What Big Ten team impressed you the most?

Submitted by MichiganForever on

Big Ten had an oustanding weekend going 9-2 against non-conference opponents

Even Rutgers played a top 10 Washington team extremely tough.

 

 

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Eye of the Tiger

September 3rd, 2017 at 9:09 PM ^

If we are talking "which team looks like the best in the conference," I'd say it's OSU. Even considering the slow start on offense and poor performance in pass D.

If we are talking "who performed best relative to expectations," it's Maryland. 

If we're splitting the difference between the two, it's us. 

Joined: 09/14/2009

MGoPoints: 7883

jsquigg

September 3rd, 2017 at 9:25 PM ^

I actually think Purdue was most surprising.  Jeff Brohm took a tire fire and almost beat the team with a reigning Heisman winner.  Their offense is tricky.

Joined: 09/06/2009

MGoPoints: 9655

BJNavarre

September 3rd, 2017 at 10:33 PM ^

Purdue looked really well coached, and have a great offensive scheme. Just not a lot of talent. I also wonder if Louisville is overrated. Either way, Purdue is on the ascendant. Rutgers is improved, but I was unimpressed. They were so bad that it would be shocking if they weren't improved. They have a couple more players, but still looked pretty bad. I didn't watch the Maryland game, but beating UT at their home is impressive, even if UT still kinda sucks.

Joined: 07/02/2008

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stephenrjking

September 3rd, 2017 at 11:44 PM ^

Michigan, and not because I'm a homer. We played the best opponent (aside from, perhaps, Purdue) with blah blah blah returning starters and everything went wrong and we still absolutely dominated them. It was a statement to the rest of the B1G that there's going to be three years (or more) of absolute monster defense, and an offense that is seeded for great success in the near future assuming Speight can hit a couple more wide open passes. If I'm the B1G, I'm watching this and shuddering the same way the SEC shuddered at Bama in 08 or the PAC 12 shuddered at USC in 02. Second is Maryland. Texas may be a mess but they have talent and they have a good home stadium and a million things went wrong for Maryland (bad injuries, 3 (!) special teams tds, etc) and they won going away anyway. They're going to be really good. The Big Ten looks, legitimately, like the best conference in the nation by a mile. Not just the hoped-for parity with the SEC that I used to wish for. The SEC is Bama and a bunch of scrubs. The B1G is emerging as great in a hurry.

Joined: 03/15/2012

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uminks

September 3rd, 2017 at 11:57 PM ^

Normally I would say Maryland but I think UT will be one of the worse big 12 teams.

Purdue keeping up with Louisville, since Purdue was a true cellar dweller last season in the weaker BIG west division.

Joined: 11/10/2009

MGoPoints: 32175

Sten Carlson

September 4th, 2017 at 1:08 AM ^

Hands down, Maryland for me aside for Michigan (of course). I live in Austin and had been hearing everything ranging from "cautious optimism" to outright "we're loaded and will be back immediately!" The problem was, I never heard one peep about the Terps coming to town. I suppose I don't blame them for overlooking a middling (at best) B10 team but I warned a couple of UT fans that Durkin is a very good coach and instantly improved their recruiting, and they might give Texas a game. I was texting with a UT fan friend and he was shocked at how the Maryland defense was so aggressive and attacking, and how UT's line just couldn't deal with their speed. It was surprising, to an extent, but only because it's only year two for DJ. He obviously had a great camp and really has things organized and has a team that believes and has come together with a good plan of attack -- wonder where he learned how to create those things? On offense, DJ has some ballers who seem to give everything they've got for him. I hope Piggie is ok as he's fun to watch. On a bit of an aside, re: Texas and Texas A&M: what thoughts on why these two teams, despite being the two premier programs in a premier hotbed of football talent, can't seem to get it right? I get the whole coaching thing, but there has to some fault/blame on the players, doesn't there? Is it something in the Texas HS football programs? Their schemes, or maybe the coddling or something? It's just odd that, on paper, both programs are so talented yet just constantly look like they're in disarray. Texas had no identity at all. It seemed their offense was a hodgepodge of plays with no real plan other than getting an athlete in space, or 5 wide sandlot kind of stuff. It's weird, and makes me even more thankful for Harbaugh & Co. who have shown that they are masters at preparing a team to play football, not sandlot basketball on grass, but true schematic advantage football. Go Blue!

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: -56

WayOfTheRoad

September 4th, 2017 at 1:35 AM ^

It's week one so all takes should wait until a few games have been played but: Us. Michigan played very well. The offense being the only thing from an A+ rating. Maryland. Texas may be down but they still have athletes. Maryland has players and will only get better under Durkin. Purdue. Hey, it's week one and they had all off-season to prep for Jackson but they still played hard. A lack of good players lost them that game, not effort or scheme. Wisconsin. They went from "are they down this year?" to "nope, still Wisconsin" at halftime. Drubbed them Wisky style once they woke up. OSU. They're OSU. At no point did I think they'd lose that game. They're more talented than last year and that trend will continue. Athletes everywhere. Offense stretches you in every direction on all plays. That's a playoff team. The rest? Not sure anyone disappointed me. NW and Nebraska played like trash but won. Minnesota played as expected. Illinois is Illinois. Indiana did what they could vs a team 50x more talented. I don't want to play Indiana and hoped CHAOS TEAM was gone but they seem to be alive. Rutgers played hard but returned to Rutgers despite clearly being more talented this year. MSU was as expected vs BG.

Joined: 06/26/2017

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Year of Revenge II

September 4th, 2017 at 5:51 AM ^

The team wearing all maize impressed me the most.  Defense, defense, defense. 

The other team to impress was the second half of the team wearing silver, and that was always being complimented by Herbstreit, even though he was tring to appear being fair, but failing miserably at doing so.

Joined: 11/12/2013

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MAZNBLU IN PA

September 4th, 2017 at 8:12 AM ^

I watch about half of the Akron game. They are the real deal. Barkley is a stud. Should be a great game with two undefeated team on October 21. Great test for our D. Go Blue!

Joined: 09/04/2017

MGoPoints: 1

doggdetroit

September 4th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^

Most impressive: Maryland Rutgers Purdue Michigan As expected: OSU Indiana PSU MSU Wisconsin Underwhelming: Minnesota Northwestern Illinois Nebraska Iowa

Joined: 09/05/2015

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