indiana football ohio state

Indiana pushed Ohio State last season in a 52-49 loss and after a 4-8 season, the Hoosiers are expected by conference media members to be the most pleasantly surprising team in the Big Ten.

(Sam)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Some things in the Big Ten are clear this year, at least looking ahead. Ohio State is the favorite to win the Big Ten, and easily won that vote among conference media.

But when it comes to picking the potentially most disappointing team in the conference, there are a lot more options.

Eight different teams received votes in that category from 26 Big Ten writers, all but Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana and Purdue. The question was asked as part of the preseason poll organized by The Plain Dealer.

The winner, if you can win a “most disappointing” vote, was Michigan State, which was picked by six writers. But it was close. Michigan had five votes, Northwestern and Iowa four each, Nebraska three and Penn State, Minnesota and Wisconsin were also listed.

Michigan State is already coming off a disappointing 7-6 season that saw the Spartans lose five games by four points or fewer. Some are expecting the Spartans to flip it back the other way and contend for the Legends Division this year. But others are avoiding that assumption.

One reason that Indiana didn't get any votes in the disappointing category was that many conference watchers think the Hoosiers are ready to make a step up after going 4-8 last season.

In the third season of coach Kevin Wilson, the Hoosiers could make a bowl game for just the second time in 20 years. Indiana's last postseason trip was to the Insight Bowl after the 2007 season.

So the Hoosiers, who scared Ohio State in a 52-49 loss last year, easily won the vote for the team that is expected to be the most surprising this season.

Indiana got 13 of the 26 votes, followed by six for Northwestern, and two each for Michigan State and Purdue.

Big Ten team that will be most disappointing this season

1. Michigan State 6

2. Michigan 5

3. Northwestern 4

3. Iowa 4

5. Nebraska 3

6. Penn State 2

7. Minnesota 1

7. Wisconsin 1

Big Ten team that will be the most surprising this season

1. Indiana 13

2. Northwestern 6

3. Michigan State 2

4. Purdue 2

5. Iowa 1

6. Wisconsin 1

7. Minnesota 1

correction: fixed that Indiana received 13 votes, not 16