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10 things I’m absolutely overreacting to after Week 3 in the B1G

Garrett Kroeger

By Garrett Kroeger

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Week 3 in the B1G was the week in which teams played their “weak” nonconference opponent it seemed like. Penn State demolished Georgia State and Wisconsin made BYU look like an FCS team. However, some B1G teams battled it out for a win. Michigan struggled a tad against Air Force and North Texas gave a run for Iowa’s money. But that was not the main storyline in the B1G this week. Here are 10 things I’m overreacting to after Week 3 in and around the B1G.

1. Penn State will represent the B1G in the playoffs

Through three weeks, the Nittany Lions have looked like the class of the B1G.

 

Penn State has handily defeated Akron, Pittsburgh and Georgia State. Yes, some can argue that is not the greatest of competition. However, the way the Nittany Lions have won has been impressive.

Running back Saquon Barkley looks like the best back in the nation like everyone thought he was, Trace McSorely has been phenomenal every since Penn State’s first possession of the year when he turned over the ball and the defense has not allowed a big play this year.

After the way the B1G has looked 1/4 into the season, the Nittany Lions look like the class of the B1G.

2. Nebraska is not making a bowl game

Someone should post a missing ad because what has happened the Cornhuskers.

After three weeks, Nebraska is 1-2 and could have easily been 0-3. Both the offense and defense have looked dreadful. If the Cornhuskers turn this sinking ship around, they won’t even sniff a bowl game.

One thing is for certain though, this is not your Grandpa’s type of Nebraska football.

3. I still think Michigan loses four games this year

I said it last week and I will say it again, Michigan will lose four games this year.

Against Air Force, the Wolverines struggled to score in the red zone. The game against the Falcons looked like a repeat of the Cincinnati game. Michigan lets its opponent play tight for a majority of the game to only make it look like it blew them out at the end of the game.

If the Wolverines start sluggish against teams like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State and Maryland, they are not winning those games.

4. J.T. Barrett is still good

This past week, Ohio State fans were asking for quarterback J.T. Barrett to be bench. Heck, last week I wrote what happened to the old Barrett. Well, how he proved everyone wrong.

Against Army, Barrett passed for 270 yards and two touchdowns. He even broke Drew Brees’ all-time B1G touchdown record.

If Barrett can play like he did against Army for the rest of the season, the Buckeyes could win out and still contend for the College Football Playoff.

5. Purdue is making a bowl game

At the beginning of the season, I never thought I would write this statement: the Boilermakers will make a bowl game this year.

Currently, Purdue is 2-1. Its lone loss was a close one to the Louisville Cardinals.

The offense has been clicking on all cylinders and the defense has improved tremendously from last year. The Boilermakers will give teams a run for their money and will end up with at least six wins when it comes bowl season.

6. Illinois has a quarterback battle on its hands

I know coach Lovie Smith said Chayce Crouch is the Illini’s quarterback after the loss to USF, but I don’t buy it.

In the game against USF, Crouch was benched in favor of Jeff George Jr. When George played, the Illinois offense was effective. At the end of the game, George completed 12-of-222 passes for 211 yards and Crouch completed 8-of-18 passes for 76 yards.

If Illinois does not figure out the quarterback situation soon, it will be another long season for Smith and company.

7. The B1G West will come down to Iowa and Wisconsin

Everyone knew the Wisconsin Badgers were going to be good this year. But no one really though the Iowa Hawkeyes could contend for the B1G West title. However, through three weeks, the B1G has looked weak (cough Nebraska, Illinois and Northwestern cough) and it seems like the division will be decided when Iowa travels to Madison on Nov. 11.

8. Rutgers is not all that bad…but they are still classified as bad

The Scarlet Knights won a football game! Rejoice Rutger fans because there won’t be much of that as the season goes on.

In Rutgers’ 56-0 win over Morgan State, there were plenty of bright spots for the Scarlet Knights. Quarterbacks Kyle Bolin and Johnathan Lewis were effective through the air while and running backs Raheem Blackshear and Gus Edwards looked like perfect backs for Jerry Kill’s offense. Also, the defense looked great as well.

While the Scarlet Knights will certainly lose a lot of games this year, there are a lot of bright spots and Rutgers is on the up and up.

9. Saquon Barkley will have a tough time getting to New York

Do not get me wrong, Barkley is talented and deserves to be in New York for the Heisman ceremony. However, the Heisman is kind of a quarterback award. And there are a ton of signal callers worthy of contending for the Heisman this season.

Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson will more than likely be in New York at the end of the season. And Clemson’s Kelly Bryant, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph and Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald are all making cases currently to be Heisman contenders.

So basically, Barkley will need to probably rush for more than 2,000 yards to guarantee a trip to NYC this season.

10. Nate Stanley is a top-5 quarterback in the B1G

After throwing for 333 yards and five touchdowns against Iowa State, Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley followed it up with a respectable 197 yards and two touchdown performance against North Texas.

While Stanley’s statistics were not the greatest against North Texas, he certainly cemented himself as one of the top-5 quarterbacks in the B1G this season. He has been one of the most effective signal callers in the league. Plus, his competition is not the greatest this year. However, the Hawkeyes have good, young gunslinger on their hands to say the least.

 

Garrett Kroeger