With Week 8 of the college football season approaching, sole possession of first place in the Big Ten West is once again up for grabs as a wonky year in one of the sport’s quirkiest divisions continues. If Purdue (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) wins as a slight underdog at Wisconsin (3-4, 1-3), the Boilermakers will sit alone atop the standings ahead of Illinois (6-1, 3-1) since the Illini are off this week. © Provided by CBS Sports But if Wisconsin wins, the Badgers will escape last-place in the division and Illinois could take over sole possession of first. Such a sentence would have been unfathomable before the season, but the Big Ten West is upside-down compared to preseason expectations, mostly thanks to Illinois. The No. 18 Illini were picked to finish sixth in the league’s unofficial preseason media poll but have proven themselves as a legitimate contender while running through…
Continue Reading: Big Ten college football picks, odds in Week 8: Ohio State faces stout defense, Penn State aims for redemption
