By Ron Raymond – ATS Stats
When it comes to college football betting, the Big Ten Conference isn’t just about touchdowns and rivalries — it’s a market. Every Saturday, point spreads become stock prices, and ATS (Against the Spread) records act like earnings reports. If you treat each program like a stock on Wall Street, some teams are blue-chip investments, while others are junk bonds waiting to sink your bankroll.
Using the ATS STATS database, here’s the full breakdown of Big Ten ATS records over the last three years, including both favorite and underdog positions.
📊 Big Ten ATS Balance Sheet (Last 3 Years)
| Team | ATS as Favorite | ATS as Underdog | Overall ATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 7-10-1 | 6-9-0 | 13-19-1 |
| Indiana | 11-4-1 | 10-5-0 | 21-9-1 |
| Iowa | 15-11-1 | 4-3-0 | 19-14-1 |
| Maryland | 9-8-0 | 9-5-0 | 18-13-0 |
| Michigan | 22-13-3 | 5-3-0 | 27-16-3 |
| Michigan St | 5-15-1 | 7-15-0 | 12-30-1 |
| Minnesota | 19-13-1 | 6-7-0 | 25-20-1 |
| Nebraska | 7-7-0 | 5-14-0 | 12-21-0 |
| Northwestern | 4-6-0 | 8-10-0 | 12-16-0 |
| Ohio State | 22-16-2 | 0-0-0 | 22-16-2 |
| Oregon | 14-9-0 | 1-3-1 | 15-12-1 |
| Penn State | 20-15-1 | 1-5-0 | 21-20-1 |
| Purdue | 4-7-0 | 8-18-0 | 12-25-0 |
| Rutgers | 10-5-0 | 9-11-2 | 19-16-2 |
| Southern Cal | 13-15-0 | 4-2-0 | 17-17-0 |
| UCLA | 7-12-0 | 9-6-3 | 16-18-3 |
| Washington | 13-14-1 | 13-7-0 | 26-21-1 |
| Wisconsin | 12-13-1 | 3-4-0 | 15-17-1 |
📈 Blue-Chip Programs – Safe Investments
- Michigan (27-16-3 ATS) – The Wolverines have delivered steady profits, especially as road favorites (13-2-0). They’re the Tesla stock of the Big Ten: pricey, but explosive for investors.
- Indiana (21-9-1 ATS) – Yes, Indiana. Quietly one of the best ATS performers in the Big Ten, cashing in both as a favorite and as a dog. They’ve been the undervalued tech stock of the conference.
- Iowa (19-14-1 ATS) – Like a dividend-paying utility stock. The Hawkeyes don’t dazzle, but their grind-it-out style keeps cashing tickets.
📉 Liability Programs – Junk Bonds
- Michigan State (12-30-1 ATS) – The worst ATS record in the Big Ten over the last three years. A toxic stock that’s been draining bankrolls.
- Purdue (12-25-0 ATS) – Especially weak as underdogs (8-18-0 ATS). If you’ve been investing in Purdue, you’ve been shorting your own account.
- Nebraska (12-21-0 ATS) – Still priced on 1990s name value, not fundamentals. A brand-name trap stock.
📊 Mixed Market Movers
- Ohio State (22-16-2 ATS as favorite) – Always expensive, rarely undervalued, but still a steady return. Think Apple stock: not cheap, but rarely fails.
- Penn State (21-20-1 ATS) – Almost breakeven overall. Reliable as a favorite, weak as a dog.
- Washington (26-21-1 ATS) – One of the strongest new entrants in the Big Ten. Balanced and profitable.
💎 Value Plays – Hidden Gems
- Illinois (13-19-1 ATS) – Ugly at home as favorites, but strong on the road as dogs (4-0). The ultimate buy low, sell high play.
- Minnesota (25-20-1 ATS) – Solid as a home favorite (11-6-0). The ETF of the Big Ten, steady and consistent.
- Rutgers (19-16-2 ATS) – Quietly profitable both ways, showing more stability than expected.
🆕 New Market Entrants – West Coast IPOs
- Oregon (15-12-1 ATS) – Profitable road favorite, already looks like a blue-chip IPO.
- Washington (26-21-1 ATS) – Balanced across both roles, one of the stronger newcomers.
- UCLA (16-18-3 ATS) – Decent underdog returns (9-6-3), weak favorite returns.
- USC (17-17-0 ATS) – Shiny brand name, but ATS returns are break-even. Overvalued hype stock.
🏦 Big Ten Betting Portfolio Strategy
If you’re treating Big Ten betting like Wall Street investing:
- Buy: Michigan (road favorites), Indiana (all positions), Iowa (steady), Washington (new gem).
- Hold: Ohio State (expensive but safe), Penn State (stable), Minnesota (quiet returns).
- Sell: Michigan State (toxic), Nebraska (overvalued), Purdue (money pit).
Final Thoughts
Sports betting in the Big Ten is a lot like investing. Some programs are safe blue chips (Michigan, Ohio State), others are undervalued gems (Indiana, Illinois road dogs), and a few are junk bonds you should avoid at all costs (Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska).
👉 For more college football betting trends, ATS records, and Raymond Report insights, visit ATSStats.com.
