Joel Klatt explains which 3 B1G teams got the easiest scheduled for revised season
Now that the B1G season if officially back on and the schedule has been released, it’s time to talk about actual football-related items. You know, like picking apart each team’s calendar to see who got the most favorable draw and who will have to grind out wins.
Following the B1G’s schedule release over the weekend, FOX college football analyst Joel Klatt took a peek at what lies ahead for all 14 teams. He’s come to the conclusion that three teams have it a little easier than others.
Those three squads are Ohio State, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
“Those are the three most favorable schedules, and it’s very easy,” said Klatt. “You know why? Those three don’t play Ohio State. That’s the bottom line, folks. When it comes to the Big Ten schedule, that’s where it starts and stops: if you have to play this Ohio State team. Ohio State themselves is probably going to be favored by close to double digits in every single one of their games pending on what happens with health, of course, and COVID-related benchings and so on and so forth with isolation and quarantine. But that team is really good, particularly with a couple of those opt-back-in’s with Shaun Wade and Wyatt Davis.
“Ohio State looks primed. I thought they got a really good draw in their schedule. … I know they have to go to Penn State. When would you want to go to Penn State and play in a ‘white out’ game? In a year in which they have basically no fans. So that’s a good draw for Ohio State.”
Klatt’s assessment of Ohio State getting the easiest schedule is one shared by fellow analyst Urban Meyer. The former Buckeyes head coach said that his former team got the most favorable draw in the East and expects them to return to the B1G Championship Game.
Meyer also said Wisconsin’s schedule was the easiest in the West, picking the Badgers also to be back competing for a conference title.
“I would classify Wisconsin and Minnesota as, I thought, the favorites in that division going into the season,” Klatt said. “Then they miss Ohio State. Good on them. I think that was a huge deal for Wisconsin and Minnesota both.”
Wisconsin won the B1G West last season by beating Minnesota in the final week of the regular season. The Gophers did finish with one more victory than the Badgers, ending the year at 11-2.