Time to grade out the Big Ten as it stands today, and looking ahead.

TOP TIER
#1. Iowa. 8-0/5-0. Solidly the Ugly Birds are in the driver's seat. After winning in East Lansing, they've survived the heavies, save Ohio State in two weeks. BUY.
#2. JoePa. 7-1/3-1. Solidly in number two. They still play Ohio State and at Michigan State; but they've dominated everyone on their schedule, except for the loss to Iowa. BUY.
#3. Ohio State. 6-2/4-1. The Buckeyes still travel to JoePa and scUM, and host Iowa. They'll win at least one (scUM) of the three, but methinks all three are asking too much. HOLD.
#4. Wisconsin. 5-2/2-2. Purdue, Indiana, scUM, NW. The Badgers finish the season playing the bottom feeders. It would be tough to believe Wisky do worse than 9-2/6-2 at this point. BUY.
#5. Michigan State. 4-4/3-2. Michigan State played toe-to-toe with the Hawkeyes, who had help from the half-blind Big Ten refereeing crew. MSU is just one play away from 5-3/4-1, and three plays away from 7-1/4-1. A trio of Minny, WMU, and Purdue before JoePa puts Sparty in a solid BUY mode. MSU should finish 7-5 or 8-4 (you predict at poll on the right column).

BOTTOM TIER
#6. Northwestern. 5-3/2-2. Significant drop off in competition begins here, with a team Sparty crushed at home. 'Cats play JoePa, Iowa, Wisky, and Illinois. Time to SELL.
#7. Purdon't. 3-5/2-2. The Boilers have awoken. Future losses to Wisky and Sparty will knock them out of hope for a miracle. SELL.
#8. scUM. 5-3/1-3. Yes, now these are your real Wolverines. And, the schedule is none easier with Illini, Purdue, Wisky, and Ohio State on the docket. They will do no better than win 2 of the 4; definite losses vs Ohio State and Wisky. Don't be surprised to see a 6-6 or 5-7 Yellow Belly season when it's all over. SELL.
#9. Indiana. 4-4/1-3. Iowa, Wisky, JoePa, Purdon't. They'll be lucky to win one. SELL.
#10. Minnesoter... is dropping like a rock, and their all-world receiver is gone for the year. Games against MSU, Illinois, and Iowa are iffy. And don't look now Gopher fans, South Dakota State is 6-1. ES predicts Minny to go winless down the stretch and finish 2-6/4-8. You can't SELL fast enough. Their season is over.
#11. Illinois. 1-6/0-5. The Illini are atrocious, Zook gets to stay on for a year. But schedule is now in their favor, as they play scUM, Minny, and NW. ES sez Illini shock scUM this week, and beat Minny or NW. Then, they will lose to Fresno State and Cincy. Still, for the Zooks, that is a BUY.