Big Ten Power Rankings and Bowl Projections - Week 12

2012: Michigan 38 Northwestern 31 (OT)

Those were the days.

B1G Rank	Bowl	This Week (Week 12)	Previous Week (Week 11)
1st
2nd	BCS AT-LARGE
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th			NONE
9th		NONE	NONE

1. Ohio State (9-0, 5-0): Unbeatable by anyone in the Big Ten.

2. Wisconsin (7-2, 4-1): Not sure they can crack the top 14 in the BCS ranking in order to be "at-large" eligible, but if enough teams ahead of them lose, they could sneak in. They will benefit by not losing in the B1G title game. Their showdown in Minneapolis in two weeks will be a big one.

3. Michigan State (8-1, 5-0): Big game this week at Nebraska. They've had two weeks to celebrate the big win against Michigan and to prepare for the Cornhuskers. They should win this game.

4. Minnesota (8-2, 4-2): Unbelievable that this team is #4 in the power rankings, but they've earned it. This team is on a hot streak right now and will enjoy a well-deserved bye week.

5. Nebraska (7-2, 4-1): Pretty simple, beat Michigan State this weekend and you've got the inside track to Indy. I really think they lose to Sparty though, but crazier things have happened. I don't know if MSU is disciplined enough to play as good as they did two weeks ago against Michigan, but Nebraska is pretty beat up. MSU by two scores.

6. Iowa (6-4, 3-3): Beat the worst team in the Big Ten last weekend to become bowl-eligible. Two weeks to prepare for Michigan then @Nebraska.

7. Michigan (6-3, 2-3): Just terrible offensively. No running game to speak of. And in this league, if you can't run the ball, you might as well just stay on the bus. In the last 2 games...14 sacks allowed and -69 yards rushing. Each week we keep saying "This week, we'll see what Michigan is make of". How much longer can we keep saying that?

8. Indiana (3-6, 1-4): Tough stretch of game these next two weeks, @Wisconsin and @Ohio State. They can handle Purdue, but they need two wins to make a bowl game, and I don't see it.

9. Penn State (5-4, 2-3): With each passing week, Michigan's loss to Penn State just looks worse and worse. But, I guess the same could be said about their win against us.

10. Northwestern (4-5, 0-5): All of the sudden, I think NU is a bowl team again. With Michigan and Michigan State at home in the next two weeks, and a trip to Illinois in the final week of the season...I think they can win two of those games. Guess which ones???

11. Illinois (3-6, 0-5): Guess who drew the "Get Demolished by Ohio State" card this week?

12. Purdue (1-8, 0-5): Still terrible.