Big Ten football didn’t come away with the National Championship, but the conference still has its strengths.
The Big Ten Conference continues to improve overall but the surprises continue to show how deep with talent the conference really is.
The Penn State Nittany Lions shocked everybody by winning the conference championship game 38-31 over the Wisconsin Badgers. Led by quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley, the Nittany Lions should push for another East Division title in 2017.
The Oklahoma Sooners return nine starters, including Heisman finalist quarterback Baker Mayfield. They’ll need to have a better start this season after last year’s non-conference losses to the Houston Cougars and Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Michigan Wolverines also look to finally deliver a Big Ten title after two 10-win seasons back-to-back by head coach Jim Harbaugh. They have tons of holes to replace on both sides of the ball in 2017, however.
Two other teams looking to battle for the Big Ten title are the Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Hawkeyes return 15 total starters in 2017, while the Cornhuskers return 10 total.
With potential for some parody in the Big Ten again, here’s a look at the five most important non-conference games in 2017.
5. Wyoming at Iowa, Sept. 2
When you’re a Power Five team, you never want to take an early loss to a Group of Five team, especially if you’re in the Big Ten like the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes face a tough challenge in quarterback Josh Allen and the Wyoming Cowboys. Allen is projected to be a top NFL pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He threw for 3,203 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in 2016.
The good news for the Hawkeyes is they return eight players on defense and seven on offense in 2017. They went 6-3 in conference play last season but they have some holes to fill this season.
They’ll need to replace their quarterback but they should be in good hands with Nathan Stanley under center. He appeared in seven games last season as former starter C.J. Beathard’s backup.
Defensively, the Hawkeyes will need to make up for the 30-3 performance against the Florida Gators they put on in the Outback Bowl to close out last season. Granted, they did have three turnovers in the game but still.
Desmond King and Greg Mabin are gone from the cornerback spots, but there’s some depth to replace them in the secondary.
Iowa may be on upset alert for their season opener but they should do well to represent the Big Ten’s winning pedigree.
4. Nebraska at Oregon, Sept. 9
The Nebraska Cornhuskers travel to hostile territory when they face the Oregon Ducks in Week 2 next season. Replacing Tommy Armstrong Jr. will be tough, as will going 9-4 again, but with some coaching changes Nebraska should be in good shape.
The Cornhuskers lost steam in Big Ten play after beginning the season with a 4-0 record. Two road losses to the Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes set them back a bit.
However, a road visit to Oregon should prepare them for future adversity they’ll face in 2017. They beat the Ducks last season in Lincoln 35-32 so it won’t be a cake walk by any stretch.
The downside for Nebraska is they return just four starters on offense meaning things could still be a work in progress for them by Week 2.
Bob Diaco brings in a 3-4 approach as the Cornhuskers new defensive coordinator. New cornerbacks coach Donte Williams should also improve a secondary that had 16 interceptions in 2016, third in the Big Ten.
They’ll look to spoil head coach Willie Taggart’s debut with the Ducks. Nebraska could come away with a road victory, they’ll just need to be ready to play.
3. Penn State vs. Pittsburgh, Sept. 9
The Penn State Nittany Lions faced the Pittsburgh Panthers for the first time since the 2000 season and lost 42-39 in a shootout last season. This season’s rematch, the Nittany Lions look for redemption.
More from Big Ten
- Michigan State vs. Maryland: Location, time, prediction, and more
- Wisconsin vs. Purdue: How to watch, odds, injuries, weather, and history
- College Football Playoff: Projected top 4 after Week 3
- Biggest winners and losers from College Football Week 3
- Ohio State football: 3 takeaways from win over Western Kentucky
Penn State finished 2016 with an 11-3 record but started 2-2 before winning nine-straight games. Losing to the USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl 52-49 was a letdown but it didn’t overshadow them winning the Big Ten Championship Game.
The good news for the Nittany Lions is they return nine starters on offense. The Panthers return just four starters on defense making for an interesting game this fall.
Quarterback Trace McSorley and running back Saquon Barkley should be on Heisman Watch all season long and this is one game where they should shine. Although they lost in the Rose Bowl, their 2017 season is destined to be a good one.
An ACC victory will do some good to boost their profile for a potential run at the College Football Playoffs. They went 8-1 in the Big Ten a season ago and can look to repeat as Big Ten East Division champions next season.
2. Oklahoma at Ohio State, Sept. 9
The Ohio State Buckeyes made the College Football Playoffs in 2016, but the feeling was rather bittersweet. The Clemson Tigers handed head coach Urban Meyer the first shutout of his career, 31-0, exposing a few chinks in the armor.
Quarterback J.T. Barrett returns in 2017 for his senior season along with defensive ends Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard. With eight starters returning on offense and seven on defense, the Buckeyes are in a good position for next season.
They will need to replace three starters in the secondary, but depth at the position should help improve things rather quickly.
Barrett’s favorite targets, wide receiver Noah Brown and running back Curtis Samuel, are also gone. Both departed early for the NFL Draft.
On the bright side for Ohio State, they beat the Sooners 45-24 in Norman, Oklahoma. Barrett had 152 passing yards and four passing touchdowns in that game.
The Sooners will certainly have all of that on their mind when they come to town to face the Buckeyes. With both teams having College Football Playoff potential, the winner of this matchup takes on the advantage heading into respective conference play.
1. Michigan vs. Florida, Sept. 2
The season opener for the Michigan Wolverines is one of those make or break moments that make for interesting college football storylines. After posting two 10-win seasons in 2015 and 2016, things will be a lot more interesting in 2017.
In Jim Harbaugh’s third season, the Wolverines open the season in Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas against SEC foe, the Florida Gators. The last time the two teams faced each other, Michigan won 41-7 in Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
The Wolverines return just one starter on defense and four starters on offense. It helps their 2017 recruiting class ranked in top five this past cycle. The Gators return nine starters on offense while the Wolverines defense has a lot of holes to fill all over the field.
Related Story: NFL Mock Draft 2018: Way-too-early edition
Michigan will be a young team next season which could make for interesting results. They will be in rebuild mode for a lot of the season but their first game of the season won’t be an easy one.