There is a definite lack of balance in the Big Ten right now. Yes, these things are cyclical but with Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State all in the East Division, it makes things very difficult for any one of those teams to emerge from that group. Given that those teams also have championship aspirations, it is no surprise that they are also looking for games outside of the conference that will give them a chance to prove themselves playoff worthy. Here is a look at the Big Ten teams with the most difficult schedules within the conference for 2016.
Wisconsin Badgers
Opponents Combined 2015 Record: 98-57
Wisconsin has become such a consistent program that last year’s ten wins was ho-hum. If they can get there again with this schedule, it will be pretty impressive. Their first game of the season will be against LSU at Lambeau Field. It will be a pro Badger crowd for sure, but not the same as playing on campus, and beating LSU is never easy – especially in a year where they really have to prove themselves. Akron and Georgia State won’t put up much of a fight, but their Big Ten schedule is really tough. They start with back-to-back games on the road against the Michigan teams and then have an off week before hosting Ohio State. At that point, they could be 0-3 in the league – even if they are playing well. On second thought, it could be 0-4 because a visit to Iowa is next. That’s what lands them at the top of this list.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Opponents Combined 2015 Record: 95-61
If the Buckeyes are going to be one of the top teams in the country next season, they’re going to have to prove it. It starts with a schedule that includes 10 teams that played in bowl games last season. In the non-conference portion of the schedule, they start with a Bowling Green team that won 10 games last season and might be the best team in the MAC. Tulsa is next but then they have to go to the state of Oklahoma to take on the Sooners, a team that is likely to start the season in the Top 5. And while Oklahoma is a very vulnerable team on the road, they’re hard to beat in Norman. The Buckeyes will get to host Michigan this season, but they will be at Michigan State, Wisconsin and Penn State. That is a pretty tough road schedule.
Michigan Wolverines
Opponents Combined 2015 Record: 78-76
The Wolverines created a lot of buzz off a great first year under Jim Harbaugh. They won ten games a year ago and are poised to do the same again, but it won’t be easy. They are not going to be pushed early as their non-conference schedule features homes games against Hawaii, Central Florida and Colorado. However, as mentioned above, they will be visiting the Horseshoe to play the Buckeyes this season and like Ohio State, they also have trips to Michigan State and Penn State. They also go to Iowa and have Wisconsin at home, so their Big Ten crossover games are no gimmes.
Michigan State Spartans
Opponents Combined 2015 Record: 86-54
It seems like the Spartans could be due for a dip this season, but even a small one could look more dramatic because of their tough schedule. As they are in the same division as the teams above, they will play both of them. They get those opponents at home, but beating both in the same year is no easy task. Also at home this season is a date with Wisconsin and BYU, two of the most physical teams in the nation. The Spartans have had a lot of success against the Irish lately but winning in South Bend is not the norm for most programs and Notre Dame could be Top Ten next year. That’s also on the schedule. If Sparty isn’t careful, that could be five losses right there, but remember that this should be one of the better teams in the country, so they should be able to weather this.
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