2015 BCS National Championship Outlook
The next National title game is nearly a year away, and the format with which a championship game will be decided will be drastically different, yet odds are out and that means an opportunity to identify value.
Tag: big 10 odds
Handicapping Big 10 Football
The consensus is that this year’s Big Ten should be better than last year’s. Sure the Ohio State Buckeyes had a perfect season but it might have been the least impressive one in recent memory, and their inability compete in the Championship game or BCS allowed some other teams to step forward who really didn’t deserve it – we are looking at you Wisconsin.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Buckeyes
Urban Meyer was the massive pickup for Ohio State before the 2012 season, and man did he have a great first season in Columbus. The Buckeyes went unbeaten and would have played in the title game if they weren’t ineligible due to NCAA sanctions. Ohio State is eligible again this year, and expectations are higher than ever in Columbus.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Nittany Lions
Penn State’s 2012 football season was as successful on the field as anyone could have imagined. After losing their home opener to the Ohio Bobcats, Penn State won eight of their last 11 games to finish off a very tough season with an 8-4 record. Bill O’Brien did nothing short of a masterful job with this team in his first year at the school.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Badgers
Bret Bielema did a great job with the Wisconsin Badgers football program. Wisconsin has won a lot of games the last few years. Bielema decided to head to the SEC and Arkansas in the offseason, which left the Badgers looking for a new coach. Gary Andersen from Utah State was the guy the Badgers hired, and I believe that was a very good hire.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Boilermakers
Darrell Hazell did an amazing job of turning around the Kent State program in just two years. The Golden Flashes went 11-3 and almost went to a BCS bowl game last year. Hazell spent the 2004 through 2010 seasons working as an assistant at Ohio State, so he has plenty of experience in the Big Ten.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Fighting Illini
To say that Tim Beckman’s first-year as head coach of the Illinois football program was a disappointment is a massive understatement. It was a disaster!
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Hoosiers
The 2012 season was a massive improvement from 2011 for the Indiana Hoosiers. Kevin Wilson’s team piled up the points last year, and they were able to come out on top in four games. While this team certainly still has lots of room to grow, they are definitely on the right path.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Wolverines
After the massive 11-2 season in 2011, the Michigan Wolverines 8-5 season in 2012 had to be seen as a disappointment. Still, it’s obvious that Brady Hoke has this program continuing on the right path.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Wildcats
Isn’t it about time that Pat Fitzgerald starts getting recognized as one of the best coaches in the country? Northwestern isn’t an easy job to get top notch recruits, so Fitzgerald had to start off winning games with far less talent than almost any other team in the Big Ten.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Golden Gophers
Jerry Kill has done an amazing job with this Minnesota Golden Gophers program. Someone looking on from the outside may not be terribly impressed by a 6-7 record last year, but those who have followed this team know just how much progress the Golden Gophers have made since Kill took over as the head coach.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans were so close to having a big season in 2012, but their inability to come up with big plays in crunch time cost them in many games. Five of their six losses came by a grand total of 13 points.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Hawkeyes
It’s tough to figure out the Iowa Hawkeyes. Kirk Ferentz was seen as one of college football’s top coaches a few years ago when the Hawkeyes were shocking the Big Ten and playing like one of the nation’s top teams.
2013-14 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers went 10-4 last season, but it’s hard to consider their season much of a success thanks to the way it ended. Nebraska was absolutely embarrassed 70-31 by Wisconsin in the Big 10 Conference Championship Game.
2013-2014 BCS National Championship Outlook
In the ever-growing movement of college football – whether you look at TV dollars, conference re-alignment or points on the scoreboard – 2013-14 promises to be another enthralling season in the race for BCS hardware. .
2012-13 Football Previews – (Big 10) – Wisconsin Badgers
Ohio State and Michigan might have the most tradition in the Big Ten conference, but no one has been better in the last few years than the Wisconsin Badgers. If you were to pick a team that has been the most consistent at the top of the heap in this conference of late, you’d have to select Wisconsin. Michigan and Ohio State are gaining steam with great new coaches. Can Wisconsin stay on top?
