Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I don't know. I really don't. 

I do know, Durkin had several top 25 classes in a row, and this should be the year for a breakout.

Just run the ball. 

Here it is ranked by the standard deviation:


The teams we are the least sure of are four B1G-W teams:

• Wisconsin:  votes range from 2-10
• Iowa:  votes range from 2-11
• Nebraska:  votes range from 1-10
• Northwestern:  votes range from 3-11

Then there is MSU where I think most of us feel like their defense will be one of the best in the league (if not nation) while the offense will likely be one of the worst in the league (if not nation).  

A word on the charts and then on schedules:

The first graph is displayed to illustrate that while we do a ranking, the gaps are far from uniform.  Depending on whether or not you drop the high and low, either Ohio State or Michigan is #1 and the other is #2 but really, they are effectively tied either way.  Then you have a big gap, then PSU/MSU are effectively tied, etc.  

The second graph shows a distribution of the votes.  You can really see here that from #3 to #11 we really have no consensus at all.  

Personally, I think the Schedule/Performance Chart is the most useful thing I have displayed here.  Later in the season I rely on it heavily in making my vote.  Ie, I believe that a team that is 0-3 with close losses to #1, #2, and #3 should probably be ranked #4 or #5 or possibly even higher if the losses were on the road.  On the other hand, a team that is 3-0 with close wins over #14, #13, and #12 should probably be ranked #11 or #10 or possibly even lower if the wins were at home.  

One thing that I think people often fail to consider is that HFA is not the same for all teams.  What I mean is that if you are one of the top teams, you want the other top teams at home (where you'll get the HFA that you might need to beat them) and the bad teams on the road (because you should beat them no matter where the game is played).  Conversely, if you are one of the bottom teams you want the opposite.  

If you look at the chart there is a diagonal line of cells with "n/a" in them running from top-left (tOSU/tOSU) to bottom right (RU/RU).  What would be theoretically best for each team is to have as many home games as close to that diagonal line as possible.  

1) Michigan
2) Ohio State
3) Wisconsin
4) Penn State
5) Iowa
6) Michigan State
7) Nebraska
8) Purdue
9) Northwestern
10) Minnesota
11) Maryland
12) Indiana
13) Illinois
14) Rutgers

1. Michigan
2. Ohio State
3. Nebraska
4. Northwestern
5. Michigan State
6. Minnesota
7. Penn State
8. Wisconsin
9. Iowa
10. Indiana
11. Purdue
12. Maryland
13. Illinois
14. Rutgers


I actually have no idea what will happen and I think this entire thread ought to be pinned so we all know how ridiculous either I am, or the rest of you appear. I guarantee the teams will prove most of us are substantially, wrong.

I am now more optimistic for Iowa's 2019 chances. Michigan transfer WR Oliver Martin was declared eligible to play this season. The past 4-5 years Iowa has been a bit down in the WR department. QB Nate Stanley's senior season should now be a bit better.

My most accurate preseason prediction was how ridiculous my projections would look. 

My two best projected teams in the BTW were the two worst in the BTW in my final rankings. I thought Michigan would break through. No, Michigan did not break through.

I got Rutgers right.

As a group we were better; but as a group we thought the BTE had the 4-best teams which did not turn out to be correct.