Predicting the Big Ten standings for the upcoming 2022 football season
Big Ten Media Day is all set to start early next week, but before that we here at Nittany Nation have decided to put out our own personal predictions on how we see things ending up in both divisions as well as the Big Ten Championship this upcoming football season.
RICHARD SCHNYDERITE....
BIG TEN EAST....
1-Ohio State
2-Penn State
3-Michigan
4-Maryland
5-Michigan State
6-Rutgers
7-Indiana
BIG TEN WEST....
1-Wisconsin
2-Purdue
3-Iowa
4-Minnesota
5-Nebraska
6-Illinois
7-Northwestern
BIG TEN TITLE GAME: Ohio State over Wisconsin
Just like every year, it is going to very tough for anyone in the conference to take down Ohio State as the top dog, but Michigan was able to do it last year as they went on to win the conference only to get smacked by Georgia in the College Football Playoff. This time around I don't see that happening again, as I think the Buckeyes return to their glory as top dog in the conference, but it won't come without a fight from the likes of Penn State who has a pretty experienced roster this year.
As far as the B1G West goes, it could be anyone's guess as to who wins this side. Of course Wisconsin is usually the favorite year in and year out, but let's not sleep on the Boilermakers or the PJ Fleck led Golden Gophers. If Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim can return to form, then there is no reason why they won't finish in the top three of the West.
Look for a matchup between the Buckeyes and the Badgers, a rematch of the 2019 Big Ten Championship where OSU wins by around 13+ points.
DYLAN CALLAGHAN-CROLEY....
BIG TEN EAST....
1-Ohio State
2-Penn State
3-Michigan
4-Michigan State
5-Indiana
6-Maryland
7-Rutgers
BIG TEN WEST....
1-Wisconsin
2-Iowa
3-Minnesota
4-Purdue
5-Nebraska
6-Illinois
7-Northwestern
BIG TEN TITLE GAME: Ohio State over Wisconsin
Ohio State enters 2022 as a true national title contender once again thanks to one of the country's premier offenses. The combination of CJ Stroud, Treyveon Henderson, and Jaxson Smith-Njigba is arguably the best QR-RB-WR trio in the country and each player has an argument as the country's top player at their respective positions. What will ultimately determine how far Ohio State can go this year is their defense. The Buckeyes' defense last year allowed 350+ yards in seven of their 13 games including four games of 400+ yards allowed and two games of 500+ yards allowed. With the defense now under the prowess of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, the Buckeyes defense will look to return to form.
The Big Ten West I expect could be decided in the final week of the regular season. I am historically very much a Wisconsin doubter and that continues heading into this season. I believe if Wisconsin was in the Big Ten East they'd likely be the fourth or best team in the division. For myself, it came down to Wisconsin and Iowa and while I think the two are comparable, my decision came down to which quarterback would I trust more. Iowa's Spencer Petras or Wisconsin's Graham Mertz. The easy answer right now is neither but if I had to choose one, I'd choose the higher upside quarterback in Mertz. With that, I chose the Badgers to win the Big Ten West.
We'll get a glimpse of what these two teams look like up against each other on September 24 when the Buckeyes host Wisconsin. I expect on September 24 that the Buckeyes win going away and that they will replicate that result once again in the Big Ten Championship game in December.
JUSTIN MORGANSTEIN....
BIG TEN EAST....
1-Ohio State
2-Michigan
3-Michigan State
4-Penn State
5-Maryland
6-Rutgers
7-Indiana
BIG TEN WEST....
1-Wisconsin
2-Iowa
3-Purdue
4-Minnesota
5-Nebraska
6-Northwesterm
7-Illinois
BIG TEN TITLE GAME: Ohio State over Wisconsin
Despite not reaching the Big Ten title game last season, Ohio State finished 2021 with an impressive Rose Bowl win with players who are essentially all returning this year. A flurry of opt-outs gave the Buckeyes a look at what the future holds as they replaced a number of offensive weapons with those who are next in line. Led by CJ Stroud's 573 yard day, Ryan Day's team appears to be as strong as ever and it would be a real surprise if they don't avenge their loss to Michigan as they take on the Wolverines at home this season. Their combination of talent and experience should allow them to take control of the Big Ten East and head back to Indianapolis.
Wisconsin, like Ohio State, brings back some intriguing offensive pieces this year including 2021 freshman sensation Braelon Allen who ran all over opposing defenses at just 17 years old. With Allen looking to build on his freshman campaign and a defense that is still projected to be among the top groups in the Big Ten, it should be expected that the Badgers pace the Big Ten West, especially if it can pull out a victory at Iowa for the first time since 2018. The big question marks will of course surround the quarterback position as Graham Mertz finally looks to break out after failing to meet expectations the last couple seasons.
SAM WOLOSON....
BIG TEN EAST....
1-Ohio State
2-Michigan
3-Penn State
4-Michigan State
5-Maryland
6-Indiana
7-Rutgers
Year after year, the East is home to huge rivalry games with even greater stakes. After having great seasons last year, Ohio State and Michigan are returning a lot of talent and should be tough for any team to defeat. Teams like Penn State and Michigan State are looking for that top spot, but can’t afford to lose more than two games in conference if they want to keep pace. Teams like Maryland and Indiana play hard and could definitely play spoiler to some of these teams.
BIG TEN WEST....
1-Minnesota
2-Iowa
3-Purdue
4-Wisconsin
5-Nebraska
6-Illinois
7-Northwestern
Teams like Iowa and Wisconsin are known for their stout defenses, but often are failed by a lackluster offense. For this reason, I believe in Minnesota, which is returning key players on that side of the ball and still has a great defense. Purdue similarly has some explosiveness on offense and should be a tough test for any team in the division.
BIG TEN TITLE GAME: Ohio State over Minnesota
CONNOR KRAUSE....
BIG TEN EAST....
1-Ohio State
2-Michigan
3-Penn State
4-Michigan State
5-Maryland
6-Rutgers
7-Indiana
For the better part of the past decade, the Big Ten East division’s top-heavy structure has helped the conference stay on par with the SEC’s prowess. With the way Ohio State and Michigan’s schedules are set up ahead of the fall campaign, the sentiment should hold true and pave the way for an ultra-competitive race to Indianapolis leading up to championship weekend.
The Buckeyes will incur one of their most competitive tests of the year right out of the gate against Notre Dame on September 3. Although first-year head coach Marcus Freeman will likely be juiced to bring a top-10 ranked squad into the Horseshoe, the combination of CJ Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba will be too potent for the Fighting Irish to hold a puncher’s chance in the second half.
While the Buckeyes will have to play tough divisional crossover matchups with Wisconsin and Iowa from the west, both contests will be played in the comfortable confines of Colombus. Sticking with the Buckeyes’ typical track record at “The Shoe” (aside from last year’s blunder against Oregon), I think Ryan Day will hold true to the program’s winning ways by concluding his fourth year at the helm undefeated at home.
As for Michigan, the Wolverines’ schedule couldn’t set up any better than it currently does — aside from their rivalry weekend date at Ohio State. With just three returning starters on defense, I don’t think the Wolverines have what it takes to stifle Day’s playcalling for a second straight season.
While Penn State fans wouldn’t be thrilled with yet another third-place Big Ten East finish, I believe the Nittany Lions are on pace for their most exciting campaign since 2017. After losing a late-game heartbreaker at Purdue in from of a sold-out Ross-Ade Stadium, Penn State will turn its early setback into vengeance before suffering another road loss against Michigan.
From there, it wouldn’t be a wild proclamation for the Nittany Lions to win out — even with a top-five Ohio State squad looming on October 29. But, aside from that matchup, the Buckeyes will have only played one true road game nearing November 1. For that reason alone, I think this is the year Penn State ends the five-year losing drought against Day’s unit.
BIG TEN WEST....
1-Wisconsin
2-Purdue
3-Iowa
4-Nebraska
5-Minnesota
6-Northwestern
7-Illinois
What the Big Ten East has in star power, the Big Ten West possesses in balance. Wisconsin has appeared in four of the last eight conference championships, and with Paul Chryst at the wheel, I don’t think it would be a stretch to make the Badgers the default divisional favorites entering 2022. Former four-star product Graham Mertz had a disappointing sophomore slump in his second year under center in Madison, but capped off a shaky campagin with a solid 11-for-15 performance in the Badger’s Las Vegas Bowl victory against Arizona State in late December.
In a division that typically pans out without many surprises, Jeff Brohm’s Boilermakers could be on pace to shock many across the college football landscape this fall. With 15 returning starters, Purdue holds the second-most returning production among all conference foes. Fortunately, Purdue skeptics and supporters alike won’t have to wait long to see what Brohm’s group is made of with Penn State set to enter Black Out conditions on September 1 in West Layfayette — a game where I predict the home squad will pull out a close victory.
Another team that could turn some heads with steady signs of progression is Nebraska. There’s no doubt that Scott Frost’s hot seat is close to reaching a boiling point, but with transfer quarterback Casey Thompson entering the fold, I think the Cornhuskers will make their first bowl appearance in six years under his leadership. Last season at Texas, the third-year gunslinger put together a solid stretch, compiling over 2,100 yards through the air for 24 scores compared to only nine interceptions. However, with zero returning starters on the defensive line, expect Nebraska to play a run-and-gun high-scoring style with many potential shootouts to come.
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