Big Ten's significant 2014 nonconference games

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SelectionSunday

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How many of these will the Big Ten win? If the conference wants to be a part of the first 4-team College Football Playoff, it would sure help if a few of the big boys step up in September.

Week 1
Aug. 28: Rutgers @ Washington State
Aug. 30: Cal @ Northwestern
Aug. 30: Penn State vs. UCF (Dublin, Ireland)
Aug. 30: LSU vs. Wisconsin (Houston)

Week 2
Sept. 6: Michigan @ Notre Dame
Sept. 6: Michigan State @ Oregon
Sept. 6: Virginia Tech @ Ohio State

Week 3
Sept. 13: Illinois @ Washington
Sept. 13: Iowa State @ Iowa
Sept. 13: West Virginia @ Maryland
Sept. 13: Minnesota @ TCU
Sept. 13: Notre Dame vs. Purdue (Indianapolis)

Week 4
Sept. 20: Indiana @ Missouri
Sept. 20: Iowa @ Pitt
Sept. 20: Maryland @ Syracuse
Sept. 20: Utah @ Michigan
Sept. 20: Miami @ Nebraska

Week 5
Sept. 27: Cincinnati @ Ohio State

Week 11
Nov. 15: Northwestern @ Notre Dame

Several golden opportunities exist for the B1G to notch perception-changing wins, most notably these four (in order of importance):

1. Michigan State @ Oregon -- Sparty brought credibility to the Big Ten last season, now their bar is raised even higher.
2. LSU vs. Wisconsin -- Quality programs from the Big Ten & SEC meeting on a neutral field. Enough said.
3. Michigan @ Notre Dame -- -- both coming off disappointing seasons but Irish now have Everett Golson back at QB.
4. Indiana @ Missouri -- Mizzou was oh so close to a BCS bid last season. A shootout in Columbia?
 

Best guesses....


Week 1
Aug. 28: Rutgers @ Washington State Washington State
Aug. 30: Cal @ Northwestern Northwestern
Aug. 30: Penn State vs. UCF (Dublin, Ireland) Penn State
Aug. 30: LSU vs. Wisconsin (Houston) LSU

Week 2
Sept. 6: Michigan @ Notre Dame Notre Dame
Sept. 6: Michigan State @ Oregon Oregon
Sept. 6: Virginia Tech @ Ohio State Ohio State

Week 3
Sept. 13: Illinois @ Washington Washington
Sept. 13: Iowa State @ Iowa Iowa
Sept. 13: West Virginia @ Maryland Maryland
Sept. 13: Minnesota @ TCU Minnesota
Sept. 13: Notre Dame vs. Purdue (Indianapolis) Notre Dame

Week 4
Sept. 20: Indiana @ Missouri Missouri
Sept. 20: Iowa @ Pitt Pitt?
Sept. 20: Maryland @ Syracuse Syracuse?
Sept. 20: Utah @ Michigan Michigan
Sept. 20: Miami @ Nebraska Nebraska

Week 5
Sept. 27: Cincinnati @ Ohio State Ohio State

Week 11
Nov. 15: Northwestern @ Notre Dame Notre Dame

So, 9-10 in the big OOC games. I think the B1G loses all the big ones you call out above.
 

SelectionSunday said:
2. LSU vs. Wisconsin -- Quality programs from the Big Ten & SEC meeting on a neutral field. Enough said.
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Nothing "neutral" about an LSU game in Houston.

Still looking forward to this one. Should be a good game but I don't see the Badgers pulling a win out here.
 


SelectionSunday said:
Several golden opportunities exist for the B1G to notch perception-changing wins, most notably these four (in order of importance): 1. Michigan State @ Oregon -- Sparty brought credibility to the Big Ten last season, now their bar is raised even higher. 2. LSU vs. Wisconsin -- Quality programs from the Big Ten & SEC meeting on a neutral field. Enough said. 3. Michigan @ Notre Dame -- -- both coming off disappointing seasons but Irish now have Everett Golson back at QB. 4. Indiana @ Missouri -- Mizzou was oh so close to a BCS bid last season. A shootout in Columbia?
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Thanks for the list - it will make a great viewing guide. I agree with your top three here. Not sure too many people would care about #4 unless Indiana won. I think if the Big Ten wins just the top two of these four it's on. Probably not too likely.
 




19 games on the list, not one of 'em is a home game. Why's the BIG doing all the traveling?
 

Curseislifted33 said:
Oregon vs. MSU should be a great game
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MSU's revamped defense will get a stern test in this one. I would expect a game in the low to mid 30s. Sparty's offense should be good enough to play ball control and keep Oregon's offense off the field for a good chunk of time.
 




Gopher07 said:
Best guesses....


Week 1
Aug. 28: Rutgers @ Washington State Washington State
Aug. 30: Cal @ Northwestern Northwestern
Aug. 30: Penn State vs. UCF (Dublin, Ireland) Penn State
Aug. 30: LSU vs. Wisconsin (Houston) LSU

Week 2
Sept. 6: Michigan @ Notre Dame Notre Dame
Sept. 6: Michigan State @ Oregon Oregon
Sept. 6: Virginia Tech @ Ohio State Ohio State

Week 3
Sept. 13: Illinois @ Washington Washington
Sept. 13: Iowa State @ Iowa Iowa
Sept. 13: West Virginia @ Maryland Maryland
Sept. 13: Minnesota @ TCU Minnesota
Sept. 13: Notre Dame vs. Purdue (Indianapolis) Notre Dame

Week 4
Sept. 20: Indiana @ Missouri Missouri
Sept. 20: Iowa @ Pitt Pitt?
Sept. 20: Maryland @ Syracuse Syracuse?
Sept. 20: Utah @ Michigan Michigan
Sept. 20: Miami @ Nebraska Nebraska

Week 5
Sept. 27: Cincinnati @ Ohio State Ohio State

Week 11
Nov. 15: Northwestern @ Notre Dame Notre Dame

So, 9-10 in the big OOC games. I think the B1G loses all the big ones you call out above.
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Three Big 10 losses to Notre Dame? They could make or break our strength of conference ranking by themselves. (of course it helps ND to have 2 home games and a "neutral site" venue). Have not seen any pre-season rankings yet, but are the Fightin' Irish supposed to be good this year?
 

cemba99 said:
Three Big 10 losses to Notre Dame? They could make or break our strength of conference ranking by themselves. (of course it helps ND to have 2 home games and a "neutral site" venue). Have not seen any pre-season rankings yet, but are the Fightin' Irish supposed to be good this year?
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Most first guesses have them as a top 25 team heading in. Frankly their 3-0 record is more a function of playing Michigan, Purdue and Northwestern, none of whom I expect to be very good this year. ND would get trounced by Ohio State or MSU.
 

Power 5 vs. Power 5/Notre Dame Nonconference Games

If things like strength of schedule truly matter in Year 1 of the College Football Playoff, certainly a handful to perhaps a dozen of these games will help determine the four semifinalists playing in the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl.

Power 5/Notre Dame Nonconference Games (Year 1 of College Football Playoff)
Aug. 28
Rutgers vs. Washington State (Seattle)

Aug. 30
Alabama vs. West Virginia (Atlanta)
Cal @ Northwestern
Clemson @ Georgia
Florida State vs. Oklahoma State (Arlington)
LSU vs. Wisconsin (Houston)
UCLA @ Virginia

Sept. 6
Michigan @ Notre Dame
Michigan State @ Oregon
Virginia Tech @ Ohio State

Sept. 13
Arkansas @ Texas Tech
Illinois @ Washington
Iowa State @ Iowa
Kansas @ Duke
Minnesota @ TCU
Notre Dame vs. Purdue (Indianapolis)
Tennessee @ Oklahoma
Texas vs. UCLA (Arlington)
USC @ Boston College
West Virginia @ Maryland

Sept. 18
Auburn @ Kansas State

Sept. 20
Indiana @ Missouri
Iowa @ Pitt
Maryland @ Syracuse
Miami @ Nebraska
Utah @ Michigan

Sept. 27
Notre Dame vs. Syracuse (East Rutherford)

Oct. 4
Stanford @ Notre Dame

Oct. 11
North Carolina @ Notre Dame

Oct. 18
Notre Dame @ Florida State

Nov. 8
Notre Dame @ Arizona State

Nov. 15
Northwestern @ Notre Dame

Nov. 22
Louisville @ Notre Dame

Nov. 29
Florida @ Florida State
Georgia Tech @ Georgia
Kentucky @ Louisville
Notre Dame @ USC
South Carolina @ Clemson

Nonconference Games vs. Power 5/Notre Dame (by conference)
ACC – 17 (play 8-game conference schedule)
Big Ten -- 17 (play 8-game conference schedule)
Pac 12 – 11 (play 9-game conference schedule)
SEC – 11 (play 8-game conference schedule)
Big XII – 10 (play 9-game conference schedule)

Nonconference Games vs. Power 5/Notre Dame (by team)
Notre Dame – 10 (Independent; plays partial ACC schedule)
Florida State – 3
Clemson – 2
Georgia – 2
Iowa – 2
Louisville -- 2
Maryland – 2
Michigan -- 2
Northwestern -- 2
Syracuse – 2
UCLA -- 2
USC – 2
West Virginia – 2
Alabama – 1
Arizona State -- 1
Arkansas -- 1
Auburn -- 1
Boston College – 1
Cal -- 1
Duke -- 1
Florida – 1
Georgia Tech – 1
Illinois -- 1
Indiana -- 1
Iowa State -- 1
Kansas – 1
Kansas State – 1
Kentucky – 1
LSU -- 1
Miami – 1
Michigan State -- 1
Minnesota – 1
Missouri -- 1
Nebraska – 1
North Carolina – 1
Ohio State – 1
Oklahoma -- 1
Oklahoma State – 1
Oregon -- 1
Pitt – 1
Purdue -- 1
Rutgers -- 1
South Carolina – 1
Stanford -- 1
Tennessee – 1
Texas – 1
TCU -- 1
Texas Tech -- 1
Utah -- 1
Virginia -- 1
Virginia Tech – 1
Washington -- 1
Washington State -- 1
Wisconsin – 1

Programs Not Playing Notre Dame/Power 5 Opponent
Arizona (Pac 12)
Baylor (Big XII)
Colorado (Pac 12)
Mississippi State (SEC)
NC State (ACC)
Ole Miss (SEC)
Oregon State (Pac 12)
Penn State (Big Ten)
Texas A&M (SEC)
Vanderbilt (SEC)
Wake Forest (ACC)
 



Interesting that 5 of the 11 teams not playing ND/Power 5 are in the SEC.

August 30 could break the SEC. We will have the tough decision of cheering for the hated badgers or the hated SEC.* I think this year the SEC takes a lot of media heat for scheduling and never traveling.

Not a hard question. Go LSU.
 

Winnipegopher said:
Interesting that 5 of the 11 teams not playing ND/Power 5 are in the SEC.
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I did find it interesting that of the three conferences that play only 8 conference games, the SEC (11) was well back of the ACC and Big Ten (17 each) in terms of opponents from the power conferences.
 

SelectionSunday said:
I did find it interesting that of the three conferences that play only 8 conference games, the SEC (11) was well back of the ACC and Big Ten (17 each) in terms of opponents from the power conferences.
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Look one step further - four of these 11 SEC games are annual rivalry games vs ND/Power 5 schools that cannot be avoided: Florida/FSU. SC/Clemson, Kentucky/Louisville, Georgia/GT.

With 14 teams in the SEC, they have (14 x 4) = 56 non-conference games annually. Take away the 4 rivalry games and they have 52 games that could theoretically be scheduled against anyone. Only 7 of those 52 are against ND/Power 5 teams.
 

cemba99 said:
Look one step further - four of these 11 SEC games are annual rivalry games vs ND/Power 5 schools that cannot be avoided: Florida/FSU. SC/Clemson, Kentucky/Louisville, Georgia/GT.

With 14 teams in the SEC, they have (14 x 4) = 56 non-conference games annually. Take away the 4 rivalry games and they have 52 games that could theoretically be scheduled against anyone. Only 7 of those 52 are against ND/Power 5 teams.
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This is really an excellent post and a good point. One thing could be disputed; however, and that is that rivalary games can't be avoided. In our very own conference UM/ND are no longer "annual" games which we came to expect to be nearly every year. Regardless, I agree with your premise and as I said this is an excellent point.
 

BJN said:
Nothing "neutral" about an LSU game in Houston.

Still looking forward to this one. Should be a good game but I don't see the Badgers pulling a win out here.
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In either 2015 or 2016, Wisconsin and LSU play the rematch at Lambeau Field.
 

Its seems Michigan State and Wisconsin are taking it on the road to make a statement. That is how it is done. Ohio State playing at home vs. Virginia Tech is hardly worth noting. And Michigan while they play at Notre Dame, they open 2014 with Appalachian State at home. That will do little for their strength of schedule, and if A State does it again it is embarrassing.
 

husker70 said:
Its seems Michigan State and Wisconsin are taking it on the road to make a statement. That is how it is done. Ohio State playing at home vs. Virginia Tech is hardly worth noting. And Michigan while they play at Notre Dame, they open 2014 with Appalachian State at home. That will do little for their strength of schedule, and if A State does it again it is embarrassing.
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They should be expected to do so as they've both been very successful the past few years. Should the Gophers have a stretch like that I would expect/be excited about them taking similar steps. MSU in particular has seemingly had a few of these games in the past. It's unfortunate that some of these games are at neutral sites (UW/LSU, UW/Bama, UW/LSU) because I would like nothing better than for these teams to have the opportunity to play games in Baton Rouge, Tuscaloosa or Madison. Showcase college football in these great college towns, in my opinion.
 

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