Penn State and Iowa Emerge as Ohio State's Top Competition in Big Ten

With Week 1 of the college football season in the books, (except for Ole Miss versus Louisville), we have an early indication of some possible contenders in each conference.

When it comes to the Big 10, Penn State and Iowa have emerged as teams that football fans should keep an eye on.

Penn State upset No. 12 Wisconsin as a 5.5-point underdog in the early slate of games on Saturday. It may not have been the most exciting football game if you’re a fan of points, as the score was 0-0 at the half, but the Nittany Lions did what they needed to do en route to a 16-10 victory.

Speaking of good defense, no other defensive unit in the conference looked as impressive as Iowa's. The Hawkeyes took down No. 17 Indiana 34-6, and it was largely due to the stellar play on the defensive side of the football.

Not only did they hold the Hoosiers to only six points and 233 yards of total offense, but two of the team's four touchdowns came via pick-six.

Ohio State still sits as the -225 favorite to win its fifth straight conference title, but Penn State and Iowa saw its odds shoot up the board after Week 1. Penn State’s odds to win the Big 10 now sit at +600, and Iowa is tied with Wisconsin at +1000.

If there’s any team that’s going to be able to take down the kings of conference in the Buckeyes, it’s going to be one that can slow down the Ohio State offense. Penn State and Iowa showed that they may just be good enough on defense to do just that.

The Nittany Lions are set to take on Ball State in Week 2 action, while Iowa will take on its state rival, Iowa State.

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