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As frustrating as Week 1 was for the Big Ten, a thought crossed my mind on Tuesday. It might sound a tad bit optimistic.
Can the Big Ten run the table in Week 2?
Yes, yes it can. Call me a homer, but look at the facts. If you want to look at the simple point spreads, every Big Ten team is favored. No. 5 Michigan State’s showdown vs. No. 7 Oregon opened as a pick ’em but the spread swayed to Sparty’s favor by week’s end.
Twelve Big Ten teams play at home. Minnesota travels to take on a Mountain West team — which won’t be a cakewalk — while Iowa makes the drive to Ames to take on a Cyclone team many projected to finish last in the Big 12.
It’s also worth noting that every Big Ten team that lost last week — Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin — all face significantly easier matchups than they did in their respective openers. Even you, Penn State.
So yeah, I do think the Big Ten runs the table this week. It would be a whole lot different than last year’s Week 2 apocalypse.
Last week: 10-4
Season total: 10-4
Michigan 28, Oregon State 14
Illinois 42, Western Illinois 14
Maryland 38, Bowling Green 35
Penn State 28, Buffalo 10
Purdue 35, Indiana State 14
Wisconsin 52, Miami (OH) 7
No. 1 Ohio State 62, Hawaii 7
Rutgers 24, Washington State 21
Minnesota 24, Colorado State 14
Northwestern 35, Eastern Illinois 7
Iowa 24, Iowa State 20
Nebraska 42, South Alabama 13
Indiana 31, FIU 28
No. 5 Michigan State 48, No. 7 Oregon 45
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.