Big Ten Football: Biggest Games That Will Determine Outcome of B1G in 2015
After being college football's favorite conference punching bag last year (and the year before that and the year before that...), the Big Ten has experienced a bit of a resurgence.
Ohio State, of course, won the national championship. Michigan State has experienced a golden age under head coach Mark Dantonio. Michigan got Jim Harbaugh as its head coach, and the Big Ten went 2-1 against the SEC on New Year's Day bowls.
Yes, those narrow-scope results may be for bragging rights only and mean nothing going forward, but it's 2-1, and by George, the Big Ten will take it.
Now the question is: Can the Big Ten keep the momentum?
Moving ahead to the 2015 season, the conference has a number of intriguing games on the slate that could very well determine the outcome of each division leading up to the Big Ten Championship Game.
In the following slides, we've highlighted a number of divisional and cross-divisional games by date that could carry significant weight because they pit teams projected to finish at or near the top of their divisions against one another. As such, the preseason Big Ten poll was used as a baseline.
Wisconsin at Nebraska
1 of 7
When: Oct. 10
With the exception of 2013, Nebraska and/or Wisconsin have participated in the Big Ten Championship Game each year. The two teams have met four times dating back to the Cornhuskers' entrance to the Big Ten in 2011, with the Badgers winning three of those meetings—all by double digits.
Also, let's not forget that last year Badgers running back Melvin Gordon ran for a then-FBS single-game record of 408 yards against the Huskers.
So while the results haven't always indicated it, Nebraska-Wisconsin has had some weight to it, as it usually means someone is moving on to the conference championship game (in 2012, before the Big Ten's current divisional alignment, Wisconsin beat Nebraska easily for the conference title).
Now that the two share the West Division, this will be a yearly game that surely grows in intensity.
Once again, the Badgers are projected to win the West Division, but Nebraska is the first conference road game. Both teams will be breaking in new coaches as well. Whoever wins this game could very well have a leg up in the West Division standings.
Given that Wisconsin doesn't have to face any of the top-tier East teams, this could be the toughest conference task for the Badgers all season.
Penn State at Ohio State
2 of 7
When: Oct. 17
Y'all remember last year's game between Ohio State and Penn State, right? The one that went into two overtimes and ended with Joey Bosa basically saying "Forget this, we're going home with a win, boys" and bull-rushing his way to a game-sealing sack?
It was one of the better Big Ten games of the year, and Penn State's was one of the few defenses to actually slow the Buckeyes.
The two will meet again in mid-October in Columbus. Penn State is an interesting East Division dark horse and could very well be 6-0 heading into its road game against the Buckeyes. The Nittany Lions play just two more road games (four overall) after that—at Northwestern and at Michigan State.
Playing Ohio State and Michigan State on the road is a tough task for anyone. But if Penn State can even split those games, perhaps grabbing an unexpected win in Columbus, it could throw the divisional race for a loop.
Nebraska at Minnesota
3 of 7
When: Oct. 17
Like last year, Nebraska gets Wisconsin and Minnesota in back-to-back games. Other than the Nov. 7 game against Minnesota, this will be the toughest Big Ten stretch of the year for the Cornhuskers.
Minnesota has improved dramatically under head coach Jerry Kill, so this is no easy game to begin with. However, it could very much be a letdown/hangover game for Nebraska.
If the Huskers can pull the win out over Wisconsin, a loss the following week to Minnesota would be a letdown. If the Huskers lose both games, they could slide down the West division standings quickly.
Certainly a rebound would be possible, as the schedule is generally easier after Minnesota. But for first-year Nebraska coach Mike Riley, the road trip to Minnesota could have season-defining qualities.
As Tom Dienhart of the Big Ten Network wrote last month, "The Golden Gophers have passed the Cornhuskers on the Big Ten West food chain." This would be a good opportunity for Riley's team to prove otherwise.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Michigan State at Nebraska
4 of 7
When: Nov. 7
There aren't many intriguing cross-divisional games—or at least ones that could have major impacts on the top of the divisional races. A rare exception would be Michigan State's November road game at Nebraska.
Last season, Michigan State appeared to have its game against the Huskers under control until the fourth quarter, when Nebraska made a 19-point comeback. That rally ultimately fell short, but it made things interesting.
Could Nebraska pull a late-season surprise and knock Sparty out of playoff contention before Michigan State's big showdown against Ohio State later that month?
Michigan State at Ohio State
5 of 7
When: Nov. 21
Of course, right? There's no other game on the Big Ten slate that, on paper, looks nearly as good as Michigan State's trip to Ohio State on Nov. 21. This is the game of the year for the Big Ten.
Two potential playoff teams will take the field in what you could consider a de facto quarterfinal game. Although, on the other hand, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports wrote, "You can see a scenario where Michigan State goes 11-1, beating Oregon and losing only to 13-0 Ohio State, and both the Buckeyes and Spartans make the playoffs."
While neither is the primary rivalry for the other—Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said, "We have one rival here," via Mike Griffith of MLive, referring to Michigan—there's no doubt that this has been the conference's best game over the past few years.
The right teams at the right time with the right things on the line: What else could you want?
Wisconsin at Minnesota
6 of 7
When: Nov. 28
While Wisconsin-Nebraska looks like the de facto Big Ten West title game on paper, the late-November game between the Badgers and Minnesota could have equal importance, if not more.
Dienhart noted that this is his top Big Ten West game for 2015: "Like last year, this could be a de facto Big Ten West title game. Minnesota has lost 11 in a row to Wisconsin and has just two victories vs. the Badgers since 1995, going 2-18 in the last 20 meetings."
But it's at Minnesota, and the Gophers have been trending in the right direction under Jerry Kill. Is this the year they finally knock off Wisconsin to take back Paul Bunyan's ax? And perhaps play for more than that?
Penn State at Michigan State
7 of 7
When: Nov. 28
Call this the dark-horse Big Ten East title game, if you will. With so much attention on Ohio State, there's little room to consider that any other East Division game could have so much on the line.
Yet if the Buckeyes somehow unexpectedly drop a game or two, Penn State at Michigan State in the last week of the Big Ten schedule could have major implications.
Or it's always possible that the battle for the Land Grant Trophy is a game for spoilers of sorts. Say, hypothetically, that Michigan State is in a position to capture the East crown with a home win over the Nittany Lions. Penn State could always ruin Sparty's chances there (or vice versa, should the situation play out).
If Penn State's defense remains as stingy as it was last year and the offense takes a step forward, this team could be an interesting contender in the East.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
