Ohio State Football: 5 wild Big Ten predictions
Minnesota wins the Big Ten West
When P.J. Fleck took the Minnesota job three years ago he had a vision. Build a culture that can sustain winning.
He went with the youth movement and now has a seasoned team with 16 returning starters. The offense has playmakers and the defense will be improved.
The schedule sets up nicely for the Golden Gophers as they play Maryland, Rutgers and Penn State from the East and get Nebraska and Wisconsin at home. There is potential for a 10-2 season.
Coupled with this prediction is the Wolverines failing to live up to the hype again, Jim Harbaugh bailing for the NFL and Michigan hiring Fleck.
Rondale Moore wins the Heisman
Moore exploded on the scene as a freshman last year finishing with 1258 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. He was a First-Team All-American.
Odds don’t favor him getting close, even with another phenomenal season. Desmond Howard was the last wide receiver to win the award way back in 1991.
The Boilermakers being out of title contention won’t help Moore’s chances either. Still, he is a dynamic player and arguably the best player in the FBS right now.
Illinois makes a bowl game
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Winning in Champaign is not easy. The facilities are awful and the history over the last 50 years is abysmal.
Like Fleck, Lovie Smith went with a youth movement a couple of years ago and now has 17 returning starters, including 10 on defense.
He also has former Michigan quarterback Brandon Peters as his starter. Many things were bad with Illinois’ offense the last few years, but quarterback play was the most obvious. Peters brings experience, stability and capability that this program has lacked.
To make a bowl game, the Fighting Illini must go 3-0 in non-conference games. I think they will. They play Akron, Connecticut and Eastern Michigan.
Going 3-6 in the Big Ten won’t be easy, especially since they draw Michigan and Michigan State from the East. They do get Rutgers though so that should be a win.
Next. Top 10 Buckeye wide receivers of all time. dark
The West is tougher, but still wide open. Illinois will find two wins and make its first bowl game in five years.