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The Big Ten had a very good regular season, but struggled through a bowl season that saw most its teams lose to out of conference competition. That being said, the conference will almost assuredly have some of the top squads in the nation in 2011, and here is an early look at who is most likely to win this year’s national championship.

The Ohio State Buckeyes will be without their top quarterback, running back and wide receiver for the first five games of the season, but that doesn’t stop them from having a 2012 BCS National Championships line of +2,000. Only one of those games should even be close without their starters, based on their perennially dominant defense.

Michigan Wolverines’ quarterback Denard Robinson was sailing through the first five games of this season. The nation’s most electrifying player, however, was shut down last week in a loss to in state rival Michigan State. He was held to just 86 yards rushing, well below his average of over 150 yards per game. He will look to rebound this week as Michigan hosts the 15th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are 4-1 this season, winning with a balanced offensive attack and a smothering defense. In their last game, they crushed Penn State 24-3. Iowa is a 3 point favorite in the college football betting lines.

Heisman candidate and college football’s most exciting player Denard Robinson will be on the big stage this weekend. Robinson and the 18th ranked Michigan Wolverines will host the 17th ranked Michigan State Spartans for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Both of these teams are 5-0 and looking to keep pace with Ohio State for a possible Big Ten championship.

The Michigan Wolverines are coming off a close win over Indiana, 42-35, while the Spartans most recently scored an impressive win over then 11th ranked Wisconsin. The college football lines have the Wolverines as a 4.5 point favorite.

2009 Total Offense Rank (yards per game): 59
2009 Total Defense Rank (yards per game): 82

In Rich Rodriguez’s first two years as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, the team has been an utter disappointment. After starting the 2009 season 4-0, they won only one game the rest of the season. The blue and maize faithful won’t put up with another subpar year, so Rodriguez better work fast.