Big Ten football: Predicting the final 2022 standings

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The Ohio State Buckeyes take the field for the Rose Bowl against the Utah Utes in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2022.College Football Rose Bowl /

1. Ohio State

Surprising to no one, Ohio State comes in first in my Big Ten East standings. The Buckeyes are coming off of a program down-year — a season in which the team finished 11-2 and won the Rose Bowl (something that any other program in the Big Ten would take in a heartbeat) — but retain much of their talent from the season prior.

Outside of the Oregon loss to start the season, the Buckeyes looked unstoppable until they played Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Ohio State’s schedule is demanding, but the amount of talent that the Buckeyes possess is incredible. In fact, OSU comes into the year as a favorite to make a run at the national title. Who stands in their way? The Buckeyes will host Notre Dame and Michigan and play on the road at Michigan State and at Penn State.

Penn State will be a challenging game (as any game in Happy Valley usually is), Notre Dame, Michigan, and Michigan State will also present their own challenges. Ohio State, however, is poised to dethrone them all. Although I can see the Buckeyes losing one game, I suspect it will be a game that no one sees coming.

Record: 12-0; no losses

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