Saunders

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Ohio State football voted unanimous 2021 Big Ten favorite in cleveland.com preseason poll
Ohio State football begins the season with a first-time quarterback, an unsettled running back situation, and new starters at over half of its defensive positions. Those unknowns do not lower the Buckeyes’ expectations within the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State is the unanimous preseason favorite in the 2021 cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Poll. All 34 members of our voting panel picked the Buckeyes — the four-time defending champions — to win the Big Ten East and the championship game. The voters picked Wisconsin as the West favorite with 29 first-place votes. Second-place Iowa received the other five first-place votes. Cleveland.com picked up the responsibility for organizing the poll for posterity when the Big Ten dropped it 11 years ago. The panel included at least one beat writer from all 14 Big Ten teams and a few who cover the entire league or have a national perspective.

https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2021/07/ohio-state-football-voted-unanimous-2021-big-ten-favorite-in-clevelandcom-preseason-poll.html

 

BIG TEN WEST

1. Wisconsin (29 first-place votes) 233 points

2. Iowa (5) 202

3. Northwestern 160

4. Minnesota 146

5. Nebraska 91.5

6. Purdue 72.5

7. Illinois 47

BIG TEN EAST

1. Ohio State (34 first-place votes) 238

2. Penn State 192

3. Indiana 169

4. Michigan 144

5. Maryland 79

6. Rutgers 77.5

7. Michigan State 52.5

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Ohio State over Wisconsin (29)

Ohio State over Iowa (5)

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247Sports projects Big Ten order of finish, champion, player of year
Storylines are aplenty across the conference, especially as we test whether the pandemic-shortened 2020 season was just a fluke for several teams.

Is Penn State in position for a huge rebound this fall?

Was Minnesota's subpar showing in 2020 a sign of things to come?

Has Indiana done enough on the recruiting trail to become a legitimate threat after nearly knocking off Ohio State last season?

Will Nebraska get off the mat?

We try to answers those questions (and more) in 247Sports' preseason projections. Below you will see how our 18 reporters voted for conference champion and other superlatives such as player, coach and game of the year.

https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Big-Ten-2021-football-projected-order-of-finish-championship-prediction-player-of-the-year-game-of-the-year-167765934/#167765934_1

 

BIG TEN PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

East Division

1. Ohio State, 126 (18)
2. Penn State, 102
3. Indiana, 92
4. Michigan, 73
5. Rutgers, 41
6. Maryland, 37
7. Michigan State, 33

West Division

1. Wisconsin, 126 (18)
2. Iowa, 101
3. Minnesota, 74
4. Northwestern, 76
5. Nebraska, 61
6. Purdue, 37
7. Illinois, 23

Teams with a first-place vote earn seven points, second-place votes earn six points, etc.

Big Ten champion

Ohio State (18)

21 hours ago, Jpetermbb said:

My buddy gets the Phil Steele magazine every year and while I don't remember everything he said, i believe Phil said all nine of his models have Nebraska in a bowl (or maybe winning record) and that this was Nebraska's most talented team under Frost

I need to pick up a Steele, it's just harder now that only Barnes and Noble carries it.

CFN game by game predictions are up.

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Big Ten East Predicted Finish

1. Ohio State
T2. Michigan
T2. Penn State
4. Indiana
5. Michigan State
6. Rutgers
7. Maryland

 

Big Ten West Predicted Finish

1. Wisconsin
2. Iowa
T3. Northwestern
T3. Purdue
T5. Minnesota
T5. Nebraska
7. Illinois

 

Game By Game Predictions - Big Ten East

Game By Game Predictions - Big Ten West

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Nebraska Cornhuskers - Game By Game Prediction

2021 Preseason Prediction: 5-7
2021 Big Ten Prediction: 3-6
2020: 3-5, Prediction: 6-6
2019: 5-7, Prediction: 6-6

Aug. 28 at Illinois  L
Sept. 4 OPEN DATE
Sept. 11 Buffalo W
Sept. 18 at Oklahoma  L
Sept. 25 at Michigan State  L
Oct. 2 Northwestern W
Oct. 9 Michigan  L
Oct. 16 at Minnesota  L
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 Purdue W
Nov. 6 Ohio State  L
Nov. 13 SE Louisiana W
Nov. 20 at Wisconsin L
Nov. 26 Iowa W

Athletic preview is up.

Athletic preview is up.

It speaks more about the fanbase, and less about the football program.

We'll all stick together,
In all kinds of weather,
For dear old Nebraska U.

Just now, JJ Husker said:

 

No. They haven’t shaken me lose in the last 20 years so obviously that is not an option. My point was that Pederson caused incalculable damage to this program. We do not need another deal like that.

 

Moos was an outsider and I kind of liked him. But his bosses apparently made it clear what he could and could not do as regards the football team and coach. As long as somebody is making sure we don’t go down the Pederson/Callahan road again, Im good.

Pederson was an insider though... 

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University of Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos announced today that he will retire from his position effective June 30, 2021. Moos has led the Nebraska Athletic Department since October of 2017, and will conclude a 40-year career in collegiate athletics, including more than 25 years as a Division I athletic director.

"To understand just how special Nebraska is, you need to spend time here, meet our people, visit our cities and towns and sit in Memorial Stadium in a sea of red on a Saturday afternoon in the fall," Moos said. "I step away completely content, knowing that our athletic program is reborn and rebuilt and that it has a solid, stable foundation."

https://huskers.com/news/2021/6/25/athletics-moos-to-retire-from-athletic-director-position.aspx

Just now, BigRedBuster said:

The guy hired Frost, Fred, Bolt and I think Amy Williams.  He kicked off the $155,000,000 football upgrade.  I don't think the "take Oklahoma off the schedule" is big enough to get him fired.  He's done a great job while here.

I thought the rumors from that fiasco was that Frost wanted OU off the schedule... but who knows.

Husker fanbase today:

Athlon preview is up.

Athlon preview is up for Nebraska.

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Nebraska drew extensive criticism for being the first school to push the Big Ten to play in 2020, though that criticism subsided when Ohio State joined in the push. The Cornhuskers got their wish and then had to endure a third consecutive losing season under Scott Frost, their fourth overall. Beyond that, the program hasn't been consistently relevant nationally in 20-plus years. Even so, Frost remains optimistic. Once again, the Huskers have lost their leading receiver, Wan'Dale Robinson, to the transfer portal, after JD Spielman left following the 2019 season. Another wide receiver, Kade Warner, also left during the offseason. Though he caught only five passes, Warner was a co-captain, a reflection of his leadership, not just among receivers but on the team as a whole. That's a concern. Frost's reputation is built around the offense, but the defense might help define Nebraska as it tries to climb back to relevance.

 

Final Analysis

A special element of the schedule was lost; the Huskers will open against Illinois in Champaign instead of in Dublin, Ireland, as originally planned. They will renew a storied rivalry with a non-conference game at Oklahoma. With a schedule back-loaded with home games — four of the last five and six of the last eight — Nebraska should be able to fashion a .500 record, at least.

Predicted Record (From magazine): 6-6 (4-5 Big Ten)

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/nebraska-football-cornhuskers-prediction-preview-2021

 

The Athletic's preview is up.

CFN preview is up

Added projected records from the magazine.

Minnesota on the board.

17 hours ago, LumberJackSker said:

It's odd how quiet Desmond Howard has been about this situation. 

 

Is it though?

1 hour ago, Mavric said:

Do people drink wine at football games?  I mean ... I'm sure there are a couple here and there that would but is there really that many that it makes sense to stock it?

I would say most definitely.

Ever been to a little league games? That's not water in all the mom's Yeti cups....