1. Michigan--Could be any of the 3 teams. This team has skill at every single position, I've seen like 20 some NFL draft picks thrown around for the next 2 seasons. Just looked tougher than tOSU the last 2 years 2. tOSU--I have no sense whatsoever for their QB but their WRs are still loaded. I hope a team that thinks its set at QB gets the #1 pick so they can pick Harrison #1 overall. 3. PSU--I like Allair at QB, the defense is stacked, but James Franklin is still their head coach. That's 1 loss that shouldn't be a loss on there. Iowa has derailed title hopes for them in WhiteOut games before and they play Week 4 I believe. 4. MSJ--Maryland gets this I think by default most places but I just have a feeling. I think if MSU finishes lower than this, Tucker winds up on the hot seat real fast. 5. Maryland--MSU and Maryland have to be in these two spots almost by default. Probably makes more sense to flip these 2 due to QB status, but I'll just go with my gut here. 6. Rutgers--Their QB has shown glimpses of talent. 7. Indiana--Might be the only place in the country that looks back on the first COVID year fondly.
West--The land of the Transfer QBs. Seriously, I didn't realize how many there were in this division alone. Minnesota could very well be the only team without a transfer QB starting week 1. Anybody but Northwestern could take this division. 1. Wisconsin--Fickell is a really good coach, I like Tanner Mordecai coming over from SMU. Never easy to transition (to a new offense), but I think they have less issues than Iowa. 2. Iowa--Well, Brian Ferentz is back for another go. Gotta score 25+ PPG or he might be fired. Iowa is something like 31-1 when they score more than 25 points though since BF got there. Cade McNamara is the new starting QB but he's already hurt, so Wisconsin's backup last year has been getting some reps. Kaleb Johnson is an absolute stud at RB, the best Iowa has had since Shonn Greene left. For all the justified critiques of Iowa's passing game, it's been their offensive line and RBs that have been the most noticeable drop offs. Both should be significantly better this year. TEs are excellent, Kaleb Brown transferred in from tOSU and, despite barely playing there, instantly becomes the best receiver in Iowa history (by recruiting rankings). Special teams will be great. Best DT is currently suspended for gambling (reportedly put $100 on Iowa to win the WBB national title--the horror) but there's depth there. Got a stud LB from UVA to replace Campbell. Lost 1 white CB to the NFL but are replacing him with another that is considered to be a top 20 pick in next year's draft. Might be the highest I've been on an Iowa team in a really long time, which usually means they're a letdown. 3. Nebraska-- Jeff Sims from GT is the starter. They have a freshman WR coming in that is supposed to be a game-wrecker. Rhule is excellent. 4. Minnesota--Athan Kaliakmanis is their starting QB. He's supposed to be really good if rumors coming out of Minnesota are to be believed. Probably my sleeper in the West. Fleck's game coaching can be Franklinesque. 5. Purdue--Hudson Card is their new starter out of Texas. They lost some talent. I don't love them, but I usually don't. 6. Illinois--Luke Altmeyer from Ole Miss is the QB. Bielema will have them as a tough team but losing the (IMO) best CB in the country hurts quite a bit. Pretty nondescript to me at this point. 7. Northwestern--this could be a rough year. Technically their QB transferred in the year before, but he sucked last year. They brought in a kid from Cincy though.
Amazing job by the Northwestern Coach. Only one that I got dramatically, horribly wrong. Way too high on MSU as well.
Also as mentioned above, Minnesota was the only team that wasn't starting a transfer QB and now....he's transferring.
Credit where credit is due, Michigan really traveled for this game. Sandwiched between the Ohio State game and then the playoffs, against a mediocre opponent, I thought maybe the B1G championship would be an afterthought but I think they were nearly 2-1 Michigan fans. In the cheap seats, it was like 10-1, at least where we were.
We were fortunate enough that the Michigan fans around us were by and large pretty cool. There was one drunk douche about 6 rows in front of us that was getting into it with Iowa fans so much that other Michigan fans were walking down to tell him to chill out and he was nearly getting in fights with them. I had the phone ready in case something broke out.
Michigan fans were about as obnoxious as normal. Outside the stadium especially there were some real assholes. There was one drunk Iowa fan that was like sitting on the stairs of the stadium yelling "cheater!" at every Michigan fan that walked by. That was fun. The "Michigan vs Everyone" angle was especially annoying. The girl in front of us was hoping Harbaugh would announce that they were leaving the B1G when the trophy was presented.
The Iowa fans were there largely to drink and accept their fate. The defense was awesome as usual. Michigan's two TD drives were like 11 yards total but 3-0 seemed like it was enough (and would have been!)
My kids made it into the 4th so I was pretty proud of them. We were WAY up there, which is a little disorienting and I probably wouldn't do that again. They weren't super into the football but they're getting better about it. They really just need to watch more on TV so the announcers explain what is going on.
Lucas Oil was really cool, probably the most impressive stadium I have ever been in. Very cool. Food options were largely meh so I didn't eat much, but I did see some smoked wings that looked tasty. Otherwise pretty normal stuff and I didn't think ridiculously priced.