Post by doc on Sept 17, 2018 15:22:58 GMT
1. Ohio State - where I expected them to be. Great job by Ryan Day keeping the team focused on the business at hand throughout the Urban Meyer controversy - he will be a head coach someday, probably next year. (Just don't take a job at Kansas or Rutgers - that's career suicide.) Dwayne Haskins has proven he was the right QB for the starting job (but happy for Joe Burrow at LSU) and with all his weapons he should put up record breaking numbers. The defense will miss Nick Bosa during his injury but more importantly, needs to take better pursuit angles - they've already allowed 3 TD runs of 80 yards or more. The defensive line is solid - the linebackers need to play without thinking, once the comfort sets in, they'll be fine - let's get that done this week.
2. Penn State - after a shaky start against Stumpy's Mountaineers, they've hammered their last 2 opponents. They should have a cakewalk at Illionis this Friday - they just need to keep McSorely from getting hurt and it will set up quite a showdown in Happy Valley against the Buckeyes on September 29.
3. Iowa - Their defense is looking stout. They play a power style offense and look to wear down defenses in the second half. They play Wisconsin in Iowa City on Saturday and a win could put them in complete control of the BIG Ten West after one divisional game.
4. Wisconsin - a very disappointing loss to BYU - really embarrassing; perhaps they were reading all the press clipping predicting they were the team to beat to represent the BIG Ten in college football playoff. I never bought into that - I watched Ohio State try to give them a win last December and their QB wasn't capable of putting the team on his back and pulling out a victory. Stop the run, you stop Wisconsin. They have 2 and 3 star players who play sound, fundamental football but they can't match the top teams athletically. I actually think Iowa wins on Saturday.
5. Michigan - I've only watched them play once against Notre Dame - I wasn't all that impressed with Patterson but it was his first game back from injury and as a member of the Wolverine team. you really can't deduce much from the wins over Western Michigan and SMU - those teams are vastly outmatched. I doubt Nebraska posses much of a threat this weekend either - the next test will be in mid-October when Wisconsin comes to town - that will most likely be a do or die game for both teams.
6. Michigan State - the Spartans generally start slow and pick up steam in October and November. They get Michigan the week after the Wolverines play Wisconsin but they'll bre coming off a trip to Penn State. i actually think they're on upset alert this week as the travel to undefeated and very confident, Indiana.
7. Indiana - off to a 3-0 start but the wins are over FIU, Virginia and Ball State. If they can knock off the Spartans this weekend, I think they could be bowl bound, which would be a huge accomplishment for the Hoosiers. MSU better be ready.
8. Maryland - Beat Texas and lose to Temple?! That can't happen - a horrible loss. I think 6-6 is the best they can hope for and that will be a stretch - 4-8 is more likely.
9. Northwestern - may be the most disappointing team in the league so far - you can't lose to a MAC school at home, especially one that hadn't beaten a BIG Ten team since '94, that's 1894 (and that was Ohio State!). I really thought the Wildcats would challenge in the BIG West but I don't see that happening after losses to Duke and Akron. They have a buy this week before Michigan comes to town - time to refocus and put in 2 solid weeks to prepare for the Wolverines.
10. Nebraska - Wow, how low can it get? Lose to Troy who was shellacked by Boise State who got hammered by Oklahoma State. Gonna be a long year in Lincoln. Their east division games are Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State. They only have one scholarship QB and there's no way he's going to survive the season plkaying the east heavyweights plus Wisconsin, Iowa and the like. Welcome home, Scott Frost!
11. Purdue - If Northwestern isn't the most disappointing team then Purdue is. I had high expectations for the Boilers yet there they sit, 0-3. As I said earlier this year, they're not going to sneak up on anyone this season. They'll be hard pressed to make a bowl game but on the plus side, they probably won't lose their coach who really is one of the rising stars of coaching - with a little luck the Boilers could be 3-0 and feeling good about the future. Ignorant penalties will kill you.
12. Illinois - Lovie's beard is the only difference from last year. I only see 2 possible wins the rest of the way for the Illini - and a new coach in 2019.
13. Minnesota - They're 3-0 with a decent win over Fresno State. Their early October games vs Iowa and Ohio State will be great litmus tests - Fleck appears to have the Gophers playing hard and trending in the right direction.
14. Rutgers - the worst team in the BIG. I wouldn't take a job there, you're just being set up to fail. NJ has decent recruits but thewy all go to PSU or OSU or VT or Michigan State; anywhere but staying home. They need a guy with Jersey roots to keep some of those kids at home, good luck.
