** 2023 Previews: The Athletic (Stewart Mandel's) Big Ten Predictions **

[Saunders]

Stewart Mandel’s Big Ten predictions: Michigan poised to three-peat

Here, now, I present to you the final season of Big Ten divisions. The most fitting ending would be a 2008 Big 12 South scenario in which Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State all go 8-1 in league play and 1-1 against each other, forcing the league to invoke its complicated tiebreaker procedures.

That’s not exactly what I’m predicting, though.

https://theathletic.com/4784237/2023/08/21/big-ten-football-predictions-mandel-2023/?source=emp_shared_article

East




TEAM


BIG TEN


OVERALL







Michigan


8-1


11-1




Penn State


8-1


11-1




Ohio State


7-2


10-2




Maryland


6-3


9-3




Michigan State


4-5


6-6




Rutgers


2-7


5-7

Indiana


0-9


2-10








West





TEAM
  


BIG TEN
  


OVERALL
  






Wisconsin


7-2


9-3




Iowa


6-3


9-3




Illinois


5-4


7-5

Minnesota


4-5


6-6




Nebraska


3-6


5-7




Purdue


3-6


5-7

Northwestern


0-9


2-10

 

[Husker in WI]

Honestly Day might get fired if the finish 3rd in the East, which is crazy. I can never really read Penn State, but I'm not buying the hype this year - I think it's down to OSU and Michigan again. 

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Honestly Day might get fired if the finish 3rd in the East, which is crazy. I can never really read Penn State, but I'm not buying the hype this year - I think it's down to OSU and Michigan again. 

My guess is that Day is already looking for NFL gigs.

OSU is a great job but it is not a great job if Michigan is better than them.

Day needs Jim to leave for the NFL or Day is going to have to get the F out of OSU.

Urban created insane expectations at that spot.

 

[BigRedBuster]

My guess is that Day is already looking for NFL gigs.

OSU is a great job but it is not a great job if Michigan is better than them.

Day needs Jim to leave for the NFL or Day is going to have to get the F out of OSU.

Urban created insane expectations at that spot.

This is an example of why the TO vs. Switzer for so many years was so great.  I just don't get why guys have some success in college, slip back just a little, or the rival rises up.....and they think they have to jump to the NFL.

If Michigan is slightly better than them right now, then Day/OSU could stick it out and figure out how to be better again.

And...if it's pressure from fans, then fans need to chill and let Day work to get back on top.

Stay some place and build a legacy instead of constantly jumping from job to job.

 

[Husker03]

This is an example of why the TO vs. Switzer for so many years was so great.  I just don't get why guys have some success in college, slip back just a little, or the rival rises up.....and they think they have to jump to the NFL.

If Michigan is slightly better than them right now, then Day/OSU could stick it out and figure out how to be better again.

And...if it's pressure from fans, then fans need to chill and let Day work to get back on top.

Stay some place and build a legacy instead of constantly jumping from job to job.

Day isn't the guy. Day is Solich but in a better recruiting location.  OSU won't stand for less than great any more than NU was willing to.  

 

[Archy1221]

If Sims can play consistently good, game after game, no way NU finishes 3-6 in conference and 5-7.   He doesn’t need to play great, just needs to be consistently good.  

 

[TGHusker]

This is an example of why the TO vs. Switzer for so many years was so great.  I just don't get why guys have some success in college, slip back just a little, or the rival rises up.....and they think they have to jump to the NFL.

Yes - they made each other better.  Most years, the hardest game of the year was against their Thanksgiving weekend rival. 

 

[SuperBigFan69]

This is an example of why the TO vs. Switzer for so many years was so great.  I just don't get why guys have some success in college, slip back just a little, or the rival rises up.....and they think they have to jump to the NFL.

If Michigan is slightly better than them right now, then Day/OSU could stick it out and figure out how to be better again.

And...if it's pressure from fans, then fans need to chill and let Day work to get back on top.

Stay some place and build a legacy instead of constantly jumping from job to job.

I agree (don't get me started because you all know that I think Bo should still be here) but it would have been like canning Smart at UGA.

Urban Meyer ruined them.  Dude lost 4 conference games in 7 years at OSU.  9 total losses in 7 years at OSU.

Day has two conference losses in 4 years...the last two years are those losses, against Michigan.  And those fans are starting to lose it.  

The problem is, OSU is more John Cooper than Urban Meyer and Ryan Day is a great coach but those fans are pissed he is not Urban Meyer.  

 

[Husker in WI]

I agree (don't get me started because you all know that I think Bo should still be here) but it would have been like canning Smart at UGA.

Urban Meyer ruined them.  Dude lost 4 conference games in 7 years at OSU.  9 total losses in 7 years at OSU.

Day has two conference losses in 4 years...the last two years are those losses, against Michigan.  And those fans are starting to lose it.  

The problem is, OSU is more John Cooper than Urban Meyer and Ryan Day is a great coach but those fans are pissed he is not Urban Meyer.  

The funny thing is Day has a better conference winning percentage than Meyer, and was incredibly close to winning a championship last year even after getting crushed by Michigan again. They were up 11 on Georgia with less than 10 minutes to play and I don't think they would have had a lot of trouble with TCU. They hold on against Georgia and his seat is totally safe.

I do think it's going to be Ohio State vs. Michigan again in the Easy, and I wouldn't be surprised if OSU took it back. I know Penn State has a hotshot 5 star QB, but I just have a harder time believing in them. But in any case a 3rd straight loss to Michigan would be tough to stomach and the appearance of falling behind Penn State would catastrophic for Day, and he already used his "Fire a Coordinator" card so it's back on him for now. 

 

[Undone]

I just don't get why guys have some success in college, slip back just a little, or the rival rises up.....and they think they have to jump to the NFL.

I think in that era, "money" would have probably been the answer. And, it's a really good answer.

But now look at Rhule's contract with us. $66M guaranteed? There's no need for him to try and skip up to the NFL again if money is the question. I don't know what Day's contract is off the top of my head.

 

[Husker in WI]

 I just don't get why guys have some success in college, slip back just a little, or the rival rises up.....and they think they have to jump to the NFL.

I think in that era, "money" would have probably been the answer. And, it's a really good answer.

But now look at Rhule's contract with us. $66M guaranteed? There's no need for him to try and skip up to the NFL again if money is the question. I don't know what Day's contract is off the top of my head.

This, but also it's easy to look at recruiting, roster turnover, and 18-22 year olds making bad decisions and  convince yourself the NFL jobs are better. If anything it's more work, and it's not like 22-30 year old professional athletes make great decisions. But if recruiting, retaining, and making sure guys are going to class are just taking over your life I can see preferring to focus more on football in the NFL. Again I think it's harder, but where you need to spend your time in the NFL versus college can be appealing.

 

[Lorewarn]

Day isn't the guy. Day is Solich but in a better recruiting location.  OSU won't stand for less than great any more than NU was willing to.  

No he isn't, at least not yet. His only losses so far are to

• #2 Clemson in the playoff 23-29

• #1 Alabama in the national championship in covid year 24-52

• #12 Oregon 28-35

• #3 Michigan 27-42

• #3 Michigan 23-45

• #1 Georgia in the playoff 41-42

He's got wins over #3, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #11, #12, #18, #18 and #21 ranked teams. 

 

[Husker03]

No he isn't, at least not yet. His only losses so far are to

• #2 Clemson in the playoff 23-29

• #1 Alabama in the national championship in covid year 24-52

• #12 Oregon 28-35

• #3 Michigan 27-42

• #3 Michigan 23-45

• #1 Georgia in the playoff 41-42

He's got wins over #3, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #11, #12, #18, #18 and #21 ranked teams. 

He inherited a roster second, at the time, ONLY to Bama.  As stands, he is failing to maintain that position and now PSU and Michigan are back to life. NIL is in its infancy and the transfer portal will only hurt schools like OSU in maintaining an lock grip/stockpile on hoarding all of the best athletes across the country..

So,  from there it starts to boil down to coaching chops, and I don't  think Day brings anything exceptional to the table in that regard. In fact, I'd argue that stupid PJ packs a more powerful coaching punch, although real athletes won't buy into that guys' schtick.   Day will lead a slow decline over the next 3-5 years and somebody will fine a reason to justify a move along situation. 

Glad we have Rhule. Guy seems like, at the very least, he's a well organized cerebral coach. I'd take him over Day any day.

 

[Husker in WI]

He inherited a roster second, at the time, ONLY to Bama.  As stands, he is failing to maintain that position and now PSU and Michigan are back to life. NIL is in its infancy and the transfer portal will only hurt schools like OSU in maintaining an lock grip/stockpile on hoarding all of the best athletes across the country..

So,  from there it starts to boil down to coaching chops, and I don't  think Day brings anything exceptional to the table in that regard. In fact, I'd argue that stupid PJ packs a more powerful coaching punch, although real athletes won't buy into that guys' schtick.   Day will lead a slow decline over the next 3-5 years and somebody will fine a reason to justify a move along situation. 

Glad we have Rhule. Guy seems like, at the very least, he's a well organized cerebral coach. I'd take him over Day any day.

He's got to figure out Michigan, but he had them in position for a national championship last year - they really should have won the Georgia game. Now that loss reflects on him too, but he's been there 4-5 years (not sure how to count 2018) and they are still competing for championships. I wouldn't call 3 playoff appearances and a 5th place in 4 years "failing to maintain that position."

I do think he has a relatively short leash based on Michigan (and Penn State if they can actually beat OSU this year). But he's not a bad coach, and his track record is pretty incredible even given the starting point.

 

[LumberJackSker]

People are really assuming the air raid is going to work in Wisconsin