The problem for Minnesota - and Purdue and Illinois - is that it feels like everyone in the division has gotten better. Fleck and his staff have brought in some pretty good players. Try it.ĪS: They went young last season and almost immediately got better. I defy you to say the name DiCaprio Bootle and not smile. I know the Cornhuskers get their toughest games at home, but are they really ready to make a trip to Indy after going 4-8 last season?ĪS: But I will say this about Nebraska.

I noticed that Stewart and I predicted a Wisconsin bounceback and Bruce joined the Nebraska-wins-the-division hype train. I don’t like that what might be Northwestern’s two toughest division games ( Wisconsin and Nebraska) will be played in consecutive weeks on the road. The Wildcats just happened to lose to Akron and Duke and then went 8-1 in Big Ten play. With Nebraska, it’s kind of the opposite they lost a lot of close games last year and should be able to finish more.ĪS: Northwestern’s nonconference last year wasn’t that hard outside of Notre Dame.

SM: I just think the Big Ten West could be very competitive - five of the six teams (everyone but Illinois) could win it - so Northwestern will have a hard time going 8-1 again with one of the nation’s least efficient offenses. What do you expect from five-star Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson? The ’Cats’ nonconference schedule, aside from the opener at Stanford, is much easier than last year, and the D should still be pretty salty. The difference between giving up 430 yards on the ground to Illinois in a 24-point loss and giving up 170 yards on the ground to Wisconsin in a 22-point win.īF: I’m a little surprised Stew that you only have your alma mater at 7-5.

Big 10 championship game 2019 time