Big Ten Daily (Sept. 5): We'll Learn Plenty About Big Ten Football in Week 2
Life was good in the Big Ten in Week 1. In its debut as an 18-team league, the conference posted a 17-1 record, with USC and Penn State notching the most impressive victories from the weekend. But the competition is about to get tougher.
We're going to learn plenty about the Big Ten this coming weekend, with five teams playing Power Four opponents and one conference game on the schedule for Week 2. Suddenly, the matchup between No. 7 Oregon and Boise State looks intriguing, as well.
Here's a look at the most intriguing matchups on the docket this weekend (all games scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7 unless noted):
- Duke (1-0) vs. Northwestern (1-0) — 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 (Friday, Sept. 6)
- No. 3 Texas (1-0) vs. No. 10 Michigan (1-0) — 11 a.m. ET on FOX
- Iowa State (1-0) vs. No. 21 Iowa (1-0) — 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- Mchigan State (1-0) vs. Maryland (1-0) — 3:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network
- No. 19 Kansas (1-0) vs. Illinois (1-0) — 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1
- Colorado (1-0) vs. Nebraska (1-0) — 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock
- Boise State (1-0) vs. No. 7 Oregon (1-0) — 10 p.m. ET on Peacock
Is the Big Ten the best conference in college football? It could certainly make an argument with a good showing in the second week of the season.
Rather than lump all of these games together, here's a (very) brief breakdown of each of these intriguing matchups scheduled for the weekend.
Duke vs. Northwestern
Northwestern personified the term "winning ugly" in Week 1, edging out Miami (Ohio) 13-6. Now, David Braun's team turns its attention to a Duke program that has claimed five straight victories over the Wildcats.
Getting more production from Cam Porter on the ground and finding A.J. Henning in the passing attack will be critical for Northwestern's offense to have success against the Blue Devils on Friday night.
No. 3 Texas vs. No. 10 Michigan
The Big Ten's marquee matchup features a pair of top-10 teams. But Texas heads into Ann Arbor with a lot more momentum than Michigan. The Wolverines' offense had plenty of flaws in a closer-than-expected game against Fresno State.
Warren Davis struggled throwing the deep ball, the offensive line couldn't move Fresno State's defensive front and star running back Donovan Edwards managed just 27 yards on 11 carries. That doesn't bode well for the Wolverines, who will face a Texas squad that shut out Colorado State and held the Rams to under 200 yards of offense.
Michigan's defense should keep the Longhorns within striking distance, but the Wolverines need to play a nearly flawless game offensively to get to 2-0.
Iowa State vs. No. 21 Iowa
What version of Iowa's offense will show up against Iowa State? The Hawkeyes managed just six points in the first half against Illinois State. When running back Kaleb Johnson returned in the second half, they finished the afternoon with 40. Quarterback Cade McNamara also appeared more comfortable in the final 30 minutes.
Iowa has won eght of the last 10 meetings against Iowa State, but neither team has exceeded 30 points in the rivalry bout since 2017. Expect another defensive battle between the Hawkeyes and Cyclones on Saturday. Can Iowa's second-half offense from Week 1 translate to a Power Four opponent?
Michigan State vs. Maryland
This is a battle between a Maryland team that is extremely talented offensively and a Michigan State squad that has a lot of room for improvement on that side of the football. Can the Spartans' defense keep the Terps in check?
It's going to be an extremely tough task for Jonathan Smith's team, which appears to be in store for a long season. And, as we've learned in the past, Mike Locksley can scheme to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers all day long.
No. 19 Kansas vs. Illinois
The term "shootout" isn't something often associated with Illinois football, but Saturday night's showdown in Champaign might be that type of matchup. Both Illinois and Kansas scored more then 40 points in their season-opening wins last weekend.
The quarterback battle between Kansas' Jalon Daniels and Illinois' Luke Altmyer will be something worth monitoring throughout Saturday night. Both teams have excellent running backs, as well, with Devin Neal leading the charge for the Jayhawks and Kaden Feagin for the Illini.
Kansas-Illinois isn't usually a matchup that moves the college football needle. But this showdown in Champaign could be one of the more entertaining games of the weekend.
Colorado vs. Nebraska
Nebraska looked like an improved team in Saturday's season-opening win over UTEP, starting off the year 1-0 for the first time since 2019. Has this program taken the next big step in the maturation process? We're going to find out Saturday night.
Colorado struggled with North Dakota State (FCS) in its opener, but ultimately made enough plays to win the game. The Buffaloes have a lot of talent at the skill positions, but Nebraska's offensive and defensive lines should dominate the trenches.
The big question? Is Huskers freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola ready for this type of spotlight? Even though Colorado went 4-8 a season ago, coach Deion Sanders and his son (and quarterback) Shedeur Sanders have experience in these atmospheres. This will be Raiola's first major challenge.
Boise State vs. No. 7 Oregon
Was last weekend's 24-14 victory over Idaho a fluke? Did the Ducks just need to kick off some first-game rust? Or does Oregon have some issues that could linger throughout the season?
Boise State is quite a bit better than Idaho, so this could be an interesting measuring stick for Dan Lanning's squad in Eugene.
Related Big Ten stories
ILLINOIS SELLS OUT VS. KANSAS: For the first time since 2016, Illinois' football team will play in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium when it welcomes No. 19 Kansas to Champaign. CLICK HERE
BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Miller Moss (USC), Kevin Winston (Penn State), Mateen Bhaghani (UCLA), Dominic Zvada (Michigan) and Dylan Raiola (Nebraska) received Big Ten honors for Week 1. CLICK HERE
DUSTIN SCHUTTE