Minnesota Football: 5 reasons the Gophers can win Big Ten West in 2017
3. Big Ten West is wide open
Just look at the Big Ten West. There have been three different teams to win the division since the conference was split into East and West (as well as Leaders and Legends). Wisconsin is the type of team that will always be near the top of the conference, as a whole. The Badgers run a solid program and seem to compete for titles each season.
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Nebraska is another team to watch for, but the Cornhuskers might be trending in the wrong direction for 2017, having to replace Tommy Armstrong and bringing back seven starters on an offense that ranked 90th nationally in 2016.
Iowa took a step back in 2016 after making the Big Ten Championship in 2015. The Hawkeyes went 8-5 with an ugly Outback Bowl loss to Florida, 30-3. They, too, are replacing a starting quarterback.
Northwestern could be a threat, but the Wildcats seem to be inconsistent every year. When they aren’t expected to compete, they finish with 9-10 wins, but when they’re the trendy pick, they finish with 6-7. Pat Fitzgerald’s squad is a toss-up, but not necessarily a favorite.
Lastly, Purdue and Illinois have been bottom-dwellers for years. That won’t change in 2017 as both are still in the ‘rebuilding’ process.
The West is wide open for a team like Minnesota to swoop in and win.