The nonconference season is over for us, and now we move on to the opening week of conference play. That's great news for those of us who don't like watching a good team beat up on a bunch of future Texas Roadhouse managers. But, alas, not all conference games are good either. There are two games on our schedule that should be pretty good, and of course, they overlap in time.
So let's just take a look.
Illinois at No. 7 Ohio State (11 am, FOX): Illinois looked pretty good roughing up a ranked FCS team last week, but that was at least partially motivated by its having lost on the road to Wake Forest the week before. That's really not a thing that should happen -- no Big Ten team whose name doesn't rhyme with "Burdue" or "Snutgers" should ever lose to the Demon Deacons, at least not in football -- but I don't actually know what it means for the quality of Bret Bielema's team. What I do know is that Ohio State lost to Texas on the road two weeks ago, and if you can't win on the road in [googles] ... Wake Forest? Really? -- what the heck are you going to do in Columbus? Ohio State 37, Illinois 13.
No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan (2:30 pm, CBS/Paramount+): I admit I had hopes that both these teams would be ranked when they met, but I figured Iowa would underwhelm enough to stuck in the Others Receiving Votes purgatory. Not in my most lysergic dreams did I imagine, however, that Iowa would be ranked higher than Michigan.
It's Week 4. I have no idea if Iowa is correctly ranked. I am quite sure that Michigan will be the biggest test the Hawks have faced this far -- and that Iowa will be the biggest test Michigan has faced, because Oklahoma has not looked good at all.
Also Michigan lost to WMU, You know it, I know it, and the American people know it. Iowa 24, Michigan 20.
Wisconsin at No. 13 Penn State (4 pm, Peacock): Matt Campbell isn't in Ames any more so I can finally, begrudgingly, admit that yeah, he's a decent coach. I am lowkey looking to this season as a show that there's just something about Ames that holds football coaches back. I think the Nits will put up gaudy numbers here, but I'm not ready to call Soup the next Cignetti, particularly since the first Cignetti is still here and doesn't seem to have lost a step. Of course, even Nebraska thinks Indiana's nonconference schedule was soft. Nits, by a lot. Penn State 44, Wisconsin 17.
Nebraska at Michigan State (4 pm, BTN): The "are the Huskers finally back?" stories are running again, while Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State are having a round of "who rescued who?" I commend the voters for taking a wait-and-see attitude towards ranking the Huskers, but a win here would probably get them a ranking in the twenties. And I think they'll win. Nebraska 30, Michigan State 23.
Minnesota at Washington (10 pm, FOX): Nothing good comes from these long road trips -- not in either direction; see last week's USC-Rutgers game that Lincoln Riley almost gacked away -- and nothing ever will. I'm not sure Washington is all that great, but I feel a little more confident that Minnesota is at best a 7-5 team. Washington 40, Minnesota 20.
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