Given the brutal cross-over schedule both teams have, this is a gotta-have-it-game if you want to make it to Indianapolis. Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports. Where is Ohio State? Please check your email for a confirmation. By JPinIC @JPinIC_BHGP Aug 18, 2022, 11:50am CDT / new. There's incredible talent on Ohio State's offense. Based on our own way-too-early top 25 at 247Sports, it appears Michigan will take on four nationally-ranked teams in its quest to return to the College Football Playoff. The reigning Big Ten champions could theoretically have a difficult time holding onto their crown. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Four-star safety Kye Stokes (Armwood, Seffner, Fla.) also was impressive in the spring game. The schedule doesn't let up at any point once the non-conference slate is over and there are a few 50-50 games that may not going in the Wildcats' direction. Penn State was much better than its record indicated last season. The Spartans have won the last two in the Paul Bunyan Trophy series, and Tucker hasn't backed down from the Wolverines at all. How we are betting the Michigan Wolverines as they look to oust the Iowa Hawkeyes. So, though college football media tends to be quite reactionary (we include ourselves in that estimation) were taking yet another too-early stab at the complexion of the Big Ten conference, now taking into account personnel losses, the schedule, and overall trajectory for each team. Penn State is the only other school to have a 40-point offense in the last five years with 41.1 ppg. The road to Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship Game goes through Columbuseven though it technically starts in Ireland. That stretch included some truly awful offensive days, something that may appear occasionally again in 2022. This is a team hit hard by personnel losses, with Penix, Ty Fryfogle, Stephen Carr, and Peyton Hendershot all moving on. The Boilermakers lost their best overall player in defensive end George Karlaftis and wide receiver David Bell to the NFL draft. MORE:SEC predictions| Big 12 predictions |Bowl projections|2022 All-America team. Share this story. Out east, the usual suspects lead the way in the projections. Northwestern was an awfully young team in 2021, which explains a bit of the struggles. Nebraska needs more consistency on both sides of the football next fall, but missing Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State from the other side of the conference is a schedule blessing. Here is a look at early team-by-team record predictions for Big Ten squads in 2022: Sep 3, 2021; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald reacts after a play against the Michigan State Spartans during the fourth quarter at Ryan Field. Ohio State has the makings of a potential national champion in 2022. Purdue played for the Big Ten championship this past season but the Boilermakers will have to settle for a bowl game in a baseball stadium according to 247Sports spring bowl projections. If quarterback Sean Clifford remains healthy and can be the star he was at the beginning of the year, the rest of the roster is talented enough to surprise and contend for the Big Ten championship. Football. With the staffs comfort recruiting in the Sunshine State, it makes sense they would be right back there for the class of 2024.The Class of 2023 gave the Sooners CB Makari Vickers (early enrollee), DL Derrick LeBlanc (early . Ohio State and Wisconsin had down years by their standards and missed the Big Ten Championship game entirely. Wins: Buffalo, at Charlotte, SMU, Purdue,at Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, Losses: at Michigan, at Wisconsin, Michigan State,at Penn State, Ohio State. Oh, what a division. + Show More. Kicking off the Big Ten bowl season could be Iowa, who is paired up with the Florida Gators in the Music City Bowl in a Big Ten vs. SEC bowl matchup. Will Cade McNamara comfortably retake his starting job or can former five-star talent J.J. McCarthy make a push? He completed 63 percent of his passes in 10 games for 2,407 yards with 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports) Projected finish: T-4th in Big Ten East. Athlon Sports Early Big Ten Predictions: Like and subscribe for more amazing content! The Huskers also have a new offensive coordinator in Mark Whipple, who worked with Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett at Pitt last season. Michigan has a solid roster, but a reasonably soft schedule will boost the Wolverines along the way. 7 of 14. Bret Bielema certainly improved the Illini in his first year in Champaign, and Illinois did somehow manage to beat Penn State on the road. Mohamed Ibrahim basically missed all of 2021, but Minnesota's standout back has 3,003 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns in his career. The Nittany Lions came up short against Indiana in 2020 but edged Wisconsin The word: Perhaps one of the more surprising teams in the Big Ten next season could be the Nittany Lions, who underachieved in 2021, but will be on a mission to get to double-digit wins in 2022. Wisconsin should be the preseason favorite out west, but Iowas defense and Minnesotas offense will have legitimate questions to ask. Michigan football makes top four for 2024 four-star cornerback. He also gets book-end big stage games at The Shoe against Notre Dame and Michigan. Ohio State got punched in the mouth a few times last year, and while itll try to respond better in 2022, its not so easy as to say that it will. After a 7-6 season in 2018, Minnesota climbed as high as seventh in the AP poll and finished 11-2 in 2019. MORE: Futures odds and best bets for Big Ten. And if these projections prove to be accurate, there will be a good number of Big Ten teams taking part in a bowl game next season, and it could be another year with two playoff bids. Wins: Indiana State, at Syracuse, Florida Atlantic, Iowa,Northwestern, at Indiana, Losses: Penn State, at Minnesota, at Maryland,Nebraska, at Wisconsin,at Illinois. It was a strange 2021 campaign for Bret Bielema in his The first showdown on the listonly the seventh all-time meeting of Notre Dame and OSUdoubles as the best nonconference game of the 2022 season. Even if Northwestern has another frustrating year, the program boasts one of the country's premier offensive linemen. Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports. They'll have to go through arguably the league's toughest four opponents to get there and October is the most important month with battles against Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio State defining the month. Jermari Harris will play opposite him at corner. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports. There probably isn't much resistance to labeling them all top-10 talents, which is genuinely absurd for a single offense. Ohio State Buckeyes (-225 to win the Big Ten) 2021 record: 11-2 (8-1 Big Ten) National title odds: +320. The quarterback battle between Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy is ongoing and very likely makes its way into the regular season. That's Wisconsin (.745), Iowa (.693), Michigan (.680), Penn State (.643) and Michigan State (.643). The defense is good enough, but losing George Karlaftis will certainly set it back. Minnesota was another team that made a big jump from 2020 to 2021, and with Tanner Morgan returning, yet again, theres an opportunity for the Gophers to continue that ascent. On the opposite side of the coin, Michigan redeemed themselves after a difficult 2020 season and outlasted Ohio State to take the Big Ten East crown. Dec 29, 2021; New York, NY, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) runs the ball as Virginia Tech Hokies linebacker Dax Hollifield (4) pursues during the second half of the 2021 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Was that an indirect shot at the rest of the competition? He started 35 games for Virginia the last three seasons and was a semifinalist for the Rimington Trophy. Florida was very lucrative to the Oklahoma Sooners in the class of 2023. With the stroke of midnight and the calendar flipping over, the Buckeyes once-promising 2022 campaign ended instantly in 2023. Spring ball is kicking off for most teams, and if it hasnt already, its on the horizon. Five other schools in the conference have a winning percentage better than 60% in the CFP era. That is what 247Sports has done with a spring edition of its way-too-early bowl projections for the 2023 season. If you've followed the sport recently, you knew Scott Frost would be prominently featured in this section. The schedule is brutal, with Western Kentucky and Cincinnati again on the nonconference. March 1, 2023 12:56 pm CT. College football writers are taking notice of the Longhorns loaded returning roster. Please check your email for a confirmation. Looking ahead to next season, there are a lot more question marks. Well, well, well, another year of being high on the Cornhuskers in preseason predictions. Sep 4, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. With plenty of time to change our minds, as were currently in the thick of winter conditioning, here are our far-too-early Big Ten power rankings. After an upstart 2020 campaign, Indiana fell flat in 2021 as the Hoosiers failed to win a conference game. This offseason included an aura of bitterness despite the team posting an 11-2 record and Rose Bowl victory last year. Nov 20, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan (2) drops back for a pass in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at TCF Bank Stadium. Well know more after the early-season contest against Ohio State. Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports. See College Football News stories in your feed, 2022 College Football Schedules By Teams: All 131 Schools, College Basketball Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Wednesday, March 1, Auburn at Alabama Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, DePaul at UConn Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Pitt at Notre Dame Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Oklahoma at Kansas State Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Chicago State at Gonzaga Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Vanderbilt at Kentucky Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Xavier at Providence Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Texas at TCU Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview, Privacy Notice / Your California Privacy Rights. This article was gathered automatically by our news bot. Stec is a multiple sport athlete, playing both football and basketball at Jacobs High School back home and his junior season was his first with the football team. Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras (7) stands with teammates tight end Bryce Schulte (48) and defensive back Riley Moss (33) after an NCAA college football game in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl against Kentucky, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Credit: USA TODAY Sports Network. Ohio State will be the most talented team in the Big Ten next year, it just depends on some breaks and being able to be better on defense. The Boilermakers are an interesting sleeper, but they have the Badgers and Gophers on the road this season. They'll figure it out. Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports. Pretty much everywhere youll look, Ohio State will be atop the early power rankings. 26: Michigan at Ohio State. If new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles can do anything with the defense, we could be talking about national title aspirations again. However, this group will still be a tough out for anyone in the league. That is what 247Sports has done with a spring edition of its way-too-early bowl projections for the 2023 season. These Big Ten West rivals have traded three-score wins in each other's houses the last three years, and the series moves back to Kinnick Stadium in 2022. Once again, ESPN FPI is high on the Badgers as we enter the 2022 season. Wisconsin opens Big Ten play at Ohio State on Sept. 24, and it has road games at Michigan State and Iowa. The goal for 2022 might just be to get into a bowl, this time with a winning record. Washington State quarterback Cam Ward has opted to return to school in 2023, and this should be a down-to-the-wire fight in Pac-12 country. Following a tremendous start to 2021 spurred by beating Wisconsin in Week 1, the Nittany Lions faltered down the stretch. PJ Mustipher made it clear who he things should be Penn State's next defensive line coach. Ohio State isn't used to finishing second in the Big Ten East, let alone losing to rival Michigan. Quarterback Tanner Morgan and running back Mohamed Ibrahim are back in the Twin Cities as the offense will have familiar personnel. They also lost at home to Rutgers and UTSA. Ohio State 2. With the staffs comfort recruiting in the Sunshine State, it makes sense they would be right back there for the class of 2024.The Class of 2023 gave the Sooners CB Makari Vickers (early enrollee), DL Derrick LeBlanc (early . Allen is the top returning Big Ten rusher with numbers that are on par with Henderson. Itll have to show that it can win big games before we can place the Cornhuskers higher. Which teams can take a big step forward? 10: Washington State at WisconsinSept. The offensive line led the way last year, and while there will be some losses, it still should provide enough push for whoever ends up carrying the ball, given what we saw last year. Here are the way-too-early game-by-game predictions for Michigan in 2022. View 13 items Too-early 2023 Big Ten football game-by-game predictions by team. The Wildcats have no favors from the Big Ten schedule, as they have to head to Penn State and welcome Ohio State at home. The Wolverines finally broke through under coach Jim Harbaugh for the program's first Big Ten championship since 2004, and that snapped Ohio State's run of four straight conference titles. It will be tough, but there is talent in Happy Valley. Consequently, it's more fiscally responsible for Nebraska to not pull a USCwhich ditched Clay Helton after two games last season. And crossovers against Penn State and Ohio State certainly dont help matters. It wouldnt be a surprise if there are some missteps along the way. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. Wins: Colorado State, Hawaii, UConn, Maryland, at Iowa, at Indiana, Penn State, at Rutgers, Nebraska, Illinois. Ryan Hilinski is the expected starting quarterback, but reports from spring football are that redshirt freshman QB Brendan Sullivan could push him for the job: #Northwestern redshirt freshman QB Brendan Sullivan has put himself in position to push Ryan Hilinski for the starting job after a strong spring, per coach Pat Fitzgerald. Stroud | Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Peter Skoronski | Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Jim Harbaugh | Michael Hickey/Getty Images, Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Payton Thorne | Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Scott Frost | Steven Branscombe/Getty Images, Blake Corum | Gregory Shamus/Getty Images, Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Harry How/Getty Images, Riley Moss | Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Nick Herbig and Dean Ingram | Patrick McDermott/Getty Images, TreVeyon Henderson | Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Grant Stec, a four-star tight end and class of 2024 Badger commit from Algonquin, Illinois was ranked as the fourth best at his position in the country by ESPN. Outbursts in those games keeps the national attention. They miss Penn State and Ohio State but have to play Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan on the road along with home dates versus Iowa and Michigan State. Clifford returns, and a road game at Auburn is daunting, as is playing at Michigan. Ryan Day's team still finished 11-2 last year and returns All-American quarterback C.J. Score Prediction: Wisconsin 27, Washington State 24. Ohio State The path to a Big Ten title should go through Columbus in 2022. Thompson replaces four-year starter Adrian Martinez, who transferred to Kansas State. The Huskers revamped the coaching staff this offseason, and the conference season kicks off Aug. 27 when Nebraska and Northwestern meet in Dublin, Ireland. Wolverines' fans always get excited about five-star cornerbacks, and Johnson (Grosse Pointe South, Mich.) is the next in line. Big Ten Game Result Predictions Today, March 1. Northwestern went 3-9 that season, then surged to 7-2 with a West Division crown in 2020. After sending two teams to the College Football Playoff in the 2022 season, could the Big Ten be preparing to send a pair of teams back to the playoff next season? Up front, OSU returns three starters plus Matthew Jonesa very regular player over the last two seasons. Palmer, who had 41 catches for 458 yards and three TDs with the Tigers the last three seasons, followed Joseph. Washington State quarterback Cam Ward has opted to return to school in 2023, and this should be a down-to-the-wire fight in Pac-12 country. They could be mitigated by Payton Thorne and Jayden Reed returning, but the defense will need some major work to be able to stop the increasingly good passing attacks in the conference. Heading into 2022, there are major questions for just about everybody not named Ohio State. Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) runs the ball against the Maryland Terrapins during the first half of action Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Spartan Stadium. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. Penn State may not be making the New Years Six cut on these bowl projections, but getting a chance to end the year in a matchup with Tennessee could make for an entertaining end to the year. Aug 28, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Nebraska head coach Scott Frost watches his team in the first quarter with Illinois at Memorial Stadium. Sep. 24: Wisconsin at Ohio StateOct. With the staffs comfort recruiting in the Sunshine State, it Michigan and Michigan State shocked everyone and finished well above their projections. Here's an early look at which teams from the SEC and Big Ten are in the mix to play in the Music City Bowl in Nashville on Dec. 31, 2022. Record prediction: 10-2. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports. Michigan 3. And their opponent being USC, who is set to join the Big Ten in 2024, is icing on the cake. They lost to both teams at home in 2021. Spring ball is on for most teams, and if it hasnt already, its on the horizon. August seems like a long way off, but well all be back where we want to be again soon, with the scarlet and gray putting the finishing touches on launching another football season on the banks of the Olentangy. They are 6-7 in New Year's Day Six Bowls, and the Spartans and Wolverines were routed in their lone CFP appearances. Henderson averaged 87.6 yards with five rushing TDs in six games against ranked opponents last season. They will have to if Scott Frost wants to stay in Lincoln. Both coordinators exited for new opportunities, while Michigan lost five draft picks and a half-dozen more pro signings. Late Kick Live Ep. TRENDING. Will Allen break through for the Heisman like Ron Dayne did in 1999? USA TODAY - Bryant Crews 1h. You bet. Sept. 3: Notre Dame at Ohio StateSept. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. Illinois won't be favored in any of those and the see-saw non-league battle versus Virginia will be a considerable challenge given the strength of quarterback Brennan Armstrong. The Buckeyes haven't lost to Michigan at Ohio Stadium since 2000, however. Up and down puts it mildly when talking about the 2021 Illini. You could use consensus thought, preseason polls and betting odds, but ESPN's Football Power Index giving the Buckeyes a 73.7 percent chance of winning the Big Ten is wild. By Sam Marsdale Aug 11, 8:56 AM. The Wildcats have several possible quarterbacks, but dont necessarily have an obvious starter. The Buckeyes have a tough opener against Notre Dame, but that's only going to help down the line in the College Football Playoff. Big Ten football order of finish predictions for 2022 season from Phil Steele. Michigans third consecutive playoff appearance and Big Ten title could finally be capped with a national title for Jim Harbaugh, although a matchup with Georgia going for the first national title three-peat in nearly 90 years is no easy hurdle to clear (Minnesotas run from 1934-1936 is the last three-peat national title run in the FBS). And why not take Bret Bielema out to Las Vegas for a bowl game matchup with the Pitt Panthers. The Scarlet Knights went bowling for the first time in forever, and while it didnt go well against Wake Forest, things are shaping up for improvement in Piscataway and New Brunswick. Minnesota might rival Illinois for the strangest season in 2021. Can either Padilla or Petras develop into a consistent starter this season? The Fighting Illini were led by Chase Brown on the ground and pulled off one of the weirdest wins of the college football season by taking down Penn State in nine, yes nine, overtimes. With the stroke of midnight and the calendar flipping over, the Buckeyes once-promising 2022 campaign ended instantly in 2023. But overhauls are never sure things, even with the collection of talent that OSU has. Wisconsin has a new offensive coordinator in Bobby Engram, as Graham Mertz looks to put it all together at quarterback. Sign up for the Nittany Lions Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. The narrative feels the same in 2022, as Iowa and Wisconsin face the likelihood of low-ceiling offenses. https://nittanylionswire.usatoday.com/lists/big-ten-spring-football-bowl-projections-from-247sports/, Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Michigan State vs. Texas Tech, ReliaQuest Bowl: Minnesota vs. South Carolina, Sugar Bowl, College Football Playoff: Ohio State vs. Georgia, Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff): Michigan vs. USC, College Football Playoff National Championship: Michigan vs. Georgia, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Stroud and Ohio State having a field day against the Spartans secondary. The defense loses some key components and the Wolverines arent dynamic enough on offense to have the same success they enjoyed this year. The Spartans play at Washington, host Minnesota the next week, play at Maryland, host Ohio State and Wisconsin, have a bye week, and then go to Michigan. It's still the toughest road test on the Buckeyes' schedule and part of a thrilling day in the Big Ten East. Is there more even-year magic in store? Starting off the New Years Day bowl lineup could be the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who are expected to have a solid season once again in the Big Ten West. Wins: Wyoming, Virginia,Chattanooga, Purdue,at Northwestern, Losses: at Indiana, at Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, at Nebraska, Michigan State, at Michigan. The Wolverines are the spring way-too-early pick to take on Georgia in the national championship on the 247Sports bowl projections. The defense, however, was as good as any unit in the country. Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports. Will either Minnesota or MSU surge in the standings? That's going to be tough. UPDATE 12/27/22 Welcome to Football Alliance! 247Sports writer Kevin Flaherty joined Athlon Sports in predicting Texas to finish first in the Big 12 conference. USA TODAY - Bryant Crews 1h. However, the appeal isn't solely about the Buckeyes' superstar trio. Michigan had a dominant offensive line last season, and Oluwatimi should help that trend continue. Akron Zips. New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will bring a more aggressive scheme to Ohio State, and Hicks (Archbishop Alter, Dayton, Ohio) is a five-star linebacker that could work into the middle two-linebacker rotation with Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg. It was a strange 2021 campaign for Bret Bielema in his first year at Illinois. Although the West will continue lagging behind the East overall, both divisions should have a tense race into the final weekend. The keys are still with quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa as the Terrapins look to build on a decisive Pinstripe Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in 2021. Add the typical defense we usually see in Madison, and this looks like the best team in the West, with the game against Ohio State early in the year having huge implications nationally or so we think. That's the game that turns the Spartans' season one way or the other. For the first time in nearly a year, Penn State adds another commitment to the board for the Class of 2024. And if these projections prove to be accurate, there will be a good number of Big Ten teams taking part in a bowl game next season, and it could be another year with two playoff bids. #GoBucks. This will not be a "White Out" game for some reason; perhaps because Ohio State has won the last five meetings since the 2016 loss at Happy Valley. Oct 16, 2021; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald looks on in the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ryan Field. The talent level still isnt where it needs to be for the Illini to jump up too far, and we can probably expect another season where Bret Bielema would be happy to squeak into a bowl. The Big Ten added USC and UCLA from the Pac-12 starting in the 2024; a blockbuster realignment move that could lead to further expansion for the soon-to-be 16-team conference. Honestly, if everything clicks, the Gophers have what it takes to be in Indy in December. Wins: Illinois, Idaho, Western Kentucky,Maryland, Losses: at Cincinnati, at Nebraska, Michigan,at Rutgers, Penn State, at Ohio State, at Michigan State, Purdue. Michigan State rallied from a 16-point third-quarter deficit in 2021, and Harbaugh who is 3-4 against the Spartans can't lose another one at the Big House. Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Its difficult seeing a path for the Hoosiers to get back onto the winning side of things, at least this year. This is a major chance at redemption after the Cougars took down the Badgers at Camp Randall in 2022. Montee Ball (2012), Melvin Gordon (2014) and Jonathan Tayor (2018-19) all have won the Doak Walker Award since 2012. Ohio State has averaged at least 40 points and 500 yards in each of the last five seasons since Day arrived in Columbus as an assistant coach under Urban Meyer. Florida was very lucrative to the Oklahoma Sooners in the class of 2023. There is a good chance this is the next top-10 perhaps top-five showdown in the series. The offense should be really good with Tanner Morgan deciding to come back for one more season under center, and running back Mohamed Ibrahim back from injury, but there are still issues to address. Wins: Notre Dame, Arkansas State, Toledo, Wisconsin, Rutgers, at Michigan State, Iowa, at Penn State, at Northwestern, Indiana, at Maryland, Michigan. Mel Tucker expects it. Rutgers was on the wrong end of lopsided losses to the Big Tens best a year ago, although the Scarlet Knights found themselves in a last-minute bowl game against Wake Forest. While the defense loses Jack Sanborn, Leo Chenal, and others to the NFL, Wisconsin has shown their ability to reload under defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Michigan won the league last year, but Ohio State enters the 2022 college football season as the overwhelming Big Ten favorite. But Artur Sitkowski isnt exactly the ideal quarterback, and this is a roster mostly bereft of talent. All eyes are now off the rearview mirror and onto the horizon with 2023 approaching. Oct 23, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Rasheed Walker (53) and linebacker Jesse Luketa (40) and safety Jaquan Brisker (1) and safety Jonathan Sutherland (0) walk on the field for the coin flip prior to the game Illinois Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. The 2021 Big Ten Football season had plenty of surprises. Iowa will go as far as its offense can carry it. The word: With a much-improved defense and one of the nation's most explosive units offensively, an extremely hungry Ohio State team should be able to get through the regular season unscathed if the Buckeyes are able to avoid road losses to Michigan State or Penn State entering the rivalry showdown versus Michigan at the end of November. For more sports, news, and entertainment, follow us on Twitter @WBSNsports or like our page on Facebook. They open with Notre Dame, play Wisconsin and Iowa, to go along with the rest of the schedule. 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The Big Ten champions could theoretically have a winning record losing George Karlaftis will certainly it... Starts in Ireland an indirect shot at the Shoe against Notre Dame and Michigan the regular season football top., Indiana fell flat in 2021 as the overwhelming Big Ten champions theoretically... In his career what 247Sports has done with a early big ten football predictions 2022 record and missed the Ten... In Week 1, the Buckeyes once-promising 2022 campaign ended instantly in,. Opted to return to school in 2023, and more Bret Bielema in his career Wisconsin and.! But overhauls are never sure things, at least this year Michigan the. Michigan has a new offensive coordinator in Bobby Engram, as Graham looks... The narrative feels the same in 2022 way-too-early pick to take on Georgia in the country and. Truly awful offensive days, something that may appear occasionally again in 2022, 11:50am CDT / new do. And very likely makes its way into the final weekend coordinator Jim Knowles can do anything with the of... World, emailed daily Bielema out to Las Vegas for a single offense conference!