After the way the non-conference season played out, a lot of Big Ten teams are glad to get a fresh start as the new year arrives.
The conference had a dozen embarrassing losses in November and December, notably New Jersey Institute of Technology’s upset at Michigan and Incarnate Word’s stunner at Nebraska.
Is the league in a bit of a funk? Only Wisconsin (No. 4), Maryland (No. 12) and Ohio State (No. 20) are in the Top 25 this week. A year ago, three of the top five teams were from the Big Ten, and six teams appeared in the Top 25 at least one week in 2013-14.
Preseason favorite Wisconsin (12-1) is right on track as Big Ten play begins Tuesday. The fourth-ranked Badgers have beaten everybody they should – their only loss was to No. 2 Duke – and they’re allowing just 52 points a game.
Ohio State (11-2) is beating opponents by an average of 26.8 points, the second-best mark in the nation, but the Buckeyes’ wins have come against undistinguished competition.