B1G Week 1 Predictions
College football is right around the corner (if you didn't already know). The first B1G game is on Thursday!
How do you think the B1G will fare during week 1? Are you "rooting" for the conference? Do you root against our rivals/division foes? What's your biggest upset?
Week 1:
Thursday
SDSU Jackrabbits @ Minnesota = W
Friday
Tulsa @ MSU = W
Wisconsin @ USF = W
UMASS @ Rutgers = W
Purdue @ Nevada = W
Saturday
MTSU @ Michigan = W
FAU @ OSU = W
S. Alabama @ Nebraska = W
Howard @ Maryland = W
Akron @ Illinois = W
Indiana vs. Ball State (neutral) = W
Idaho @ PSU = W
Northwestern @ Stanford = L
Miami (OH) @ Iowa = W
I'm predicting a 13 - 1 week for the B1G. Upset watch could be Wisconsin @ USF, Rutgers could lose, Purdue could struggle on the road @ Nevada, and it'd be funny to see MSU struggle with Tulsa.
August 23rd, 2019 at 6:21 PM ^
I watch some other B1G teams, but I always root against OSU, MSU, and PSU. I just can't root for those teams. I always root against sparty, I even take ND and Buckeyes over sparty. That cesspool of enabled assaulters deserve to lose every game.
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:45 PM ^
I don't care about PSU. They're just there. Like, if Penn State and Wisconsin switched divisions I'd just feel like "All right. Nothing has changed."
August 23rd, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
Not many "must see" football games on that list. I know Week 1 often has a lot of marshmallows on the slate, but I didn't realize it was quite that bad.
South Florida looks possible but remember: after starting last year 7-0 they are now on a 6-game losing streak. They finished last year ranked in the 70s in S&P+. They went 2-0 against Illinois over the last 2 years but both games were actually close as USF played ridiculously undisciplined football. They committed a combined 30 penalties for nearly 300 (!!!) penalty yards in those 2 games combined.
TLDR version of the above - I don't trust South Florida at all. I'd take Wisconsin in that one.
Illinois & Rutgers aren't any good. But Akron & UMass are really bottom-of-the-barrel and each are bringing in new coaches. The 2 B1G teams should survive those games.
If I'm looking for an upset, I'm taking Nevada. They should be able to score in 2019. That's a long, and a bit of a strange, road-trip for Purdue out to high-altitude.
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:11 PM ^
Yes, the Purdue trip is weird. I don't see much upside, as Nevada isn't even a Power Five school.
Interesting to see Wisconsin doing something similar (though Tampa wouldn't be as other-worldly for most of the players as Reno would be).
August 23rd, 2019 at 11:25 PM ^
New season though. Given the rest of the schedule and that it's on the road and our game looks like an early test, I'm looking forward most to watching Wiscy.
August 24th, 2019 at 9:15 AM ^
Question for you..why are you on this blog so much? I’m not trying to be a d*** I am seriously curious you are a penn state fan and post more than most Michigan fans. Are you looking for some insider info what?
August 23rd, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
UMass @ Rutgers is an exciting matchup! /s
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:22 PM ^
Isn't that a conference game for both teams?
August 23rd, 2019 at 6:49 PM ^
Iowa released their depth chart today, and they have 5 starters from the Metro Detroit area listed. Pretty impressive (I think MSU only has 4 and Michigan may have 7 depending on how things shake out), and it should make for an interesting Homecoming game. A huge miss for us on Alaric Jackson (*shakes fist at Tim Drevno).
Alaric Jackson at LT, Chauncey Golston at DE, Cedrick Lattimore at DT, Michael Ojemudia at CB, and Kaevon Merriweather at FS. Merriweather is the surprising one to me as he is a 2-star sophomore from Belleville that was originally going to play basketball in MAC until he switched to Iowa late (analogous to Ronnie Bell at Michigan).
No Oliver Martin listed on the depth chart with his waiver still in undecided.
https://twitter.com/scottdochterman/status/1164960954620268545?s=21
August 23rd, 2019 at 10:19 PM ^
Didn’t realize Ojemudia was a CB. Another kick to balls from Iowa. Paybacks for Higdon I suppose.
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:03 PM ^
I would have to agree with those, but NW has Hunter Johnson at QB. He’s a 5 star transfer from Clemson. I would love to see Tulsa win.
August 24th, 2019 at 9:52 AM ^
I think we ALL want Tulsa to win!
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:05 PM ^
If MSU loses week one I will probably get so happy drunk next friday night my pants may come off. Seriously fuck everything about that university (if you can call it that).
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:11 PM ^
Not actively rooting against the conference, I'm just happy to see MSU playing on Friday with all the other High School teams
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:18 PM ^
MSU will lose to Tulsa.
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:48 PM ^
Tulsa was putrid last year. I would laugh if it happened but I feel like that'd take a minor miracle.
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:54 PM ^
Speaking of Tulsa, whatever happened to Shavodrick Beaver?
August 24th, 2019 at 7:46 AM ^
August 25th, 2019 at 12:17 PM ^
It's plausible. They return almost everybody on D and their D was lights out last year. Here are reasonable expectations on offense:
They won't have as many injuries as last year.
Play-calling and scheme will be slightly improved with the shuffling of chairs.
Lewerke will look like he did in '17, perhaps a bit better.
If those 3 things happen their offense will be functional.
I don't think their offense will be good this year, but I do think it will be functional.
They have a really good punter. IDK about their kicker. Good kick coverage and meh on kick returns.
An elite (probably top-3) D with a functional offense and decent special teams likely competes for the B1G.
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:33 PM ^
People will overreact if Michigan doesn't dominate from the opening kickoff.
If FAU and Tulsa are close for good parts of the game, people will overreact.
August 23rd, 2019 at 7:55 PM ^
Oh, I’ll overreact and Oh, I’m stressed.
August 23rd, 2019 at 8:24 PM ^
I expect we will win in a close one.
Patterson throws back to back pick-6s in the first quarter.
Depleted secondary gets torched, shredded.
MICH - 45
MTSU - 41
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:16 PM ^
The spirit of Trevor Simian will almost certainly possess their quarterback and for one evening whoever the hell MTSU's quarterback is will go super Gary Nova and become an unstoppable throw god too.
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:30 PM ^
I'm predicting victory against sobriety.
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:31 PM ^
Rutger is favored by 15.5. When's the last time they were favored by that much? I'll take UMass if the spread is that much.
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:34 PM ^
Michigan will remain undefeated.
August 23rd, 2019 at 9:59 PM ^
I continue to wish for 0-12 season for the local 'nuts. I hate to root for Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis, but go Owls! 12-1 with all the others being wins.
August 23rd, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
I’d love to see MSU’s offense score about 3 against Tulsa.
August 23rd, 2019 at 10:44 PM ^
With their D, they'd still win by over 2 scores
August 24th, 2019 at 12:25 AM ^
I think NW beats Stanford, and my heart thinks Tulsa beats MSU
August 25th, 2019 at 5:52 PM ^
I know this is for this year, but have y’all seen Michigan’s opening games for the next few years? We have Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, and UCLA on the slate. Meanwhile, MSU is playing Beaverton tech for the aging and deceased. The sport needs good OOC match ups. Glad to see Michigan scheduling tough games.