Even in a time of constant change, you can still count on the rhythms of a college football season.

The first 2 weeks of the season, we’re grateful to have it back. But invariably, by the 3rd week we are ready to move on from appetizers to the main course. One cannot subsist entirely on a menu of Western Kentucky at Ohio State.

The good stuff is finally here.

Sure, there are still some snoozers. But Week 4 blesses us with a pair of Top 25 matchups. And although it’s slightly annoying that they’ll kick off at the exact same time, we’re happy to have them here.

Here’s 1 B1G thought ahead of every Week 1 game.

Friday

Wisconsin (2-1) at Purdue (1-2)

When: 7 p.m. ET, FS1

B1G thought: Purdue hasn’t beaten Wisconsin since Moses parted the Red Sea. The Badgers should add another win to the list, right?

Not necessarily. Wisconsin comes into this game ranked 114th nationally in pass defense. Hudson Card and Deion Burks should be able to cook for the Boilers.

But will Purdue stop Chimere Dike and the Badgers? Purdue’s pass defense is 115th in the country.

This is the rare Big Ten West battle where both teams are liable to break the 35-point barrier.

Saturday

Rutgers (3-0) at No. 2 Michigan (3-0)

When: Noon ET, BTN

B1G thought: Jim Harbaugh makes his coaching return against his personal Wile E. Coyote.

Greg Schiano has come close to defeating Harbaugh in recent years, but can’t quite grab the khaki-clad Roadrunner.

Michigan needed 3 overtimes to beat the Scarlet Knights in 2020, and Rutgers had a drive with a chance to tie or win with less than 2 minutes to go in a 20-13 loss in 2021. The Scarlet Knights led at halftime last year before the Wolverines woke up for 38 unanswered points after the break.

Can Rutgers keep it close for 4 quarters this time around?

Maryland (3-0) at Michigan State (2-1)

When: 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC

B1G thought: A week after Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. souffléd the Spartans for 536 yards and 4 touchdowns, Michigan State’s hapless pass defense gets a dosage of Taulia Tagovailoa.

It should be a field day for the Terps, but Maryland should strongly consider not falling behind 14-0 for the 3rd week in a row. Bad habits catch up eventually.

Florida Atlantic (1-2) at Illinois (1-2)

When: 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN

B1G thought: The Owls are without starting quarterback Casey Thompson, who was lost for the season with a torn ACL in last week’s loss to Clemson. In theory, that should help a struggling Illinois pass defense.

The Illini should use this game as an opportunity to give quarterback John Paddock a longer look. Starter Luke Altmyer has already thrown 7 interceptions in 3 games. That’s 3 more than Tommy DeVito threw all of last season. Unacceptable.

Louisiana Tech (2-2) at Nebraska (1-2)

When: 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN

B1G thought: Even when something good happens to Nebraska, something bad seems sure to follow.

Matt Rhule announced that the Huskers are without running backs Gabe Ervin and Rahmir Johnson due to season-ending injuries. That means talented but fumble-prone Anthony Grant is Nebraska’s lead back the rest of the way.

No. 6 Ohio State (3-0) at No. 9 Notre Dame (3-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC

B1G thought: Is this the Ohio State-Notre Dame game that finally lives up to the hype?

For all the history these programs have produced, it’s rarely compelling when they play one another. The Buckeyes have 5 straight wins over the Fighting Irish. And the last time the outcome between the 2 was decided by fewer than 11 points was — we can’t make this up — a 7-2 Notre Dame win in 1936.

No. 24 Iowa (3-0) at No. 7 Penn State (3-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET, CBS

B1G thought: We can’t yet rule this out as a potential Big Ten championship game preview — although we probably can if Iowa pulls off the upset. There’s no breathing room for the contenders in the Big Ten East.

However, that outcome seemed more possible in the preseason than it does now that we’ve seen Iowa’s offense still looks a lot like an Iowa offense. Michigan transfer Cade McNamara has only completed 53.5% of his passes.

Iowa’s opportunistic defense is always capable of changing a game, but thus far no defense has outsmarted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who has yet to throw an interception.

Minnesota (2-1) at Northwestern (1-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET, BTN

B1G thought: I’d say, “bet the under,” but Vegas is 10 steps ahead of me and set the total at 38 points.

Which means the under still might be a good bet.

Akron (1-2) at Indiana (1-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET, BTN

B1G thought: This is it — the final chance for a Mid-American Conference team to beat a Big Ten opponent for the 16th consecutive season, excluding 2020.

Toledo was poised to get the job done in Week 1, but lost to Illinois on a field goal with 5 seconds left. Now it is up to the Zips to maintain the MAC’s David-over-Goliath reputation.

But for an Akron offense that’s averaging 262 yards per game to do much against what has been a very solid Indiana defense, it’s going to take some major self-inflicted disasters from the Hoosiers.