**2018 Husker Previews: SBNation Big Ten Power Rankings**

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
Bill C’s Big Ten power rankings

After previewing every Big Ten football team for 2018, here’s how I think the conference stacks up

You know the clear favorite, but let’s go through this top tier in detail.

Here’s a link to every team’s data, and each team’s name below is linked to its preview.

At the end of each conference previews run-through, I take a look at how I perceive the conference’s balance of power heading into the season. This is in no way based on schedules, so they are not predictions. This is just how I would rank the teams after writing thousands of words about each of them. We have already completed the Sun Belt, C-USA, MAC, MWC, AAC, Pac-12, and Big 12.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/7/10/17531442/big-ten-football-2018-power-rankings
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Tier 3

9. Indiana
10. Maryland
11. Nebraska
12. Rutgers
13. Minnesota

Any of these teams could break through to about 8-4 or so, and if the Big Ten ends up being college football’s best conference this season, it’s because this tier actually didn’t stink.
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I understand it based on the performance last year and whatever numbers you get from that.

But we have far more talent than a 4-8 record suggests. It just hasn't been coached or held accountable, which does not go into the algorithm. No way in hell are we worse than Maryland, Indiana or Purdue this season. And I can see us beating 2 or even 3 of Northwestern, Iowa, and MSU.

 
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teachercd said:
It is amazing that Riley was/is so respected for getting the most out of less...when it is so clear that the opposite is true.
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Maybe he just can’t get the correct amount out of his available talent. If we assume he got more out of less at OSU (arguable), and we know he got way less out of more here... I think the takeaway is he’s a very nice guy that people want to give the benefit of the doubt to but is really a bad to mediocre coach and he was extremely lucky to have been where he was for so many years.

 
Comfortably Numb said:
Maybe he just can’t get the correct amount out of his available talent. If we assume he got more out of less at OSU (arguable), and we know he got way less out of more here... I think the takeaway is he’s a very nice guy that people want to give the benefit of the doubt to but is really a bad to mediocre coach and he was extremely lucky to have been where he was for so many years.
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Maybe he's just plain bad and was a little lucky at OSU with his good seasons.

Or maybe he thought Nebraska would he smooth sailing because be got a big boost in talent so he didn't put as much effort in.

That or course doesn't explain all the boneheaded game management, which goes back to being bad at coaching.

 
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Moiraine said:
Maybe he's just plain bad and was a little lucky at OSU with his good seasons.

Or maybe he thought Nebraska would he smooth sailing because be got a big boost in talent so he didn't put as much effort in.

That or course doesn't explain all the boneheaded game management, which goes back to being bad at coaching.
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Riley failed up...it happens.  I feel like his destiny (if you believe in that) was to be a high school varsity coach and social studies teacher.  The staff loves him, the kids love him, the town loves him and he coaches and teaches at the school for 30 years...never winning a lot...never having horrible 1 win seasons either...then he "retires" from coaching and becomes the schools AD and goes on for another 15 years and retires from the little high school after 45 years.  I feel like that was what his life was supposed to be but he just failed up.

 
teachercd said:
Riley failed up...it happens.  I feel like his destiny (if you believe in that) was to be a high school varsity coach and social studies teacher.  The staff loves him, the kids love him, the town loves him and he coaches and teaches at the school for 30 years...never winning a lot...never having horrible 1 win seasons either...then he "retires" from coaching and becomes the schools AD and goes on for another 15 years and retires from the little high school after 45 years.  I feel like that was what his life was supposed to be but he just failed up.
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Around here in HS if you are a .500 coach you won't be coaching there for more than 4 or 5 years.  Nice guy guy or not, you better win

 
swmohusker said:
Around here in HS if you are a .500 coach you won't be coaching there for more than 4 or 5 years.  Nice guy guy or not, you better win
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For sure, there are lots of places like that...there are also lots of little schools in nice small towns that are more than happy with a Riley coach.

 
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