The sophomore began to live up to the hype this year in his first season as a starter. After a solid 2021 season, Purdue will be looking to fill massive holes on either end of the football. For good measure, Jestin Jacobs (53) finished fifth on the defense last season. Michigan 3. Penn State was much better than its record indicated last season. No other Big Ten coach that begins the season is in imminent danger, though a nine-loss record certainly could change that. Michigan football might not go back to the playoff in 2022, but dont expect a big dropoff from the Wolverines. This past season saw Ohio State not win the Big Ten for the first time in five years, withMichigan surprising everyone, finally acting like an American football team for once. Still, this is a team that will be struggling to make a bowl game, especially with another game against Virginia to go along with cross-divisional games against Michigan and MSU. Minnesota was another team that made a big jump from 2020 to 2021, and with Tanner Morgan returning, yet again, theres an opportunity for the Gophers to continue that ascent. How can the sophomore improve his chances? The defense will still be feisty, but there still needs to be O-line improvement, as well as more consistency from quarterback Graham Mertz. The Buckeyes haven't lost to Michigan at Ohio Stadium since 2000, however. While the Hoosiers have some young talent, and running back GiBran Payne certainly could be a beast, with oft-injured quarterback Michael Penix Jr. having departed for Washington, its hard to envision things turning around in a hurry for IU. With Walker headed to the NFL, quarterback Payton Thorne returns to lead the offense. List LOOK: Michigan football 2022 schedule officially set. That all does not bode well for next season. It's a safe bet to project next season's Big Ten champion back in the College Football Playoff, given the expectation the conference will produce several elite teams in 2022. Will that allow a school such as Purdue or Minnesota to sneak up the standings this year? And if these projections prove to be accurate, there will be a good number of Big Ten teams taking part in a bowl game next season, and it could be another year with two playoff bids. 2022 Big Ten Football Predictions. Singleton has good size at 6-0, 210 pounds, and the high-school highlight reel is predictably amazing. Jermari Harris will play opposite him at corner. Smith-Njigba's last impression was a 15-catch, 347-yard, three-TD effort in the Rose Bowl against Utah. Most notably, Zach VanValkenburg was the lone departure on the line. We saw some improvement from Illinois during the season, but it was an inconsistent one at best. The word: Can quarterback Tanner Morgan return to the 2019 form for the Golden Gophers? Illinois will likely be leading the way with defense and run game, which Michigan showed can be a successful formula in 2021. The road to Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship Game goes through Columbuseven though it technically starts in Ireland. Nebraska needs more consistency on both sides of the football next fall, but missing Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State from the other side of the conference is a schedule blessing. in 2017. Credit: USA TODAY Sports. NCAA F January 27, 2022 News Bot The 2021 Big Ten Football season had plenty of surprises. Washington State quarterback Cam Ward has opted to return to school in 2023, and this should be a down-to-the-wire fight in Pac-12 country. The Scarlet Knights went bowling for the first time in forever, and while it didnt go well against Wake Forest, things are shaping up for improvement in Piscataway and New Brunswick. Returning C.J. C.J. Big Ten football predictions 2022: Conference standings, impact transfers, best games, Michigan restores rivalry with Ohio State with dominant win. In his first year as a starter, C.J. Heres our too-early 2022 game predictions now that the schedule is set. The Buckeyes haven't had a Heisman Trophy winner since Troy Smith in 2006. The featured image in this article is the thumbnail of the embedded video. Below is a look at the bowl projections and playoff picks before all the fun begins for the 2022 season. Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports. Dont expect Michigan to get the fortune and results it got this past season. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound cornerback has the versatility to play either in the slot or safety think Dax Hill and that could lead to early playing time for new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Will Allen break through for the Heisman like Ron Dayne did in 1999? The word: The Hoosiers play eight straight games before their late-season open week prior to a home showdown with Penn State and by that time, they should be hovering near the .500 mark. Though the frontline talent is at a level that Maryland can win games against some quality teams, Im still not sold on the depth and physicality the program will need to be consistently competitive in the Big Ten. In our 2021 too-early power rankings, eventual Big Ten champion, the hometown Michigan Important tilts against Michigan State and Penn State come at home with the possible division-deciding game against Ohio State happening in Columbus this time around. Stroud and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They'll figure it out. Get the fastest scores, stats, news, LIVE videos, and more. He started 35 games for Virginia the last three seasons and was a semifinalist for the Rimington Trophy. Alex Padilla and Spencer Petras both got time under center last season as the Iowa offense struggled to find consistency. Expect Indiana to find its neutral level after extremes in either direction over the past two seasons. And while the Rose Bowl is hosting a College Football Playoff matchup next bowl season (more on that in a bit), the Badgers could be landing in the Orange Bowl for a New Years Six matchup with potential ACC champion Florida State. Aug. 27: Nebraska vs. Northwestern (in Dublin). Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports. Iowa, Wisconsin and Northwestern are 0-8 in the Big Ten championship game since the conference switched to the East and West division setup. The schedule sees the Scarlet Knights land Minnesota, Oct 2, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Brandon Peters (18) hands the ball off to running back Chase Brown (2) in the second half against the Charlotte 49ers at Memorial Stadium. That weight is on the big stage, and Ohio State is all-but penciled in to get back to the CFP in 2022. According to the 247Sports bowl projections, Wisconsin just barely gets into the Orange Bowl ahead of Penn State. Oct 30, 2021; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Nick Herbig (19) strips the ball away from Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras (7) during the second quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. On the opposite side of the coin, Michigan redeemed themselves after a difficult 2020 season and outlasted Ohio State to take the Big Ten East crown. Pretty much everywhere youll look, Ohio State will be atop the early power rankings. Michigan and Michigan State shocked everyone and finished well The offense will reset the Big Ten record book in several areas. There are still question marks at quarterback, the defense was less than stellar, the offense stagnant, and key pieces will need to be replaced. Stroud, and Ohio State has a favorable schedule with most of the tough games at home. Now that the college football season is over, and Ohio State is basking in its Rose Bowl victory, its time to look ahead to 2022. The Wolverines do get Michigan State and Penn State at home, but Harbaugh is 3-4 against those schools at the Big House. Will Michigan repeat as Big Ten champions or will Ohio State reclaim top dog status? With the staffs comfort recruiting in the Sunshine State, it Bill Bender is a national college football writer for The Sporting News. Iowa was ranked No.2 at some point in the season but finished with a 10-4 record. If MSU is going to contend, itll need to really excel during that brutal stretch. The word: What are the outside expectations for the Badgers in 2022? Without knowing how two-deep depth charts are going to shake out, we'll take a stab anyway at way-too-early final record predictions for every team in the conference entering the offseason with a caveat these will be amended after spring practice and just before games kickoff in the fall. But Artur Sitkowski isnt exactly the ideal quarterback, and this is a roster mostly bereft of talent. Yes, MSU brought in former Wisconsin back Jalen Berger to replace Kenneth Walker III, but those are some mighty big shoes to fill. Gone is quarterback Adrian Martinez, but hell be replaced by former Texas QB Casey Thompson. It feels like a run the table year for Ohio State in 2022. That's when the campaignultimately swings in the wrong direction with a brutal stretch versus the Nittany Lions followed by road games against likely top-10 teams Ohio State and Michigan State. 1: Michigan at IowaOct. But Ohio State could be right back in the playoff mix and paired up with the two-time defending national champions in the Sugar Bowl. Until last season, the Badgers hadn't had a drought longer than two seasons since the conference split in 2011. All eyes are now out of the rearview mirror and on the horizon as 2023 approaches. Despite being the fourth team in the The word: The reigning Big Ten champions play four consecutive home games prior to their first road affair at Iowa and should be favored in 11 of 12 regular-season games in 2022. Knowles will bring a more aggressive defense, and sophomores Jack Sawyer and J.T. After a brutal 2021 campaign followed a miraculous 2020 season, Tom Allen and the Hoosiers retooled by adding Missouri transfer quarterback Connor Bazelak. Early Big Ten Football Predictions for 2022 East Division 1. This is a major chance at redemption after the Cougars took down the Badgers at Camp Randall in 2022. They could be mitigated by Payton Thorne and Jayden Reed returning, but the defense will need some major work to be able to stop the increasingly good passing attacks in the conference. The defense is good enough, but losing George Karlaftis will certainly set it back. They are 6-7 in New Year's Day Six Bowls, and the Spartans and Wolverines were routed in their lone CFP appearances. Last year, Michigan State soared from 2-5 to a transfer-fueled 11-2. That is what 247Sports has done with a spring edition of its way-too-early bowl projections for the 2023 season. Wisconsin at Iowa (Nov. 12) These Big Ten West rivals have traded three-score wins in each Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said those schools can help "carry some weight" for the Big Ten. Ohio State is 93-11 in the College Football Playoff era, an .894 winning percentage. One key contract detail to know: Frost's buyout drops from $15 million to $7.5 million after Oct. 1. The Buckeyes, however, are the prohibitive favorite to strike back in 2022. Please check your email for a confirmation. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports. Four-star running back Kaytron Allen (IMG Academy) also will be in the mix for carries. Granted, he was a major one (15 tackles for loss), but the Hawkeyes have unleashed a different player with 10-plus TFLs in every season since 2013. Quarterback Tanner Morgan and running back Mohamed Ibrahim are back in the Twin Cities as the offense will have familiar personnel. It's still the toughest road test on the Buckeyes' schedule and part of a thrilling day in the Big Ten East. And while quarterback Spencer Petras will be better with another year of seasoning, hes not the type that is going to put the team on his shoulders and win games against the more athletic and talented teams out there. Year 's Day Six Bowls, and sophomores Jack Sawyer and J.T bring a more aggressive defense, and.. 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