Griffiths: What you need to know about Big Ten football
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
If you’re like me, you’re beginning to think more and more about the college football season.
Sure, we haven’t even arrived at the Fourth of July or endured the dog days of summer. But in about a month conferences across the country will hold their annual media days and shortly after that college football teams will begin fall camp.
What’s great for college football fanatics is the season kicks off for just about every school a week earlier than it did a year ago. By late evening Aug. 31, most teams will have already had a game in the books.
To help you prep for the fast-approaching Big Ten football season, IndySportsLegends.com has already unveiled its early national top-25 rankings and its early Big Ten predictions. In the coming days, we will preview every Big Ten team, but first we attempt to satisfy your insatiable appetite for the college pigskin by giving you some things to chomp on.
‘… HIGHER AND HIGHER. STRAIGHT UP WE’LL CLIMB.’
Northwestern Wildcats — Wildcat football might be at an all-time high right now. The program has generated an enormous amount of momentum with a good chunk of that coming thanks to the ‘Cats’ 34-20 win over Mississippi State in the 2013 Gator Bowl. It was NU’s first bowl game triumph since 1949.
Pat Fitzgerald has translated his team’s 2012 season success into a very successful off-season when it comes to recruiting. The ‘Cats could be on the cusp for having their best recruiting class every come February.
Helping fuel the momentum is the university’s increased commitment to the football program. Millions are being invested as a new state-of-the-art indoor facility is being built close to the shores of Lake Michigan.
Yes, Northwestern football is rolling. The ‘Cats have a ton of starters returning, making them a viable contender for the Legends Division title this season and another New Year’s Day bowl appearance should be on the horizon.
‘I’VE FALLEN AND I CAN’T GET UP’
Illinois Fighting Illini — U of I’s football program didn’t win a game last year in the Big Ten and the foreseeable future doesn’t look promising at all.
Why?
Just four starters return to a defense that was one of the Big Ten’s worst. Will Coach Tim Beckman’s team be able to stop anyone this fall? Probably not on a consistent basis.
Making things even more challenging for the Fighting Illini is a tough nonconference schedule and a brutal Big Ten schedule that arguably doesn’t include a winnable game until the last month of the season.
‘THANKS FER NUTTIN’
Coach Darrell Hazell enters the BCS head coaching ranks this season and gets to try and navigate through as imposing a schedule as you’ll find anywhere in the country.
The Boilermakers open against Big East champion Cincinnati, return home to face Indiana State, a team that was ranked in the FCS’ top 25 last season, host BCS national championship game participant Notre Dame a week later and as if that wasn’t challenging enough, host Orange Bowl participant Northern Illinois on the last Saturday of September following a road game at Wisconsin to begin Big Ten play.
If Hazell’s Boilermakers win three of those games, Purdue fans will adore him even more.
‘THIS LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE GRAVY’
Fresh off an undefeated season, you would think Ohio State would want to be challenged early and often.
However, that won’t be the case.
As long as the Buckeyes show up for their first four games, they’ll be undefeated.
The first month of the season includes home dates against Buffalo, San Diego State and Florida A&M, plus a road trip to California. In case you’re wondering, those four teams were a combined 20-28 last season. Had it not been for the Aztecs, who went 9-4, that record would be even more dismal.
WATCH OUT FOR THESE ROOKIES
• Purdue QB Danny Etling
• Michigan RB Derrick Green
• Ohio State RB/WR Dontre Wilson
• Indiana DT Darius Latham
• Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg
GOOD LUCK FILLING THESE SHOES
• Michigan State RB Le’Veon Bell
• Wisconsin RB Montee Ball
• Michigan QB Denard Robinson
• Penn State QB Matt McGloin
• Iowa DB Micah Hyde
• Minnesota DB Troy Stoudermire
• Michigan State K Dan Conroy
• Nebraska K Brett Maher
• Ohio State DE John Simon
• Purdue DT Kawann Short
• Nebraska DE Eric Martin
• Indiana DT Adam Replogle
• Wisconsin LB Mike Taylor
• Penn State LB Gerald Hodges
• Penn State LB Michael Mauti
• Minnesota DB Michael Carter
• Michigan State DE William Gholston
WELCOME TO THE HOTSEAT
As we embark on the 2013 season, a couple of Big Ten coaches very likely could be entering their final seasons.
Fan bases in Champaign and Iowa City aren’t exactly thrilled at what transpired last fall.
Illini coach Tim Beckman’s seat is sizzling. He didn’t exactly set Illini Nation on fire when he was hired after some marquee names turned down the job.
If Illinois has another season similar to 2012, Beckman will be shown the door.
It’s hard to believe Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, the dean of Big Ten coaches, would get a pink slip after this season, but there’s a decent chance he would be forced to step down.
Despite all that he’s meant to the Hawkeye program, fans’ thinking is what have you done for me lately, and with regards to Ferentz, it hasn’t been enough.
Since appearing in the 2010 Orange Bowl, Iowa has gone 19-19 overall and just 10-14 in the Big Ten.
Keep in mind that if Ferentz’s program endures another sub-par year, he may not be shown the door since he has a huge buyout package.
THEY’LL BE MISSED
Following is a look at what three opponents do not appear on each Big Ten’s team’s schedule in 2013.
LEGENDS DIVISION
Iowa: Illinois, Indiana, Penn State
Michigan: Illinois, Purdue, Wisconsin
Michigan State: Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
Minnesota: Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue
Nebraska: Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Northwestern: Indiana, Penn State, Purdue
LEADERS DIVISION
Illinois: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota
Indiana: Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern
Ohio State: Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska
Penn State: Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern
Purdue: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern
Wisconsin: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska
SET THE DVR
Sept. 7
Notre Dame @ Michigan
Sept. 14
UCLA @ Nebraska
Sept. 21
Michigan State @ Notre Dame
Sept. 28
Wisconsin @ Ohio State
Oct. 5
Ohio State @ Northwestern
Oct. 12
Michigan @ Penn State
Nov. 2
Michigan @ Michigan State
Northwestern @ Nebraska
Nov. 9
Nebraska @ Michigan
Nov. 16
Michigan @ Northwestern
Michigan State @ Nebraska
Nov. 23
Michigan State @ Northwestern
Nebraska @ Penn State
Nov. 30
Ohio State @ Michigan
Dec. 7
Big Ten Championship Game
MAKE OTHER PLANS
Aug. 31
Central Michigan @ Michigan
Buffalo @ Ohio State
Massachusetts @ Wisconsin
Sept. 7
Eastern Michigan @ Penn State
Tennessee Tech @ Wisconsin
Sept. 21
Florida A&M @ Ohio State
Purdue @ Wisconsin
Missouri @ Indiana
South Dakota State @ Nebraska
Oct. 5
Illinois @ Nebraska
Oct. 12
Nebraska @ Purdue
Oct. 19
Indiana @ Michigan
Iowa @ Ohio State
Wisconsin @ Illinois
Nov. 2
Ohio State @ Purdue
Nov. 16
Indiana @ Wisconsin
Ohio State @ Illinois
Nov. 23
Indiana @ Ohio State
Follow Doug Griffiths on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ISLgriffiths.
