Wow, the Big Ten has its hands full this bowl season. I believe they're the best conference this year for the first time in a long time. However, they're bowl record won't reflect it; it's gonna be bad. They didn't get the best break with matchups this year. Here they are:
- Ohio State vs. Clemson
- Michigan vs. FSU
- Penn State vs. USC
- Wisconsin vs. Western Michigan
- Iowa vs. Florida
- Nebraska vs. Tennessee
- Indiana vs. Utah
- Northwestern vs. Pitt
- Minnesota vs. Washington State
- Maryland vs. Boston College
Ten teams, ten games. Out of these ten games, only two have the Big Ten teams favored (Wisconsin and Michigan) with most people split on Ohio State/Clemson. Unfortunately I don't think they win more than 2 or 3 games.
Ohio State vs. Clemson. As an OSU fan, of course I believe that they'll win. They're both equally matched and it could go either way. I think the talent slightly favors Clemson but the coaching favors OSU. It'll be a fun game to watch.
Michigan vs. FSU. This is game I feel most confident about. Michigan is out to prove that they belong in the playoff, and after that controversial loss to the Buckeyes, they're gonna have a huge chip on their shoulder. As an Ohio State fan, I hope they lose, no matter the consequence of conference perception. I think they'll win handily though, despite it being basically a home game for FSU.
Penn State vs. USC. This game is the weirdest-looking game from an outsiders perspective. If the Big Ten is the best conference, then the conference champion Nittany Lions should easily win, right? Wrong. USC is the best second-half team in college football, and many thought they deserved a spot in the playoff. Obviously they didn't, but they're really really talented. Penn State is probably upset at missing the playoffs especially after beating OSU, but they won't be able to compete with USC in this one. And this one is a real home for USC.
Wisconsin vs. Western Michigan. This is the other game I believe the Big Ten will win. Don't get me wrong, Western Michigan would match-up really well against most Big Ten teams. But Wisconsin's front line is way too strong for their D-line. Their athleticism isn't quite on par with Penn State, so WMU won't expose Wisconsin's secondary like the Nittany Lions did. Expect Wisconsin to push them around a lot, especially in the second half if the score is still close.
Iowa vs. Florida. This game could go either way. I think this game will depend on Florida more than Iowa. Florida has more talent and will probably win, and the new coaching staff will have their team pumped up, but if the team starts to get apathetic, then Iowa could pull off some big plays and win it the game.
Nebraska vs. Tennessee. Here is where all the games start to get lop-sided. Because the Big Ten have so many teams in so many big games, the more mediocre teams will play teams that are ranked slightly higher. Nebraska isn't as good as Tennessee, despite the Vols disappointing season. The Cornhuskers will have to keep up with Tennessee's speed and athleticism. Also, this game is played in Nashville. How come all Big Ten teams play away games this year? Some even play against teams in which the game will be held in the very stadium they play in!
Indiana vs. Utah. Utah is better than their record indicates, and their offense is better than Indiana's defense. Utah's D and Indiana's O are fairly even, although I'd give the edge to Utah because they have more NFL players on that side of the ball. Utah's run game will prove too much for Indiana. To be fair, Utah is arguably the Pac-12's third or fourth best team while Indiana is the Big Ten's sixth or seventh best team. This difference really is the theme of this years' bowl games.
Northwestern vs. Pitt. Pitt is such an underrated team. They've beaten both Clemson and Penn State. They've also lost four games, so they can be up and down. But overall, Pitt is as talented as any team in the country minus about ten. Since Northwestern isn't anywhere near the top ten, Pitt has a huge edge on talent. They could still play down to their competition, but I think Pitt will turn it up in the fourth quarter and blow out Northwestern.
Minnesota vs. Washington State. Washington State nearly pulled off the upset of Washington State, which would've made the playoff hierarchy even worse. WSU has an explosive offense and a solid defense. Minnesota's defense is slightly better than their offense, but both have a long way to go. WSU may not blow them out, but they'll handle Minnesota soundly.
Maryland vs. Boston College. This game will feature two teams who just aren't very good. Maryland may pull this one out, but Boston College will probably have a play or two go their way and end up with the win.
Good luck to all Big Ten teams! If I had my way, we'd go 9-1 with a Michigan loss! To the best conference in college football this year!! and GO BUCKEYES!!
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