Mandel: It appears the Big Ten may have three great teams and 11 afterthoughts. That still may be a better ratio this year than the SEC’s.

[BleedGopher]

Per Stewart's Mandel:

20. Finally, I’m looking forward to Michigan finally playing a Power 5 opponent so we can learn something substantive about the No. 2 team in the country. The Wolverines beat Bowling Green 31-6 in a weird game, one in which QB J.J. McCarthy threw three interceptions. Jim Harbaugh returns for the Big Ten opener against what appears to be a much-improved Rutgers team; the Scarlet Knights moved to 3-0 with a 35-16 rout of Virginia Tech.

In fact, it might be the Wolverines’ toughest game until November. Their next five opponents after that are Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan State and Purdue, all of them somewhere between underwhelming and hapless to date.

It appears the Big Ten may have three great teams and 11 afterthoughts. That still may be a better ratio this year than the SEC’s.

Mandel's Final Thoughts: The SEC hype is fading. But Deion Sanders' isn't!

A "weak" Week 3 slate provided a few close calls, a few upsets and a wild overtime Colorado win to cap Saturday.

theathletic.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Go4]

we really don't know much about ohio state or michigan yet. we'll learn a lot more soon.

 

[MNVCGUY]

we really don't know much about ohio state or michigan yet. we'll learn a lot more soon.

Yep....lots of unknowns still but conference definitely has the look of 3 top teams in the East and then everyone else in a big jumbled mess after that.

 

[FanSinceTheFifties]

Think about Penn State's recovery from the 2011 scandal of the worst possible kind.

 

[Some guy]

Yep....lots of unknowns still but conference definitely has the look of 3 top teams in the East and then everyone else in a big jumbled mess after that.

The only question is where does the jumbled mess ends and Indiana and northwestern begin.
Which of teams 4-12 belong more to the bottom 2 than the middle

 

[MNVCGUY]

The only question is where does the jumbled mess ends and Indiana and northwestern begin.
Which of teams 4-12 belong more to the bottom 2 than the middle

Will be interesting. If I was going to take a stab at it I would go:

Upper Half - order still TBD
Minnesota
Iowa
Wisconsin
Maryland
Rutgers

Bottom half - ranked best to worst
Illinois
Nebraska
Michigan State
Purdue

But reality is that this group could shake out in a million different ways. Heck, even Indiana and Northwestern could potentially find their way out of the cellar and ahead of a few of these teams. Although through 3 weeks those 2 are clearly at the bottom.

 

[MplsGopher]

Interested to see how Rutgers does, with Schiano, Ciarrocca, and Harasymiak. Solid recruiting not far and fan base will come if they don't suck.


Has Indiana really looked that bad?? I don't know anything about Louisville, but "only" 3-23 loss to Ohio State.

 

[Some guy]

Will be interesting. If I was going to take a stab at it I would go:

Upper Half - order still TBD
Minnesota
Iowa
Wisconsin
Maryland
Rutgers

Bottom half - ranked best to worst
Illinois
Nebraska
Michigan State
Purdue

But reality is that this group could shake out in a million different ways. Heck, even Indiana and Northwestern could potentially find their way out of the cellar and ahead of a few of these teams. Although through 3 weeks those 2 are clearly at the bottom.

Agree with this.
Illinois team in the bottom half with most upside to me. They play good defense and will be in games against teams whose offended don’t execute.

Rutgers biggest question mark in your top half. They just haven’t done it in so long tough to trust them.

I am as high as I’ve ever been on Maryland. I think they win 9 games this year

 

[Some guy]

Interested to see how Rutgers does, with Schiano, Ciarrocca, and Harasymiak. Solid recruiting not far and fan base will come if they don't suck.


Has Indiana really looked that bad?? I don't know anything about Louisville, but "only" 3-23 loss to Ohio State.

I just am not sure Indiana is going to be able to score points on anyone with a pulse this year.
They’re really similar to northwestern in that way.

Watch northwestern score 30 on gophers now that I’ve said that.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Agree with this.
Illinois team in the bottom half with most upside to me. They play good defense and will be in games against teams whose offended don’t execute.

Rutgers biggest question mark in your top half. They just haven’t done it in so long tough to trust them.

I am as high as I’ve ever been on Maryland. I think they win 9 games this year

Honestly not totally sold on any of the top half teams but they just seem a little better than the bottom half. Maryland might be the one exception but it is hard to trust them. Gotta figure a few teams from this group will emerge and have good years but it is a pretty mediocre looking cluster of teams at the moment.

Haven't had a chance to watch Maryland, Rutgers or Illinois yet this year but have seen the rest and been thoroughly underwhelmed by the entire group (including the Gophers).

 

[Some guy]

Honestly not totally sold on any of the top half teams but they just seem a little better than the bottom half. Maryland might be the one exception but it is hard to trust them. Gotta figure a few teams from this group will emerge and have good years but it is a pretty mediocre looking cluster of teams at the moment.

Haven't had a chance to watch Maryland, Rutgers or Illinois yet this year but have seen the rest and been thoroughly underwhelmed by the entire group (including the Gophers).

Hard to trust Maryland.
2 years ago I thought they had the worst coach in the conference but he has changed my mind.

I think they’re going 9-3 which would give them wins over Illinois and Nebraska and northwestern in the big ten race
I might feel differently if they were playing Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

I think Rutgers can make it to 6-6 simply by being 3-0 non conference with wins over Indiana, Michigan state, and northwestern

 

[MNVCGUY]

Hard to trust Maryland.
2 years ago I thought they had the worst coach in the conference but he has changed my mind.

I think they’re going 9-3 which would give them wins over Illinois and Nebraska and northwestern in the big ten race
I might feel differently if they were playing Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin.

I think Rutgers can make it to 6-6 simply by being 3-0 non conference with wins over Indiana, Michigan state, and northwestern

I hope Rutgers is improved because they could play a big role in the West race. They have to go to both Wisconsin and Iowa but not out of the realm of possibility that they could spring an upset against one or both of those teams.

 

[Some guy]

I hope Rutgers is improved because they could play a big role in the West race. They have to go to both Wisconsin and Iowa but not out of the realm of possibility that they could spring an upset against one or both of those teams.

Would love that.
Rutgers is more dangerous than Michigan state or Indiana this year I think

 

[Goldmember]

Wisconsin isn’t a “darkhorse” to win the Big Ten anymore? I’m shocked.

 

[beavergopher]

Wisconsin isn’t a “darkhorse” to win the Big Ten anymore? I’m shocked.

They’re now a horse of color…

 

[I'm A Maroon 2!]

Rutgers will beat Wisconsin. Book it.