Big Ten regular-season win totals from Vegas

[Nebfanatic]

I wouldn't sell Pur-f*****g-due short, especially this year. They're my #2 for the West, behind DoNU. 

I like Purdue as well but I'm worried about their defense and wonder if they need another year. But that said they pulled in the 24th ranked recruiting class this last cycle. Year before that they were 51st in the cycle they landed Moore. Before that they were recruiting in the 60s-70s so Brohm is flooding that program with talent. They will be a problem for sure.

 

[WyoHusker56]

Not a bad prediction. Here's their schedule, with their cross-divisional games highlighted:

View attachment 15101

That's a really soft schedule except for having to face both Iowa and Wisconsin away. But I'd rather have that than to trade either Maryland or Indiana for Michigan, for example.

That out of conference slate ought to tell people a lot about Purdue before we hit B1G play. Then Minnesota and Purdue play on the 28th. Should have a good feeling how NE can shake out against those two at that point.

 

[The Dude]

I think Iowa goes 6-6.

 

[everybody knows my name]

I think having played Ohio State and Northwestern by the time we play the Gophers will benefit us. Goldy doesn't play anyone before us - SDSU, Fresno State, Georgia Southern, Purdue & Illinois. Toughest game in that slate (on paper) is Purdue.

I think you underestimate Fresno State.  They went 12-2 last year, their coach is Jeff Tedford, and they had Minnesota as good as beat last year before this miracle play by Antoine Winfield Jr on the final play of the game.

 

[knapplc]

30 minutes ago, everybody knows my name said:

I think you underestimate Fresno State.  They went 12-2 last year, their coach is Jeff Tedford, and they had Minnesota as good as beat last year before this miracle play by Antoine Winfield Jr on the final play of the game. 

Don't get me wrong - I think Minnesota loses that game. But that doesn't mean Fresno State is good. They're picked by most publications to be about middle of the pack of all 130 FBS teams.  I'll be rooting for the Gophers to win, though.  Big Ten mates over all others. :thumbs

 

[BowedButNotBeaten]

Minnesota is going 5-7 this year, 3-6 in conference. You guys finish with Penn State, Iowa, Northwestern & Wisconsin in four straight weeks, with no breaks. That's a rough stretch.

I've honestly got your game against Fresno State as a tossup, and I'm giving the nod to Fresno because they're at home and I don't like Minnesota because we are bitter Chair rivals.

It would be remarkable to have almost everybody back, return three stud players from injury (Smith, Brooks, Winfield), have an experienced quarterback rather than last year's two untested freshmen, have an easier conference schedule on paper, and still somehow manage to get WORSE? I don't think I'll side with you there.

I'm not buying Iowa and Wisconsin, and analytics suggest that Northwestern outperformed their expectation last year and should revert to the mean. I think the three likeliest candidates to win the West are Purdue, Minnesota and Nebraska.