Top OOC games for the Big Ten in 2022:
Like Iowa State in 2021, will the Sooners be a Top 25 program at season's end in 2022? As one coach pointed out for the Sooners, "the best and most talented program in our league (Big 12) year in and year out, and now they're dealing with more change than they've seen in 20-son odd years." Some expect Brent Venables to have a transition year. We shall see. An excellent opportunity for the Huskers in Week 3 in Lincoln. The Sooners host UTEP and Kent State ahead of the showdown with their old rival, the Huskers!
Will Nebraska become one in 2022?
This will likely be a transitional year for the Huskers. For four seasons, since Scott Frost was hired in 2018, the Huskers are 15-29. As a head coach, Scott Frost has dropped two game below .500 in six years, as a head coach. New QB, new OC, new offensive staff, so it should be an interesting 2022 season throughout the Big Ten, in both the East and the West divisions. Likely, the division will be gone for 2023, and we will see a new slate of conference games and match ups.
First up, the 2022 season.
QB Casey Thompson (probable starter) - now at Nebraska (3-9 in 2021), he started 10 games for Texas. Thompson was 4-6 as a starting QB, overcoming six straight losses, including a 30-7 loss at Iowa State, and a 57-56 OT loss at Kansas. Texas was 5-7 in 2021 (3 way tie for 7th) ahead of one-win Big 12 KU. The Longhorns don't play defense well. The likely next step in 2022:
- Notre Dame at Ohio State in Week 1 is a Top 10 showdown to kickoff 2022
- Oklahoma at Nebraska in Week 3, so will both programs be undefeated, when the Sooners visit Lincoln? OU first two games: UTEP and Kent State in 2022
- Cincinnati at Indiana in Week 3 is a statement opportunity to reignite Tom Allen's Hoosiers program, but they also must weather Illinois, Idaho and WKU first!
- Penn State at Auburn in Week 3 as the Nittany Lions won 28-20 last year in Happy Valley; "if he (Bryan Harsin) survives this, it will be the greatest trial by fire ever" as the Tiger nation is on fire in 2022
- Rutgers at Boston College in Week 1, as Greg Schiano and the Scarlet Knights host both Iowa and Nebraska in the first half of Big Ten play in 2022
- Iowa State at Iowa in Week 2. as the Cy-Hawk Game returns to Iowa City for the first time, since 2018 ... last year's game was the biggest game in the rivalry, since it began in 1977 in Iowa City
- Michigan State at Washington in Week 3, as Mel Tucker took care of business at Miami-FL in Week 3 of 2021, winning 38-17, unlike the 49-7 loss in Week 3 of 2020 ... will it work in 2022?
- Purdue at Syracuse in Week 3, as Jeff Brohm opens 2022 with a B1G showdown against Penn State in West Lafayette
- Washington State at Wisconsin in Week 2, as Cougars head coach Jake Dickert (3-3) enters first full season, after replacing Nico Rolovich since Rolo wouldn't vaccinate in 2021
- Maryland at Michigan in Week 4 to open Big Ten, though they do host SMU in Week 3 in College Park in OOC; for some odd and lowly reason the Terrapins are @ Charlotte in Week 2
- Virginia at Illinois in Week 2 as Bret Bielema attempts to rebound in Year 2, after a 42-14 on the road, as part of a four game losing steak, after the upset win over Nebraska to open his era in Champaign
- Miami-OH at Northwestern in Week 4, though some may ask, why isn't the P5 showdown between Duke in Week 2 not listed?
- Colorado State at Michigan in Week 1, instead of UCLA (awful OOC, as well) in 2022, as the Wolverines host bottom 10 programs Hawaii and UConn, as well, before kicking off the Big Ten at home ... it was apparently the Wolverines decision to scratch the home and home with UCLA
- Colorado at Minnesota in Week 3, as the Buffaloes lost 30-0 last year in Boulder ... this game could be higher on the list, assuming CU can take care of business with TCU and at Air Force ahead of Week 3
- Jerry Kill returns to Big Ten for two B1G games for his new home New Mexico State: Week 1 at Minnesota and Week 3 at Wisconsin, as he faces both Paul Bunyan's Axe rivals in 2022
Like Iowa State in 2021, will the Sooners be a Top 25 program at season's end in 2022? As one coach pointed out for the Sooners, "the best and most talented program in our league (Big 12) year in and year out, and now they're dealing with more change than they've seen in 20-son odd years." Some expect Brent Venables to have a transition year. We shall see. An excellent opportunity for the Huskers in Week 3 in Lincoln. The Sooners host UTEP and Kent State ahead of the showdown with their old rival, the Huskers!
Will Nebraska become one in 2022?
This will likely be a transitional year for the Huskers. For four seasons, since Scott Frost was hired in 2018, the Huskers are 15-29. As a head coach, Scott Frost has dropped two game below .500 in six years, as a head coach. New QB, new OC, new offensive staff, so it should be an interesting 2022 season throughout the Big Ten, in both the East and the West divisions. Likely, the division will be gone for 2023, and we will see a new slate of conference games and match ups.
First up, the 2022 season.
QB Casey Thompson (probable starter) - now at Nebraska (3-9 in 2021), he started 10 games for Texas. Thompson was 4-6 as a starting QB, overcoming six straight losses, including a 30-7 loss at Iowa State, and a 57-56 OT loss at Kansas. Texas was 5-7 in 2021 (3 way tie for 7th) ahead of one-win Big 12 KU. The Longhorns don't play defense well. The likely next step in 2022: