Overwhelmingly, national media picking Spartans over Hawkeyes

INDIANAPOLIS - So here we are, Iowa is at the Big Ten football championship game in the role of underdog.

Michigan State is in the role of favorite.

And Sylvester Stallone, as usual, is in the role of Rocky Balboa.

Here is a sampling of how media from around the United States are picking the Hawkeyes-Spartans game:

Stewart Mandel, Fox Sports: Michigan State, 24-20

Bruce Feldman, Fox Sports: Michigan State, 17-10

Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Michigan State, 35-20

Ari Wasserman, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Michigan State, 38-10

Tom Fornelli, CBSsports.com: Michigan State, 24-17

Bill Landis, Cleveland Plain Dealer: Michigan State, 31-24

Pete Fiutak, CampusInsiders.com:Michigan State, 26-20

ESPN.com Big Ten panel: Five of the six pick Michigan State

Chip Patterson, CBSsports.com: Takes Iowa and the 3.5 points.

Zach, Caleb and Seth of AllForTennessee.com: All pick Michigan State

Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com: Michigan State wins

Teddy Greenstein, Chicago Tribune: Takes MSU and the 3.5 points.

Joe Chrisensen, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Michigan State 33, Iowa 27

Joe Rexrode, Detroit Free Press: Michigan State 28, Iowa 23

Tom Dienhart, BTN.com: Iowa 28, Michigan State 24

BTN.com poll: 72 media people take MSU, 16 (including Tom Arnold) pick Iowa