Final 2023 Big Ten football standings according to ESPN’s FPI matchup predictor

The college football season is inching closer, now close to a month and a half away from the start of the best sport in the country. The Big Ten is expected to have some of the best teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision once again, with perhaps a bit of a drop-off after the best in the league.

Everyone seems to have an opinion and prediction on how the season will play out in the Big Ten this year, but we decided to go a step further and utilize ESPN’s matchup predictor, which uses whatever bleeps and bloops go into the computers that implement and formulate the Football Power Index (FPI).

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Humans seem to think that Ohio State and Michigan are the class of the league with Penn State perhaps throwing a wrench into the East and Wisconsin providing resistance from the West Division. And, yeah — the ESPN computers seem to more or less agree.

But how does the matchup predictor have the final standings if we take every single game that Big Ten teams play and follow it through? Well, we’re glad you asked — or maybe I asked vicariously through you, dear reader. Either way, here’s how ESPN sees the race in the Big Ten playing out.

FIRST UP … The Big Ten East Division

1st Place - Ohio State Buckeyes

Nov. 12, 2022; Columbus; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Taron Vincent (6) celebrates a tackle during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium. Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

at Indiana – Win
vs. Youngstown State – Win
vs. Western Kentucky – Win
at Notre Dame – Win
vs. Maryland – Win
at Purdue – Win
vs. Penn State – Win
at Wisconsin – Win
at Rutgers – Win
vs. Michigan State – Win
vs. Minnesota – Win
at Michigan – Win

Final Record | 9-0 Big Ten, 12-0 Overall

2nd Place - Michigan Wolverines

Nov. 26, 2022; Columbus; Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh yells at his team against Ohio State Buckeyes in the first quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. East Carolina – Win
vs. UNLV – Win
vs. Bowling Green – Win
vs. Rutgers – Win
at Nebraska – Win
at Minnesota – Win
vs. Indiana – Win
at Michigan State – Win
vs. Purdue – Win
at Penn State – Win
at Maryland – Win
vs. Ohio State – Loss

Final Record | 8-1 Big Ten, 11-1 Overall

3rd Place - Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin yells during the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021. Syndication The Columbus Dispatch

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. West Virginia – Win
vs. Delaware – Win
at Illinois – Win
vs. Iowa – Win
at Northwestern – Win
vs. UMass – Win
at Ohio State – Loss
vs. Indiana – Win
at Maryland – Win
vs. Michigan – Loss
vs. Rutgers – Win
at Michigan State – Win

Final Record | 7-2 Big Ten, 10-2 Overall

4th Place (tie) - Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker watches his team warm up before the game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Central Michigan – Win
vs. Richmond – Win
vs. Washington – Win
vs. Maryland – Win
at Iowa – Loss
at Rutgers – Win
vs. Michigan – Loss
at Minnesota – Loss
vs. Nebraska – Win
at Ohio State – Loss
at Indiana – Win
vs. Penn State – Loss

Final Record | 4-5 Big Ten, 7-5 Overall

4th Place (tie) - Maryland Terrapins

Nov. 19, 2022; College Park, Maryland; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau (44) tackles Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) for a sack in the second quarter of their Big Ten game at SECU Stadium. USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Towson – Win
vs. Charlotte – Win
vs. Virginia – Win
at Michigan State – Loss
vs. Indiana – Win
at Ohio State – Loss
vs. Illinois – Win
at Northwestern – Win
vs. Penn State – Loss
at Nebraska – Loss
vs. Michigan – Loss
at Rutgers – Win

Final Record | 4-5 Big Ten, 7-5 Overall

6th Place (tie) - Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano walks on the field during pregame warmups before an NCAA Division I football game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Northwestern – Win
vs. Temple – Win
vs. Virginia Tech – Win
at Michigan – Loss
vs. Wagner – Win
at Wisconsin – Loss
vs. Michigan State – Loss
at Indiana – Loss
vs. Ohio State – Loss
at Iowa – Loss
at Penn State – Loss
vs. Maryland – Loss

Final Record | 1-8 Big Ten, 4-8 Overall

6th Place (tie) - Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana coach Tom Allen talks to Indiana players before running onto the field against Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Ohio State – Loss
vs. Indiana State – Win
vs. Louisville – Loss
vs. Akron – Win
at Maryland – Loss
at Michigan – Loss
vs. Rutgers – Win
at Penn State – Loss
vs. Wisconsin – Loss
at Illinois – Loss
vs. Michigan State – Loss
at Purdue – Loss

Final Record | 1-8 Big Ten, 3-9 Overall

NEXT … Big Ten West

1st Place - Wisconsin Badgers

Dec. 27, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second half of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field.  Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Buffalo – Win
at Washington State – Win
vs. Georgia Southern – Win
at Purdue – Win
vs. Rutgers – Win
vs. Iowa – Win
at Illinois – Win
vs. Ohio State – Loss
at Indiana – Win
vs. Northwestern – Win
vs. Nebraska – Win
at Minnesota – Win

Final Record | 8-1 Big Ten, 11-1 Overall

2nd Place - Iowa Hawkeyes

Oct. 22, 2022; Columbus, Ohio; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz coaches during the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium. Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Utah State – Win
at Iowa State – Loss
vs. Western Michigan – Win
at Penn State – Loss
vs. Michigan State – Win
vs. Purdue – Win
at Wisconsin – Loss
vs. Minnesota – Win
at Northwestern – Win
vs. Rutgers – Win
vs. Illinois – Win
at Nebraska – Win

Final Record | 7-2 Big Ten, 9-3 Overall

3rd Place - Minnesota Golden Gophers

Nov. 12, 2022; Minneapolis; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck leads his team out onto the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Huntington Bank Stadium. Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Nebraska – Win
vs. Eastern Michigan – Win
at North Carolina – Loss
at Northwestern – Win
vs. Louisiana – Win
vs. Michigan – Loss
at Iowa – Loss
vs. Michigan State – Win
vs. Illinois – Win
at Purdue – Win
at Ohio State – Loss
vs. Wisconsin – Loss

Final Record | 5-4 Big Ten, 7-5 Overall

4th Place (tie) - Illinois Fighting Illini

Nov. 26, 2022; Evanston; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema leads his team on the field against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Toledo – Win
at Kansas – Win
vs. Penn State – Loss
vs. FAU – Win
at Purdue – Loss
vs. Nebraska – Win
at Maryland – Loss
vs. Wisconsin – Loss
at Minnesota – Loss
vs. Indiana – Win
at Iowa – Loss
vs. Northwestern – Win

Final Record | 3-6 Big Ten, 6-6 Overall

4th Place (tie) - Nebraska Cornhuskers

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

at Minnesota – Loss
at Colorado – Win
vs. Northern Illinois – Win
vs. Louisiana Tech – Win
vs. Michigan – Loss
at Illinois – Loss
vs. Northwestern – Win
vs. Purdue – Win
at Michigan State – Loss
vs. Maryland – Win
at Wisconsin – Loss
vs. Iowa – Loss

Final Record | 3-6 Big Ten, 6-6 Overall

4th Place (tie) - Purdue Boilermakers

Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

vs. Fresno State – Win
at Virginia Tech – Win
vs. Syracuse – Loss
at Wisconsin – Loss
vs. Illinois – Win
at Iowa – Loss
vs. Ohio State – Loss
at Nebraska – Loss
at Michigan – Loss
vs. Minnesota – Loss
at Northwestern – Win
vs. Indiana – Win

Final Record | 5-7 Big Ten, 3-6 Overall

7th Place - Northwestern Wildcats

Northwestern Wildcats celebrate their victory toward the fans after the Aer Lingus College Football Classic 2022 match between Northwestern Wildcats and Nebraska Cornhuskers at Aviva Stadium on Aug. 27, 2022, in Dublin, Ireland. Oisin Keniry/Getty Images

ESPN Matchup Predictor Results

at Rutgers – Loss
vs. UTEP – Win
at Duke – Loss
vs. Minnesota – Loss
vs. Penn State – Loss
vs. Howard – Win
at Nebraska – Loss
vs. Maryland – Loss
vs. Iowa – Loss
at Wisconsin – Loss
vs. Purdue – Loss
at Illinois – Loss

NEXT … Summary of Final Standings

Final Record | 0-9 Big Ten, 2-10 Overall

Final Big Ten Standings

The Ohio State Buckeyes take the field for the Big Ten Championship football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s Matchup Predictor final Big Ten standings

Big Ten East

Ohio State | 9-0, (12-0)
Michigan | 8-1, (11-1)
Penn State | 7-2, (10-2)
Michigan State | 4-5, (7-5)
Maryland | 4-5, (7-5)
Rutgers | 1-8, (4-8)
Indiana | 1-8, (3-9)

Big Ten West

Wisconsin | 8-1, (11-1)
Iowa | 7-2, (9-3)
Minnesota | 5-4, (7-5)
Illinois | 3-6, (6-6)
Nebraska | 3-6, (6-6)
Purdue | 3-6, (5-7)
Northwestern | 0-9, (2-10)

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