Predictions: Big Ten schedule to impact league division race

There's nothing predictable about the Big Ten this year.

The traditional powers - Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State - have major flaws. Newcomer Nebraska has a boorish schedule, as does Michigan State. Wisconsin seems the prohibitive favorite. The new divisional alignment gave a major scheduling reprieve to Iowa and Illinois.

This is shaping up as a screwy year in the Big Ten, where anything can happen. By the end of the year, I think we'll all bug out our eyes and utter in our best Mike Patrick imitation "Are you kidding me?"

The new Legends and Leaders divisions boast different dynamics entering the league campaign, which begins Saturday. The Legends Division appears a battle royale with the last team standing claiming the crown. The Leaders Division appears to have the frontrunner in Wisconsin, the dark horse in Illinois and two uncertain contenders in Ohio State and Penn State.

Let's break down the Legends Division.

Nebraska plays seven 2010 bowl teams, including all three 2010 Big Ten champions within its first four games. Michigan State also faces a meat grinder in its first four games, playing at Ohio State, hosting Michigan and Wisconsin, before traveling to Nebraska. Michigan's early slate is manageable but can its defense improve in the final month in games at Iowa and Illinois, then home against Nebraska and Ohio State?

Iowa, my pick for the Legends Division title, benefits from the league's most generous schedule. Other than Michigan State - a team the Hawkeyes beat 37-6 in 2010 - six of Iowa's first seven opponents posted a combined 15-33 league record last year. It's a complete coup from the pre-Nebraska 2011 schedule, in which the Hawkeyes were slated to open at Wisconsin and home against Illinois - teams the Hawkeyes will avoid. Iowa, which had a better team in each of the last three seasons, might lose one or two Big Ten games, but its schedule alone will keep it competitive for a Legends Division title. I see Iowa and Nebraska tying for the division at 6-2, with Iowa taking the tiebreaker by winning the regular-season finale in Lincoln.

Wisconsin is the easy pick in the Leaders Division strictly because of the turmoil at Ohio State. Wisconsin has the league's best offense, perhaps the nation's best running attack and a talented quarterback in Russell Wilson. Illinois, like Iowa, has a favorable early schedule. Outside of Illinois' home date against Ohio State, five of the Illini's first six opponents combined for a 13-27 league record last year. Illinois' three toughest opponents - Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin - play in Champaign. But Illinois (6-2) doesn't have the firepower to keep up with Wisconsin (7-1) in the de facto divisional title game on Nov. 19.

So that puts long-time rivals Iowa and Wisconsin in the inaugural Big Ten title game. It's fitting that the only major rivalry not preserved by the Big Ten in realignment concludes the first season of divisional play. The match-up reminds me of the 2003 Big 12 title game between top-ranked Oklahoma (12-0) and Kansas State (9-3). The Wildcats shocked Oklahoma and the college football world 35-7. I can see the same thing happening with an Iowa-Wisconsin title game.

Will it happen? We shall see. But expect the unexpected in Big Ten play this fall.