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What could the Big Ten West look like after week 1

antirowboat

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Jan 30, 2021
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And by week 1 I am referring to all of the Big Ten West having played their first conference games in that "first" week.

Aug. 28th: IL vs Nebraska
Sept 2nd: Ohio State vs Minnesota
Sept 4th: Indiana at Iowa
Sept 4th: Michigan State vs Northwestern
Sept 4th: Penn State vs Wisconsin

Teams that I predict to win are in bold. The game that I could easily be wrong on is Indiana vs Iowa. Pretty confident that Ohio State beats Minnesota. Northwestern has historically started seasons very slow so a win by Michigan State would not be a surprise. Penn State could lose to Wisconsin but they have more talent than Wisconsin does and Wisconsin isn't known to have a high clicking offense to start seasons.

1-0 Nebraska
1-0 Iowa
0-1 Minnesota
0-1 Northwestern
0-1 Wisconsin

The next conference game for each Big Ten West Team:

IL vs maryland.
Purdue vs IL (Purdue doesn't have a conference game until 9/25)
Nebraska vs MSU
Minnesota vs Purdue
Wisconsin vs Michigan
Iowa vs
Maryland
Northwestern vs Nebraska

It's a season with really weird conference schedules. You have Wisconsin starting off with Penn State and Michigan. If they started 2-0 they will likely play in Indy. If they start 0-2 it's highly unlikely they will be in the conference race for Indy come Nov since Paul Chyrst has a history of losing a big Ten West game he shouldn't have lost. Would WI make it to Indy with 3 conference loses? No. A 1-1 start for WI keeps them in the Big Ten West race.

For Nebraska it's an interesting but not overwhelming start to the conference schedule. You get IL to start the season and Bret is known to have teams that start seasons slowly and improve as the season goes on. Nebraska should win that game. Then they get Michigan State. To me this is the guy game of the season if they can get past IL with a win. It's a game that comes after Oklahoma so that is a concern. Get to 2-0 to start conference play and then the Northwestern game becomes a game of teams competing staying in the Big Ten West race. Northwestern could be 1-0 in Big Ten West play going into that Nebraska game and Nebraska will have already started 2-0, 1-1, or 0-2.

3-0 Nebraska
2-1 IL
1-1 Iowa
0-2 Wisconsin
1-1 Minnesota
0-2 Purdue
 
0-2 with a loss to Illinois for Purdue? Interesting. But 3-0 for Nebraska? That's way different for 2 pretty comparable teams. Why you against Purdue? Just curious. Solid offense with great WR's. One of the better DL's in the big ten.
 
0-2 with a loss to Illinois for Purdue? Interesting. But 3-0 for Nebraska? That's way different for 2 pretty comparable teams. Why you against Purdue? Just curious. Solid offense with great WR's. One of the better DL's in the big ten.
Count me as one who believes that Purdue is under-rated heading into 2021 season. Biggest question mark is defense. Passing attack is probably the best in the West. If they can get more balance on offense they will be very very tough to defend.
 
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I would go with Indiana over Iowa. Iowa is usually not as good at the beginning of the season as they are later. And I would take Northwestern over Michigan State.

Northwestern tends to be pretty bad at the start of seasons too though. NW is 1-4 against P5 teams during the first 3 weeks of a season in the last three seasons that included non-conference games (17, 18, 19). Indiana has their 1-2-3 combo back (QB, RB, and top WR).

MSU has taken so many players from the portal this off-season so one doesn't know what they will actually have until a game is played.

All MSU will need to do to beat NW is play average defense, 3 yards and a cloud of dust, and don't turn the ball over. It's one of those ugly 21-17 type of games, IMO.
 
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0-2 with a loss to Illinois for Purdue? Interesting. But 3-0 for Nebraska? That's way different for 2 pretty comparable teams. Why you against Purdue? Just curious. Solid offense with great WR's. One of the better DL's in the big ten.
Purdue has a ton of major question marks, by far the most of the Big Ten West. They finished near the last in pass defense in the conference, they don't return a 1,000 yard passer while also not having a 500-yard rusher returning and they didn't add anyone of significance in the transfer portal.

They are also breaking in a new defensive coordinator. They OL is questionable and depth across the board is lacking.

The thing that Purdue has going for them is Bell.
 
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Count me as one who believes that Purdue is under-rated heading into 2021 season. Biggest question mark is defense. Passing attack is probably the best in the West. If they can get more balance on offense they will be very very tough to defend.
They return everyone in their 2 deeps but LT and Rondale on offense. Added a RG grad transfer and everyone gets older. Line actually wasn't bad last year. Might end up with a RB yet.

Defense. All new coaches. Upgrades. DL coach built the iu defensive front. DL has talent and should be able to get after the QB. 3 SEC transfers for the LB's/S's. Florida's safety coach came to Purdue. It will be interesting, but they have some pieces to be good. Just no depth.

Brohms guys are finally getting older and more holes being filled. I think this is the year Purdue gets back to a bowl. With an average ST's last year, they probably actually win 4.
 
Purdue has a ton of major question marks, by far the most of the Big Ten West. They finished near the last in pass defense in the conference, they don't return a 1,000 yard passer while also not having a 500-yard rusher returning and they didn't add anyone of significance in the transfer portal.

They are also breaking in a new defensive coordinator. They OL is questionable and depth across the board is lacking.

The thing that Purdue has going for them is Bell.
O'Connell and Plummer threw for 950 yards each. O'Connell got hurt after 3 games. Oline has depth and is finally not younger than everyone else. Can't remember exact stats, but Purdue gave up minimal sacks with a backup LG, C, and RG. Purdue has WR's beyond Bell.

Their RB was honorable all big ten last year and they could be getting a good transfer.

As mentioned before, DL is good. They have the best DE in the big ten. Secondary is a question mark, but Purdue has actually added some solid transfers to help.
 
And by week 1 I am referring to all of the Big Ten West having played their first conference games in that "first" week.

Aug. 28th: IL vs Nebraska
Sept 2nd: Ohio State vs Minnesota
Sept 4th: Indiana at Iowa
Sept 4th: Michigan State vs Northwestern
Sept 4th: Penn State vs Wisconsin

Teams that I predict to win are in bold. The game that I could easily be wrong on is Indiana vs Iowa. Pretty confident that Ohio State beats Minnesota. Northwestern has historically started seasons very slow so a win by Michigan State would not be a surprise. Penn State could lose to Wisconsin but they have more talent than Wisconsin does and Wisconsin isn't known to have a high clicking offense to start seasons.

1-0 Nebraska
1-0 Iowa
0-1 Minnesota
0-1 Northwestern
0-1 Wisconsin

The next conference game for each Big Ten West Team:

IL vs maryland.
Purdue vs IL (Purdue doesn't have a conference game until 9/25)
Nebraska vs MSU
Minnesota vs Purdue
Wisconsin vs Michigan
Iowa vs
Maryland
Northwestern vs Nebraska

It's a season with really weird conference schedules. You have Wisconsin starting off with Penn State and Michigan. If they started 2-0 they will likely play in Indy. If they start 0-2 it's highly unlikely they will be in the conference race for Indy come Nov since Paul Chyrst has a history of losing a big Ten West game he shouldn't have lost. Would WI make it to Indy with 3 conference loses? No. A 1-1 start for WI keeps them in the Big Ten West race.

For Nebraska it's an interesting but not overwhelming start to the conference schedule. You get IL to start the season and Bret is known to have teams that start seasons slowly and improve as the season goes on. Nebraska should win that game. Then they get Michigan State. To me this is the guy game of the season if they can get past IL with a win. It's a game that comes after Oklahoma so that is a concern. Get to 2-0 to start conference play and then the Northwestern game becomes a game of teams competing staying in the Big Ten West race. Northwestern could be 1-0 in Big Ten West play going into that Nebraska game and Nebraska will have already started 2-0, 1-1, or 0-2.

3-0 Nebraska
2-1 IL
1-1 Iowa
0-2 Wisconsin
1-1 Minnesota
0-2 Purdue


Michigan State isn't beating Northwestern in week one. The Spartans are going to suck fierce in 2021.
 
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Until we see it, I think the Illinois game will be a toss up at best. A game we could certainly lose on the road. They absolutely killed us last year in Lincoln. The year before that was tight too...

They're inserting a completely new offense and defense and have been scrambling moving DBs to receiver.

Nebraska will beat Illinois easily.
 
Yeah, Purdue is not good. Jeff sacrificed two coaches the last two years. Dude is done.
 
Last edited:
Wisconsin vs Michigan
Sept 4th: Penn State vs Wisconsin

0-2 Wisconsin
Why no love for the Badgers at home?

Both games in Camp Randall, probably at night.

All three schools with premium brands certain to be televised.

Penn States first game of the season on the road.

Wisconsin put a beatdown on the Wolverines in Ann Arbor last year who do not appear to be better this year.

I say Wisky starts 2-0 in conference.

That ND matchup on Sept 25th at Soldier Field looks to be a good game. Badgers put on a great show against LSU there a couple years back.

Go Blue!
 
Why no love for the Badgers at home?

Both games in Camp Randall, probably at night.

All three schools with premium brands certain to be televised.

Penn States first game of the season on the road.

Wisconsin put a beatdown on the Wolverines in Ann Arbor last year who do not appear to be better this year.

I say Wisky starts 2-0 in conference.

That ND matchup on Sept 25th at Soldier Field looks to be a good game. Badgers put on a great show against LSU there a couple years back.

Go Blue!
I thought that game was in Green Bay?

Anyway, Wisconsin is looking to be lame this year.
 
Why no love for the Badgers at home?

Both games in Camp Randall, probably at night.

All three schools with premium brands certain to be televised.

Penn States first game of the season on the road.

Wisconsin put a beatdown on the Wolverines in Ann Arbor last year who do not appear to be better this year.

I say Wisky starts 2-0 in conference.

That ND matchup on Sept 25th at Soldier Field looks to be a good game. Badgers put on a great show against LSU there a couple years back.

Go Blue!

The PSU at Wisconsin game will be noon EST on Fox.
 
Why no love for the Badgers at home?

Both games in Camp Randall, probably at night.

All three schools with premium brands certain to be televised.

Penn States first game of the season on the road.

Wisconsin put a beatdown on the Wolverines in Ann Arbor last year who do not appear to be better this year.

I say Wisky starts 2-0 in conference.

That ND matchup on Sept 25th at Soldier Field looks to be a good game. Badgers put on a great show against LSU there a couple years back.

Go Blue!
I think Wisconsin will start 1-1.

My prediction Wisconsin will lose to Penn St but will win against Michigan.
 
Until we see it, I think the Illinois game will be a toss up at best. A game we could certainly lose on the road. They absolutely killed us last year in Lincoln. The year before that was tight too...
I’m a little nervous about this one as well just because there are so many unknowns. How well they look in this game will tell me a lot. Lose the first game and it will scar the team’s psyche probably for the whole season. Win impressively with the offense scoring lots of points then there’s momentum for games two and three.

If we start 3-0 then this is a completely different team that will be more likely to win the close games than previous years as the season goes on. I’m hoping this is the year.

The Huskers aren’t getting a lot of preseason love and that is fine. I hope that motivates them as a team. I see them as a Darkhorse team and I can see them winning a couple of games they aren’t favored to.
 
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