CFN Big Ten Preview: Big Ten Football Golden Age

[Saunders]

The 2017 CFN Big Ten Preview with the top players, teams that will surprise and disappoint, and shoes to fill.

 

As much as longtime Big Ten fans might get all moist about the Woody vs. Bo days, the Big Two, Little Eight wasn’t a whole bunch of fun for the rest of the league.

Especially when the Big Ten was 5-20 in the Rose Bowl from 1968 to 1992.

Okay, fine, so the Big Ten is a brutal 2-10 in its last 12 trips to Pasadena, and Ohio State is still a dominant force, but overall, the league is stronger than it’s ever been – even with Rutgers and Purdue struggling.

There’s a fantastic mix of coaching talent ranging from the legendary (Urban, Harbaugh, Ferentz), to the young rising superstars (P..J. Fleck, Jeff Brohm, D.J. Durkin) to the NFL veterans (Lovie Smith, Mike Riley) to the big-time talent putting their stamps on their respective programs (Mark Dantonio, James Franklin, Paul Chryst, Pat Fitzgerald).

And then there’s what drives it all. The $.

 

http://collegefootballnews.com/2017/big-ten-preview-big-ten-football-golden-age-preview-2017

 

 

Big Ten Team That Will Disappoint

NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

Effort will never be a problem, and the coaching is more than fine, but for a program desperate to be among the college football elite again, it’ll be another year when it isn’t. With road games at Oregon, Minnesota and Penn State, and home dates against Wisconsin, Ohio State, Northwestern and Iowa, it’s going to be a rough run for a team without a ton of elite talent.

 

 

5 Big Ten Coaches On The Hot Seat

Five Big Ten coaches who’d better win this season. Being on a hot seat doesn’t necessarily mean a coach is about to fired – especially not in the case of some of the guys on this list – but the pressure is on to produce up to expectations and beyond.

1. Mike Riley, Nebraska

2. Lovie Smith, Illinois

3. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State

4. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan

5. Chris Ash, Rutgers

 

5 Non-Conference Games That Big Ten Teams Had Better Take Very, Very Seriously

The Big Ten usually does a great job in non-conference play – Northwestern and Iowa key losses last year aside – but these five games are potential Group of Five landmines.

1. Nevada at Northwestern, Sept. 2

2. Arkansas State at Nebraska, Sept. 2

3. Western Kentucky at Illinois, Sept. 9

4. Middle Tennessee at Minnesota, Sept. 16

5. Cincinnati at Michigan, Sept. 9

 

 

[RedDenver]

I knew this wasn't worth caring about when the author put Ferentz in the legendary coaching group.

[NUinID]

What is it with these magazines and the facination with Minnesota and PJ Fleck. Sorry I think he is going to have buy in issues after they fired a pretty popular coach.

[Saunders]

What is it with these magazines and the facination with Minnesota and PJ Fleck. Sorry I think he is going to have buy in issues after they fired a pretty popular coach.

He turned around Western Michigan, and went 13-1 last year landed a New Years Six Bowl.

[Huskerzoo]

 

What is it with these magazines and the facination with Minnesota and PJ Fleck. Sorry I think he is going to have buy in issues after they fired a pretty popular coach.

He turned around Western Michigan, and went 13-1 last year landed a New Years Six Bowl.

 

 

As a WMU alum, I'm a little biased. However, I think Fleck is legit. He's cheesy in his own way (Row the boat...for the Broncos and Gophers?) just like Riley, but he's a good coach. That said I don't think he rights the ship in one year. There's a serious overhaul that needs to be done in MN. I think he'll get his chance at a great school though someday. I wanted him at NU when we were going for the Riley hire.

[Saunders]

 

 

What is it with these magazines and the facination with Minnesota and PJ Fleck. Sorry I think he is going to have buy in issues after they fired a pretty popular coach.

He turned around Western Michigan, and went 13-1 last year landed a New Years Six Bowl.

 

 

As a WMU alum, I'm a little biased. However, I think Fleck is legit. He's cheesy in his own way (Row the boat...for the Broncos and Gophers?) just like Riley, but he's a good coach. That said I don't think he rights the ship in one year. There's a serious overhaul that needs to be done in MN. I think he'll get his chance at a great school though someday. I wanted him at NU when we were going for the Riley hire.

 

Yeah, I don't think it's a year one turnaround either. But, if I had to bet, I think he's going to get Minnesota going.

[BigRedBuster]

That looks like something that some writer spent about 10 minutes putting together.

[JJ Husker]

Man. We are getting absolutely no love from anybody, anywhere these days. If that doesn't help light a fire under our team and motivate them, I don't know what ever will.

[Nebfanatic]

Yea I'm with Huskerzoo on Fleck and Minny. He will do a good job there, but I don't think the results will show this year. They need some lineman and a quarterback.

[Michiganball]

Eh who cares. Click bait talking head.

[Saunders]

Man. We are getting absolutely no love from anybody, anywhere these days. If that doesn't help light a fire under our team and motivate them, I don't know what ever will.

Which is starting to make me think that maybe we as fans are looking through rose colored glasses. So far in all the yearly preseason previews, not a single pick to get 2nd place in our division, let alone win it. Then you have the vegas over/under starting at 6.5 and holding around 7.5 now, which lines up with the 7-5/8-4 predictions.

 

If Nebraska goes 7-5 this year, they have to at least win the division next year for people to keep their jobs, right?

[Redux]

Dantonio and Harbaugh are both on the hot seat?

 

Lol, okay.

[jaws]

Dantonio and Harbaugh arr both on thr hot seat?

 

Lol, okay.

 

Harbaugh isn't but maybe Dantonio is with everything that has been going on off the field in East Lansing. I am sure there will be some upset people if MSU has another season like last year.

[BigRedBuster]

If MSU has another bad season...THEN he may be on the hot seat.

 

No way is he now.

 

And Harbaugh is just laughable. Proof the writer Is just trying to generate clicks.

[JJ Husker]

 

Man. We are getting absolutely no love from anybody, anywhere these days. If that doesn't help light a fire under our team and motivate them, I don't know what ever will.

 

Which is starting to make me think that maybe we as fans are looking through rose colored glasses. So far in all the yearly preseason previews, not a single pick to get 2nd place in our division, let alone win it. Then you have the vegas over/under starting at 6.5 and holding around 7.5 now, which lines up with the 7-5/8-4 predictions.

 

If Nebraska goes 7-5 this year, they have to at least win the division next year for people to keep their jobs, right?

Yeah, it's all really making me wonder if I've got it all wrong.

IMO, only 7 wins this year would be time to pull the plug. I'm tired of next year...next year...next year. In the end, the more important thing to me is how they play and what the product on the field looks like. With our schedule, I see no reason that shouldn't translate to at least 9 wins this year. We're in the B1G West for godsakes. I'm done with injury and transition excuses. I know it's maybe not fair but this is the tell all season for me. Either these systems will work and these guys can coach or they won't and can't.