The 2017 college football season will feature many fascinating conference races, but none will be more intriguing than the Big Ten. Penn State was able to break through the Michigan-Ohio State axis in the Big Ten last year. In 2017, OSU and Michigan will once again be favored. Will challengers successfully strike back for a second straight season? Here are four possibilities.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The Nittany Lions lose a few important wide receivers, which should limit the extent to which their passing game can flourish. However, they still have Trace McSorley at quarterback, and they still have Saquon Barkley at running back. Those are two extremely good players. Barkley has been a star since he came to State College, and McSorley grew into stardom last season on the run to the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl appearance against USC. Penn State also received a critical boost when offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead, widely credited with the revival of the team’s offense, chose to stay at his post instead of pursuing a head coaching job at another program. With much of the offense intact, the Nittany Lions could very realistically enjoy a strong 2017 season as long as new faces step up and produce as wide receivers.
Penn State will have one of the toughest stretches in the nation in 2017 as they’ll play Michigan and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks. As a matter of fact, they’ll also have Michigan State right after too. That’s about as challenging as it gets – especially in Big Ten play.
Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers are in a good position because they play outside of Michigan and Ohio State’s division. While UM and OSU battle in the Big Ten East, Wisconsin just has to win the much weaker West. The Badgers will play at Nebraska next season, likely their biggest in-division challenge. If they lose that game, they could be in trouble. However, they host Iowa and Northwestern, and this season, Minnesota – undergoing a coaching change with P.J. Fleck – probably won’t be ready to contend for the division. Even with a loss to Nebraska, Wisconsin could win the Big Ten West as long as the rest of the division beats itself up. While Michigan and Ohio State go at each other, Wisconsin could move smoothly through the West and then take advantage of its big chance in the Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin has more margin for error than other challengers to Ohio State and Michigan.
Michigan State Spartans
When the 2016 season began, most people thought Michigan State would stand in the way of Michigan and Ohio State. After all, that’s exactly what the Spartans had done the previous few years. In 2016, though, the bottom fell out in a miserable losing season which didn’t even create a bowl bid in East Lansing. The Spartans figure to be much better in 2017, and if they are, they can definitely defeat their two big rivals. Most people have forgotten by now that Sparty was one of the best teams in the country two years ago. Last year was a rebuilding year but they should be able to get back on track in the 2017 calendar.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
This is the team which almost won the Big Ten West last year, but lost to Wisconsin in overtime. If the Huskers can take the next step past Wisconsin, they will get that one-game opportunity to upset Michigan or Ohio State in the Big Ten title game and make history. The Huskers’ defense should be better under new coordinator Bob Diaco. The big question is the offense and how well it can run-block to shorten games and reduce sacks.
We’ll get to know a lot about Nebraska very early in the season as they have to go to Eugene, Oregon in the second week of the season and play the Ducks. Then things will get interesting for them in their fifth and sixth games of the season when they host Wisconsin and Ohio State in back-to-back weeks. We’ll see if they’re far enough in their progression as a program to take down either one of these two teams in 2017.
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