Gophers football picked third in Big Ten West in media poll

Two-time defending champion Michigan is the pick to win the Big Ten football championship again over Ohio State — by a substantial voting margin — according to a Cleveland.com poll of media members who cover the conference. Wisconsin is favored to win the Big Ten's West Division, edging Iowa by one vote. The Gophers are picked to finish third in the West in the poll released Tuesday.

Michigan, which has defeated Ohio State the past two years to claim the East title, received 27 of 37 first-place votes and 248 points, while the Buckeyes had eight first-place votes and 226 points. Last year, both teams reached the College Football Playoff semifinals, with Ohio State falling 42-41 to eventual champion Georgia and the Wolverines dropping a 51-45 decision to TCU.

Penn State was third in the East, receiving the other two first-place votes and 192 points. Maryland (143), Michigan State (105), Rutgers (74) and Indiana (48) rounded out the East.

In the West, Wisconsin received 20 first-place votes and 233 points to edge Iowa, which had 16 first-place votes and 232 points. The Gophers received the remaining first-place vote and had 176 points. Rounding out the West were Illinois (152), Nebraska (116), Purdue (89) and Northwestern (38).

Fifteen media voters predicted Michigan to beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, followed by Michigan over Iowa (11 votes), Ohio State over Iowa and Ohio State over Wisconsin (four votes each), Michigan over the Gophers, Penn State over Iowa and Penn State over Wisconsin (one vote each).

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was named preseason offensive player of the year in the Cleveland.com poll, with the Michigan duo of running back Blake Corum and quarterback J.J. McCarthy finishing second and third. Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean was named preseason defensive player of the year, edging Illinois lineman Jer'Zhan Newton.