Predicting every B1G team’s record after Week 4

Well, Week 4 sure was interesting in the B1G.

We saw some huge upsets, some almost-upsets and some big victories. Many teams in the league are starting conference play next week. Some have already started facing B1G opponents.

Let’s look at the updated record projections — and there have been some seismic changes.

Iowa — 11-1

Hawkeyes fans squirmed at halftime as their team trailed Colorado State 14-7. But Iowa came back in the second half with a 24-14 win to stay unbeaten. It was a bit of a scare, but Kirk Ferentz’s group is still in good position for a run at the CFP.

Illinois — 3-9

Once again, conservative play-calling and failure to execute hurt Illinois. It’s the third one-possession game the Fighting Illini have lost this season, and there wasn’t much good to take away. It’s becoming more and more clear that it’ll be a rough go for Bret Bielema’s bunch this season.

Indiana — 5-7

Well, that was close. Western Kentucky kept things interesting against Indiana, but the Hoosiers still managed to get the win in Bowling Green, Ky. But given some of the things we saw, a .500 record isn’t guaranteed for Tom Allen’s group.

Maryland — 7-5

Stop us if you’ve heard this one: Taulia Tagovailoa balled out again. After throwing a bad interception, he got back on track to throw for 384 yards and 3 touchdowns in a big win over Kent State. The Terps are 4-0, but have a tough task coming up with No. 5 Iowa next week.

Michigan — 9-3

Michigan survived a bit of a scare against Rutgers and couldn’t generate much offense with the run game. But the Wolverines managed to hold on, which speaks to their growth over the last year. They’re legit — and their record projection actually improved as a result.

Michigan State — 7-5

Michigan State is 4-0, and there’s a good chance it’ll be 5-0 by this time next week. The Spartans’ schedule gets tougher from there, with a staunch run defense in Rutgers looming in Week 6. Mel Tucker’s group had to grind it out against Nebraska at home, so we’ll see where things go from here.

Minnesota — 7-5

Minnesota had by far the worst loss of the week, losing to a Bowling Green team that hadn’t won an FBS game since 2019. The Golden Gophers also might be without their top wide receiver, which makes the loss of top running back Mo Ibrahim even more brutal. Still, they have a favorable schedule that could allow them to finish over .500.

Nebraska — 4-8

That’s two close losses in a row for Scott Frost’s Nebraska team, this one coming in overtime to Michigan State. But as is the story with Frost’s tenure in Lincoln, they just can’t get over the hump. Considering the Cornhuskers kept Kenneth Walker III at bay, they could be in for a repeat performance against Evan Hull and Northwestern next week.

Northwestern — 4-8

It was a great bounce-back game for Northwestern after losing to Duke last week, and Evan Hull might be legit as an RB1. But Nebraska lies ahead, one week after the Cornhuskers held B1G leading rusher Kenneth Walker III to 61 yards. Until Northwestern finds a true answer at QB, it’s hard not to lean toward Nebraska.

Ohio State — 11-1

No CJ Stroud? No problem. Ohio State cruised past Akron on Saturday, 59-7.

Carry on.

Penn State — 9-3

Sean Clifford looks like that dude. He had a career day against Villanova in Penn State’s 38-17 win, throwing for a career-high 401 yards and 4 touchdowns. If the Nittany Lions play like that against Indiana, they’ll have a pretty easy victory.

Purdue — 4-8

Well, that was ugly. Purdue was lucky to score a touchdown against Illinois in a battle of field goals. The Boilermakers also see injuries continue to pile up, and it’s going to be a loooooong year in West Lafayette.

Rutgers — 5-7

So, uh, Rutgers’ run defense is the real deal. The Scarlet Knights handled Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins well, despite the 2 short touchdown runs from Haskins. The Scarlet Knights could make some noise in B1G play — and even add another win to this total if they keep this up.

Wisconsin — 8-4

Alright. It’s time we have a serious conversation about Wisconsin. The Badgers looked downright bad against Notre Dame, particularly in the 4th quarter. Even if Graham Mertz remains the guy — and Paul Chryst hasn’t indicated otherwise — the Badgers could still be in for a decent year, record-wise. The schedule’s that friendly.