Editors Note: You can see the most recent 2009 Big Ten standings here on Spartan-Football.com.
The 2009 season is just a little less than a month away, and we’re ready to get started. Coach Dantonio is in his third year, and after a 9-4 campaign in 2008, MSU has been picked to finish third in the Big Ten by the media and has an outside shot at winning a Big Ten championship with Ohio State off the schedule. However, there are certainly some tough games on the schedule.
We’ve taken a look at the schedule for each Big Ten team and predict where they’ll finish in the 2009 season.
2009 Big Ten Predictions
| Team | Overall | Big Ten |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 11-1 | 8-0 |
| Penn State | 11-1 | 7-1 |
| Illinois | 10-2 | 6-2 |
| Michigan State | 9-3 | 6-2 |
| Iowa | 9-3 | 5-3 |
| Wisconsin | 9-3 | 5-3 |
| Minnesota | 4-8 | 2-6 |
| Michigan | 5-7 | 2-6 |
| Purdue | 4-8 | 2-6 |
| Northwestern | 5-7 | 1-7 |
| Indiana | 2-10 | 0-8 |
Ohio State
2008 Record: 10-2 (7-1)
2009 Prediction: 11-1 (8-0)
Wins against: Navy, @ Toledo, Illinois, @ Indiana, Wisconsin, @ Purdue, Minnesota, New Mexico State, @ Penn State, Iowa, @ Michigan
Losses against: USC
All things considered, the Buckeyes have a fairly favorable schedule in 2009. Sure, they play Penn State on the road, but no other road team they play this season won more than 4 games last season.
Penn State
2008 Record: 11-1 (7-1)
2009 Prediction: 11-1 (7-1)
Wins against: Akron, Syracuse, Temple, Iowa, @ Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Minnesota, @ Michigan, @ Northwestern, Indiana, @ Michigan State
Losses against: Ohio State
The Nittany Lions were one Iowan cow pasture away from a dream season in 2008. This year they may be able to get revenge. Penn State does need to travel to Illinois to take on the Fighting Ron Zooks after what could be a tough game against Iowa, and they play the Spartys in East Lansing. But the non-conference schedule is so soft you could rest your head on it when you go to bed at night. They’ll need to run the table if they even want to be considered in the national title discussion, a one-loss season won’t cut it.
Illinois
2008 Record: 5-7 (3-5)
2009 Prediction: 10-2 (6-2)
Wins against: Missouri (finally!), Illinois State, Michigan State, @ Indiana, @ Purdue, Michigan, @ Minnesota, Northwestern, Fresno State, @ Cincinnati
Losses against: @ Ohio State, Penn State
Okay, so we’re bullish on the Zookers. The Illini return Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn, quite possibly the best QB-WR duo in the conference. They have both Penn State and Ohio State on the schedule, and will likely have a challenging game to end the season at Cincinnati, however they get Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota all on the road.
Michigan State
2008 Record: 9-3 (6-2)
2009 Prediction: 9-3 (6-2)
Wins against: Montana State, Central Michigan, @ Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa, @ Minnesota, Western Michigan, @ Purdue
Losses against: @ Notre Dame, @ Illinois, Penn State
Of course, we’ll be going much more in depth on MSU in our season preview post, but in terms of scheduling, it’s not too bad for State. MSU has a tough stretch in early- to mid- season, playing @ Notre Dame, @Wisconsin, vs. Michigan and @ Illinois. I think you hope to split those four games, and if you come out with three wins you’re probably pretty happy. Iowa plays at Spartan Stadium for the second straight year because of the unbalanced Big Ten schedule rotation, and will likely be a tough game. Then it should be relatively easy until we face off against Penn State to end the season.
Iowa
2008 Record: 9-4 (5-3)
2009 Prediction: 9-3 (5-3)
Wins against: Northern Iowa, @ Iowa State, Arizona, Arkansas State, Michigan, @ Wisconsin, Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota
Losses against: @ Penn State, @ Michigan State, @ Ohio State
Iowa’s schedule is brutal, yet if they can pull off some tough upsets on the road they’ll have a chance to play for the Big Ten title in November. The four toughest teams on their schedule are all road games. If there is any silver lining, it’s that these four games are somewhat spread out. The only back-to-back games that are really tough are at Wisconsin followed by at Michigan State.
Wisconsin
2008 Regular Season Record: 7-6 (3-5)
2009 Prediction: 9-3 (5-3)
Wins against: Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Wofford, @ Minnesota, Purdue, @ Indiana, Michigan, @ Northwestern, @ Hawaii
Losses against: Michigan State, @ Ohio State, Iowa
Brett Bielema may not be on the hot seat yet (at least according to Wisconsin A.D. Barry Alvarez), but 2009 could be the year that he’s able to make sure he’s not on it for 2010. After a disappointing 2008 season, Wisconsin should bounce back this year, joining a handful of teams in what should be a bigger “second tier” in the Big Ten. We have the Badgers winning nine games this year, but could easily end up 6-6 since they have to travel to Hawaii (worst refs, worst field, worst game ever) and have the potential to lose at Minnesota and against Michigan (oh no, not again!)
Minnesota
2008 Regular Season Record: 7-6 (3-5)
2009 Prediction: 4-8 (2-6)
Wins against: @ Syracuse, @ Northwestern, Purdue, South Dakota
Losses against: Air Force, Cal, Wisconsin, @ Penn State, @ Ohio State, Michigan State, Illinois, @ Iowa
Last year the Big Ten was criticized for having a two decent teams and a big belly of very average teams. This year, the very average teams will split, and Minnesota represents the first team in the bottom of the conference. The Gophers (golfers?) open a brand new stadium this season, and a few of the media seem to think that this will lead to more wins for the Gophers this season. Methinksnot. Worse than last year! Hey, it’s a tough schedule. The road opponents for Minnesota have a higher winning percentage from (60.7%) last year than for any other Big Ten team
Michigan
2008 Regular Season Record: 3-9 (3-6)
2009 Prediction: 5-7 (2-6)
Wins against: Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Delaware State, Purdue
Losses against: Notre Dame, @ Michigan State, @ Iowa, Penn State, @ Illinois, @ Wisconsin, Ohio State
For the first time since 2006, the Wolverines will win a home opener. We really really wanted to pick for the three-peat, but some things just aren’t meant to be. Still, UM has a tough Big Ten schedule this year, with Michigan State, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin all road games this year.
Purdue
2008 Regular Season Record: 4-8 (2-6)
2009 Prediction: 4-8 (2-6)
Wins against: Toledo, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, @ Indiana
Losses against: @ Oregon, Notre Dame, @ Minnesota, Ohio State, Illinois, @ Wisconsin, @ Michigan, Michigan State
Sometimes the schedule just doesn’t do you any favors (see above: Iowa). Other times, your team just isn’t very good. That’s the case with Purdue this year. They have one of the easiest road schedules in the conference (opposing road teams had a winning percentage of just 47.6%), and will be looking for stability considering they lose QB Curtis Painter to graduation and coach Joe Tiller to retirement.
Northwestern
2008 Regular Season Record: 9-4 (5-3)
2009 Prediction: 5-7 (1-7)
Wins against: Miami (OH), Towson, @ Syracuse, Eastern Michigan, Indiana
Losses against: Minnesota, @ Purdue, @ Michigan State, Penn State, @ Iowa, @ Illinois, Wisconsin
This one is probably going to surprise some people, the same way picking Illinois to be third in the Big Ten is surprising. Northwestern had a breakout season last year behind QB C.J. Bacher and RB Tyrell Sutton, winning nine games and going to the Alamo Bowl. We expect to see the Wildcats take a step back this season, with an upset loss against Purdue in West Lafayette.
Indiana
2008 Regular Season Record: 3-9 (1-7)
2009 Prediction: 2-10 (0-8)
Wins against: Eastern Kentucky, @ Akron
Losses against: Western Michigan, @ Michigan, Ohio State, South Florida, Illinois, @ Northwestern, @ Iowa, Wisconsin, @ Penn State, Purdue
What can we say? I mean, Indiana is a basketball state. Although things aren’t looking so great for the Hoosiers on the hardwood this year either.
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