1. Nebraska
On paper they’re the best team in the conference, or at least the best team who won’t be missing five of their best players for the first five games. Their D could already be the B1G’s best, and while I have questions about how well Taylor Martinez can sling it, that offense should still be plenty good.And I actually think them being new to the conference works in their favor: that team and coach Bo Pellini seem like the new kid on the block who wants to find the biggest, meanest, SOB on the block and punch him in the mouth to prove they belong. I’m sure Big Red is happy as hell to get out of the UT Big XII, but are loving the opportunity to prove to everyone that the new guys should be the best team in the new league.
And apparently the schedule makers thought they should get a crack at EVERY top team. I mean LOOK at that schedule. Egads. While that league schedule is brutal (which includes roadies at Wisconsin, Penn State, the Big House, and obviously the toughest game on their schedule Oct 22 at Minnesota) they do get Ohio State and potentially three of the best West teams at home in Michigan State, Iowa, and Northwestern.
At first I thought there’s just no way Big Red gets through that schedule with the best record in the West, but the more I think about…the more I have trouble coming up with reasons they can’t.
