Big Ten SOS Rankings: Gophers 9th toughest conference schedule

[SelectionSunday]

These rankings are based on my preseason Big Ten standings projection.

Big Ten SOS Rankings (toughest to easiest)
1 Purdue
2 Penn State
3 Iowa
4 Rutgers
5 Northwestern
6 Michigan
7 Illinois
8 Maryland
9 Minnesota
10 Nebraska
11 Michigan State
12 Ohio State
13 Indiana
14 Wisconsin

Boilermakers
Big Ten SOS: #1
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Indiana
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Dec. 1-Jan. 8 (@ Michigan, Maryland, Iowa, @ Michigan State)
Predicted Finish: 8th (NCAA)

Nittany Lions
Big Ten SOS: #2
Toughest 4 Games: Michigan State, Indiana, @ Michigan, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Jan. 3-Jan. 13 @ Michigan, Wisconsin, @ Nebraska, Michigan State)
Predicted Finish: 13th

Hawkeyes
Big Ten SOS: #3
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Indiana
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Jan. 24-Feb. 7 (Michigan State, @ Minnesota, Michigan, @ Indiana)
Predicted Finish: 9th (NIT)

Scarlet Knights
Big Ten SOS: #4
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Indiana
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Nov. 30-Jan. 9 (Michigan State, @ Wisconsin, Maryland, Ohio State)
Predicted Finish: 14th

Wildcats
Big Ten SOS: #5
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, @ Indiana, Indiana, @ Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Dec. 1-Jan. 6 (@ Indiana, Michigan, @ Michigan State, Illinois)
Predicted Finish: 12th

Wolverines
Big Ten SOS: #6
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, Indiana
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Feb. 24-March 9 (Michigan State, Nebraska, @ Maryland, @ Michigan State)
Predicted Finish: 3rd (NCAA)

Fighting Illini
Big Ten SOS: #7
Toughest 4 Games: Michigan State, @ Indiana, Indiana, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Jan. 26-Feb. 5 (vs. Maryland, @ Minnesota, Nebraska, Michigan State)
Predicted Finish: 11th

Terrapins
Big Ten SOS: #8
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Indiana, @ Michigan, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Jan. 11-21 (Indiana, Wisconsin, @ Ohio State, @ Michigan State)
Predicted Finish: 6th (NCAA)

Gophers
Big Ten SOS: #9
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Indiana, @ Michigan, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Feb. 9-21 (@ Michigan State, @ Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan)
Predicted Finish: 7th (NIT)

Cornhuskers
Big Ten SOS: #10
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, @ Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Feb. 23-March 10 (Purdue, @ Michigan, @ Michigan State, Iowa)
Predicted Finish: 5th (NCAA)

Spartans
Big Ten SOS: #11
Toughest 4 Games: @ Indiana, Indiana, @ Michigan, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Feb. 24-March 9 (@ Michigan, @ Indiana, Nebraska, Michigan)
Predicted Finish: 1st (NCAA)

Buckeyes
Big Ten SOS: #12
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, @ Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Jan. 18-29 (Maryland, Purdue, @ Nebraska, @ Michigan)
Predicted Finish: 10th (NIT)

Hoosiers
Big Ten SOS: #13
Toughest 4 Games: @ Michigan State, Michigan State, @ Michigan, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Jan. 6-19 (@ Michigan, @ Maryland, Nebraska, @ Purdue)
Predicted Finish: 2nd (NCAA)

Badgers
Big Ten SOS: #14
Toughest 4 Games: Michigan State, @ Indiana, @ Michigan, Michigan
Toughest 4-Game Stretch: Feb. 1-12 (Maryland, @ Minnesota, @ Michigan, Michigan State)
Predicted Finish: 4th (NCAA)