Big Ten Football Preview for 2021

FootballTakes has you covered with our 2021 College Football previews for the Power 5 conferences. Today, our Big Ten Football West preview. Complete with schedules and win totals! 

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Big Ten Football Preview (The West Division)

Illinois

DraftKings Over/Under: 3

Illinois Fighting Illini 2021 Schedule

• Aug. 28 Nebraska
• Sept. 4 UTSA
• Sept. 11 at Virginia
• Sept. 18 Maryland
• Sept. 25 at Purdue
• Oct. 2 Charlotte
• Oct. 9 Wisconsin
• Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 23 at Penn State
• Oct. 30 Rutgers
• Nov. 6 at Minnesota
• Nov. 13 OPEN DATE
• Nov. 20 at Iowa
• Nov. 27 Northwestern
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Illinois – Look for a few wins for this squad. Possibly UTSA, Charlotte, and Rutgers. New head coach Bret Bielema might find another at Purdue.  Getting four is a stretch.

Iowa

DraftKings Over/Under: 8.5

Iowa Hawkeyes 2021 Schedule

• Sept. 4 Indiana
• Sept. 11 at Iowa State
• Sept. 18 Kent State
• Sept. 25 Colorado State
• Oct. 2 at Maryland
• Oct. 9 Penn State
• Oct. 16 Purdue
• Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 30 at Wisconsin
• Nov. 6 at Northwestern
• Nov. 13 Minnesota
• Nov. 20 Illinois
• Nov. 26 at Nebraska
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Iowa – There appears to be a small path to 8.5 wins in my estimation. Wins with Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, Kent State, and Purdue gets them to six wins. Where do others come from? Looking under all the way in this schedule.   

Indiana

DraftKings Over/Under: 8

Indiana Hoosiers 2021 Schedule

• Sept. 4 at Iowa
• Sept. 11 Idaho
• Sept. 18 Cincinnati
• Sept. 25 at WKU
• Oct. 2 at Penn State
• Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 16 Michigan State
• Oct. 23 Ohio State
• Oct. 30 at Maryland
• Nov. 6 at Michigan
• Nov. 13 Rutgers
• Nov. 20 Minnesota
• Nov. 27 at Purdue
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Wins at Michigan State, Rutgers and Cincinnati, and WKU. Any more trying to reach eight wins?

Maryland

DraftKings Over/Under: 5.5

Maryland Terrapins 2021 Schedule

• Sept. 4 West Virginia
• Sept. 11 Howard
• Sept. 18 at Illinois
• Sept. 25 Kent State
• Oct. 2 Iowa
• Oct. 9 at Ohio State
• Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 23 at Minnesota
• Oct. 30 Indiana
• Nov. 6 Penn State
• Nov. 13 at Michigan State
• Nov. 20 Michigan
• Nov. 27 at Rutgers
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Maryland – They could stat 4-0 if they get by West Virginia.  Indiana and Rutgers get them to five or six games. Pick your direction.

Michigan State

DraftKings Over/Under: 4

Michigan State Spartans 2021 Schedule

• Sept. 4 at Northwestern
• Sept. 11 Youngstown State
• Sept. 18 at Miami
• Sept. 25 Nebraska
• Oct. 2 WKU
• Oct. 9 at Rutgers
• Oct. 16 at Indiana
• Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 30 Michigan
• Nov. 6 at Purdue
• Nov. 13 Maryland
• Nov. 20 at Ohio State
• Nov. 27 Penn State
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Michigan State – Win over Youngstown State, Indiana, Rutgers and Maryland get them to four. Any other wins are upsets. Tough to bet this one.

Michigan

DraftKings Over/Under: 8

Michigan Wolverines 2021 Schedule

• Sept. 4 Western Michigan
• Sept. 11 Washington
• Sept. 18 Northern Illinois
• Sept. 25 Rutgers
• Oct. 2 at Wisconsin
• Oct. 9 at Nebraska
• Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 23 Northwestern
• Oct. 30 at Michigan State
• Nov. 6 Indiana
• Nov. 13 at Penn State
• Nov. 20 at Maryland
• Nov. 27 Ohio State
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Michigan – I count six wins on the schedule. This may be the undoing of Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines.

Northwestern

DraftKings Over/Under: 6.5

Northwestern Wildcats 2021 Schedule

•  Sept. 4 Michigan State
• Sept. 11 Indiana State
• Sept. 18 at Duke
• Sept. 25 Ohio
• Oct. 2 at Nebraska
• Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
• Oct. 16 Rutgers
• Oct. 23 at Michigan
• Oct. 30 Minnesota
• Nov. 6 Iowa
• Nov. 13 at Wisconsin
• Nov. 20 Purdue (at Wrigley Field)
• Nov. 27 at Illinois
• Dec. 4 Big Ten Championship (in Indianapolis)

Northwestern – Looks like losses at Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin. 6.5 will be tough for this team, but they can pull it off.

Be sure to check out ALL of our Power 5 football previews while you are here. Keep following the Sports 2.0 Network for all of the latest football news from around college football.