Big Ten reporters predict the Gophers football team will finish in the middle of the pack in 2021. Minnesota was picked to finish fourth in the seven-team Big Ten West division this fall, according to the annual cleveland.com poll released Wednesday. The poll of 34 reporters named Ohio State, the U's opponent to open the 2021 season, as the unanimous pick to win the East division. Voters selected Wisconsin to win the West with 29 first-place votes; Iowa took the other five top votes. The Buckeyes, who will start a new quarterback who has yet to throw a collegiate pass, were picked to beat the Badgers or Hawkeyes on all but one ballots. A single voter picked Wisconsin to top Ohio State. - Pioneer Press