Bold predictions for Week 2 in the B1G

Find the most comfortable chair in the house, load up on your favorite gameday dishes and make sure the refrigerator is stocked with your favorite beverage. Saturday is going to be a fun day in the B1G from start to finish.

A slate of 14 games will be played in the B1G this weekend, as every team will be taking on a nonconference opponent in Week 2. The first game starts at 11 a.m. ET, with Illinois traveling to Virginia for an early kickoff.

The final contest of the day is a primetime showdown between Washington and Michigan in Ann Arbor, with a start time set at 8 p.m. ET. It’s going to be a great day of football.

Before we kickoff the 13-hour day of B1G football, let’s make some bold predictions for the Saturday ahead:

Purdue covers the massive spread vs. UConn

Not too often do you see a 34.5-point spread (FanDuel) in favor of the Boilermakers, but that’s the case this week. And ya know what? I think Jeff Brohm’s team covers. Randy Edsall stepped down as head coach, there’s going to be a new quarterback under center for the Huskies and UConn has suffered a blowout loss to Fresno State (45-0) and a double-digit defeat to Holy Cross (38-28). Maybe Purdue shouldn’t be credited with a win unless it covers.

Tyler Goodson looks like the best RB on the field in Ames

Breece Hall was supposed to be the Heisman contender this year, but he didn’t look the part in Iowa State’s season-opening win over Northern Iowa. He rushed for 69 yards and added 31 receiving yards and scored just 1 touchdown in a 16-10 victory. Meanwhile, in Iowa City, Tyler Goodson racked up 99 yards on the ground, including a 56-yard touchdown run less than 2 minutes into the game, against a good Indiana defense. By the time the dust settles in Ames on Saturday, we’ll be talking about Goodson as the outside Heisman Trophy candidate.

Maryland scores 60 points (or a lot more) on Howard

Howard is … not a good football team. Two years ago, Maryland racked up 79 points in Mike Locksley’s first season in a shutout victory. That wasn’t even a very good Terrapins team. With more experience and explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball and a much better defense than it has had in years past, expect Maryland to put a lot of points on the scoreboard.

Michael Penix Jr. doesn’t throw an interception

This may not be the boldest of predictions, but considering how poorly Penix played last Saturday, it’s important for the Indiana leader to bounce back in a big way. He completed just 14 of 31 attempts for 156 yards with 0 touchdowns and 3 picks against Iowa in a 34-6 loss. Idaho’s defense doesn’t present the same challenges as the Hawkeyes, so Penix should be able to get some of his confidence back with a turnover-free performance.

Even without Mo Ibrahim, Minnesota can still run the football well

Losing Ibrahim is a huge blow to Minnesota’s offense. One game into the season, he looked like the best running back in the B1G again. However, the Gophers still have a really strong offensive line that can open up gaps and a pretty deep running back room. PJ Fleck may have to divvy up the carries between Trey Potts, Cam Wiley and Bryce Williams, but Minnesota should still be able to enjoy some success on the ground against Miami (OH).

CJ Stroud throws for over 400 yards

Now that Stroud has settled down a bit, he’s poised to have his first huge game for the Buckeyes. With the weapons around him and Oregon playing in a 9 a.m. PT game, the first-time starter at Ohio State should be able to pick apart a Ducks defense that surrendered nearly 300 yards through the air last week against Fresno State. DE Kayvon Thibodeaux’s status is still in question, too, which would only increase Stroud’s chances of putting up big numbers.

The B1G wins all 3 marquee matchups this weekend

A few weeks ago, I would’ve felt a little more nervous about Iowa’s chances against Iowa State and Michigan’s shot against Washington. After Week 1, I feel comfortable picking the Hawkeyes and the Wolverines in their respective matchups. I don’t believe Ohio State will have much trouble with Oregon, either. If the B1G can go 3-0 in these major matchups, maybe it’ll start to get a little more respect early this season.

Rutgers starts 2-0 for the first time since 2014

Has it really been that long? Yes, yes it has. The last time Rutgers started a season 2-0 was its inaugural year in the B1G. The drought ends on Saturday in Syracuse. After seeing the Scarlet Knights’ defense in action, Rutgers has plenty in the stable to shut down the Orange and is more than capable of moving the ball down the field enough to get a win. It would put Rutgers in great position to start the year 3-0 entering conference play.