Publication says Michigan football will win the B1G in 2012, but won't be as good as Ohio State

By Nick Baumgardner University of Michigan Sports Reporter

Posted on Thu, Jun 14, 2012 : 2:12 p.m.

The hype surrounding the 2012 Michigan football team has been burning hot ever since the 2011 squad left the Sugar Bowl victorious.

Athlon Sports, a college football preview magazine, contributed to the Wolverine hype machine this week by picking Michigan to topple Wisconsin in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game.

There's just one catch, though.

Michigan might be Athlon's choice for Big Ten champion -- but its not the magazine's pick for the league's best team.

That'd be Ohio State.

Athlon predicts the Wolverines to finish the season with an 11-2 record, a 7-1 mark in Big Ten play and a victory over the Badgers in the conference title game.

The publication doesn't break down game-by-game predictions, but does list Ohio State at 11-1 overall, 7-1 in conference play. But, because OSU isn't eligible for postseason play next year, the Buckeyes don't make Athlon's title-game prediction.

Elsewhere in the Big Ten, Athlon predicts Nebraska to finish 10-2 (6-2), Michigan State to finish 9-3 (5-3) and Wisconsin to go 9-4 (5-3).

Tags: Wolverines,

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Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.