Well, well, here we stand at the start of a new season. Everyone is sitting (standing, sitting, isn’t English hilarious?) at 0-0, no fans are irate yet…except for those at Maryland and Ohio State who are rightfully pissed at their horrible human head coaches…and everyone has dreams of making it to Indianapolis. Like I always do on this blog, the times are central time zone because I live in Chicago, and I hate hearing 10/9 central. So there.
*Note, with Thursday and Friday night games still rare in the Big Ten, I’ll highlight those like this: Thursday or Friday, in order to have them stand out a bit until we all get used to this new scheduling. For week one, we have two games on each weekday.
Game of the Week:
Michigan at Notre Dame
Not only are the Wolverines one of just three Big Ten teams opening on the road, they are the only league member playing a ranked opponent. While this is an awesome marquee match-up for all of us, Michigan fans have to be somewhat concerned considering their club is 0 for their last 16 in road games against ranked opponents. However, this is the best team Harbaugh has had because their defense has several future NFL players and Shea Patterson now runs the offense. The Irish are a nice team, but don’t feel as set under center or feature as good a defense so the opportunity is clearly there for the Maize and Blue.
- Saturday, 6:30 pm, NBC
Sleeper:
Not just a conference opener to enjoy later tonight but a dandy, too. Northwestern is coming off a 10-win campaign and Purdue stunned a whole lot of us Big Ten folk by making a bowl last year. A bowl they won, thank you very much. PU got to the post-season with an experienced D covering up a lot of glaring holes on offense. Unfortunately they have to replace eight of those starters. Across the field Northwestern has a lot of pieces back but are down Justin Jackson, the program’s all-time leading rusher, from graduation and starting QB Clayton Thorson tore his ACL in NU’s bowl win last December. One game does not make a season but we will know so much more about these dark horse contenders once this one goes final.
- Thursday, 7:00 pm, ESPN
Don’t Forget:
Presumably Iowa won’t suspend every player and actually play this game. Anyway, the Huskies are one of the favorites in the MAC because they are a balanced, well-coached club that brings a solid defense to Iowa City. The good news is that Noah Fant is such a match-up nightmare for even Big Ten teams that there is a decent shot of the passing game clicking early in this one. Honestly though, Hawkeyes needs to bring their A game, because NIU will be ready just like they were in 2013 when they upset Iowa in Kinnick.
- Saturday, 2:30 pm, BTN
Snoozer:
The RU offense is so bad that most of their games are going to be boring but then you factor in Texas State?! To recap: San Marcos went 2-10 last year with their wins coming against FCS Houston Baptist and Coastal Carolina, a team in their first year of FBS. Among their lowlights, a 62-9 stomping by Troy. In their one match-up against a power-five school last year, they put up just 3 points and couldn’t move the ball against…………….. ……………….Colorado. Eww.
- Saturday, 11:00 am, BTN…or sleep in because frankly, most of the 11 am slate is ragged looking.
Upset Watch:
Right End – Maryland pulled this exact same upset last year at Texas only it was way more impressive because it was down in Austin. It has been a heartbreaking offseason in College Park but there are still some great aspects to this Maryland roster like the quarterback, running back, and offensive line talent and depth. Even with all the D.J. Durkin stuff to unravel, don’t count the Turtles out just yet.
- Maryland vs Texas, Saturday, 11:00 am, FS1
Wrong End – Admittedly it is a long shot but Michigan State’s week one opponent is considered a dark horse in the Mountain West. Utah State welcomes back one of the most experienced roster in their conference (MSU is also insanely experienced) so the Aggies probably won’t crumble at the sight of Spartan Stadium like some teams. USU also has a game-changing kicker that could tip the scales if the Aggies are still somehow sniffing around in the fourth quarter.
- Michigan State vs Utah State, Friday, 6:00 pm, BTN
Elsewhere (Alphabetical Order):
Illinois vs Kent State – The Flashes are the bottom dwellers of the MAC. Lovie has got to win this one, seriously. I mean Kent State is picked to finish last in a MAC division, this is simply a game a Big Ten member cannot stumble in.
- Saturday, 11:00 am, BTN
Indiana at Florida International – Butch Davis had his senior laden team smash all expectations and make a bowl last year. Now the tricky party will be getting all those new starters to jell. Still, IU is replacing eight starters on defense and facing a true road test so Hoosier fans have to be, what’s that phrase, ah yes, cautiously optimistic.
- Saturday, 6:00 pm, CBSSN
Minnesota vs New Mexico State – Aggies made a bowl last year but graduated a lot of talent and it showed in a week zero blowout loss to Wyoming. Big opportunity for Minnesota’s new signal caller, Zack Annextad, to get comfortable.
- Thursday, 6:00 pm, BTN
Nebraska vs Akron – Zips are a fun MAC club that surprised pretty much everyone in the league by making the title game in 2017 but they really struggled against power-five programs as well as upper level MAC teams so even a rebuilding Husker club should win this one.
- Saturday, 7:00 pm, Fox
Ohio State vs Oregon State – The Beavers are on a short list for worst power-five clubs coming into this season. Even Vegas agrees with a spread almost hitting 40 points. At least the Buckeyes can say they scheduled a Pac 12 team, right?
- Saturday, 11:00 am, ABC
Penn State vs Appalachian State – The Mountaineers are a contender for the Sun Belt with good reason but Penn State is in another class than the boys from Boone, NC. An upset would be almost as jarring as when Appy State did it to Michigan a few years ago.
- Saturday, 2:30 pm, BTN
Wisconsin vs Western Kentucky – Badgers rebuilt defense gets a nice opponent to go up against with the Hilltoppers. WKU finished a respectable 60th a season ago but graduated their top two receivers and quarterback so a lot of the bite is gone.
- Friday, 8:00 pm, ESPN
Random Musing:
Despite feeling like the first time the two largest OSUs in the nation have faced each other it is in fact the third time. OSU-Buckeye won the previous two match-ups in 1974 and 1984. Objectively, the Big Ten’s OSU is the better program historically; however, if this game is ever a bowl, you might want to take the Beavers. The Pac 12’s OSU is 9-6-0 in bowls, a .600 winning percentage which is 18th best in all of football. The Bucks are a paltry 24-25-0, a .490 winning percentage which drops the nutters all the way down to 43rd in bowl winning percentage. Pathetic.
Big Ten and Counting 