Standings and games through Thursday of next week:
- 8-1 Michigan:
- 6-2 Iowa: @IL, vsMSU, vstOSU
- 7-3 Wisconsin: @PSU, vsPSU
- 6-3 Illinois: vsIA, @IU
- 7-4 Ohio State: vsMSU, @IA
- 6-4 Purdue: vsMN, @UMD
- 5-6 Rutgers: @NU, vsMN
- 4-5 Minnesota: @PU, @RU
- 4-5 Indiana: vsIL
- 3-7 Maryland: vsPU
- 3-7 Northwestern: vsRU
- 2-5 Michigan State: @tOSU, @IA, vsUNL
- 2-6 Penn State: vsUW, @UW
- 0-5 Nebraska: @MSU
Looking at each of the teams and what they have coming up:
Iowa:
I noted above that Iowa has only played one .500+ B1G team. That is about to change quickly. They are at Illinois (6-3) tonight and host tOSU (7-4) on Thursday with MSU (2-5) in between on Tuesday night. I have no idea what to expect. Honestly I feel like neither 3-0 nor 0-3 are completely out of the question and there is a HUMONGOUS difference between 9-2, second place, and likely Michigan's only serious contender vs 6-5 and in 5th or 6th place.
Wisconsin/Penn State:
Due to COVID issues these two have an unusual set of back-to-back games against each other. Wisconsin's specialty has been beating the not-so-good teams (they are tops in the league against the sub .500 teams) and they need to keep it up to keep on the pace with Michigan and (possibly) Iowa. For Penn State, we are getting to make-or-break time. The computers seem to still kinda like the Nittany Lions but they have fallen to 2-6 in the league, their only wins were home games against RU and NU, and they are ahead of only Nebraska in the standings. Somehow, someway they need to find some more wins if they want to get to the bubble.
Illinois:
The Illini are 1-1 in their two games against the B1G's .500+ teams with the win coming at home over Purdue almost a month ago. Between postponements (UNL, MSU), losses (vs UMD, vs tOSU), and non-quality opponents (@NU, vs PSU) the Illini haven't experienced a quality win in almost a month. Iowa is probably a better team but it is at home. Indiana is probably an inferior team but it is on the road. Considering that, I could see anything from 0-2 to 2-0.
Ohio State:
The Buckeyes have won five of their last six and with the way MSU looked last night and the fact that Iowa will be on a short-turnaround I could see them winning both of these to move to 9-4, into the top-4, and close to locking up a bid. OTOH, the Buckeyes barely survived PSU at home last time out and last I checked Izzo was still coaching in East Lansing so they could also lose both.
Purdue:
The Boilermakers' next two games are against sub .500 teams but these are some odd sub .500 teams who each own some pretty impressive wins so I hardly consider this an easy week for them. Just like Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio State I don't think that either 0-2 nor 2-0 is outside the realm of realisitc.
Rutgers:
Bracketologists generally concur that Rutgers is very close to the knife edge of the bubble (either barely in or barely out) so every game is critical. A loss to Northwestern would knock them out for now while a win over Minnesota would shore up their status for now. 1-1 moves them on another week at the edge.
Minnesota:
As I noted upthread the Gophers have played a brutal schedule and it doesn't get any easier with a pair of road games against probable (PU) and possible (RU) tournament teams.
Indiana:
Much like Rutgers, the Hoosiers are barely in or barely out depending on who you ask so every game is critical. A win over Illinois would certainly help!
Maryland:
The Terps are about to play their NINTH game against .500+ B1G teams. Compare that to Iowa who has only played one or M, UW, IL, and MSU who have only played two each. That is a tough schedule which explains why they are a 3-7 team that is apparently on the bubble. The problem is that they can't get too far below .500 themselves.
Northwestern:
Once upon a time the Wildcats were 3-0 and in first place in the B1G with wins over MSU, IU, and tOSU. Back then things looked good for them. Since then . . . seven straight losses. Can they get off the mat?
Michigan State:
The Spartans went 6-0 OOC including impressive (at the time) wins over ND and at Dook but then started league play 0-3 (@NU, vsUW, @MN). Then they rebounded to win two straight (@UNL, vsRU) in early January. Then they suffered a close loss at home to Purdue (55-54) on January 8 to fall to 8-4/2-4 then they were off for almost three weeks due to COVID. Last night they came back and it was ugly. Rutgers got their first ever win over MSU and allowed the fewest points they have EVER allowed in a B1G game by beating MSU 67-37. That was also Rutgers' largest ever MOV in a B1G game. Obviously being that "other team" for somebody else's records is never good. Following that up with two more road games in Columbus and Iowa City could be a rough road for Izzo's team.
Nebraska:
Earlier I had written that Nebraska was travelling to East Lansing next week but it appears that is off due to COVID so it looks like Nebraska will not play again until at least next weekend.