2023 Big Ten football championship odds for every team

The Big Ten could be home to one of the best division races in the country this season with three teams primed for a potential push to the College Football Playoff this fall. Michigan is the two-time defending Big Ten champion and once again expected to be the favorite in the conference. Ohio State is used to being labeled one of the top dogs in the pack. And Penn State is on the radar and hoping to clear at least one of those two hurdles of the Buckeyes and Wolverines this season.

The expectations are lofty in Madison, Wisconsin too with Luke Fiuckell taking over Wisconsin and the hiring of Matt Rhule at Nebraska has fans in Lincoln looking forward to sunnier days ahead. But does any team in the West Division have what it takes to be the first Big Ten champion from the division before the conference expands to 18 members in 2024?

Below is a look at the Big Ten championship game odds for each Big Ten member in 2023 from BetMGM. The best odds in the Big Ten go to the schools you would likely expect, but there may be some surprises for some potential long shots. Will you be putting a few bucks on a sleeper pick in this mix? Or will you be more likely to play the safe route with one of the top favorites?

Odds: +25000

All signs are pointing to a long year in Evanston this season. After firing head coach Pat Fitzgerald this summer and with Northwestern coming off a 1-11 season in 2022, things are not about to get a ton better for the Wildcats in 2023. It may honestly be amazing Northwestern is getting odds this good, all things considered.

Odds: +25000

Indiana will have the worst odds to win the Big Ten out of the Big Ten East Division this season, which is understandable. The division is heavy at the top with three legitimate College Football Playoff contenders and the Hoosiers have won just six games in the past two seasons, combined.

Odds: +20000

Rutgers could be another bottom-feeder in the Big Ten this season, but Greg Schiano continues to be the right man for the challenging job with the Scarlet Knights. But expecting Rutgers to get past the top three teams in the East, as well as maybe one or two others, is a lot to ask for the program in 2023.

Odds: +15000

Are people sleeping on Michigan State this season? The Spartans were brutal in 2022 and could be a bit of a continued work in progress in 2023. These are tough Big Ten title odds for the Spartans but we should see an improved Michigan State team on the field this season.

Odds: +10000

Purdue made a surprise run to the Big Ten championship game last season before running into Michigan. The Boilermakers have since lost their head coach and have some key players to replace. A return trip to the Big Ten title game is widely considered a longshot.

Odds: +6000

Just getting to the Big Ten championship game out of the east is a challenge enough with the top three teams it has to get past. But if by some miracle Maryland gets into the Big Ten championship game, then anyone cashing in on these odds could be very happy at the end of the season.

Odds: +5000

The future may be bright for Nebraska under new head coach Matt Rhule, and a return to the bowl season should absolutely be expected this season. But a trip to the Big Ten championship game is still a way away for the Cornhuskers, never mind winning it.

Odds: +5000

Illinois looked like the team on the inside track to a Big Ten West Division title last season until they ran out of steam in the last month of the season. Illinois has a loaded defense this season but has to figure a few things out on offense to get back into the conversation, but the Illini could be a team to watch again this season in the West.

Odds: +3000

PJ Fleck has turned Minnesota into a legitimate Big Ten West contender but the odds suggest it will be difficult to get into the first Big Ten championship game in program history. And of course, winning it all is an even longer shot. But these odds could be enticing for some.

Odds: +1000

It is entirely feasible that Iowa could wiggle it was way to a Big Ten West title on the coattails of its defense without much help form the offense. Iowa may have the best defense in the West division but it will have to score some points at least a couple of times to get to the Big Ten championship game for the second time in three years.

Odds: +600

The team from the Big Ten West with the best conference title odds is Wisconsin, and there are some good reasons why. Wisconsin gets a somewhat favorable draw with cross-division matchups missing Michigan and Penn State and getting Ohio State at home. And the hiring of Luke Fickell is expected to be a natural fit that leads to stability as one of the top teams in the West.

Before getting to the top three schools on the list, let’s take a look at this prop bet from BetMGM.

Want to simplify things a bit more? BetMGM has odds for the Big Ten winner based solely on the division. And if you could not tell already from the individual school odds, it makes sense that the odds favor a team out of the East over a tea out of the West.

• Any team from the Big Ten East to win the 2023 Big Ten championship: -375
• Any team from the Big Ten West to win the 2023 Big Ten championship: +250

Based on these odds, the East division is the safer route to go. No Big Ten champion has come out for the West division since the realignment of the divisions in 2011. History is clearly in favor of whoever comes out of the East. But the best value may be on taking the West division champion to spring the upset.

Odds: +550

Coming off an 11-2 season with a Rose Bowl victory last year, Penn State should once again be on the College Football Playoff radar this season. Whether they can get past Ohio State and/or Michigan remains the biggest question for the Nittany Lions this season. Penn State has decent odds to win the Big Ten title this season, but they will absolutely have to beat at least one of those two giants in the way.

Odds: +180

It is no surprise to see Ohio State getting the best odds to win the Big Ten title this season. The Buckeyes have been a perennial favorite in the conference throughout the College Football Playoff era and are coming off an appearance in the playoff last season. And after letting one slip away against Georgia, the Buckeyes are looking to complete the job this season. But they’ll start the season with the same Big Ten title odds as their top rival.

Odds: +180

The two-time defending Big Tn champions appear to be a safe pick this season to once again reign supreme in the Big Ten. The message in Michigan‘s fall camp has been focused on beating Georgia, the only team to rank higher than them in the preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the two-time defending national champions. Will that lead to overlooking its top threats within the conference?