Luis Robert Jr., CF, White Sox. Last year, Michigan State soared from 2-5 to a transfer-fueled 11-2. Minnesota might rival Illinois for the strangest season in 2021. Michigan State beat Michigan and finished with an 11-2 record and a No.9 finish in the AP poll with a Peach Bowl victory. Last season, Michigan was the only other Big Ten team to average more than 35 points per game at 37.7. 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. 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. 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. 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. Wins: Buffalo, at Charlotte, SMU, Purdue,at Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, Losses: at Michigan, at Wisconsin, Michigan State,at Penn State, Ohio State. 1. Will Nebraska finally go bowling? Greg Schiano has improved this team greatly, but the schedule is brutal in 2022. Wins: Indiana State, at Syracuse, Florida Atlantic, Iowa,Northwestern, at Indiana, Losses: Penn State, at Minnesota, at Maryland,Nebraska, at Wisconsin,at Illinois. Wins: Wyoming, Virginia,Chattanooga, Purdue,at Northwestern, Losses: at Indiana, at Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, at Nebraska, Michigan State, at Michigan. According to the 247Sports bowl projections, Wisconsin just barely gets into the Orange Bowl ahead of Penn State. Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano walks on the field during pregame warmups before an NCAA Division I football game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Will that allow a school such as Purdue or Minnesota to sneak up the standings this year? That all does not bode well for next season. It feels like a run the table year for Ohio State in 2022. Wins: Colorado State, Hawaii, UConn, Maryland, at Iowa, at Indiana, Penn State, at Rutgers, Nebraska, Illinois.

The defense, however, was as good as any unit in the country. The new receivers include Marvin Harrison Jr, who caught three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl, and former top prospects Julian Fleming and Emeka Egbuka. The schedule sees the Scarlet Knights land Minnesota, Oct 2, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Brandon Peters (18) hands the ball off to running back Chase Brown (2) in the second half against the Charlotte 49ers at Memorial Stadium. The Gophers could take on an interesting South Carolina team in the ReliaQuest Bowl, the new namesake of the old Outback Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports. Ohio State and Wisconsin had down years by their standards and missed the Big Ten Championship game entirely. List LOOK: Michigan football 2022 schedule officially set. On the final weekend of September, division favorites Wisconsin and OSU square off in Columbus. Thompson replaces four-year starter Adrian Martinez, who transferred to Kansas State. The word: For the first time in Scott Frost's tenure, the Huskers will appear in a bowl game in 2022 with the collective backs against the wall in the Big Ten. It's hard to say, but it's usually safe to pencil inthe Hawkeyes surpassing their preseason Vegas win total given Kirk Ferentz's track record at the program. Michigan will have a tough test there in the finale. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said those schools can help "carry some weight" for the Big Ten. Important tilts against Michigan State and Penn State come at home with the possible division-deciding game against Ohio State happening in Columbus this time around. The Boilermakers lost their best overall player in defensive end George Karlaftis and wide receiver David Bell to the NFL draft. Penn State was much better than its record indicated last season. The schedule is brutal, with Western Kentucky and Cincinnati again on the nonconference. The schedule is no breeze. The thing about college football is that its entirely impossible to pin down. Florida was very lucrative to the Oklahoma Sooners in the class of 2023. USA TODAY - Bryant Crews 1h. Will Michigan defend their crown? They'll figure it out. 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. Yes, the Buckeyes are still a shining star in the conference, but they do have some issues. 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. Michigan is the pick from 247Sports to win the Big Ten and claim a spot in the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff. Then in November, the main contenders in the West and East divisions, respectively, meet for potentially decisive games. Jackson was a top-15 recruit in the 2021 class according to On3 Sports consensus. Wisconsin is the pick to win the division, but the Badgers are going to earn it. But predicted standings, records, and everything else for the Big Ten in 2022. 0:00-1:26 Introduction It starts with taking full advantage of a slate that misses Penn State and Michigan from the other side of the conference and taking care of business in the 50-50 games. In what could be USCs final game as a Pac-12 member, will the Trojans carry some bragging rights into the conference in year one? 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. Still, this is a team that will be struggling to make a bowl game, especially with another game against Virginia to go along with cross-divisional games against Michigan and MSU. It would be incredible to see four teams from a single Power Five division to hit at least 10 victories, but it could happen given the overall strength at the top of the Big Ten. Oh, what a division. Wins: Western Michigan, Akron, at Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, at Illinois, Rutgers, Indiana. Florida was very lucrative to the Oklahoma Sooners in the class of 2023. Score Prediction: Wisconsin 27, Washington State 24. Ohio State 2. The offense has to show more explosion and the defense more consistency. 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. By: Pete Fiutak, College Basketball Predictions, Lines, How To Watch: Sunday, February 26, NCAA Tournament Bracket Projections, 68 Team Predictions, Bubble Teams February 27, AP Poll Top 25 Projection College Basketball Rankings Prediction Week 17, Coaches Poll Top 25 Projection College Basketball Rankings Prediction Week 17, Coaches Poll Top 25 College Basketball Rankings Week 17, AP Poll Top 25 College Basketball Rankings Week 17, College Basketball Rankings: Top 68 Teams February 27. The 2021 Big Ten Football season had plenty of surprises. Michigan won the Big Ten, beat Ohio State, and finished with a 12-2 record and a No.3 finish in the AP poll. Michigan looks to repeat but Ohio State is coming back with a vengeance. 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. 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. At linebacker, Iowa has a pair of 100-tackle returners in Jack Campbell (143) and Seth Benson (105). All 14 coaches returned to the Big Ten, but Nebraska's Scott Frost is on the hottest of hot seats. The defense improved last season and will have to continue that upward trajectory. The question is: can the Boilermakers sustain that success in 2022? Iowa was ranked No.2 at some point in the season but finished with a 10-4 record. Oct 30, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Once again, ESPN FPI is high on the Badgers as we enter the 2022 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. Penn State is the only other school to have a 40-point offense in the last five years with 41.1 ppg. The word: Can the Spartans get back to the New Year's Six as one of the hunted at the top of the Big Ten next season? He also gets book-end big stage games at The Shoe against Notre Dame and Michigan. Wins: Duke, Southern Illinois, Miami (Ohio), Losses: Nebraska (Dublin, Ireland), at Penn State, Wisconsin, at Maryland, at Iowa, Ohio State, at Minnesota, at Purdue,Illinois. 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. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports. If the third times the charm, then Michigan could be celebrating a national championship. 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. The Buckeyes, however, are the prohibitive favorite to strike back in 2022. The sophomore began to live up to the hype this year in his first season as a starter. The Buckeyes haven't lost to Michigan at Ohio Stadium since 2000, however. 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. Below is a look at the bowl projections and playoff picks before all the fun begins for the 2022 season. Following a tremendous start to 2021 spurred by beating Wisconsin in Week 1, the Nittany Lions faltered down the stretch. There is still news were waiting on with NFL decisions, transfers and all of that, but were taking a stab at what we believe the landscape of the conference will look like once all the games are gloriously shown on a television or streaming device near you next fall. 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. We're expecting a winner-take-all showdown in the regular-season finale at Ohio State. Michigan has to travel to Ohio State this season, so thats going to be an issue too. The Ohio State Buckeyes will look to get back into the College Football Playoff this season. The Spartans defeated their crosstown rivals, won 11 games, and had one of the best running backs in the country in Kenneth Walker III. Taulia Tagovailoa returns as one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, and he should be getting some help back in Dontay Demus and Rakim Jarrett. This will no doubt be a Big Noon Kickoff Game and it could be a conference championship preview. 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. Way-too-early Big Ten football power rankings for 2022 Share this article 3.9k shares Phil Harrison January 14, 2022 2:53 pm ET Now that the college football in 2017. The Buckeyes won the conference's only titles in the CFP era (2014) and BCS era (2002). Palmer, who had 41 catches for 458 yards and three TDs with the Tigers the last three seasons, followed Joseph. Can any of those other schools disrupt that? The offense will reset the Big Ten record book in several areas. Although the schedule is tough, the redemption-minded Buckeyes appear built for the challenge. Will either Minnesota or MSU surge in the standings? Look for a season similar to what we just saw in 2021. Bret Bielema certainly improved the Illini in his first year in Champaign, and Illinois did somehow manage to beat Penn State on the road. 2022 Summary Casey Thompson turned in a season-long performance worthy of mixed reviews. 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 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. However, realistically, the Scarlet Knights are probably still a year or so away from making a significant jump in results on the field. The word: What are the outside expectations for the Badgers in 2022? He's also a valued NFL prospect, should he turn pro following his junior campaign this fall. 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 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. How we are betting the Michigan Wolverines as they look to oust the Iowa Hawkeyes. Minnesota should be competitive, but none of Purdue, Northwestern, Illinois and Nebraska are particularly inspiring. Montee Ball (2012), Melvin Gordon (2014) and Jonathan Tayor (2018-19) all have won the Doak Walker Award since 2012. Singleton, a five-star running back from Governor Mifflin High School (Reading, Pa.), gives the Nittany Lions an exciting backup option for junior Keyvone Lee. Expect Indiana to find its neutral level after extremes in either direction over the past two seasons. Will Luke Fickell have tremendous success in his first year at Wisconsin? Be more involved in the big games. Win or lose that first game, the Boilermakers could be in a good spot in 2022. C.J. Football. Michigan State Spartans. Oct 9, 2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara (12) hugs head coach Jim Harbaugh after a 32-29 win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. This is the other half of what should be a thrilling October day. Quarterback Tanner Morgan and running back Mohamed Ibrahim are back in the Twin Cities as the offense will have familiar personnel. I am much higher on Luis Robert Jr. than most analysts, And why not take Bret Bielema out to Las Vegas for a bowl game matchup with the Pitt Panthers. Illinois Fighting Illini: 5-7, 2-7 BIG. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. 8: Ohio State at Michigan StateOct. Michigan won the league last year, but Ohio State enters the 2022 college football season as the overwhelming Big Ten favorite. Peter Skoronski, a two-year starter for the Wildcats, was Pro Football Focus' highest-graded left tackle in the conference last season. Please check your email for a confirmation. While the Hoosiers have some young talent, and running back GiBran Payne certainly could be a beast, with oft-injured quarterback Michael Penix Jr. having departed for Washington, its hard to envision things turning around in a hurry for IU. B/R's preview of the Big Ten includes star players, top storylines, key games and just about everything short of USC and UCLA. The Buckeyes have a tough opener against Notre Dame, but that's only going to help down the line in the College Football Playoff. Phil Steele predicts preseason AP college football top 10. 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 Penn State has some good bowl history against the Vols. PSU wasnt the same team after that, and still has loads of talent. However, it did well in a similar stretch in 2021, so dont count the Spartans out. No other Big Ten coach that begins the season is in imminent danger, though a nine-loss record certainly could change that. Its difficult seeing a path for the Hoosiers to get back onto the winning side of things, at least this year. The giant-killers now know what they have at quarterback, with Aidan OConnell leading the charge. With the 2022 season inching closer, it is only appropriate to begin discussing the schedules and characteristics of each Big Ten team. Crossovers against Nebraska and Minnesota certainly dont lessen the blow, either. The quarterback controversy will be a fascinating story to follow in the months leading up to the season. 2022 Summary Casey Thompson turned in a season-long performance worthy of mixed reviews. To close October, Michigan aims for revenge on rival Michigan State. 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. Here is a look at the spring way-too-early Heres our too-early 2022 game predictions now that the schedule is set. The word: Will Iowa get back to the Big Ten Championship Game in the black-and-blue division? 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