Everything seems to be pointing in Michigan's favor this season. Jim Harbaugh has his senior quarterback, a favorable home schedule and freedom from Urban Meyer at the end of the road.
It all adds up to the Wolverines' first Big Ten championship since 2004, according to a panel of 34 league writers canvassed by cleveland.com. (The website has conducted a preseason poll since the Big Ten split into two divisions and discontinued official preseason predictions in 2011.)
This year, 17 writers tabbed Michigan as conference champs, while 14 picked two-time defending champs Ohio State. Two writers chose Nebraska and one chose Northwestern.
In the Big Ten East, Michigan garnered 20 first-place votes, while Ohio State garnered the remaining 14. Michigan State was picked to finish third. Nebraska and Iowa each received 14 first-place votes in the Big Ten West.
Here's how the voting shook out, with seven points awarded for each first-place vote, six points for each second-place vote, and so on:
Big Ten East
1. Michigan, 222 points (20 first-place votes)
2. Ohio State, 214 points (14)
3. Michigan State, 156 points
4. Penn State, 154 points
5. Indiana, 86.5 points
6. Maryland, 82.5 points
7. Rutgers, 37 points
Big Ten West
1. Nebraska, 198 points (14 first-place votes)
2. Iowa, 194.5 points (14)
3. Wisconsin, 172.5 points (4)
4. Northwestern, 142.5 points (1)
5. Purdue, 110.5 points
6. Minnesota, 100 points (1)
7. Illinois, 34 points
Each of the writers then chose a winner in the Big Ten Championship Game. These were the five most popular picks:
Michigan over Nebraska (8)
Michigan over Iowa (8)
Ohio State over Iowa (6)
Ohio State over Nebraska (4)
Ohio State over Wisconsin (3)
The optimism around Michigan is easily understood. The Wolverines return most of their starters on offense, which promises to be more dynamic this year under new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. And they bring back several key pieces of a defense that last year ranked second in the country.
Perhaps most importantly -- and it bears repeating -- Ohio State appears vulnerable in its first season post-Meyer.
If there was ever a year for Harbaugh and Michigan to get over the hump, this is it.
