Ohio State football: What Big Ten West team is the biggest threat?

The only team from the Big Ten West that has threatened the Ohio State football team the last few years has been Wisconsin. Will another team rise, or will it once again be the Badgers in the Big Ten Championship Game?

The Ohio State football program hasn’t been beaten for a Big Ten title since 2015. That’s frustrating considering that might be the best team they had the entire decade. Even so, once they get to a Big Ten Championship Game, they usually win.

Wisconsin has been the opponent that the Buckeyes have usually faced. In fact, since the divisions were re-aligned, Ohio State has faced the Badgers three times in the Championship, winning all of those matchups. They did face Northwestern the other two times, including last season.

Are the Badgers the team to beat in 2021 out of the West? It sure looks that way right now. With COVID winding down, the Badgers will be able to have Graham Mertz play the whole season at quarterback. He missed three games because of COVID last year and it derailed their season.

Northwestern will be decent again this season, but not as good as Wisconsin will be. It seems like the Badgers will once again emerge from the West. Besides Northwestern, the only other school I would entertain having a shot is Nebraska, but they are still bad right now.

I would be very surprised if Ohio State faced a team other than Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game. Those are the two best teams in each division, so it makes sense they would face each other. The Buckeyes should obviously win that matchup.

I’m always interested in watching the other side of the division to see what teams fight for that top spot.