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2011 Bowl Projections: Likely Just One BCS Slot For Big Ten

Even though we know that the Minnesota Golden Gophers are absolutely, positively nowhere near going to a bowl game this season, that doesn't mean the rest of the Big Ten has slowed down. In fact, the Big Ten might be the most well-balanced conference in the nation this season.

A couple of weeks ago, the talk was that the Big Ten might be able to get two teams into BCS bowl games this season. However, with Wisconsin losing again (which warms the cockles of this writer's heart) as well as Michigan State getting trounced by Nebraska, it looks like only the conference champion will be partaking in the BCS festivities this year, and they'll be heading to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

The folks at the mothership have gathered the bowl projections of four different writers in an effort to try to figure out who is going where. You can either go there and try to find all of the Big Ten teams in the jumble. . .or you can go over the jump, where we've already done all of that for you.

Phil Steele

Michigan State - Rose Bowl (vs. Oregon)
Nebraska - Outback Bowl (vs. South Carolina)
Penn State - Gator Bowl (vs. Florida)
Wisconsin - Capital One Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Iowa - TicketCity Bowl (vs. Tulsa)
Ohio State - Texas Bowl (vs. Baylor)
Michigan - Insight Bowl (vs. Kansas State)
Illinois - Little Caesar's Bowl (vs. Toledo)

Scout.com

Wisconsin - Rose Bowl (vs. Oregon)
Nebraska - Outback Bowl (vs. Georgia)
Michigan State - Gator Bowl (vs. Florida)
Michigan - Capitol One Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Illinois - TicketCity Bowl (vs. SMU)
Ohio State - Texas Bowl (vs. Texas A&M)
Penn State - Insight Bowl (vs. Texas)
Iowa - Little Caesar's Bowl (vs. Toledo)

Brad Edwards (ESPN)

Wisconsin - Rose Bowl (vs. Oregon)
Nebraska - Outback Bowl (vs. South Carolina)
Ohio State - Gator Bowl (vs. Florida)
Michigan - Capitol One Bowl (vs. Georgia)
Iowa - TicketCity Bowl (vs. SMU)
Penn State - Texas Bowl (vs. Missouri)
Michigan State - Insight Bowl (vs. Kansas State)
Illinois - Little Caesar's Bowl (vs. Northern Illinois)

Mark Schlabach (ESPN)

Nebraska - Rose Bowl (vs. Stanford)
Penn State - Outback Bowl (vs. South Carolina)
Wisconsin - Gator Bowl (vs. Florida)
Michigan - Capitol One Bowl (vs. Arkansas)
Illinois - TicketCity Bowl (vs. SMU)
Ohio State - Texas Bowl (vs. Baylor)
Michigan State - Insight Bowl (vs. Texas A&M)
Iowa - Little Caesar's Bowl (vs. Temple)

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.