First-year head coaches, new players and marquee matchups — the first full taste of Big Ten football is here.
With every single conference squad having officially been able to have completed their debut in the Big Ten after this week, it feels like the shakeups are ready to happen. After an insane season in the sport last season, we are almost at that same point where full-on pandemonium breaks out in the conference, as it appears the same fate lies ahead.
With budding storylines, there’s a lot to keep an eye on to be ahead of the curve in what looks to be an action-filled week for what appears to be a multi-day, hours-long spectacle on the gridiron.
Here’s your guide for Week 4.
What Are The Key Storylines For Big Ten Football in Week 4?
Big Dogs
Two straight shutouts for the Indiana Hoosiers and a 50+ point win for the Ohio State Buckeyes — it looks as though the former national champions are back on form. With Ohio State taking on Illinois, and Indiana facing Northwestern, the opponents are obviously games where there’s a clear favorite for a reason.
Still, Bret Bielema is an experienced coach with the prowess to shake things up against a scarlet and gray offense that showed against Texas that it can be game-planned against and stalled. That’s the optimistic view, but for the Wildcats, reality may be just as jubilant after a fresh 41-7 thumping of Colorado, and a looming stadium debut in a week against Penn State — it feels like the perfect time to get hot.
My Prediction: The Ohio State offense shows up for a full 60 minutes en route to a win; Northwestern puts up a good performance but fails to match Indiana’s talent.
Mamba Out
For Penn State fans this one stings. Pass catcher Koby Howard finally sees the field and immediately shows that the offseason training tape translated to the nonconference schedule, but as soon as Big Ten play ticked around, he’s out for an extended time in a situation where only those behind the scenes have full clarity.
The Nittany Lions’ offense is still good, but how the wide receiver group, specifically Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, responds without its key playmaker is essential, especially after the aforementioned pair’s slow start. It is Wisconsin, after all, so Penn State should get on relatively well given how this one shapes up on paper, but with it being coach Matt Campbell’s debut in Big Ten play, it is still to be proven if it will be smooth sailing.
My Prediction: Sowell shows out
Phony Trojans or Schmuck Ducks
USC looked mediocre against Rutgers, and we all know the obscene Oregon result that happened against Oklahoma State, which culminates in this matchup looking like a real decider for both squads to post a result that builds toward a resume for a CFP berth.
For coaches Lincoln Riley and Dan Lanning, this game could mark a turning point in both their tenures, as the results seem to bubble up to at least start a dialogue. With Vegas penning a point total north of 60 and the spread as only a field goal, this one looks to be a real fireworks show with the narratives as a perfect backdrop.
My Prediction: Oregon wins in a shootout
Separate The Standings
The Maryland Terrapins face the UCLA Bruins in a game that could be very detrimental or very rewarding for both sides depending on how it pans out. UCLA has looked impressive in the first season under coach Bob Chesney and while it’s posted some formidable results, this week against Maryland poses a real chance to earn some major confidence ahead of the blue and gold’s rivalry clash with Oregon.
Maryland’s side of this week’s clash is brutal. With every Mike Locksley press conference, it feels like we get closer and closer to fisticuffs between him and a beat reporter, and another negative result this week surely won’t help the situation. Gunslinger Malik Washington looks good, but will it be enough in conference play? Those in College Park are beginning to worry that this staff can’t compete in the Big Ten; getting a result over the new kid on the block is integral if you’re Locksley and want to attempt dispelling doubts.
In a similar vein, Nebraska heads to East Lansing to face Michigan State, and Washington hosts Minnesota — both matchups carry equal weight in revealing a lot about these middle-of-the-pack teams; expect fans of triumphant teams to fire off some overreactive hot takes after these games. Why shouldn’t they?
My Prediction: UCLA thumps Maryland via ground game, Nebraska falls to MSU and Washington continues to build a dark-horse campaign.
Uh-Oh Underwood
Do Michigan donors have buyer’s remorse over the record-breaking NIL deal handed to Bryce Underwood as the move continues to stall on actually delivering results? Well, if they don’t, the always-staunch Iowa defense may knock that sense into them in a matchup that has implications that may knock the loser out of the AP Poll. This one being in Ann Arbor could be the key factor in the outcome, yet Iowa has had an uncharacteristically strong offense so far that may shake things up. This one is hard to pick, yet it’s also hard not to have the Western Michigan game on the mind when thinking about this one.
My Prediction: Michigan loses its “undefeated” start to the season
Purdue and Rutgers
Now we’re onto our shortest section, not even deserving of a corny subhead for our bottom feeders. Sure, the Purdue Boilermakers get home-field advantage against Notre Dame, but they’d wish they didn’t once kickoff starts. Rutgers better do something against Howard, or it genuinely needs to consider pulling the plug on coach Greg Schiano now.
My Prediction: Destruction
Main Image: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
