Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

If anyone can handle a spreadsheet related curve ball, it's Medina.

Yeah, no shit. It's just a matter of respecting the guy's time, in my mind. He does us all a favor, ya know?

B1G-E compared to B1G-W:

• East 1.12, West 1.94:  East by 0.82
• East 2.94, West 5.53:  East by 2.59
• East 4.65, West 9.59:  East by 4.94
• East 5.35, West 9.65:  East by 4.30
• East 6.76, West 9.88:  East by 3.12
• East 8.88, West 12.35:  East by 3.47
• East 13.24, West 13.29:  East by 0.05

Obviously a lot will change over the course of the season but at present we appear to believe that the East is substantially stronger, particularly in the middle where the East's third, fourth, and fifth best teams (M, MSU, UMD) are ranked far ahead of the West's third, fourth, and fifth best teams (MN, UNL, NU).  

Purdue and NW tanking this week will do that.  Both were ranked much higher before last week.  If those 2 can recover and get back to pre-season expectations,  the west might not look so bad.

Illinois was 0-3 against the East last year (0-6 against the West)
Iowa was 1-2 (4-2)
Minnesota was 0-3 (2-4)
Nebraska was 1-2 (2-4)
Northwestern was 2-1 (5-1)
Purdue was 1-2 (3-3)
Wisconsin was 3-0 (6-0)

Only NU and UW had a winning record against the East, so yeah, there is work to be done. Looking at you, Nebraska, and you, Iowa, in particular. Although Iowa did have that 1 win against the East that probably kept the B1G out of the playoff last year...

The divisions look fairly even at the very top, although OSU is considered elite and UW is not. From there, I'd say it's still fairly even at the #2/3 spots (Iowa and NU in the West, PSU and MSU in the East). From there it kinda gets REALLY ugly though, until you get down to the very bottom (UI and RU) of each division. Those are mid-level MAC teams, at best.

Well, Iowa did play the top 3 teams in the East last year. Won one, and lost another on the last play of the game.
FTR, UW also posted a losing record vs teams in the East Top 3 (0-1) in 2017.

Additionally, looking back just one year further, UW posted a losing record vs the East (1-2), including 0-2 vs teams in the Top 3.

Perhaps instead of looking around, we should all look inward.

Yeah, no shit. It's just a matter of respecting the guy's time, in my mind. He does us all a favor, ya know?

Yes. I can't extend my gratitude enough, for Medina allowing us the use of his analytical brain. 
Not just this, but breaking down the various tie breakers, and telling us what would need to happen in order for a team to win their division no matter how absurd it may be. 
Plus basketball season, which teams only play once and where that game will take place, projecting wins and losses based on his tier system, the Big Ten Tourney tie breakers, what needs to happen in order for two teams to wind up on the same branch of the bracket, and so forth. 
I don't know if he memorizes all that stuff, or programs it all into a series of spreadsheets. Either way, amazing talent. Thanks again for sharing it with us. 

I prefer to look forward rather than backward.

Not to pick nits, but 2017 and 2016 both require a glance backward

FWIW: I'm not saying that @Hawkinole is wrong with his #4 vote for Indiana.  The Hoosiers are 2-0 and could be that good.  However, I don't think so and no other voter thinks so either.  The rest of us all have them #8 - #12.  Also, he did state in his ranking that he felt that #4 through #7 were all about the same and a #7 vote wouldn't have been nearly such an outlier.  

I think I'll have fun with Indiana at least one more week, as they have Ball State, which gave ND a good game Saturday. Indiana is as good as 2-0. I am rewarding good performance. Indiana defeated two FBS teams. Both were 2017 bowl teams.  

Hoosier fans will argue after this coming Saturday that Indiana should be state champion, provided they dispatch Purdue.

Not to pick nits, but 2017 and 2016 both require a glance backward

Looking forward always requires historical knowledge.