Now that we’ve covered Michigan’s schedule to this point, it’s time to look toward the future. We’ll start with their upcoming matchup: the Fighting Illini.
Illinois (5-1, 2-1 in B1G)
So Far: Bret Bielema’s boys are punching above their weight. They’re fourth in the conference but 57th according to FPI. The shine of marquee wins over Kansas and Nebraska has faded a bit. They couldn’t do anything offensively against Penn State and gave up 49 points to barely beat Purdue in OT.
Against Michigan: Bruising lead back Kaden Feagin will be out with a leg injury, but the Illini will not go down easily. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has 14 touchdowns to one interception this year. Outside of Purdue, their defense looks solid, and Champaign will be on full tilt for this matchup. On the other side, the Wolverines had a bye week to resolve their offensive issues, but we’ll need to see it to believe it. At the time of this writing, Michigan is slightly favored to win, but that feels tenuous.
Otherwise: A noisy trip to #2-ranked Oregon, then four winnable games in the final third of the season. Illinois should wind up in a solid bowl game, and could even find themselves on the fringe of the playoff conversation if things break the right way.
Key Component: Altmyer. Bielema teams usually favor the run game, but this year he’s leaning on his quarterback to great effect. The former Ole Miss signal-caller has found reliable targets in Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin. That trio will be asked to shoulder more of the offensive workload without Feagin.
Michigan State (3-3, 1-2 in B1G)
So far: After three largely uninspiring wins, the Spartans are in the middle of a gauntlet. They lost 38-7 to Ohio State, then 31-10 to Oregon. Aidan Chiles has shown flashes of what his talent could become but has mixed in far too many back-breaking turnovers.
Against Michigan: It’s always something. Jonathan Smith is new to the rivalry, but will no doubt have been briefed on MSU’s fondness for scripting up Michigan-specific drives. Both teams have entire feet made of Achilles heels at this point, but they’ll still empty the tank trying to take home Paul Bunyan. Fun fact: the last time both schools had new head coaches for this matchup was 1995 when Nick Saban (!) defeated Lloyd Carr.
Otherwise: Next up is a Kaleb Johnson-led Iowa outfit that just dropped an anvil on Washington. MSU will be sailing against the wind to try and find bowl eligibility, but Smith nonetheless has the program heading in a better direction than his predecessor.
Key Component: Patience with Chiles. The young quarterback has eight interceptions, three lost fumbles, and has taken 13 sacks this year. He’s working behind a patchwork offensive line and has still managed to form some chemistry with freshman standout Nick Marsh. With some experience to cut down on those mistakes (and some O-line portal help), he could be a star in the years to come.
Oregon (6-0, 3-0 in B1G)
So far: Vehemently planted a flag in their new conference by taking down one of its stalwarts. Otherwise, the schedule through six games has been mostly routine drubbings, save for a narrow 37-34 victory over the Boise State Ashton Jeantys. The Ducks are just behind Texas for pole position heading toward the postseason.
Against Michigan: Well…Oregon does have to travel to Ann Arbor, so maybe they’ll be jetlagged? All available data – most importantly the eye test – indicate a pretty lopsided game in the Ducks’ favor.
Otherwise: Dan Lanning has already slayed the conference’s Main Boss this season. His team should be favored in all its remaining contests. As long as they aren’t caught napping, signs point toward an incredibly successful first season in the Big Ten.
Key Component: Not getting tripped up by the little things. Oregon failed multiple two-point conversions against OSU. Kicker Atticus Sappington missed a field goal. That’s seven points that they ultimately didn’t need to win, but if they’d lost, those are the only points we’d be talking about.
Indiana (6-0, 3-0 in B1G)
So far: Oh, same old story for the Hoosiers. Undefeated through six and knocking on the door of the CFP rankings. Definitely not in the middle of a historic season led by the betting favorite for Coach of the Year.
Against Michigan: Quarterback Kurtis Rourke is playing like a dark horse Heisman candidate, and the offense is scoring points by the truckload. Michigan will need huge games from their defensive line and secondary to keep pace and give their offense a fighting chance. Don’t sleep on a Jack Tuttle Revenge Game – it’d be nice to see the former Hoosier have a big game against his old team.
Otherwise: They have three sizable tests before this matchup, the first of which is Nebraska. If Curt Cignetti keeps things cruising, the Hoosiers could be 9-0 when they welcome the Wolverines to Bloomington. They could be 10-0 when they play Ohio State. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. Before contemplating #10WINDIANA, one must first savor the delights of #9WINDIANA.
Key Component: Handling the pressure. This is looking like the biggest Hoosier season since their 2020 push with Michael Penix. They’ve padded the stat sheet in the front half of the season, now let’s see how they step up for their marquee showdowns.
Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 in B1G)
So far: Big losses to Indiana and Washington, then an improbable win over Maryland. David Braun is making hay in Evanston.
Against Michigan: Braun has the program trending in the right direction after taking over for Pat Fitzgerald. After last year’s unlikely 8-5 run, they’re equally unlikely to repeat the feat. Michigan has its (well-documented) issues, but the talent disparity likely tilts this matchup in their favor.
Otherwise: Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio State, and Illinois are all likely-to-surefire losses for the Wildcats. They’ll have a winnable showdown with Purdue, though.
Key Component: Erstwhile Wolverine A.J. Henning, if only because Michigan fans could really use a talented veteran wideout this year. It’s endearing but painful to see him be successful elsewhere.
Ohio State (5-1, 2-1 in B1G)
So far: They’ve been their usual Death Star selves, give or take a visit to Autzen.
Against Michigan: Not looking great. There are few indications that Michigan has the depth to keep up on defense. Even though OSU’s defense looked beatable against Oregon, that was in no small part because they were playing Oregon’s offense. A quick roster scan shows that Michigan does not have Oregon’s offense. This will be a tough day at the office for the Wolverines.
Otherwise: Poor Nebraska will have to face the wrath of an Ohio State team coming off a loss and a bye week. Then, a trip to Penn State will be the Buckeyes’ next chance to make a statement and improve Ryan Day’s record in top-five matchups. Purdue, Northwestern, and the aforementioned #9WINDIANA make up the rest of the schedule until The Game.
Key Component: Pick your poison on offense. Jeremiah Smith is the latest cyborg in a wide receiver room full of them. Will Howard is a hand-in-glove fit for Chip Kelly and Day’s offense? Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson are some of the sport’s great one-two punches in the backfield.
