The Big Ten won the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the first time in the 11-year history of the event last season, squeaking out a 6-5 advantage in the head-to-head college basketball games.

This year the Big Ten is expected to win for the first time. The three-day schedule tips off tonight when Virginia travels to Minnesota. Five games follow on Tuesday night, including Michigan at Clemson, and five more on Wednesday.

Will the Big Ten win again? My predictions for every game follow, along with polls for you to cast a vote.

TODAY Virginia at Minnesota (7 p.m., ESPN2): The Gophers have been one of the nation’s surprise teams, knocking off North Carolina and West Virginia in Puerto Rico. Led by Blake Hoffarber and Marquette transfer Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota looks like one of the best teams in the country, let alone the Big Ten.

Pick: Minnesota 78, Virginia 65

TUESDAY Michigan at Clemson (9 p.m., ESPN2): A lot of newness will be on display in South Carolina. Brad Brownell is in his first year coaching Clemson and his team is adjusting to a new style. Michigan's John Beilein has four new players and a bunch who are still learning college basketball. Both teams have been tested early, but Beilein’s team will win a couple games it isn't supposed to this year. This is one of them. Bonus prediction: Stu Douglass will have 15 points.

Pick: Michigan 65, Clemson 63

Ohio State at Florida State (7:30 p.m., ESPN): The Buckeyes have shown incredible balance, getting points from throughout its top seven players. They also have the Big Ten's best win to date, knocking off Florida in Gainesville, 93-75. Now they go back to Florida to face perhaps the best player in the ACC in Chris Singleton. But Ohio State continues to roll. Pick the Buckeyes.

Pick: Ohio State 90, Florida State 75

Georgia Tech at Northwestern (7 p.m., ESPN2): Northwestern hasn’t played a team worth anything this season while Georgia Tech, after an early loss to Kennesaw State, might have found itself in Atlantic City against UTEP and Syracuse. Glen Rice Jr. is a good slasher and Brian Oliver, as he proved against the Orange, can fill it up.

Pick: Georgia Tech 65, Northwestern 60

North Carolina at Illinois (9:30 p.m., ESPN): The Tar Heels have looked unimpressive through the season’s first three weeks and stud freshman Harrison Barnes has struggled to get things going. Illinois, meanwhile, has a deep, experienced crew and one of the nation’s top point guards in Demetri McCamey. This might end up being the fastest-paced game in the Challenge.

Pick: Illinois 80, North Carolina 73

Iowa at Wake Forest (7 p.m., ESPNU): The Challenge has a dud every season, and this one is it for 2010. Both teams brought in new coaches this year and have fought through expected early-season struggles. Wake is at home, but Iowa has the better losses. When in doubt, take the home team.

Pick: Wake Forest 60, Iowa 58

WEDNESDAY Purdue at Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m., ESPN): The Robbie Hummel-effect finally caught up to the Boilermakers against a better-than-you-think Richmond team over the weekend. Now Purdue, which lost its senior forward to a season-ending ACL injury in October, has to go on the road and face a good Virginia Tech team. Malcolm Delaney is one of the ACC’s top players and Tech’s two losses are to Kansas State (73-57) and UNLV (71-59). Not terrible.

Pick: Virginia Tech 77, Purdue 71

North Carolina State at Wisconsin (7:15 p.m., ESPN2): Bo Ryan’s Badger team is still finding itself and fell apart down the stretch in Orlando against No. 25 Notre Dame. But Jon Leuer will get it going at home and the Kohl Center has been disastrous for opponents since Bo Ryan got to Madison.

Pick: Wisconsin 65, N.C. State 57

Indiana at Boston College (7:15 p.m., ESPNU): Neither one of these teams is likely to be in the NCAA tournament come March, but Tom Crean is starting to build something in Bloomington. He’s recruiting well and an early creampuff schedule gives his team confidence. Christian Watford will do to BC what Leuer did to the Eagles in Orlando (18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists). The Hoosiers keep with their momentum.

Pick: Indiana 71, Boston College 66

Maryland at Penn State (9:15 p.m., ESPN2): The Terrapins have lost to both major conference teams they played, but Penn State is nowhere close in talent to Pittsburgh and Illinois. Maryland sophomore forward Jordan Williams will dominate Penn State inside and be the difference for the Terps.

Pick: Maryland 71, Penn State 60

Michigan State at Duke (9:30 p.m., ESPN): The marquee matchup in this year's Challenge will have two Final Four contenders and, perhaps, the two best coaches in college basketball going head-to-head. Duke has steamrolled everyone it has played, from teams in the top 5 (Kansas State, 82-68) to also-rans (Colgate, 110-58). The Spartans played close games at the Maui Invitational, but didn’t look quite into form yet. Duke, meanwhile, looks like it picked up where it left off in Indianapolis in April. Michigan State will keep it close, but there will be no upset in Cameron. Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith are too good.

Pick: Duke 85, Michigan State 78

Michael Rothstein covers Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.