Big Ten division races unsettled with two weeks left

Nothing is settled in the Big Ten with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Michigan State leads the Legends Division and Penn State is at the top of the Leaders Division. They will meet on Dec. 4 in Indianapolis for the conference title if they win out.

But the conference has been unpredictable all season. Wisconsin looked like a national title contender, but lost to Michigan State and Ohio State. Penn State was cruising, but now coach Joe Paterno is out, and the Nittany Lions will have to hold off Wisconsin.

In all, eight teams are in the hunt to win their divisions. Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said the element of a conference title game will make the final weeks of the season more interesting than usual.

Michigan State (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) appears to have the easiest road of any conference team, closing at home against Indiana and at Northwestern. Dantonio has seen enough craziness in the conference to know he can?t overlook anyone, so he?s pushing his team to be focused Saturday against the struggling Hoosiers (1-9, 0-6).

?We?ve become a little bit of the hunted team because we stand on top right now,? he said. ?There?s a little added significance when people play against us, so we need to play big, and we need to understand that with where we?re at, we need to respect each and every opponent.?

In the Legends Division, Michigan State leads Nebraska (8-2, 4-2) and Michigan (8-2, 4-2) by a game. Nebraska plays at Michigan on Saturday. Iowa (6-4, 3-3) is mathematically alive heading into Saturday?s game at Purdue.

Nebraska controlled the Legends Division after beating Michigan State handily, but the Cornhuskers lost to Northwestern the next week and now will need help to reach the title game.

In the Leaders Division, Penn State (8-2, 5-1) still leads the pack, despite coming off a 17-14 loss at home to Nebraska. Wisconsin (8-2, 4-2) can get to Indy with wins over Illinois this week and Penn State next week.