SUNDAY COLLEGE ACTION!

A 6-3-1 Saturday helped offset a tough 1-6 start as we enter the last Sunday without NFL Football for 4 months. There are a couple of college games on the slate today however only one that we'll be playing. Pesky Utah State visits Knoxville and the Volunteers who are looking to finally turn the corner and get the program back to past heights. Butch Jones enters year two after a 5-7 debut while Utah State returns 11 starters from a 8-5 bowl winning team in 2013.

TENNESSEE -5 VS UTAH STATE

SATURDAY-8/30

Saturday is finally here and we've got several games on our radar. Our early locks feature several Big Ten teams including Penn State's trip to Ireland. We will update our selection as the day goes on and better number pop up. Good luck!

PENN STATE ML (+105) VS CENTRAL FLORIDA
LSU -4 VS WISCONSIN
NAVY +15.5 VS OHIO STATE
PURDUE -9.5 VS WESTERN MICHIGAN
VIRGINIA +20 VS UCLA
NORTHERN IOWA +18.5 VS IOWA
GEORGIA -10 VS CLEMSON
NORTHWESTERN -9.5 VS CAL
WEST VIRGINIA +23 VS ALABAMA
OKLAHOMA STATE +20 VS FLORIDA STATE

FRIDAY FREE FOR ALL

A tough start to the year for Mr. Thursday Night but the season is long as is the weekend and we've got multiple plays lined up that'll get us back on the winning side. Colorado will have just enough to edge out in-state rival Colorado State while UNLV stays with Arizona until the 4th quarter to cover that large number. A good BYU team travels across the country to battle UNCONN in head coach Bobby Diaco's debut.

UNLV +23.5 AT ARIZONA
UCONN +15 VS BYU
COLORADO -3 VS COLORADO STATE

MR. THURSDAY NIGHT RETURNS!

The 2014 college football season is upon us and what better way to start than on our favorite night of the week! There are several interesting match-ups on the college gridiron tomorrow but we've narrowed our locks down to 3 in particular. Up first, in the first live game on the SEC Network, South Carolina hosts a Texas A&M squad reeling from several key departures and still sporting a below average defense. Meanwhile, Steve Spurrier may have his best team yet in Columbia. Later, Boise State faces Ole Miss. We foresee the Broncos hanging close all night ultimately to lose a close game but cover the number. Finally, Mike Leach and the Cougars will roll up the points against a bad Rutgers team in what looks like a blowout by our math. Good luck!

SOUTH CAROLINA -10.5 VS TEXAS A&M
BOISE STATE +10.5 VS OLE MISS
WASHINGTON STATE -8 VS RUTGERS

#1-MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

In just a few short years Mark Dantonio has done the seemingly impossible-bring stability to the Michigan State football program. Heading into 2014, the Spartans are once again eyeing 10+ wins and a top tier bowl game behind a deep and experienced roster.

The emergence of quarterback Connor Cook can be viewed as the primary reason Michigan State took another step up last season. Cook will have plenty of weapons at his disposal as all of the Spartans top rushers return and the majority of their top receivers. Senior Jeremy Langford will get the bulk of the carries at running back while Tony Lippett and Keith Mumphery will be starting pass catchers. On defense, Shilique Calhoun returns at defensive end and will be on many All-America teams. 2013 All-Big Ten standout Kurtis Drummond paces a secondary with both size and speed.

Michigan State opens with a tune-up against Jacksonville State before heading west to face the Oregon Ducks in which should be a terrific match-up of contrasting styles. The Spartans have been viewed as the Stanford of the Big Ten and Stanford’s style is the one that has given Oregon the most fits over the years. Two cupcake home games round out the non-conference slate before Nebraska comes to East Lansing in early October. After a couple of road trips to Purdue and Indiana, Michigan State hosts Michigan and Ohio State in a two game home stretch that will likely decide the Eastern Division.

PREDICTION: 7-1 IN THE BIG 10, 10-2 OVERALL

#2-WISCONSIN BADGERS

The Wisconsin Badgers come off yet another 9+ win season however there are holes and question marks at several key positions. Do the Badgers take a step back in 2014 or are they at the point in their program where they merely reload?

Other than the Miller news at Ohio State, the big story to come out of the Big Ten in August was Wisconsin head coach Gary Anderson naming Tanner McEvoy as the starter at quarterback over incumbent Joel Stave. McEvoy clearly offers more upside for the Badger offense however it is tough to question what Stave was able to do in 2013. Whoever is calling the signals has the benefit of one of the best running games in the country lead by Melvin Gordon. Assuming Wisconsin is able to replace 4 of their top 6 lineman from 2013, Gordon should have no problem eclipsing the 1500 yard barrier. Less than 50 career receptions return for a group of wide receivers who are deep on talent but light on experience. As usual, Wisconsin figures to be tough against the run as Konrad Zagzebski, Warren Herring and Bryce Gilbert will fill holes up front. Chris Boland has been lost to graduation however the Badgers have plenty of potential at linebacker, specifically sophomore Vince Biegel. Nearly the entire secondary returns and should be a strength for Bucky and the boys.

Wisconsin opens up the fall of 2014 with a very difficult neutral site game vs LSU. After that, Western Illinois, Bowling Green and South Florida visit Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. The conference schedule begins favorably with battles against Northwestern, Illinois, Rutgers and Purdue among the first 5 games. The Big Ten West Division will be decided in November when the Badgers host Nebraska and travel to Iowa.

PREDICTION: 6-2 IN THE BIG TEN, 9-3 OVERALL

#3-OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

Urban Meyer enters year 3 at Ohio State still seeking a Big Ten title and with Braxton Miller now out for the season, Meyer will have to craft his best coaching job to date in order to keep the Buckeyes near the top of the conference.

Gone from the offense are Miller, Carlos Hyde and 140+ starts from graduated offensive lineman. In truth, the latter may be of the greatest concern. Meyer had to figure Miller and his scrambling ability would be able to cover up some of the flaws for his young offensive line early in the season. However with Miller’s shoulder giving out again, J.T. Barrett will be counted on to keep the chains moving. Ezekiel Elliot and Rod Smith will attempt to fill the void left by Hyde at running back. At wide receiver, Ohio State as usual has an abudence of talent, led by Devin Smith. The Buckeye defense will look to bounce back from an awful ending to 2014 after getting torched by Michigan, Michigan State and eventually Clemson in the bowl game. Freshman All-American defensive end Joey Bosa will lead the charge up front while senior Curtis Grant, junior Joshua Perry and redshirt freshman Darron Lee form a formidable group of linebackers. Doran Grant will be the star in the secondary this fall in Columbus but it remains to be seen who wins the cornerback battle opposite him.

The Buckeyes open the season against what is possibly the best Navy team in the past decade. Next are 3 home games against tough Virginia Tech, Kent State and Cincinnati. Escaping September 4-0 would be considered a major success for Ohio State given the inexperienced quarterback situation. Once Big Ten play starts, the Buckeyes face four difficult road games in Maryland, Penn State, Michigan State and Minnesota. As usual, the Wolverines come calling to close out the regular season.
PREDICTION: 6-2 IN THE BIG TEN, 10-2 OVERALL.

#4-IOWA HAWKEYES

Head coach Kirk Ferentz has the Hawks on the upswing for the third time in his career in Iowa City which is quite amazing considering most coaches don't get the chance to do it even twice. Expectations are high in 2014 for Iowa, a far cry from just one year ago at this time.

Jake Rudock appears solidly locked in as the #1 behind center however every fans favorite player (the back-up Iowa quarterback)C.J. Beathard continues to push. Ferentz did all he could to keep Beathard on campus this summer knowing that beyond Beathard, the talent at the QB position for Iowa is light. In the backfield, four running backs figure to see significant carries. Mark Weisman returns along with Damon Bullock, Jordan Canzeri and LeShun Daniels. Brandon Scherff leads an offensive line that will be a strength assuming everyone can stay healthy. Carl Davis will be the man in the middle on a defense that is looking to fill 3 huge holes at linebacker. In the secondary, Desmond King is back for his sophomore campaign after a standout freshman season. In addition to the linebackers, two key position battles at the other corner and strong safety will ultimately determine if this Iowa defense is a good one or a great one.

The schedule sets up extremely well for Iowa in 2014. In the non-conference, Iowa State and Pittsburgh will provide early season, winnable tests. In Big Ten play, Iowa avoids Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State. Additionally, Iowa gets Wisconsin and Nebraska at Kinnick Stadium. The early season trip to Maryland looks to be a tricky game. If Iowa can come out of that game with a win, the Hawks may very well be on their way to a stellar season.

PREDICTION: 6-2 IN THE BIG TEN, 9-3 OVERALL.

#5-MARYLAND TERRAPINS

The Maryland Terrapins debut in the Big Ten Conference this season and boast one of their strongest teams in years. Like Rutgers, the conference has done them no favors in the scheduling department however head coach Randy Edsall has reason to believe the Terps can make a big splash during their inaugural campaign.

Experienced quarterback C.J. Brown leads and offense possessing plenty of weapons downfield. Five star receivers Stefon Diggs and Deon Long return from injury and highlight a deep and talented group of ball catchers. Brandon Ross and West Brown will help out C.J. Brown with a running game that should be among the best in the league. Can the Maryland defense make enough plays to win the several close games they’ll be in this fall? The defensive line and linebacking core appear to be a strength particularly with Andre Monroe returning. The secondary looks to improve with experience after a shaky 2013.

Even Maryland’s non-conference schedule features multiple tests. After a cupcake in week 1, the Terps travel to South Florida for an interesting matchup with the Bulls. The following week West Virginia visits before Maryland goes back on the road to face Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. Indiana and Rutgers start and end conference play respectively for Maryland but this 6 game stretch in-between is as tough as it gets: Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan.

PREDICTION: 5-3 IN CONFERENCE PLAY, 9-3 OVERALL.

#6-NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

Bo Pelini somehow survived the offseason after yet another four loss season in Lincoln. If a subpar 2014 includes more humiliating losses such as the one Iowa put on Nebraska last year, Pelini and his cat will be digging in the litter box for employment come next fall.

Ameer Abdullah is back and is the odds on favorite to lead the conference in rushing. His nearly 1700 yards last year earned him third team All-America honors along with First Team All-Big Ten. Taylor Martinez has finally graduated so the show now belongs to sophomore Tommy Armstrong. Armstrong showed promise at times last year but his passing accuracy is still in question. Kenny Bell paces a solid group of receiver who will need to stay healthy in order for the Huskers offense to find success. On the defensive side of the ball, Randy Gregory may very well be the best defensive end in the country. All 3 linebackers return however the secondary remains a question after being hit hard by graduation.

Florida Atlantic and McNeese State will provide tune-ups for the Cornhuskers prior to an always tough trip to Fresno State. The next week, the Miami Hurricanes visit Lincoln for a prime-time ABC tilt. The conference schedule looks manageable with at the very least, wins of Illinois, Rutgers, Purdue and Minnesota expected. Road trips to Michigan State, Wisconsin and Iowa will ultimately decide the fate of this year’s Nebraska squad.

PREDICTION: 5-3 IN THE BIG TEN, 9-3 OVERALL

#7-MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

Time is running out for Brady Hoke in Ann Arbor as the Maze and Blue faithful begin to wonder if he is the man to get the Wolverines back among the nation’s elite. After winning 11 games in his first year, Hoke is heading the wrong direction, coming off a disappointing 7 win 2013.

Michigan has imported Doug Nussmeier from Alabama to fix an offense that struggled to move the ball last fall. Devin Gardner has the skill set to be among the conference’s elite signal callers but does he have the tool box to put it all together? The backfield is crowded with De’Veon Smith, Derrick Green and Justice Hayes figuring to see the majority of the carries early but keep an eye on redshirt freshman Ross Douglas as the season wears on. Devin Funchess moves full time from TE to WR and will be a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators. Nussmeier hopes Amara Darboh takes the next step and emerges as a reliable secondary target for Gardner. Other than last year, the big problem in Ann Arbor recently has been the defense. On paper, this years’ version doesn’t look a lot better outside of an above average group of linebackers led by Jake Ryan. Michigan is hoping true freshman Jabrill Peppers can provide a jolt to the secondary that has been torched time and time again during the Hoke era.

A revenge game against Appalachian State kicks off the season for Michigan followed by the annual clash with Notre Dame and then visits by Miami (OH) and Utah. The conference schedule looks manageable with games against Minnesota, Rutgers, Penn State and Indiana among the first five.

PREDICTION: 5-3 IN CONFERENCE PLAY, 8-4 OVERALL

#8-NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS

2013 was set to be a monster year for Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats, then came a collapse against Ohio State, injuries and before you knew it, the wheels were off the season. 2014 isn’t off to much better of a start with the camp losses of starting WR Christian Jones and star RB Venric Mark.

Any good Northwestern offense of the past decade has had one thing in common: a dual threat QB. While Trevor Siemian may be a better passer than Wildcat QBs of the past, he doesn’t offer that dual threat option that Fitzgerald has exploited in the Big Ten. This, combined with the two losses mentioned above turn what looked to be a very good Northwestern offense to one that will have to try new things to succeed in 2014. In Mark’s absence, senior Treyvon Green and sophomore Stephen Buckley will split carries in the backfield. Former USC Trojan Kyle Prater looks to finally emerge from a deep group of wide receivers. On the defensive side of the ball, Northwestern has depth but a serious lack of play makers. Colin Ellis will lead highlight the linebackers who will be asked to carry a heavy load in Northwestern’s defensive schemes.

Northwestern’s non-conference schedule has some interesting matchups as the season begins with Cal and always pesky Northern Illinois visiting Ryan Field in Evanston. Northwestern also travels to South Bend to take on Notre Dame in mid-November. 3 non-conference wins will be considered a success for the Wildcats. In addition to their West division rivals, Northwestern faces Penn State, Purdue and Michigan from the East. The home schedule looks particularly interesting with Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin all visiting during Big Ten play.

PREDICTION: 4-4 IN BIG TEN PLAY, 7-5 OVERALL.

#9-INDIANA HOOSIERS

It’s been 20 long years since Indiana Football last cracked the AP poll however Kevin Wilson and a high octane offense has the Hoosiers thinking big in 2014. The usual questions surround the Indiana program, specifically, can they get enough stops on defense to finally emerge from the basement of the Big Ten?

We’ll start on defense because as previously noted, that will tell the story this fall for the Hoosiers. Indiana gave up over 600 yards of offense 4 times last season which resulted in the firing of defensive coordinator Doug Mallory. In comes Brian Knorr who is tasked with the unenviable job of getting this unit to respectability. The secondary remains a huge question mark but the four linebackers (Mangieri, Cooper, Simmons, Hardin) may be talented enough to limit the damage. Tre Roberson has departed but that clears the way for Nate Sudfeld to take over as the leader of the offense. The offensive line looks deep and talented and Tevin Coleman along with his 12 touchdowns and near 1000 yards are back in Bloomington to be the primary ball carrier.

A September 20th clash at Missouri will be a great measuring stick for Indiana early in the season. Otherwise, 3 pushovers at home will have them 3-1 entering conference play. The schedule makers did the Hoosiers no favors as this may be a classic case of a vastly improved team with a marginally improved record. Trips to Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State make the conference road schedule appear daunting.

PREDICTION: 4-4 IN BIG TEN PLAY, 7-5 OVERALL

#10-PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

Two years after the Sandusky scandal, the NCAA and self-imposed sanctions will finally have a major impact on the Penn State Football program. James Franklin takes over for the departed Bill O’Brien and faces a difficult task in the short term. We love the Franklin hire and fully expect him to restore the program to past heights but acknowledge this will be at least a three year process.

Christian Hackenberg returns for his sophomore season after an impressive rookie campaign. One must wonder however, how much of his success was due to O’Brien and his innovative offense. Don’t be surprised to see Hackenberg taking a step back this fall before becoming the high end quarterback many expect him to be. Zach Kwinak and Bill Belton form a solid due in the backfield behind Hackenberg however the receiving corps is young and inexperienced. Odds are a few of the stud 2014 WRs from Penn State’s recruiting class see the field early in September. The Nittany Lions front 7 on defense looks very impressive and stopping the run should be a strength from the beginning. The secondary is where it’ll be decided if Penn State has a good or very good defense as corners Jordan Lucas and Trevor Williams look to build upon a questionable 2013 season.

Penn State’s non-conference schedule is as weak as any we can recall, facing UCF, Akron, UMASS and Temple all in Happy Valley. The conference schedule is less forgiving however as they’ll face Northwestern, Michigan and Ohio State from late September through early October. A couple of toss-up games prelude a visit from Michigan State to close out the regular season.

PREDICTION: 3-5 IN THE BIG TEN, 7-5 OVERALL.

#11-MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS

Jerry Kill enters his fourth year in Minneapolis with an experienced and deep team following a surprising 8 win campaign in 2013. Can Minnesota take the next step as a program? History tells us no.

Mitch Leidner is the man behind center after finishing the year for the Gophers and following the departure of Philip Nelson. David Cobb is back for his senior year after rushing for over 1200 yards in the fall of 2013. 6 of the top 7 WRs return for Minnesota which should bolster a passing attack that bordered on brutal last year. The offensive and defensive lines return plenty of veterans which will aid in the Gophers desire to play power football. Three starters also return for a secondary that could end up being one of the best in the league.

An interesting trip to TCU compliments 3 extremely winnable home games during Minnesota's non-conference slate. A win at TCU could propel the Gophers into conference play and make them a dark horse to compete for the division title. As we see it however, once Big Ten play starts, Minnesota will once again realize they are Minnesota. A trip (and loss) to Michigan opens up the conference schedule and it ends with an extremely difficult Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska, Wisconsin 4 game finish.

PREDICTION: 3-5 IN THE BIG TEN, 7-5 OVERALL.

#12-ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI

One of these years you have to figure Illinois will tap into that large recruiting base, hire a competent coach and finally evolve into a consistent winner. 2014 will not be that year. Another sub par year will land third year Illini bench boss Tim Beckman square on the hot seat.

Oklahoma State transfer Wes Lunt will start at quarterback after Nathan Scheelhaase finally exhausted his eligibility after 9 years in Champaign. Josh Ferguson returns after nearly 800 yards in 2013 and provides a reliable option in the backfield. Illinois lost multiple WRs due to graduation and other issues so no matter how talented Lunt is, he may have issues finding open targets. The Illini line returns four starters and should anchor an offense that will need to be very good for Illinois to compete.

8 starters return to a defense that hasn't been respectable since the 2007 Rose Bowl team. Among those 8 are all 4 in the secondary that allowed 25 touchdowns compared to 3 interceptions and a 65.3 completion percentage in 2013. Nose tackle Austin Teitsma will look to plug holes up the middle for a defensive line that allowed nearly 250 yards per game last fall.

3 winnable low level teams surround a trip to Washington on the non-conference schedule for Illinois. A 3-1 start looks likely however that will be where the fun ends. Road games at Ohio State, Wisconsin and Nebraska will make things tough for Illinois even if they split their four home games.

PREDICTION: 2-6 IN THE BIG TEN, 5-7 OVERALL.

#13-RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS

Rutgers enters the Big Ten East division for their inaugural season in 2014 and is getting the same treatment Nebraska received a few years ago with a brutal conference schedule. While the move to the Big Ten will be viewed as a huge positive for the program in the long term, the short term outlook for the Scarlet Knights is not so rosy.

Paul James returns at running back and is clearly Rutgers premier weapon on offense. Assuming he stays healthy, a 1400 yard season is not out of the question. Gary Nova is likely to win an open quarterback competition this late summer however don’t be surprised if Mike Bimonte and/or Chris Lavino see snaps early in the season. Freshman All-American Steve Longa highlights a defense that is athletic up front and progressing in the secondary after a rough 2013.

Rutgers non-conference schedule features trips to Washington State and Navy along with two home cupcakes. A home game versus Penn State will kick off the Rutgers Big Ten era.....followed by a brutal stretch of Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

PREDICTION: 1-7 IN THE BIG TEN, 3-9 OVERALL.

#14-PURDUE BOILERMAKERS

The Joe Tiller era of respectable football in West Lafayette seems like decades ago as the Boilermakers continue their downward spiral into college football’s irrelevant zone with the likes of Iowa State, Washington State and Wake Forest.

Head coach Darrell Hazell figures to use 2014 as another rebuilding year in his second season for Purdue. Sophomore Danny Etling will be the man behind center again and his top 8 pass catchers also return. The group of running backs has experience as well however the offensive line will prevent this offense from doing anything other than struggling. The Purdue defense is inexperienced and undersized. 7 of their top 8 defensive backs return however this should not be viewed as a positive.

The non-conference schedule features 3 directional schools sandwiched around the annual clash with Notre Dame. The Big Ten slate looks ugly for the Boilermakers with road games at Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Northwestern. If Hazell can get this teams to 5 wins overall, it could be one of the great coaching jobs in conference history.

PREDICTION: 0-8 IN THE BIG TEN, 2-10 OVERALL

2014 Big Ten Power Rankings

It's that time of the year again where we unveil our Big Ten Football Power Rankings. The conference adds perennial powerhouses Rutgers and Maryland this fall which is disgusting to us all. None the less, from top to bottom, the Big 10 looks as strong as it's been in the past five years. The East division sports the historical programs but the West currently houses the better football teams for 2014. Will Urban Meyer finally get over the hump? Will the NCAA sanctions finally have an impact at Penn State? Does Iowa take another step up after a strong finish in 2013? These are just a few of the storylines we've considered when ranking the teams from 1 to 14 in the greatest conference in all of the land.