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The season has arrived. No more waiting and no more anticipation. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the next three days of B1G football on your television screen.
But what fun is the start of the season without a few bold predictions first?
Making just a few predictions with 13 games on the docket was a difficult task, but I was able to narrow it down to just five, though there are a number to choose from.
Here are five bold predictions for the B1G in Week 1, now that the season is here.
NIU’s Sutton Smith will have 3+ sacks vs. Iowa
Smith is one of the top defensive ends in college football and recorded 14 sacks and 30(!) tackles for loss in 2017. Considering the depth issues the Hawkeyes has on the offensive line in Week 1 due to suspensions, Iowa could be outmatched up front. Don’t be surprised if Nate Stanley sees a little too much of Smith on Saturday.
Ohio State scores at least 50 points
Don’t expect to see many hiccups from the Buckeyes after the first quarter. Though the team has endured some turmoil over the last month, there’s just too much talent in Columbus for Oregon State to have a chance. Ohio State’s offense is fully equipped with Mike Weber, J.K. Dobbins, Parris Campbell and Dwayne Haskins. Heck, OSU might even reach half-a-hundy by halftime.
Michigan defeats Notre Dame by multiple scores
If Shea Patterson plays as well as expected, it’s hard to believe Notre Dame has much of a chance. Michigan’s defense is too talented and the offense, especially at receiver, has a lot of weapons. We won’t witness a blowout in South Bend, but the Wolverines have the talent to beat the Irish by two touchdowns on Saturday night.
All three true freshman QBs complete 60 percent of their passes
Artur Sitkowski (Rutgers), Zack Annexstad (Minnesota) and Adrian Martinez (Nebraska) will all take their first collegiate snaps this weekend. Expect all of them to have solid outings. The workload will likely be light, and against less-than-stellar competition, all three newcomers have an opportunity to get into a good rhythm to begin the careers.
Miles Sanders rushes for 150 yards vs. Appalachian State
Penn State’s offense will definitely take a hit without Saquon Barkley in the backfield and Joe Moorhead not calling the plays. Still, a solid offensive line and an effective passing attack should open up the field for Sanders to put up some big numbers in the post-Barkley era. Sanders might even spark a Heisman campaign if he plays well enough Week 1.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB