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. The thing about college football is that its entirely impossible to pin down. The Spartans have won the last two in the Paul Bunyan Trophy series, and Tucker hasn't backed down from the Wolverines at all. The secondary and a thorny schedule are major obstacles, but Mel Tucker proved us wrong in 2021. This team could surprise some people. Allen rushed for 1,268 yards, averaged 6.8 yards per carry and finished with 12 TDs as a freshman for the Badgers, and that was with a limited role in the first month of the season. The defense, however, was as good as any unit in the country. + Show More. 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. Still, a return to Indianapolis would be a welcomed sign for Wisconsin. PSU wasnt the same team after that, and still has loads of talent. Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) runs for a long first down in the third quarter against Nebraska Cornhuskers safety Myles Farmer (4) during their football game Saturday, November 20, 2021, at Camp Randall in Madison, Wis. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. Sign up for the Badgers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Bielema vs. Pat Narduzzi? Mel Tucker expects it. Spring ball is on for most teams, and if it hasnt already, its on the horizon. Maryland is coming off a bowl win in 2021, but the Terps are 4-21 against the Big Four in the division since joining the Big Ten in 2014. Northwestern vs. Illinois 11/27/21 FREE College Football Picks and Predictions on NCAAF Betting, NCAA Football 08 PS2 Campus Legend BJ Simmons And Your Heisman Award Winner Is, This I Remember: 2004 Michigan Football season, LIVE Texas vs Baylor Postgame Show | Bijan Robinson | Reactions | Big 12 | Longhorns. Expect Indiana to find its neutral level after extremes in either direction over the past two seasons. No other Big Ten team has averaged 500 yards per game. C.J. Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Teradja Mitchell (3) and Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste (8) come together to tackle Maryland Terrapins running back Challen Faamatau (29) during the second quarter of their NCAA college football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on October 9, 2021. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. But if the Huskers start poorly, Frost's fate may be just about sealed as the calendar flips to October. Iowa was ranked No.2 at some point in the season but finished with a 10-4 record. The Ohio State Buckeyes will look to get back into the College Football Playoff this season. Thank you for visiting Win Big Sports Network and wbsnsports.com. 2022 College Football Game Result (Winner and Score) Predictions (RP predictor): - predictions of the winner, score, margin of victory, probability of victory of each game in the season. Yes, the Buckeyes are still a shining star in the conference, but they do have some issues. 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. That stretch included some truly awful offensive days, something that may appear occasionally again in 2022. Ohio State and Wisconsin had down years by their standards and missed the Big Ten Championship game entirely. The word: What are the outside expectations for the Badgers in 2022? The defense will still be feisty, but there still needs to be O-line improvement, as well as more consistency from quarterback Graham Mertz. Ohio State has the makings of a potential national champion in 2022. They had a season of close losses yet registered a Big Ten-worst 1-8 league mark. Michigan State we had ranked 10th. And can Matt Rhule finally get Nebraska back into the postseason? Then in November, the main contenders in the West and East divisions, respectively, meet for potentially decisive games. CLICK HERE to download the CBS Sports Mobile App and get the latest on your team today. The defense has the potential to be in the upper half of the conference, but solving an offensive that sputtered last season will be the question. It should be enough to keep things at the level they were last season, but you have to believe that some of those close games will actually go in the win column in 2022. You bet. Contact/Follow us@BuckeyesWireon Twitter, and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. The Big Ten conference will be fascinating once again in 2022. February 22, 2023 12:24 pm ET. This is a major chance at redemption after the Cougars took down the Badgers at Camp Randall in 2022. It was part of a ridiculous season where Smith-Njigba had 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine TDs. #GoBucks. Please check your email for a confirmation. The new receivers include Marvin Harrison Jr, who caught three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, and former top prospects Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka. 29: Michigan State at MichiganNov. Notably, those struggles came against the top of the conference including C.J. The Vols are coming off a strong season in 2022 and could be in for another good season. Iowa will go as far as its offense can carry it. Look for Wisconsin to be a problem this season. 17: Penn State at Auburn; Michigan State at Washington. The Buckeyes have won eight straight in the series, and the Badgers haven't won in Columbus since a 24-13 shocker in 2004. The opener against Notre Dame could be worrisome as well. 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. The word: Will Iowa get back to the Big Ten Championship Game in the black-and-blue division? 10: Washington State at WisconsinSept. This offseason included an aura of bitterness despite the team posting an 11-2 record and Rose Bowl victory last year. To close October, Michigan aims for revenge on rival Michigan State. Michigan has a solid roster, but a reasonably soft schedule will boost the Wolverines along the way. Thats the question that holds they key to Iowas potential in 2022. Smith-Njigba's last impression was a 15-catch, 347-yard, three-TD effort in the Rose Bowl against Utah. Well, well, well, another year of being high on the Cornhuskers in preseason predictions. It opens at Boston College, goes to Temple, and plays Iowa and goes to Ohio State in back-to-back weeks. Wins: New Mexico State, Western Illinois, Colorado, Purdue, at Penn State,at Illinois, Rutgers, Northwestern, Losses: at Michigan State, at Nebraska, Iowa, at Wisconsin. Sign up for the Buckeyes Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning, Let's get ready to cheer on the Lady Bucks this weekend. Losing Adrian Martinez via transfer to Kansas State wont help matters in 2022, but perhaps Scott Frost has the pieces outside the quarterback position that could help the Huskers get over that hump. It's a new QB for Frost, and it might just work this time. Quarterback Aidan OConnell is back in the fold as the Boilers try and fill holes at receiver. Akron Zips. What to expect: FPI gives Michigan a nearly 10 percent chance to take the Big Ten East and is a shade under 15 percent to get back to How it will unfold: Arguably the toughest team to project in 2023, In the history of the Big 12, 2023 will always stand as an outlier. Penn State They will have to if Scott Frost wants to stay in Lincoln. 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. Will Ohio State earn revenge? Be more involved in the big games. Highs will include a home win over Iowa while the lows could feature a road loss to Illinois for Jeff Brohm's group. The Spartans defeated their crosstown rivals, won 11 games, and had one of the best running backs in the country in Kenneth Walker III. Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports. Given the brutal cross-over schedule both teams have, this is a gotta-have-it-game if you want to make it to Indianapolis. He's also a valued NFL prospect, should he turn pro following his junior campaign this fall. Ohio State's high-powered offense will be too much for Michiganand then Wisconsin in the conference championship gameto contain. Here are the 10 players I think are primed for breakout seasons in 2023. Indiana we had ranked third. All 14 coaches returned to the Big Ten, but Nebraska's Scott Frost is on the hottest of hot seats. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said those schools can help "carry some weight" for the Big Ten. It's still the toughest road test on the Buckeyes' schedule and part of a thrilling day in the Big Ten East. The RP Predictor calculates the final score of each game based on each team's offense, defense, Over/under: 11. A new-look offense will be headlined by former Pitt offensive coordinator Mark Whipple and Texas transfer quarterback Casey Thompson. While Wisconsin fans can often count on a game that is too close for comfort when the Badgers meet the Wildcats, this Northwestern team is going to once again have a difficult time generating offense. Theres no doubt Greg Schiano has shifted the culture in a good way at Rutgers. The hiring of Luke Fickell by Wisconsin is expected by many to lead the Badgers quickly back to the top of the Big Ten West. Eight hypothetical position switches for current Michigan football players, Why Ernest Hausmann decided to become a Wolverine, Every five-star recruit that Michigan football has had since 2001, Media reacts to Michigan basketball OT win over Wisconsin, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Breaking down the five best futures bets, picks, and predictions for the 2022 season. 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