McKewon: Ranking all 56 Big Ten nonconference games
POSTED: SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2015 10:38 PM |UPDATED: 11:00 PM, SAT JUN 27, 2015.
By Sam McKewon / World-Herald staff writer
From the thrilling College Football Playoff opponents to tradition-rich matchups to brainiac battles to snoozers and bottom-dwellers, Sam McKewon ranks all 56 of the Big Ten's nonconference matchups in 2015.
If the Big Ten wants to make up for its respect-draining showing last season, some of the games near the top of the list will need to land in the Big Ten's favor.
* * *
1. Wisconsin vs. Alabama (in Arlington, Texas): If the Badger defense can force some turnovers, it could be an interesting game. The Crimson Tide’s defense should be stingy against Wisconsin’s run game. Big-boy football on the opening Saturday night.
2. TCU at Minnesota: Given an entire summer to prepare, the Golden Gophers should have some ideas for stopping the Horned Frogs’ spread offense. Scoring points against TCU’s defense is another matter.
3. Ohio State at Virginia Tech: The Hokies took down the Buckeyes last year, so they won’t be afraid. They’ll also have one nasty, loud home crowd on Labor Day night.
4. Oregon at Michigan State: Vengeance coming for the Spartans? Count on it.
5. Michigan at Utah: The Jim Harbaugh American Values World National Football and Other Things Tour starts here.
6. Nebraska at Miami: The Humidity Bowl.
7. Stanford at Northwestern: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA or 165 IQ gets in free.
8. BYU at Nebraska: The Cougars and Taysom Hill want to play spoiler in Mike Riley’s debut.
9. BYU at Michigan: If Harbaugh doesn’t break his arm in 1984, does BYU beat Michigan in the Holiday Bowl and win the national title?: 10. Maryland at West Virginia : On a pure crazy fun scale, West Virginia’s 40-37 win over Maryland last season rates very high.
10. Maryland at West Virginia: On a pure, crazy fun scale, West Virginia's 40-37 win over Maryland last season rates very high.
11. Oregon State at Michigan: Beavers in the Big House. Harbaugh possesses at least 12 fascinating facts about beaver dams that he’ll share on Twitter.
12. Pittsburgh at Iowa: The Hawkeyes lose on a late double-reverse, flea-flicker, hook-and-lateral pass. “That’s football,” Kirk Ferentz explains.
13. Northwestern at Duke: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA, 165 IQ, lacrosse sticks or the name Chris Collins gets in free.
14. Virginia Tech at Purdue: One must admire the Boilermakers’ pluck, scheduling a loss.
15. Iowa at Iowa State: C.J. Beathard orchestrates a game-winning drive, which he caps with a modified line dance into the end zone. “That’s football!” Ferentz exclaims.
16. Illinois at North Carolina: I liked it better in the Final Four.
17. Washington State at Rutgers: It’d be kind of great if Wazzu had to travel to this game via transcontinental railroad. Mike Leach wouldn’t mind.
18. Minnesota at Colorado State: Minnesota’s wisdom in scheduling this game is right up there with Nebraska’s trip to Fresno State last year. Worked out OK for the Huskers.
19. Michigan State at Western Michigan: It’s a trap! I guess. It’s the spiciest entree on the MAC meal plan.
20. Northern Illinois at Ohio State: This is a bit heavier of a Big Ten heavyweight than NIU usually takes on.
21. Western Michigan at Ohio State: What possessed WMU to schedule the Spartans and Buckeyes in the same year?
22. Air Force at Michigan State: Mark Dantonio vaguely seems like he could be a high-level Air Force official.
23. Kansas at Rutgers: This KU team would give the late ’80s Jayhawk bunches a run for their futility.
24. Indiana at Wake Forest: Boring.
25. Hawaii at Ohio State: Half a hundred alert. Man, I miss those old Hawaii uniforms from the ’80s.
26. North Texas at Iowa: Dan McCarney’s crew takes a 14-7 lead into the fourth quarter before a late Hawkeye comeback. Ferentz wipes his brow and says, “That’s football.”
27. Penn State at Temple: The Nittany Lions won’t leave the state of Pennsylvania until mid-October.
28. UNLV at Michigan: Harbaugh signs a two-year contract with MGM Grand for a nightly show after he beats the Rebels.
29. San Diego State at Penn State: The Nittany Lions can’t get too cute with this game, as the Aztecs are widely considered co-favorites in the Mountain West. Upset alert.
30. Hawaii at Wisconsin: I miss Hawaii’s old helmets even more. The ones with the Rainbows? Those.
31. Purdue at Marshall: The Boilers can’t score. The Thundering Herd can’t stop anyone. Put on your Sunday best, since this game is Sept. 6.
32. Ohio at Minnesota: The last time Frank Solich played a Big Ten foe, his Bobcats beat Penn State.
33. South Florida at Maryland: The Terps beat the Bulls 24-17 last season despite six turnovers. Can’t wait for the sequel.
34. Bowling Green at Maryland: It’s about here where the brain starts to melt a little. We’ll plow through.
35. Middle Tennessee State at Illinois: The Fighting Illini’s schedule is always such a drag.
36. Illinois State at Iowa: The FCS foe wins on a field goal after Iowa commits six turnovers. Ferentz asks, “That’s football?”
37. Central Michigan at Michigan State: Whatever MSU doesn’t do to Western Michigan, it’ll do here.
38. Western Kentucky at Indiana: The first of two Hoosier games against Conference USA. The Hilltoppers are East Division favorites.
39. Bowling Green at Purdue: A second appearance for one of the great team names in college football.
40. Florida International at Indiana: The second Indiana-Conference USA game. You know you’re watching.
41. Buffalo at Penn State: I got nothing for this one. It’ll happen.
42. Troy at Wisconsin: This will be Wisconsin’s annual “3-0 at halftime” game.
43. Kent State at Minnesota: We’re deep into the MAC Meal Plan, and more is coming.
44. Rutgers at Army: Only rated here because the setting around West Point’s football stadium is gorgeous.
45. Ball State at Northwestern: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA, 165 IQ or tonight’s Top Ten List gets in free.
46. Southern Mississippi at Nebraska: What was once an intriguing foe is now a grease fire of a program.
47. Kent State at Illinois: Here is another game Illinois is playing.
48. Eastern Illinois at Northwestern: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA, 165 IQ or Tony Romo jersey gets in free.
49. South Alabama at Nebraska: Could the Jaguars be this year’s McNeese State? It may depend on what happens in NU’s opener against BYU.
50. Miami (Ohio) at Wisconsin: If you had to pick a 75-3 game, it would be this one.
51. Richmond at Maryland: Spiders and turtles.
52. Indiana State at Purdue: The Sycamores have sampled an entire buffet of Big Ten teams in recent years. Must be tough to see the gravy train coming to an end when Big Ten teams stop scheduling FCS teams.
53. Western Illinois at Illinois: There’s Illinois, over in the corner, nursing a half-glass of Michelob Ultra.
54. Army at Penn State: This is a ridiculous game to schedule. Really. West Point is easily the worst of the service academies and has been for years.
55. Southern Illinois at Indiana: Good Lord, Hoosiers.
56. Norfolk State at Rutgers: Norfolk State finished 4-8 in the FCS. In the MEAC. Beating Morgan State 15-14 and Florida A&M 12-10.
Go Hoosiers!
Link has access to video:
http://www.omaha.com/huskers/mckewo...cle_277e7698-1d47-11e5-9b17-af6ff2c5e259.html
POSTED: SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2015 10:38 PM |UPDATED: 11:00 PM, SAT JUN 27, 2015.
By Sam McKewon / World-Herald staff writer
From the thrilling College Football Playoff opponents to tradition-rich matchups to brainiac battles to snoozers and bottom-dwellers, Sam McKewon ranks all 56 of the Big Ten's nonconference matchups in 2015.
If the Big Ten wants to make up for its respect-draining showing last season, some of the games near the top of the list will need to land in the Big Ten's favor.
* * *
1. Wisconsin vs. Alabama (in Arlington, Texas): If the Badger defense can force some turnovers, it could be an interesting game. The Crimson Tide’s defense should be stingy against Wisconsin’s run game. Big-boy football on the opening Saturday night.
2. TCU at Minnesota: Given an entire summer to prepare, the Golden Gophers should have some ideas for stopping the Horned Frogs’ spread offense. Scoring points against TCU’s defense is another matter.
3. Ohio State at Virginia Tech: The Hokies took down the Buckeyes last year, so they won’t be afraid. They’ll also have one nasty, loud home crowd on Labor Day night.
4. Oregon at Michigan State: Vengeance coming for the Spartans? Count on it.
5. Michigan at Utah: The Jim Harbaugh American Values World National Football and Other Things Tour starts here.
6. Nebraska at Miami: The Humidity Bowl.
7. Stanford at Northwestern: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA or 165 IQ gets in free.
8. BYU at Nebraska: The Cougars and Taysom Hill want to play spoiler in Mike Riley’s debut.
9. BYU at Michigan: If Harbaugh doesn’t break his arm in 1984, does BYU beat Michigan in the Holiday Bowl and win the national title?: 10. Maryland at West Virginia : On a pure crazy fun scale, West Virginia’s 40-37 win over Maryland last season rates very high.
10. Maryland at West Virginia: On a pure, crazy fun scale, West Virginia's 40-37 win over Maryland last season rates very high.
11. Oregon State at Michigan: Beavers in the Big House. Harbaugh possesses at least 12 fascinating facts about beaver dams that he’ll share on Twitter.
12. Pittsburgh at Iowa: The Hawkeyes lose on a late double-reverse, flea-flicker, hook-and-lateral pass. “That’s football,” Kirk Ferentz explains.
13. Northwestern at Duke: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA, 165 IQ, lacrosse sticks or the name Chris Collins gets in free.
14. Virginia Tech at Purdue: One must admire the Boilermakers’ pluck, scheduling a loss.
15. Iowa at Iowa State: C.J. Beathard orchestrates a game-winning drive, which he caps with a modified line dance into the end zone. “That’s football!” Ferentz exclaims.
16. Illinois at North Carolina: I liked it better in the Final Four.
17. Washington State at Rutgers: It’d be kind of great if Wazzu had to travel to this game via transcontinental railroad. Mike Leach wouldn’t mind.
18. Minnesota at Colorado State: Minnesota’s wisdom in scheduling this game is right up there with Nebraska’s trip to Fresno State last year. Worked out OK for the Huskers.
19. Michigan State at Western Michigan: It’s a trap! I guess. It’s the spiciest entree on the MAC meal plan.
20. Northern Illinois at Ohio State: This is a bit heavier of a Big Ten heavyweight than NIU usually takes on.
21. Western Michigan at Ohio State: What possessed WMU to schedule the Spartans and Buckeyes in the same year?
22. Air Force at Michigan State: Mark Dantonio vaguely seems like he could be a high-level Air Force official.
23. Kansas at Rutgers: This KU team would give the late ’80s Jayhawk bunches a run for their futility.
24. Indiana at Wake Forest: Boring.
25. Hawaii at Ohio State: Half a hundred alert. Man, I miss those old Hawaii uniforms from the ’80s.
26. North Texas at Iowa: Dan McCarney’s crew takes a 14-7 lead into the fourth quarter before a late Hawkeye comeback. Ferentz wipes his brow and says, “That’s football.”
27. Penn State at Temple: The Nittany Lions won’t leave the state of Pennsylvania until mid-October.
28. UNLV at Michigan: Harbaugh signs a two-year contract with MGM Grand for a nightly show after he beats the Rebels.
29. San Diego State at Penn State: The Nittany Lions can’t get too cute with this game, as the Aztecs are widely considered co-favorites in the Mountain West. Upset alert.
30. Hawaii at Wisconsin: I miss Hawaii’s old helmets even more. The ones with the Rainbows? Those.
31. Purdue at Marshall: The Boilers can’t score. The Thundering Herd can’t stop anyone. Put on your Sunday best, since this game is Sept. 6.
32. Ohio at Minnesota: The last time Frank Solich played a Big Ten foe, his Bobcats beat Penn State.
33. South Florida at Maryland: The Terps beat the Bulls 24-17 last season despite six turnovers. Can’t wait for the sequel.
34. Bowling Green at Maryland: It’s about here where the brain starts to melt a little. We’ll plow through.
35. Middle Tennessee State at Illinois: The Fighting Illini’s schedule is always such a drag.
36. Illinois State at Iowa: The FCS foe wins on a field goal after Iowa commits six turnovers. Ferentz asks, “That’s football?”
37. Central Michigan at Michigan State: Whatever MSU doesn’t do to Western Michigan, it’ll do here.
38. Western Kentucky at Indiana: The first of two Hoosier games against Conference USA. The Hilltoppers are East Division favorites.
39. Bowling Green at Purdue: A second appearance for one of the great team names in college football.
40. Florida International at Indiana: The second Indiana-Conference USA game. You know you’re watching.
41. Buffalo at Penn State: I got nothing for this one. It’ll happen.
42. Troy at Wisconsin: This will be Wisconsin’s annual “3-0 at halftime” game.
43. Kent State at Minnesota: We’re deep into the MAC Meal Plan, and more is coming.
44. Rutgers at Army: Only rated here because the setting around West Point’s football stadium is gorgeous.
45. Ball State at Northwestern: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA, 165 IQ or tonight’s Top Ten List gets in free.
46. Southern Mississippi at Nebraska: What was once an intriguing foe is now a grease fire of a program.
47. Kent State at Illinois: Here is another game Illinois is playing.
48. Eastern Illinois at Northwestern: Anybody with a 4.6 GPA, 165 IQ or Tony Romo jersey gets in free.
49. South Alabama at Nebraska: Could the Jaguars be this year’s McNeese State? It may depend on what happens in NU’s opener against BYU.
50. Miami (Ohio) at Wisconsin: If you had to pick a 75-3 game, it would be this one.
51. Richmond at Maryland: Spiders and turtles.
52. Indiana State at Purdue: The Sycamores have sampled an entire buffet of Big Ten teams in recent years. Must be tough to see the gravy train coming to an end when Big Ten teams stop scheduling FCS teams.
53. Western Illinois at Illinois: There’s Illinois, over in the corner, nursing a half-glass of Michelob Ultra.
54. Army at Penn State: This is a ridiculous game to schedule. Really. West Point is easily the worst of the service academies and has been for years.
55. Southern Illinois at Indiana: Good Lord, Hoosiers.
56. Norfolk State at Rutgers: Norfolk State finished 4-8 in the FCS. In the MEAC. Beating Morgan State 15-14 and Florida A&M 12-10.
Go Hoosiers!
Link has access to video:
http://www.omaha.com/huskers/mckewo...cle_277e7698-1d47-11e5-9b17-af6ff2c5e259.html
