The Blue Board

That's kind of the fun of the off season. We get to make wild proclamations and watch them come back to bite us in the rear. How many tOSU fans told us Rod Smith would be 1st team All B1G?

PSU schedule analysis please?

I can't do a full writeup but I can give my quick summary.

Michigan goes 9-3
Losses to Bama, NEB, OSU
-Bama is a terrifying monster and my only hope is to keep it close.
-It's going to be a hostile environment after the drubbing we gave them last year.
-The game and it's played in the shoe. Lord help us.

Michigan State goes 10-2
Losses to Michigan, Wisconsin
-They're playing in the Big House and Michigan will have a huge chip on their shoulder.
-I just think Wisconsin is better overall team than MSU. State's offense is pretty weak and I don't think it's possible to stop Wisconsin's offense.

Nebraska goes 8-4
Losses to Wisconsin, MSU, Penn State, Iowa
-Wisconsin is simply the better team
-Same as above
-This is mostly a gut pick. I don't have much of a reasoning behind it.
-Afternoon games at Iowa are always a nightmare.

I do like the fact that Iowa isnt being given a chance to win the conference. It seems thats when we do the best. I dont think we are a very good team but its not out of the realm of possibilities for the Hawks to go 6-2, possibly even 7-1 in conference. (Im predicting 5-3) But with our easy conference schedule there is a possibility of 6-2 being good enough to tie for the division and if the chips fall right win the tiebreaker.

Again in no way am i saying Iowa will or should win the division but I do think its possible..

Iowa could/should start 5-0. Northern IL at Soldier Field, ISU, Northern Iowa, Central MI and Minnesota at home before a bye.

After that, it's @MSU, PSU, @Northwestern, a stretch that Iowa is likely to go 1-2 or 2-1 as opposed to 3-0 or 1-3. @IU should be a W. Purdue at Kinnick should be a W. @Michigan is likely a loss, and then you finish up with Nebraska at home.

6-2 looks like your upper limit, with 5-3 more likely. That also requires that you don't trip up vs. Northwestern, Indiana or Purdue, a trio that Iowa evidently hasn't gone 3-0 against since 2001.

As for discounting Iowa, you lose a lot off of last year's not-so-great team, including most of the DL, the star RB (with no clear replacement), the star WR (ditto, though maybe Davis) and the best OL. I think Iowa's OL will be fine, but the Hawks are best when they have a very good to great DL. I just don't see it this year.

Ohio Sep. 1 University Park, PA TBA - Game will be tougher than many would think because it's a MAC team. They're pretty good and PSU is the ultimate unknown quantity. I think PSU starts slow and it's tight at half, then PSU pulls ahead by a little in the second half for a semi-comfortable win.

Virginia Sep. 8 Charlottesville, VA TBA - An early road test. I actually think UVA will be slightly favored. I think PSU can handle the Cavs though and pull this one out as well.

Navy Sep. 15 University Park, PA TBA - Don't know much about them aside from the scheme. Don't know much about our new defensive philosophy either, other than it will be more aggressive. That might not be a good thing against the triple option. I think PSU pulls this one out as well though.

Temple Sep. 22 University Park, PA TBA - Temple lost a good bit this year. I think PSU has a more comfortable win here than they did the past two seasons.

Illinois Sep. 29 Champaign, IL TBA - I don't think the Illini will be very good. I think PSU wins.

Northwestern Oct. 6 University Park, PA TBA - See Illlinois.

BYE WEEK

Iowa Oct. 20 Iowa City, IA 8 pm - Tough to play there at night. I think PSU has a good bit more talent. I also think that every year. Ferentz knew Joe's gameplan solid. He will no longer have that luxury. I think PSU wins. I know I have them at 6-0, but I doubt that happens. While I think PSU should win all 6 games, they're such an unknown quantity, they easily could drop a couple. I don't think any of the games will be terribly easy. No Coastal Carolina's or Eastern Illinois' this year.

Ohio State Oct. 27 University Park, PA 6 pm - A game of two unknown quantities. Braxton should be even better, but we'll see. Team looked lost last year, but I doubt that continues with Urbs at the helm. Night game at PSU. Should be a close one.

Purdue Nov. 3 West Lafayette, IN TBA - Feels like a huge trap game coming off two night games and having a trip to Lincoln on the horizon. Would not be terribly surprised at any outcome here at this point.

Nebraska Nov. 10 Lincoln, NE TBA - I'm not a huge fan of the Huskers, but I think it will be one of the toughest games on the schedule. Nobody wants to play in Lincoln (except opposing fans who want a great road trip). Will be a stiff test.

Indiana Nov. 17 University Park, PA TBA - Must win. Should win.

Wisconsin Nov. 24 University Park, PA TBA - I think they are better than PSU. Hopefully O'Brien isn't a great fit there even though he's only got to be a game manager. He's not Russell Wilson. However, he doesn't have to be Russell Wilson. Glad the game is at home.

I think 8-4 is about right for this team. The offense can't be worse, especially with real coaching. The defense will be a question mark. The secondary is depleted, any injuries will be devastating. The DL is very strong, but lacks depth. Again, injuries will be killer here. The LBs should be pretty stout. Luckily the passing attacks in the B1G aren't anything to write home about and should prevent the team from being exposed in the secondary.

FWIW, if Nebraska loses to both Wisky and tOSU, it looks like it'll have to run the table vs. UM, MSU and PSU to have a shot at the division.

Yeah that is the problem with the rivalry game in the B1G. In conference schedules can be so much different from team to team. We got all the heavyweights from the leaders div in year 1 and 2, which will make it incredibly hard for us to win the division. However, I do think we will challenge for it. Look out for us in 2013 and 2014, we trade OSU and Wisky for Illinois and Purdue.

All in all loving the B1G, and excited for year 2.