#57 in LIVE RPI this a.m., we have positioned ourselves well for a regional and a Top 3 Big Ten finish!
Illinois has the best route to the finish. Note: Illinois doesn't have to play Rutgers or Michigan. Of the top 5 teams, Illinois is the only team that avoids two of the other four. Iowa avoids Maryland. Maryland avoids Iowa. Michigan avoids Illinois. Rutgers avoids Illinois. That written, Illinois is sitting at 19-17 overall with 9 B1G games left and a home weekend non-con series against (#245 RPI) Miami (OH). Its only other mid-week game is hosting (#90 RPI) Indiana State. (Gritting my teeth as I type this thinking of a certain 2 strike/2 out T9 game tying hit) With 13 games left, they'll have to play great baseball to get to 30 regular season wins.
Rutgers, Maryland and Michigan must still play one another.
Iowa's schedule is favorable but they really cannot afford a bad series (translation: cannot lose 2/3 in any series) or a mid-week gag job.
Finishing 17-7 in the B1G gives them a real shot but it will depend upon how the rest of the league performs. As of right now, I expect Illinois and Maryland to finish 1-2 (in some order). If it plays out that way, Iowa will be battling Michigan and Rutgers for 3rd place.
Really hoping that OSU can grab at least 1/3 against Rutgers (in Columbus); Indiana can grab at least 1/3 against Illinois (in Bloomington); Purdue can grab at least 1/3 against Michigan (at West Lafayette) and Northwestern can grab at least 1/3 against Maryland (at College Park).
Notably, of the top 5 teams, only Maryland is playing at home this weekend.
B1G schedules finishing out:
1st Place: Rutgers (12-3): @OSU (3-10); Maryland (9-3); @Michigan (8-4)
2nd Place: Illinois (11-4): @Indiana (4-8); Nebraska (5-7); @PSU (7-8)
3rd Place: Maryland (9-3): Northwestern (6-6); @Rutgers (12-3); Michigan (8-4); @Purdue (4-6)
4th Place (t): Iowa (8-4): @Nebraska (5-7); Purdue (4-6); @MSU (3-9); Indiana (4-8)
4th Place (t): Michigan (8-4): @Purdue (4-6); Indiana (4-8); @Maryland (9-3); Rutgers (12-3)
At this juncture, I'd be more than happy if Rutgers/Maryland/Michigan end up with identical 3-3 records against one another.