CollegeFootballNews: Big Ten Pre-Season Power Rankings

[Saunders]

2. Wisconsin

The defense loses pass rushers T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel along with top corner Sojourn Shelton, and the defense won’t drop a lick. Even without the lost stars, the defensive front seven will once again be a brick wall, led by a linebacking corps that’ll be the best in the Big Ten – or No. 1A behind Iowa. Even without OT Ryan Ramczyk and RB Corey Clement, the Wisconsin ground game will be the Wisconsin ground game. It all adds up to more of the same.

 

5. Iowa

Here’s a shocker for a Kirk Ferentz coached team. Why will Iowa be good? The offensive line will be fantastic. There needs to be some semblance of a downfield passing game, and there has to be more pop overall, but Akrum Wadley will be great for the ground game, the linebacking corps will be special, and the team will be a rock in all phases. Now, about that passing game …

 

 

9. Nebraska

Will be plucky be enough for Husker fans? The safeties are a strength, and the defense should be tough enough keep the team in games, but does the offense have the talent and pop to be more than just average? The receiving corps is just okay, the running backs are just okay, and the linebackers are just okay. Somehow, it all has to come together to be better than just okay.

 

Full list here: http://collegefootballnews.com/2017/preview-2017-big-ten-rankings

[NUance]

#9? Really? I dunno. That's seems a bit low to me. Granted, there are a lot of unknowns. But I'd guess closer to 5 or 6. :

[Redux]

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

[teachercd]

#9? Really? I dunno. That's seems a bit low to me. Granted, there are a lot of unknowns. But I'd guess closer to 5 or 6. :

Wow, 9 is low or at it seems low to me. If they end up "9th" in Big Ten I have a feeling that there will be a lot of "who will the new HC at NU be" threads.

[Saunders]

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

Well....

 

 

 

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2017.html

[Redux]

 

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

 

Well....

 

 

 

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2017.html

Yank.

 

Neither NW or Minny will beat us this year or finish ahead of us. Take that to the bank.

[Saunders]

 

 

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

Well....

 

 

 

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2017.html

Yank.

 

Neither NW or Minny will beat us this year or finish ahead of us. Take that to the bank.

 

I don't think they will either, (or you're looking at a house cleaning), but it seems that nobody expects anything from NU this year.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

Well....

 

 

 

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2017.html

Yank.

 

Neither NW or Minny will beat us this year or finish ahead of us. Take that to the bank.

 

I don't think they will either, (or you're looking at a house cleaning), but it seems that nobody expects anything from NU this year.

 

Which is fine with me at this point.

 

I don't understand it...but...OK.

[teachercd]

 

 

 

 

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

Well....

 

 

 

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2017.html

Yank.

 

Neither NW or Minny will beat us this year or finish ahead of us. Take that to the bank.

 

I don't think they will either, (or you're looking at a house cleaning), but it seems that nobody expects anything from NU this year.

 

Which is fine with me at this point.

 

I don't understand it...but...OK.

 

I really don't get it either. When Riley was hired all we heard was how amazing he was at Oregon State, how he did so much more with so much less.

 

Now, that he has so much more as far as talent, staff, support and facilities...those same "writers" seem to be turning on him or have forgotten was they said in the past or clearly did not mean what they said.

 

He is actually getting less respect now than he did while going 5-7 at OSU.

[Saunders]

It's pretty simple. New defensive system, new QB, no proven go-to WR, no bellcow RB, and questions on both lines. Even the vegas numbers were low too.

[teachercd]

It's pretty simple. New defensive system, new QB, no proven go-to WR, no bellcow RB, and questions on both lines.

Yeah, I can see that but the QB is a huge upgrade and so is the DC...

 

Oh well, who knows! We will see how it all plays out!

[Saunders]

 

It's pretty simple. New defensive system, new QB, no proven go-to WR, no bellcow RB, and questions on both lines.

Yeah, I can see that but the QB is a huge upgrade and so is the DC...

 

Oh well, who knows! We will see how it all plays out!

 

I'd agree 100% on the DC. Right now, QB is a hopeful improvement.

[Redux]

 

 

It's pretty simple. New defensive system, new QB, no proven go-to WR, no bellcow RB, and questions on both lines.

 

Yeah, I can see that but the QB is a huge upgrade and so is the DC...

 

Oh well, who knows! We will see how it all plays out!

I'd agree 100% on the DC. Right now, QB is a hopeful improvement.

Even an average showing at QB would be an improvement...

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

 

 

I get that we are an unknown, but behind Minnesota AND Northwestern? Come on.

Well....

 

 

 

http://preseason.stassen.com/consensus/2017.html

Yank.

 

Neither NW or Minny will beat us this year or finish ahead of us. Take that to the bank.

 

I don't think they will either, (or you're looking at a house cleaning), but it seems that nobody expects anything from NU this year.

 

Which is fine with me at this point.

 

I don't understand it...but...OK.

 

I really don't get it either. When Riley was hired all we heard was how amazing he was at Oregon State, how he did so much more with so much less.

 

Now, that he has so much more as far as talent, staff, support and facilities...those same "writers" seem to be turning on him or have forgotten was they said in the past or clearly did not mean what they said.

 

He is actually getting less respect now than he did while going 5-7 at OSU.

 

We won 9 games last year with a QB that was a horrible fit for the type of offense this staff wants to run and knows how to run well along with a bad DC.

 

Now, we have a multiple QBs in the system that are custom fit for this offense and they have been in the system for over a year......along with what everyone agrees is going to be an upgrade at DC

 

.......and we are going to do worse?????

[skersfan]

Any QB will be an improvement. Loved Tommy, but a QB he was not. Yea he held the title, but the ability to manage a game, was never in either offenses a solid trait.

 

A lot of questions, but it seems to me, we are making some headway on what we truly have. We were not world beaters with the prior coach, but he did win enough games to be in the golden boy light so to speak. Coach Riley has a very tough job. Brining Nebraska into the light, making a destination possibility for real talent. We are not there, and honestly it will take a better finish than predicted for it to continue to improve.

 

I bought tickets to the Oregon game, headed to Canada and around the western states the month of September. We will know where we are at that game. Not expecting to win the game, but I am expecting it to be a great game. Nebraska just needs to show it is moving in the right direction, and as much as I like Coach Riley, I think we have to start seeing great improvement overall this year, maybe not in wins or losses, but talent hitting the field, and looking like they know what they are doing.

 

No one other than Packman on XM/Siris is picking Nebraska to be good. He has them as a dark horse in the Big 10 and the National scene. Sure hope he is right.