November 26
Iowa at Nebraska

Saturday, November 27
Ohio State at Michigan
Wisconsin at Minnesota
Northwestern at Illinois
Indiana at Purdue
Maryland at Rutgers

Saturday, December 4

Big Ten Football Championship Game (in Indianapolis)

2021 Big Ten Championship Game Betting Odds 

       Team Odds

• Ohio State -227
• Wisconsin +600
• Penn State +900
• Minnesota +900
• Iowa +1200
• Indiana +2000
• Michigan +2500
• Northwestern +4900
• Rutgers +7900
• Nebraska +7900
• Purdue +9900
• Michigan State +9900
• Maryland +9900
• Illinois +14900

2021 Big Ten Regular Season Championship | West Division

       Team Odds

• Wisconsin -130
• Iowa +210
• Minnesota +425
• Northwestern +2000
• Illinois +2900
• Nebraska +2900
• Purdue +2900

#1. Wisconsin Badgers | +600 to Win Big Ten Championship Game

The Badgers went 3-3 in conference play a season ago. Their overall record was 4-3. Head coach Paul Chryst hopes to keep Wisconsin moving forward and pick up a few more wins this season. 

Graham Mertz is the Badgers starting QB again in 2021. Mertz had 1,238 yards in 7 games last season. He must improve the 9 to 5 touchdown to interception ratio, though. He’s been all the talk of Wisconsin’s preseason, so we expect him to progress this year. 

Wisconsin’s defense was elite in 2020, and most of the core returns for the 2021 season. The Badgers only allowed 17.4 points per game which ranked 9th in the FBS. They ranked 3rd in opponents’ yards per game, allowing only 299 yards. They only gave up about 250 in home games. 

Action247 Sportsbook has the Badgers regular-season win total at 9.5. They have the highest odds to win the West division at -130 and the second-best odds to win the Big Ten title at +600. 

#2. Iowa Hawkeyes | +1200 to Win Big Ten Championship Game

The West division of the Big Ten was loaded with elite defenses in 2020, and for the most part, that should continue into this season. Iowa only allowed 16 points per game last season, ranking 6th in the FBS. They allowed 313 yards per game which was also top 10. 

Unlike many other teams with great defenses, Iowa had a pretty good offense to go with it. They averaged 31.8 points per game which was good for 40th in the FBS. 

Unfortunately for the Iowa defense, they lost Daviyon Nixon and Chauncey Golston, who were responsible for a large percentage of the damage Iowa could do. That includes a total of 11 sacks and 22 tackles for a loss between them.

Iowa comes out of the gates in 2021 with +210 odds to win the West division and +1200 odds to win the Big Ten Championship. Action247 Sportsbook has the Hawkeyes regular-season win total at 8.5.

#3. Minnesota Golden Gophers | +2900 to Win Big Ten Championship Game

The Golden Gophers went 3-4 in the conference and overall a season ago. They didn’t blow anyone away on either side of the ball, but thanks to a solid recruiting class and a few transfers, they are poised for a better 2021. 

Tanner Morgan will be under center for the Golden Gophers again this season. Morgan is 15-4 in his Minnesota starting career. He finished the 2020 season with 1,384 yards in 7 games. He must improve his 7 to 5 touchdown to interception ratio this season. 

Minnesota has +425 odds to win the West division and +2900 odds to win the Big Ten Championship, according to Action247 Sportsbook. Their regular-season win total is set at 7.5, heading into Week 1.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.