The Big Ten Conference as we know it is going to look much different once the calendar flips to 2024. USC and UCLA are set to join then, but until that happens, there is still a lot to figure out in the Big Ten.
With the college football season officially underway with Week 0 in the rearview mirror, we can sit back and see what might happen this year in one of the best conferences in college football. Let’s dive in and examine the Big Ten football betting odds for this season.
Favorites to Win Big Ten in 2023
Who is the favorite to win the Big Ten? Well, the Ohio State Buckeyes, with Heisman Trophy favorite CJ Stroud, are far and away the favorites to win the Big Ten and make the College Football Playoff. But their path won’t be easy, but the odds are very much on their side to win the Big Ten.
- Caesars Sportsbook: $1,500 Risk-Free Bet
- FanDuel Sportsbook: $1,500 No Sweat Bet
- BetMGM: $1,500 Risk-Free Bet
- PointsBet: $2,000 Risk-Free Bet
- BetRivers: $250 Deposit Match
Ohio State Buckeyes: -215
This is an extremely favorable line for Ohio State, and why not? The Buckeyes not only have Stroud, but superstar wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is also a longshot Heisman finalist after lighting up Utah in the Rose Bowl. At -215, Ohio have an implied win probability of 68.25 percent.
Ryan Day has this team ready, and the Buckeyes are a common team placed in the College Football Playoff projections. The schedule is never easy for Ohio State, but the roster is one of the best in the country. Even with the losses of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, this team shouldn’t skip a beat at all.
Place some money on Ohio State to win the Big Ten, and if you’re feeling adventurous, try picking them to win the national title.
Michigan Wolverines: +600
The Wolverines stunned the world last season by making the College Football Playoff, and it was hard to pick against Jim Harbaugh’s team. But, superstar defender and Heisman Trophy finalist Aidan Hutchinson left to the NFL and is suiting up for the Detroit Lions, and the Wolverines quarterback room is still skeptical. At +600, that’s a implied probability of 14.29 percent for MW.
JJ McCarthy and Cade McNamara will battle it out for the starting job, but the Wolverines live and die on defense and a power attack offensively. Hassan Haskins is also gone to the NFL, so this team is missing quite a few playmakers from last season’s magical run.
These Big Ten betting odds seem awfully high for a Michigan team that most likely won’t replicate that success. On the other hand, as of now, the only top-25 matchups are against Michigan State and Ohio State, so there is a path to seeing them win the Big Ten title — although not a likely one.
- Caesars Sportsbook: $1,500 Risk-Free Bet
- FanDuel Sportsbook: $1,500 No Sweat Bet
- BetMGM: $1,500 Risk-Free Bet
- PointsBet: $2,000 Risk-Free Bet
- BetRivers: $250 Deposit Match
Minnesota Golden Gophers: +2800
Here’s a longshot pick. But, are they really a longshot?
The odds are at +2800, which is some decent numbers to work with. Minnesota won nine games in 2021, and the Big Ten West has all sorts of question marks. Is Iowa for real? Will Wisconsin run away with the division?
Nebraska lost to Northwestern in Week 0, and Purdue and Illinois also have plenty of questions on their roster. So, why not Minnesota as the Big Ten West champions?
Tanner Morgan decided to run it back one more year in Minnesota, and star running back Mohamed Ibrahim is ready to go after a season-ending injury in 2021 that put a massive damper in the Gophers’ hopes.
The biggest concern in Minnesota is the schedule. The non-conference slate isn’t terrible, but they face Michigan State and Wisconsin on the road and will need to win both games to have a shot at upsetting Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.
Still, a $10 bet on Minnesota with these odds will be a terrific investment if it works out — it will pay you $2900. Run with it!