2016 was a banner year for the Big Ten. They fell off slightly in 2017 as they lost a lot of talent, but 2018 should be a bounce-back. Ohio St will be its normal top-10 self, Michigan should rebound with gained experience, and Michigan St should improve again. Penn St has recruited and developed very well with a returning two-year starter at QB. Wisconsin returns an OL of almost entirely two- and three-year starters with several All-American candidates. All five could make a run at the top 10.
East
| Team | Record (Conf) | Win-Shares (Conf) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Penn St | 11-1 (8-1) | 9.39 (6.64) | 4.99 |
| 2. Ohio St | 10-2 (7-2) | 8.77 (6.18) | 4.63 |
| 3. Michigan | 9-3 (7-2) | 8.20 (5.81) | 4.77 |
| 4. Michigan St | 9-3 (6-4) | 7.22 (5.02) | 4.40 |
| 5. Maryland | 7-5 (4-5) | 7.06 (4.81) | 4.13 |
| 6. Indiana | 6-6 (4-5) | 6.01 (3.81) | 3.96 |
| 7. Rutgers | 2-10 (0-9) | 3.50 (1.75) | 2.91 |
West
| Team | Record (Conf) | Win-Shares (Conf) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wisconsin | 10-2 (7-2) | 8.80 (6.05) | 4.84 |
| 2. Northwestern | 7-5 (4-5) | 6.39 (4.40) | 4.16 |
| 3. Nebraska | 6-6 (4-5) | 6.68 (4.33) | 4.18 |
| 4. Purdue | 5-7 (4-5) | 5.23 (3.48) | 3.84 |
| 5. Iowa | 6-6 (3-6) | 6.60 (4.2) | 4.12 |
| 6. Minnesota | 6-6 (3-6) | 6.02 (3.62) | 3.85 |
| 7. Illinois | 5-7 (2-7) | 5.22 (2.90) | 3.42 |
Penn State over Wisconsin in the championship rematch. Wisconsin and Ohio St finish top 10, Michigan and Michigan St top 20. 11 bowl-eligible teams.