Big Ten football predictions for Week 1

Every year (and every week of the season) we have a little friendly competition among our writers for world domination when it comes to picking the Big Ten football games and some of the bigger college football contests.

It’s a clean slate as we break the seal on the 2023 season, but it looks like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State are the class of the league and the East division.

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So, how will Week 1 play out in the Big Ten? Our writers take turns picking all the games in the Big Ten straight up and against the spread. As the season gets further along and we’re in the full swing of conference play, we’ll do the same drill on the top six contests in the nation outside of that (our “pick six”).

As a reminder, if there’s an asterisk next to the pick, that means the team will win, but not cover. If there is a tie, rather than have a cage match or old-fashioned duel, we’ll settle it with less violence and go with the tried, yet true, coin flip where George Washington has the say.

EXAMPLE:
– If you think Ohio State will win minus-3.5 over an opponent: OSU
– If you think Ohio State will win outright: OSU
– If you think Ohio State will win, but NOT cover: OSU*

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.

Here are our expert picks for Week 1 as we kick the season off.

Nebraska at Minnesota

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Thursday, Aug. 30

8 p.m. ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Minnesota -7

@PhilHarrisonBW: Minnesota
@MarkRussell1975: Minnesota
@JoshKeatley16: Minnesota
@MikeFChen: Minnesota*
@evanrbach: Minnesota

CONSENSUS PICK: Minnesota

Central Michigan at Michigan State

USA TODAY Sports

Friday, Sept. 1

7 p.m. ET | FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Michigan State -14.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan State
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan State
@JoshKeatley16:Michigan State
@MikeFChen: Michigan State
@evanrbach: Michigan State*

CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan State

East Carolina at Michigan

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

Noon ET | Peacock 
BetMGM Line: Michigan -36.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan*
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan
@MikeFChen: Michigan
@evanrbach: Michigan*

CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan

Utah State at Iowa

USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

Noon ET | FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Iowa -25.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Iowa*
@MarkRussell1975: Iowa*
@JoshKeatley16: Iowa
@MikeFChen: Iowa*
@evanrbach: Iowa*

CONSENSUS PICK: Iowa*

Fresno State at Purdue

USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

Noon ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Purdue -3.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Purdue
@MarkRussell1975: Purdue
@JoshKeatley16: Fresno State
@MikeFChen: Purdue
@evanrbach: Purdue

CONSENSUS PICK: Purdue

Ohio State at Indiana

David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

3:30 p.m. ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Ohio State -29.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Ohio State
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State
@JoshKeatley16:Ohio State
@MikeFChen: Ohio State
@evanrbach: Ohio State

CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State

Buffalo at Wisconsin

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

3:30 p.m. ET | FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Wisconsin -27.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
@MikeFChen: Wisconsin
@evanrbach: Wisconsin*

CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin

Towson at Maryland

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

3:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Off (pick just straight up)

@PhilHarrisonBW: Maryland
@MarkRussell1975: Maryland
@JoshKeatley16: Maryland
@MikeFChen: Maryland
@evanrbach: Maryland

CONSENSUS PICK: Maryland

West Virginia at Penn State

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

7:30 p.m. ET | NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Penn State -20.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Penn State*
@MarkRussell1975: Penn State
@JoshKeatley16: Penn State
@MikeFChen: Penn State*
@evanrbach: Penn State

CONSENSUS PICK: Penn State

Toledo at Illinois

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 2

7:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Illinois -9.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Illinois
@MarkRussell1975: Illinois
@JoshKeatley16: Illinois
@MikeFChen: Illinois
@evanrbach: Illinois

CONSENSUS PICK: Illinois

Northwestern at Rutgers

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday, Sept. 3

Noon ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Rutgers -6.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Rutgers
@MarkRussell1975: Rutgers
@JoshKeatley16: Rutgers
@MikeFChen: Rutgers
@evanrbach: Rutgers

CONSENSUS PICK: Rutgers