B1G West - Predicted Order of Finish

4thngoal said:
The team was full of seniors and grad transfers.
Game 9, replacing the entire front of the D, replacing one ol, (they are senior heavy this year on offensive line). With freshman depth?? We get them after OSU and MSU.
I like our chances.
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If they regress this year I'll be the first to admit my head was out too far over my skis when it came to Purdue.
 
I'm mildly optimistic about Iowa's chances.

Wiscy 8-1
Iowa 6-3
Northwestern 5-4 - Thorson coming back from injury
Purdue 4-5 - rebuilding defense
Nebraska 3-6 - need to find QB
Minnesota 3-6 - need to find QB
Illinois 1-8
 
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Northside Hawk said:
If they regress this year I'll be the first to admit my head was out too far over my skis when it came to Purdue.
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I'm not saying they didn't make a good coaching hire. They did pretty good putting up points and stopping the run. I think 29th in rushing D but 93rd in passing D. So I can see how they were not a good match up for us last year and hung decent with Wisconsin.
I think he did a good job of getting grad transfers in.
We really won't know until next year, when he has a young ol and young dl, the true trajectory.

Oh and they graduated two starting CB's

"Unfortunately, many of the players responsible for the turnaround are gone. The Boilermakers rank 13th in the Big Ten and 125th nationally in returning defensive production(41 percent), according to Bill Connelly of SBNation. Purdue welcomes back three of its top five tacklers, including standout linebacker Markus Bailey, but replace its next five players in that category. Bailey and defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal form a solid returning nucleus, but overall the team will play next season without 10 defenders responsible for double-digit tackles last year, as well as three of its top four sack producers."

Yikes!!!!
 
I see Northwestern having a bit of a problem even with Thorson back. Northwestern has been playing a lot of opponents close much like Iowa has, but the last two years they have come out on top of many of those match-ups. I think they will end up on the short end of more of those this year, in part because Thorson missing spring practice and not being 100 percent.
 
Northside Hawk said:
Purdue is for real. They hung with Wisconsin from a physical standpoint. They out-physicalled almost everyone else, including us. Brohm has already established physical toughness up front and he doesn't even have his own players yet.
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Really though, they just out-fade routed us.

But I agree, not sure I would sleep on Purdue this year.
 
Wisconsin's conference away schedule is horrendous. It has a team that could go undefeated again but could also lose 2 or 3 games in conference starting at Iowa City because of it. I'd still bet it at least finish tied for the Division lead, probably with Iowa. I think it's a toss-up after that who comes in third between NW, PU, and UNL.
 
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Northside Hawk said:
Purdue is for real. They hung with Wisconsin from a physical standpoint. They out-physicalled almost everyone else, including us. Brohm has already established physical toughness up front and he doesn't even have his own players yet.
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Only on the scoreboard, Wisconsin had 500 yard of total offense, Taylor gained 200 yards rushing and Hornibrook 199 yards (13-18). They helped keep the score down by turning the ball over 3 times between them.
 
With the way the schedule sets up, it's hard not to think that this thing comes down to Wisconsin and Iowa. Playing that game first out of the gate is unfortunate, but the loser certainly isn't eliminated by any stretch. If Iowa stays healthy on the OL, this team should be much, much better and more consistent. The question marks on defense are fewer, but replacing three linebackers is not an easy task. We have some athletes though...and Phil Parker has a way of getting guys to step up in their first year starting. We've recruited well there, but it's still a pretty tall order to have them all perform at a high level.
 
What is with this board thinking Purdue has the reloading capability of an Alabama, OSU, or Clemson....

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WinOneThisCentury said:
With the way the schedule sets up, it's hard not to think that this thing comes down to Wisconsin and Iowa. Playing that game first out of the gate is unfortunate, but the loser certainly isn't eliminated by any stretch. If Iowa stays healthy on the OL, this team should be much, much better and more consistent. The question marks on defense are fewer, but replacing three linebackers is not an easy task. We have some athletes though...and Phil Parker has a way of getting guys to step up in their first year starting. We've recruited well there, but it's still a pretty tall order to have them all perform at a high level.
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That's about right. That's why I say everyone coaches and players, need to enter the season ready to go and not plan on letting up.
It sets up nicely, but it does for Wisconsin also, they can loose a tough crossover and still beat us for the West.
So we have to go into fall with everyone from 2&3 deeps to coaches, basically with the mindset of playing in the playoffs. Because if we win the west, you have to figure Wisconsin is only probably going to have 1 or 2 losses. That means we are at 0 or 1 going into the b10 championship game and MSU, Michigan and OSU are going to be tough. PSU will be tough, but probably not as good as last year.
So to pull it off, it's going to take everyone, but that's why it's called a team.
 
Couple quick thoughts on the B1G west:

- Nebraska has a really tough schedule...other than home games vs Illinois and Minnesota they probably won't be favored in any other Big Ten game.
- Northwestern opens the season in August at Purdue. Thorson either won't play or will be making his first start since an ACL tear. Purdue will be replacing a huge chunk of their roster. It will be a very important game for the B1G west and its strange that its happening on a Thursday night in August
- All of Wisconsin's toughest games (Iowa, Michigan, Purdue, NW, Penn State) are on the road
- Iowa will catch NW at the perfect time....NW goes Wisconsin, Notre Dame, and then at Iowa in consecutive weeks.
- Iowa will catch Purdue at a great time as well...Purdue plays Ohio State, at Sparty, then home vs Iowa in consecutive weeks.
- It sucks that Iowa and Wisconsin play each other to open the Big Ten schedule. Iowa finishes the season against Nebraska and Wisconsin finishes the season against Minnesota. Likely two ho-hum games. Iowa vs Wisconsin in late November with the conference title possibly on the line would be so much better...and everyone knows it
 
I actually think Iowa catches Wisconsin at the best possible time. We totally have to rework our D. Guys at 1 DE, at both OLBs, at both CBs, and at FS will have seen little PT if that. More, you might catch us with the other DE coming off rehab. Both teams know how important that game is. Both know they are playing their major rival but only one gets the other at home.

That said our O is going to be awfully good and MAY make up for the inexperience abounding in the D. For 3-4 years now we've relied on our D to set the tone. It probably won't be the case in 2018.
 
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Iowa - because Iowa will beat Wisconsin this year, plus, I'm tired of Wisconsin, really, really tired of Wisconsin
Wisconsin - because I can't sanely put them any lower, although I'd like to
Northwestern - interchangeable with Nebraska, although it's for third place so who really cares
Nebraska - see NW, but I'll push them here because it's Nebraska and their fans still deserve it
Purdue - one year, and all of a sudden we're supposed to worry about Purdue?
Minnesota - row, row, row your boat, gently to 6th place
Illinois - to write anything cruel would be pointless and just downright mean.
 
homes said:
Illinois - to write anything cruel would be pointless and just downright mean.
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That's what I say. "They started a bunch of youth and it's all coming back".

Northwestern, Nebraska are going to depend on who can stay the healthiest. Possibly Mn, but new qb and some pieces to replace up front.
Purdue's D is is......gone. could be pretty good on O but nothing like Wisconsin.
Unknownbadger and I are kind of on the same page, I sort of like getting Wisconsin early with what they have going on with their defense. Question is and it sounds dumb, can we score more points than them.
I suspect they are going to test our middle and backers with that run game. Wasn't first play of the game last year, when we had backers heading to the NFL? Right up the gut for 10 yards or whatever.
That's never a good sign of our D.
 
4thngoal said:
That's what I say. "They started a bunch of youth and it's all coming back".

Northwestern, Nebraska are going to depend on who can stay the healthiest. Possibly Mn, but new qb and some pieces to replace up front.
Purdue's D is is......gone. could be pretty good on O but nothing like Wisconsin.
Unknownbadger and I are kind of on the same page, I sort of like getting Wisconsin early with what they have going on with their defense. Question is and it sounds dumb, can we score more points than them.
I suspect they are going to test our middle and backers with that run game. Wasn't first play of the game last year, when we had backers heading to the NFL? Right up the gut for 10 yards or whatever.
That's never a good sign of our D.
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Still trying to give you my least prejudiced thoughts, 4th. Would like to say we're going to beat the snot out of you but I honestly don't know. I think I'll take the OVER.
 
trj said:
When is Thorson back? And when does he become the typical pain in the ass Northwestern QB? Northwestern will likely be 4-2 or 3-3 going into the Iowa game and they finish with Illinois and Minnesota.
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It doesn't matter when Thorson is back. Some third string guy will start against Iowa and throw for 350 with 1 TD and run for 80. Iowa will lose by a missed XP or something.
 
Not saying you should drink yellow koolaid with a black straw but some of you guys need to take a more positive attitude. I hope your team doesn't think the same way. ;)
 
Unknownbadger said:
Still trying to give you my least prejudiced thoughts, 4th. Would like to say we're going to beat the snot out of you but I honestly don't know. I think I'll take the OVER.
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It hard to say right now. We can kind of group teams, but until about 4 weeks from now and possibly right up to kick off the Iowa Wisconsin game is going to be tough to call.
They probably should make it a night game, because it's rare to have a game so early in the year that means so much to both teams.
While I hope we win, all I can say for certain is it's going to be a heck of a game.

 
4thngoal said:
That's about right. That's why I say everyone coaches and players, need to enter the season ready to go and not plan on letting up.
It sets up nicely, but it does for Wisconsin also, they can loose a tough crossover and still beat us for the West.
So we have to go into fall with everyone from 2&3 deeps to coaches, basically with the mindset of playing in the playoffs. Because if we win the west, you have to figure Wisconsin is only probably going to have 1 or 2 losses. That means we are at 0 or 1 going into the b10 championship game and MSU, Michigan and OSU are going to be tough. PSU will be tough, but probably not as good as last year.
So to pull it off, it's going to take everyone, but that's why it's called a team.
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We don't roar into the playoff with a "Let's win this sh!t" attitude. It will be another "We will out-execute them" game and "That's football" no matter that outcome. Trust me nothing would please me more than if this Iowa team trounced the Vaggers.
 
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