Big Ten Week Five Picks

I went a red hot 13-1 in picking Big Ten games in week four, putting me at 39-13 through four weeks. The Big Ten race is starting to heat up as we near the halfway point, the standings after the picks.

Tuesday
Nebraska @ Michigan: Pick: Michigan
Michigan St @ Rutgers: Pick: Michigan St

Wednesday
Minnesota @ Penn St: Pick: Minnesota
Indiana @ Purdue: Pick: Purdue

Thursday
Maryland @ Ohio St: Pick: Ohio St

Saturday
Wisconsin @ Iowa: Pick: Wisconsin
Penn St @ Illinois: Pick: Illinois
Rutgers @ Indiana: Pick: Indiana
Nebraska @ Minnesota: Pick: Nebraska
Purdue @ Northwestern: Pick: Northwestern

Standings
After two weeks having to share the perch, Wisconsin has restored its spot as the sole leader of the Big Ten thanks to losses this week from Indiana, Iowa and Maryland. Two from Iowa in fact. The top two in the conference should separate  itself as Maryland and Wisconsin. The truly exciting race will be who takes the 3-8 spots as Ohio St, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan St, Nebraska, and Michigan are all very equal in terms of talent. They all have flashes of brilliance and stages where they look bad. The race between those five teams will be fun to watch and should come right down to the last weekend.

1. Wisconsin: 6-1
2. Maryland: 6-2
3. Indiana: 5-2
4. Ohio St: 5-3
5. Michigan: 5-3
6. Michigan St: 4-3
7.  Iowa: 4-3
8. Nebraska: 4-3
9. Purdue: 4-3
10. Illinois: 3-5
11. Minnesota: 2-6
12. Rutgers: 2-6
13. Penn St: 1-6
14. Northwestern: 1-6