Wisconsin, Nebraska the favorites to win division titles

Yes, Wisconsin shared last year’s Big Ten title and made its first Rose Bowl appearance in 11 years. Virtually everything went right for the Badgers.

But if ever there was a Big Ten season that dovetails with Wisconsin’s philosophies, then it’s the one that opens Sept. 3 at venues from coast to coast.

“I love to get into a magazine, a newspaper article, an Internet article to hear about change in other programs,” Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. “Because to me, the more you change, the more you have an opportunity to fail.

“At Wisconsin, we’re kind of boring. We do the same thing every day. And for us, it’s been very, very successful.”

With four new head coaches in the league — Indiana’s Kevin Wilson, Michigan’s Brady Hoke, Minnesota’s Jerry Kill and Ohio State’s Luke Fickell — as well as the inevitable learning curve for Big Ten newbie Nebraska, there are lots of opportunities to fail.

Judging by the results of a Cleveland Plain Dealer poll, Wisconsin should be one of the primary beneficiaries of the changes.

According to the 24 beat writers polled — two from each school — the Badgers are expected to ease past Ohio State and Penn State for the first Leaders Division title.

There’s just one catch to Bielema’s theory: Nebraska got the nod in the first Legends Division race.

Of the 17 writers who picked Nebraska and Wisconsin to meet in the inaugural Big Ten championship game on Dec. 3 in Indianapolis, 10 picked the Huskers to win.

Nebraska gets the nod with a marvelous defense that features potential All-Americans in defensive tackle Jared Crick, linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.

Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini, an Ohio State starting safety and co-captain in 1990, admitted it’s a challenge to prepare for 11 first-time opponents. He doesn’t exactly view it as an obstacle.

“We’re going to do what we do and we’re going to do it well,” Pelini said. “We’re not really going to adapt what we do to the conference. We’re going to hopefully make the conference adapt to what we do.”

Pure Persa: Ever since he ruptured his right Achilles tendon on Nov. 13, Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa has been pelted with questions about his health status.The 2010 first-team all-Big Ten selection faced another onslaught of queries on Thursday, but offered a similar answer every time.#147;It#146;s 100 percent healed,#148; Persa said. #147;I#146;m ready to go.#148;NU coach Pat Fitzgerald said Persa will get his share of reps during fall camp, but Fitzgerald will do his best to ease the senior#146;s transition back to the field.Persa#146;s only competitive throws in the last eight months have come during the team#146;s 7-on-7 drills this summer.#147;You just use training camp to get back to that tiptop shape that you were in and he#146;ll be fine,#148; Fitzgerald said. #147;Anyone that#146;s had a major injury, you know there are days that you feel great and you push it a little harder.#147;Then it might (get irritated) and you back it down. It#146;s just an ebb-and-flow.#148;