Early Big Ten win total predictions: Will Ohio State rebound, Michigan repeat?
By John Buhler
Big Ten win total predictions: Who’s going bowling, but not to New Year’s Six?
These five teams are either going bowling, or will be one game shy of it in Maryland’s case. However, none of them will be anywhere dominant enough to realistically assert themselves into the New Year’s Six bowl conversation. On the contrary, getting these holiday season bowl practices will be huge though, except for Maryland, which is just too bad.
Pick Analysis. Big Ten East. 10. player. Scouting Report. 5-7 (2-7). Maryland Terrapins. 824
If you want to go to a bowl game, Maryland, don’t lose to Indiana of all teams
Mike Locksley knows how to recruit. He has Taulia Tagovailoa in full control of his offense. The Terps showed a ton of fight last year and are certainly trending in the right direction. The problem is they play in the same Big Ten East with the four horsemen of their apocalypse every season. Despite all that, Maryland should be a fringe bowl team, but losing to Indiana completely ruins it.
Under 6.0 wins: 5-7 (2-7)
810. Pick Analysis. player. Nebraska Cornhuskers. 9. Scouting Report. Big Ten West. 6-6 (4-5)
No, Nebraska is not winning eight games, you idiot, but Scott Frost can stay!
Betting the over on Nebraska to win more than 7.5 games would be equivalent to lighting your dominant hand on fire. How stupid are you?! Regardless, Nebraska is going to do enough to achieve the improbable: Bowl eligibility, baby! If not for another slaughtering in the non-conference at the hands of old Big Eight rival Oklahoma, Nebraska could win around seven games.
Under 7.5 wins: 6-6 (4-5)
Pick Analysis. Big Ten West. Iowa Hawkeyes. 878. Scouting Report. 7-5 (4-5). 8. player
Iowa pulls back, but the Hawkeyes are too solid under Kirk Ferentz to be slept on
Iowa may have won the Big Ten West last year, a feat Kirk Ferentz’s program does often enough for him to eventually get into the College Football Hall of Fame. However, this is going to be closer to an 8-4 season for the Hawkeyes than a 10-2 campaign with a Rose Bowl berth in sight. An Ohio State loss is inevitable. They do drop a few in divisional play, but reign supreme in CyHawk.
Push 7.0 wins: 7-5 (4-5)
Big Ten West. 9-3 (6-3). Purdue Boilermakers. 7. player. 848. Pick Analysis. Scouting Report
Purdue might want to watch out because other teams will want Jeff Brohm
Though they are not exactly going to be Spoilermakers again this year, but Purdue should be a pleasantly good team in the Big Ten West again. Aidan O’Connell can really spin it. Do not be shocked if a bigger Power Five job comes calling for head coach Jeff Brohm. Should Scott Satterfield falter in Louisville, guess who the next head coach of the Cardinals is going to be?
Over 7.0 wins: 9-3 (6-3)
9-3 (6-3). Minnesota Golden Gophers. 852. Pick Analysis. Big Ten West. Scouting Report. 6. player
P.J. Fleck is the Cheetos of college football, incredibly cheesy but very effective
Row the boat is not quite reaching Butch Jones/Dan Quinn cliche levels, but this phrase has become synonymous with all things P.J. Fleck. His Golden Gophers will be the biggest contender in the Big Ten West to arch-rival Wisconsin. While they will not get it done vs. the Badgers, Fleck may parlay his run in Minneapolis to a bigger job if the right one opens up. As to where that could be is up in the air.
Over 7.5 wins: 9-3 (6-3)
These next five teams should be in the mix to get to the New Year’s Six, maybe even the playoff?