OWH: Predicting the B1G West

[Mavric]

The margins in each category differ, which is important. Minnesota by far has the hardest overall schedule. Wisconsin’s track record in the last five years is better than Nebraska’s and Minnesota’s by a wide margin. With so many categories bunched close together, here’s how I pick:

» Wisconsin wins the Big Ten West, losing a single league game — at Nebraska. The Badgers prolong their streak over Minnesota, handle everyone else and advance to the Big Ten title game for a rematch against Ohio State, a game that may not be much prettier than last year’s contest, if we’re honest.

» Nebraska finishes second, losing two league games. The smart money is on Michigan State, which is the best overall team on the Huskers’ schedule, and one of those four Big Ten road games. Look at each of those four — Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue and Rutgers — as 6-foot par putts. NU misses one of them. The game at Illinois seems like a moment to watch.

» Minnesota is third, losing to Ohio State and Wisconsin for sure, plus one other game along the way. I could see Nebraska or Michigan tripping up the Gophers. If Minnesota wins eight games this year, tip your hat at Kill. That’d really be something.

» Though we didn’t parse it out, I’m picking Iowa, Illinois and Northwestern to finish closely together, with Purdue, while improved, bringing up the rear unless redshirt freshman quarterback David Blough is really good right away.

 

OWH

[Mavric]

So first Sam tries to claim that the talent on Nebraska's roster is 7/8/9 win talent but now he says we have the best overall talent in the division and will only lose two conference games. I'd hate to see what would be going on if we're a 7 win team with only two conference losses.

[True2tRA]

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

[Mavric]

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

 

If it's not, then the credit or blame basically has to go to the coaches, right?

 

Even thought that's not the my point.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Mavric

[teachercd]

 

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

 

If it's not, then the credit or blame basically has to go to the coaches, right?

 

Even thought that's not the my point.

Hmmmm, that is a good way to put it. We see NU fans saying that 7-9 wins this year with Riley is probably accurate. If Urban Meyer was the new head coach of NU woudl 7 wins even be a thought? Would 8? I am guessing it would be 9-11 wins.

Same talent, different coach.

[True2tRA]

 

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

 

If it's not, then the credit or blame basically has to go to the coaches, right?

 

Yes. That's where I usually go with it. Most of it anyway.

 

 

A 7/8/9 win talent seems a bit low. I'd say we are as talented or more than at least 9 teams on the schedule. A 7 win talent team can win 9 games because they are well-coached, have a better game plan or are better prepared.

 

Wisconsin wasn't always a 10 win talent type of team. K-State, TCU, Stanford even, not all the most high caliber as far as talent goes, but their coaches optimize every bit of their potential.

[True2tRA]

 

 

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

If it's not, then the credit or blame basically has to go to the coaches, right?

 

Even thought that's not the my point.

Hmmmm, that is a good way to put it. We see NU fans saying that 7-9 wins this year with Riley is probably accurate. If Urban Meyer was the new head coach of NU woudl 7 wins even be a thought? Would 8? I am guessing it would be 9-11 wins.

Same talent, different coach.

 

Not this again.........

 

There are 56 votes in the ( http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/75592-athlon-sports-setting-first-year-expectations-for-nebraskas-mike-riley/ ) poll for 8/9/10 wins. 46 of those votes are for the 9/10 wins.

 

There are 6 votes for those expecting 7.

 

Stop using that 7, it's a BS number you guys threw out from the beginning.

[teachercd]

 

 

 

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

If it's not, then the credit or blame basically has to go to the coaches, right?

 

Even thought that's not the my point.

Hmmmm, that is a good way to put it. We see NU fans saying that 7-9 wins this year with Riley is probably accurate. If Urban Meyer was the new head coach of NU woudl 7 wins even be a thought? Would 8? I am guessing it would be 9-11 wins.

Same talent, different coach.

 

Not this again.........

 

There are 56 votes in the ( http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/75592-athlon-sports-setting-first-year-expectations-for-nebraskas-mike-riley/ ) poll for 8/9/10 wins. 46 of those votes are for the 9/10 wins.

 

There are 6 votes for those expecting 7.

 

Stop using that 7, it's a BS number you guys threw out from the beginning.

 

I have friends (well, like 2)...like people that I interact with face to face and stuff...we chat about this too. Soooooo, calm down

 

Also are you saying that your win total would not change with Meyer? Mine would not. I still think this is a 1 loss team.

 

Also in that poll, 25% of the votes are for 8 wins or less. Yikes!

[True2tRA]

 

 

 

 

Boy....if talent is a direct translation to wins and losses then Texas, USC, Florida and Michigan are dominating the college football landscape the last four years.

If it's not, then the credit or blame basically has to go to the coaches, right?

 

Even thought that's not the my point.

Hmmmm, that is a good way to put it. We see NU fans saying that 7-9 wins this year with Riley is probably accurate. If Urban Meyer was the new head coach of NU woudl 7 wins even be a thought? Would 8? I am guessing it would be 9-11 wins.

Same talent, different coach.

 

Not this again.........

 

There are 56 votes in the ( http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/75592-athlon-sports-setting-first-year-expectations-for-nebraskas-mike-riley/ ) poll for 8/9/10 wins. 46 of those votes are for the 9/10 wins.

 

There are 6 votes for those expecting 7.

 

Stop using that 7, it's a BS number you guys threw out from the beginning.

 

I have friends (well, like 2)...like people that I interact with face to face and stuff...we chat about this too. Soooooo, calm down

 

Also are you saying that your win total would not change with Meyer? Mine would not. I still think this is a 1 loss team.

 

Also in that poll, 25% of the votes are for 8 wins or less. Yikes!

 

No, what I'm saying that winning 7 with Riley isn't even a thought, so why would it be a thought with Meyer? He's a top 3 coach in college football right now. 7 isn't a thought either way.

 

If you want to spin the poll that way you can, the way I see it, 11% of people think we might win less than 8 games this year. 11% is a pretty tiny piece of the pie. (TheSker probably made multiple accounts and placed at least half those 7 or less votes)

 

I don't listen to 45% of Husker fans because a little less than half of Husker fans are idiots, so I sure as hell don't care what 11% of them think on the situation.

 

They may end up being right. Which in that case, would be disappointing.

[Redux]

I can live with not winning the division if it means we beat Wisconsin.

[Scratchtown]

45 percent?

 

How large is your sample size? Honestly, I think that number is a little forgiving. At least with how many people I know, personally.

[teachercd]

45 percent?

 

How large is your sample size? Because honestly, I think that number can be a little forgiving. At least with how many people I know, personally.

Heck, I know about 90% just from this site! haha

[teachercd]

I can live with not winning the division if it means we beat Wisconsin.

I would rather win the division. I hate not playing in that conference championship game

[DomiNUs]

Other than the fact that we have been boat raced by Wisconsin on several occasions in the past, I really don't understand why they are being picked first in the division this year. Their coaching hire was not as great as ours, we have more talent across the board, returning players are about the same, etc. I see the West ending up: 1. NU, 2. Minnesota, 3. Wisconsin - Iowa tie.

[NUinID]

What I don't get about Sam's logic is that he places NU #1 in 4 out of 7 categories, yet doesn't have them winning the division. Obviously he believes Wisconsin is better than the sum of its parts. It just seems flawed to me. He can think anything he wants as far as who will win the division, but I don't get laying out all that information saying that NU is better at 4 of 7 areas yet I am not going to pick them to win.

 

I guess I am not seeing it at Minnesota this year. I think they are no better than 7-5. I also feel that NU has a pretty solid OOC schedule. No TCU or Alabama for sure, but BYU and Miami are quality opponents.