BS Capsule Previews: The Rest of 'Em

Hey, remember when I said we were gonna preview each Big Ten team? Well, we're no where near as thorough as other sites and a shiny object caught our attention after we got through with IU, Michigan and Illinois. Plus, you commenters didn't have much to say on those, either, so why keep putting you through them?

So let's reduce the capsules to... capsulettes? Yeah, something like that.

To recap:

IU -- Best case: 7-5; Worst case: 0-12; BS Prediction: 3-9. The Hoosiers are terrible and Bill Lynch is coaching for his job.

Michigan -- Best case: 8-4; Worst case: 3-9; BS Prediction: 5-7. Rich Rodriguez' job isn't getting easier and those who are talking about a potential 10-win season are dreaming, in our opinion.

Illinois -- Best case: 8-4; Worst case: 3-9; BS Prediction: 6-6. Zook has this program headed in the right direction and the more I think about it, that 6-6 seems tame. But looking at the tough schedule, I think 6-6 is a good year, actually, for this team.

Now for the ones we hadn't yet discussed:

Iowa -- Best case: 10-2; Worst case: 6-6; BS Prediction: 8-4. The Hawkeyes are a trendy top 25 pick right now. Maybe because they knocked off PSU last year? They have a schedule where if they go less than 8-4, Ferentz should be Ferentzed the hell out of the state.

Michigan State -- Best case: 12-0; Worst case: 7-5; BS Prediction: 10-2. MSU is going to be good. Really good. Barring John L. Smith flashbacks, this program is headed in the right direction. Toughest (and only significantly tough) game on the schedule is PSU, at home.

Minnesota -- Best case: 8-4; Worst case: 1-11; BS Prediction: 4-8. I know they started 7-1 last year. They're not good, though. And they have a fairly challenging schedule, made more challenging by the fact that they're not very good.

Northwestern -- Best case: 9-3; Worst case: 4-8; BS Prediction: 8-4. Another paper tiger. They'll win the games they should and they'll lose the games they should. Believe me, we know this kind of team when we see one. It's a Tiller Special, circa 2005-2008.

Ohio State -- Best case: 11-1; Worst case: 9-3; BS Prediction: 10-2. Get ready to hear all year about how OSU, despite being in the Top Ten, is a symbol of why the Big Ten sucks. I don't get it, either, and I really detest "defending" a team like OSU, but sometimes I feel like I have to living in Big 12 country. They'll be what they always are... well-paid, well-coached players.

Penn State -- Best case: 12-0; Worst case: 8-4; BS Prediction: 10-2. A fanbase who is quickly going from most-tolerated by us to midpack. Yes, your "white out" is quite impressive. No, you did NOT invent the "white out" concept. Deal with it.

Wisconsin -- Best case: 11-1; Worst case: 5-7; BS Prediction: 8-4. Brett Beliema is (or should be) coaching for his job. This is a program on the downswing. 2009 is a big year for them.

Feel free to chime in. Or feel free to point out how wrong we were at the end of the season and point and laugh and laugh.

BS Capsule Previews: Illinois Fighting Illini

Over the next few weeks, we'll be providing a quick-hit, uninformed, uneducated, poorly-researched capsule preview of each Big Ten football team (you know, kind of like typical reporters). Why spend time bringing in guests who actually know something about these other schools when we can just make knee-jerk comments and predictions, with heavy bias based on our love of Boilermaker sports? Enjoy.

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Illinois

Last year: 5-7 Overall, 3-5 Big Ten
Vs. Boilermakers: Did not play

The Fighting Zookers took a step backwards in 2008, falling to 5-7 after a surprise 9-4 Rose Bowl season in 2007. But which was the bigger surprise? The 5-7 or the 9-4? Because if you take away the 2007 season, 2008 was still a step in the right direction for the Illini. They were 8-38 in the four seasons preceding their Rose Bowl run. That’s pretty bad. Zook came in and within a couple years had them reaching for double-digit wins.

The thing about Zook that everyone has repeatedly heard is that he can recruit like few others, his players would step in front of a train for him….and that he’s not the best X’s and O’s coach. Zooker can bring in the talent and motivate them and be their best pal, cover up their misdoings (boys will be boys!), but when they get out on the field, he needs quality coaches to help coordinate things. We’ll see if they can toe the line this year. Now to the schedule.

September 5 vs. Missouri
September 12 Illinois State
September 26 at Ohio State
October 3 Penn State
October 10 Michigan State
October 17 at Indiana
October 24 at Purdue
October 31 Michigan
November 7 at Minnesota
November 14 Northwestern
November 27 at Cincinnati
December 5 Fresno State

I’ll give the Illini this: they’re not afraid. Their only non-conference delicious cupcake is a home tilt with Illinois State, who you should expect to see Illinois beat by about 40. But then throughout the season they play FOUR teams who won ten or more games last year. OSU and PSU, obviously, but they start the season even before their cupcake with Mizzou! And they have Thanksgiving leftovers on Friday, Nov 27 at last year’s Big East champ, 11-win Cinci. Yikes.

They’re a hard team to predict, but since we don’t get paid for this, here we go.

Best case: 8-4. The Illini come out swinging but have to play Mizzou, OSU and PSU all within the first month. Yikes. If they come out of that 2-2, it’s not such a bad thing, because then they get four winnable games after that. Hard to imagine them beating eight wins.

Worst case: 3-9. It’s not impossible that the Illini continue their return to form (for this decade, anyway). They’d definitely be one of those teams whose poor record wouldn’t really be indicative of their talent because this is just a tough schedule.

Our prediction: 6-6. I think they start 1-4 and then it’s a question of heart – do they have enough to salvage their season? 5-2 down the stretch seems about right.

BS Capsule Previews: Michigan Wolverines

Over the next few weeks, we'll be providing a quick-hit, uninformed, uneducated, poorly-researched capsule preview of each Big Ten football team (you know, kind of like typical reporters). Why spend time bringing in guests who actually know something about these other schools when we can just make knee-jerk comments and predictions, with heavy bias based on our love of Boilermaker sports? Enjoy.

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Michigan

Last year: 3-9 Overall, 2-6 Big Ten
Vs. Boilermakers: Lost 48-42

UM has had a rather, let’s say, rocky transition to new head coach Rich Rodriguez. Of course, four-loss Lloyd overstayed his welcome a bit, even by UM supporters own admission. One would assume that’s the only reason they’re still trying to look ahead and not longing for the days of cuddly Lloyd Carr.

Last season, Michigan struggled through their worst season in several decades. However, among their three victories were ones over then #9 Wisconsin on September 27 and a bowl-bound Minnesota team on November 8. The Minny win was just a week after losing a shootout to the Boilers in West Lafayette. Is it indicative of Michigan’s potential or how secretly bad Minnesota really was?

Michigan’s football program has continued to have problems, with further linemen transfers and other dismissals from the team. Still, there are many who believe once RichRod gets his guys in place and his system rolling, this will be a program to be feared once again. It seems doubtful, though, that this season is that year.

Looking at the schedule, one has to think things could get ugly again.

September 5 Western Michigan
September 12 Notre Dame
September 19 Eastern Michigan
September 26 Indiana
October 3 at Michigan State
October 10 at Iowa
October 17 Delaware State
October 24 Penn State
October 31 at Illinois
November 7 Purdue
November 14 at Wisconsin
November 21 Ohio State

This isn’t exactly a murderer’s row schedule, but it’s not completely peppered with tasty cupcakes, either. Western Michigan was a 9-win team last year, Notre Dame is ranked (fo’ real!) and then there’s the regular spate of tough Big Ten tests.

If Michigan IS going to surprise people, this schedule sets up nicely for that, I think. The first four games are all at home and, honestly, are all winnable. In fact, I imagine UM would be disappointed if they don’t have a 3-1 start. And would that begin to get attention? It just might.

However, if they go 2-2 or worse, or get humbled by Pickles Clausen in their own house, well, then things go from bad to worse and the 2009 death spiral begins. Is this the season programs like Purdue see reasons not to fear going to the Big House? Perhaps.

Best case: 8-4. With those first four winnable home games, it’s conceivable that people are calling RichRod a genius after the first month. Tough road tests at MSU and Iowa follow back to back, but even chalking up losses there, the season’s not a goner.

Worst case: 3-9. Yes, last year could happen all over again. As mentioned, the death spiral begins if those first four games go poorly.

Our prediction: 5-7. It’s hard to see them coming up with more than two victories after those first four. So even a 3-1 start leads to just false hope and a second-consecutive non-bowling season.

BS Capsule Previews: Indiana Hoosiers

Over the next few weeks, we'll be providing a quick-hit, uninformed, uneducated, poorly-researched capsule preview of each Big Ten football team (you know, kind of like typical reporters). Why spend time bringing in guests who actually know something about these other schools when we can just make knee-jerk comments and predictions, with heavy bias based on our love of Boilermaker sports? Enjoy.

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Indiana Hoosiers

Last year: 3-9 Overall, 1-7 Big Ten
Vs. Boilermakers: Lost 62-10

There are some rose-colored glasses out there if you dig deep enough, but the general consensus is that IU is the only team in the league worse than our Boilermakers. But of course Bill Lynch has to be optimistic – this is probably his last season (fairly or unfairly) to prove himself. If the Hoosiers have a mediocre-to-poor year, he might be gone. If they get embarrassed in the Bucket Game again this year, regardless of the rest of the season, then you have to think it’s a certainty. They’ll put up with some losing at IU – but crushing Bucket Game losses have been the end for other coaches.

IU moved Kellen Lewis out to WR and then moved him even further out… to off the team. We applaud the program making tough choices but he was their lone bright spot. To think they can compete without him when they barely competed WITH him is something of a stretch. And looking at their schedule, well, it could get ugly.

Sept. 3 EASTERN KENTUCKY
Sept. 12 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Sept. 19 at Akron
Sept. 26 at Michigan
Oct. 3 OHIO STATE (media guide picture day)
Oct. 10 at Virginia
Oct. 17 ILLINOIS
Oct. 24 at Northwestern
Oct. 31 at Iowa
Nov. 7 WISCONSIN
Nov. 14 at Penn State
Nov. 21 PURDUE

I’m not saying this will happen, but is it unreasonable to say that IU could go 0-12? Again, I don’t think they will go winless. But some of their best chances for wins (Akron, Michigan)are on the road. Give our hated rivals this much: they don’t have a plate full o’ cupcakes here. So what do we think?

Best case: 7-5. The Hoosiers could realistically start strong and reel off a 4-0 start, especially if they win their first two home games. They’ve got virtually no chance against OSU or @PSU, but their other games could honestly go any direction.

Worst case: 0-12. As mentioned, Indiana could theoretically lose any of these games. There’s isn’t a slam-dunk gimme on here. Which, again, is admirable, actually.

Our prediction: 3-9. If the team falters out of the gate, it’ll be a long season. If they start strong, their hope and optimism will keep them in a lot of games. But it’s hard to imagine a team that was pretty bad last year and got monumentally crushed by a lousy Purdue team would be able to lose their best player and somehow improve.