B1G defenses dominate SP+ rankings
The B1G boasts 4 of the top 6 defenses according to SP+ through Week 5, and THE TOP 3!
#1 Wisconsin
#2 MSU
#3 OSU
#6 Michigan
Also 5 of the top 11 (Northwestern #11), 6 of the top 16 (Penn St #16), and 7 of the top 22 (Iowa #22). That's half the conference among the top 25 defenses. There's going to be plenty of slobberknocker games ahead!
Other observations:
- Only 4 offenses rank among the top 25 in SP+, and two of them are Minniesoda (#14!) and Purdue (#20)!
- Wisconsin offense ranks as low as 28, after a poor performance against NW, only 1 spot ahead of Indiana (?!), leading a batch of 5 B1G offenses among the 7 spots from 28-34.
- Indiana is surprisingly 29th overall, though only good enough for 5th best among East Division teams.
- Minniesoda has crept up to 3rd best in the West (33rd overall). With the easiest B1G in-conference schedule, they're going to hang around in the West race longer than they ordinarily should.
As for next week:
- Iowa's #30 offense goes up against Michigan's #6 defense, while Michigan's #48 offense goes up against Iowa's #22 defense.
- OSU's #5 offense goes up against MSU's #2 defense, while MSU's #62 offense goes up against OSU's #3 defense.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^
I wonder where Wisconsin would be ranked if they hadn't played against us.
September 30th, 2019 at 2:47 AM ^
Better question is how Wisconsin has better defense than us when we both have severe deficiencies at DT...
September 30th, 2019 at 9:48 AM ^
Because they're playing a freshman DT and we're playing Bench Mason.
September 30th, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
Wonder where Michigan would be ranked if they hadn't played Wisconsin...
September 29th, 2019 at 8:24 PM ^
after what wisconsin did to us that is quite surprising.
EDIT: i have a feeling that ohio's offense is going to curb-stomp sparty's D, but you have to give dintiny credit, the guy will have his team show up.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:55 PM ^
Kind of like the last time msu played at osu?
Indiana just gave a simple blueprint for beating msu.
Don't run the ball much and you can pass all day.
Indiana qb had 20 straight completions
September 29th, 2019 at 11:25 PM ^
That is just what Indiana does. They expose teams' weaknesses and lose to them in heartbreaking games. It's like clockwork.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
The osu offense going against the msu defense gonna be interesting matchup. I’m hoping for a meteor
September 29th, 2019 at 9:16 PM ^
Twin meteors
September 29th, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
The first one to totally crater the place, and the second to make the crater deeper.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:43 PM ^
I think MSU will play them really well. Dantonio likes playing against those running qbs. He was one of the only ones who could shut Denard down completely.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:11 PM ^
Ya but 2017 against the buckeyes was a blood bath so I’m not so sure. Seems like Ryan day wants to prove he’s got a big package so he isn’t taking it easy on anyone. If he gets the chance he will run up the score
September 29th, 2019 at 11:33 PM ^
MSU is going to get curb-stomped. They'll be down 4 scores by the half.
Meyer was stubborn and stuck with his running game no matter what, and MSU took advantage and beat him twice.
Day does not give a single shit about "establishing the run" or "being balanced". If they give him the pass, he'll launch a "Fields for Heisman" campaign by calling 50 pass plays.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:14 AM ^
Not gonna lie, I like that.
September 30th, 2019 at 4:53 AM ^
If by interesting you mean lopsided, I agree.
Gonna be an ass whooping
September 30th, 2019 at 6:51 AM ^
Considering MSU just gave up 31 points to Indiana at home, I'm not sure they'll be an immovable force in Columbus.
October 1st, 2019 at 8:30 PM ^
OSU destroyed Indiana a couple of weeks ago 51-10 - this is going to be a bloodbath.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
It's worth noting that the rankings are still heavily weighted on projections coming into the year, but also most top teams have probably only played one real game across the board so to the extent SP+ is biased towards different schedule types that should be somewhat mitigated.
September 29th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
What I got from this post:
Ohio State is really fucking good.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
Ohio Sts defense grew up real quick under Greg Mattison.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
Mattison is getting up there. I wonder how much Michigan’s d-line was a factor in him leaving for OSU and hoping for a NC before he retires?
September 29th, 2019 at 11:36 PM ^
In fairness, Ohio State's defense was perennially top 10 for the better part of two decades. Last year, and to a lesser degree the year before, were really, really big deviations. I tend to think they would have been back to top 10-ish defense with any average or above averager coordinator running any reasonable scheme (as opposed to Schiano playing his LBs on the line of scrimmage and having them turn and run backwards at the snap).
September 29th, 2019 at 11:40 PM ^
Who has OSU played so far?
September 29th, 2019 at 9:00 PM ^
I kinda don't put a lot of weight in S&P when Michigan's defense can get trucked so bad one week, then play one of the worst teams next week, and look good, and have that much of a rise in it.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:11 PM ^
Yeah anyone who thinks Michigan has the 6th best defense in the country is smoking some powerful shit
September 29th, 2019 at 9:16 PM ^
It’s the Don Brown affect. Every D he leads is top 5. Until it isn’t.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:36 PM ^
Eh, that's great and all until you give up 62 points to OSU. I don't think last year's defense was top 5, and I sure as hell don't think this year's is either. I watched Taylor scamper for 200 yards with very little resistance.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:41 PM ^
Eh... that’s his point..
Don’s track record speaks for itself, both positively & negativity.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:21 PM ^
Excluding the fact that at this point in the season they do actually have the 6th best defense.
Now I don’t think there’s even a slight chance we end up even in the top 10 based on early returns, but let’s not act like our schedule has been any weaker than the others.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:31 PM ^
It still has preseason expectations built into the model
September 29th, 2019 at 9:12 PM ^
Iowa is going to be a bitch.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:15 PM ^
I'm glad it's not in Iowa this year.
But yeah, after coasting one week, it's back to reality.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:17 PM ^
Meaningless
September 29th, 2019 at 9:20 PM ^
How do the rankings work this early in the season? Do they take last year into account? Seems hard to believe we are #6
September 29th, 2019 at 9:28 PM ^
It’s a snapshot of the season thus far. Last season plays no role in these current rankings. There will be a lot of changes as most teams are just now starting to play tougher competition.
September 29th, 2019 at 11:33 PM ^
This is wrong. It does include last year in the rankings until about week 6. Connelly adjusted it this year to be more reactive to early season results
September 29th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
I stand corrected. Thanks AK.
September 30th, 2019 at 5:42 AM ^
Well it doesn't include last year, but it does include preseason weights, which he said are now at 50 percent. And he said now preseason weights will drop more slowly, and actually they'll still remain a little bit at the end of the season.
September 29th, 2019 at 9:39 PM ^
I think big offenses are just bad mostly
September 29th, 2019 at 10:15 PM ^
Agreed, outside of those a holes in Columbus I don't see anybody looking consistently great on offense.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:17 PM ^
Most of the nation scoffs in the general direction of this type of balderdash.
September 29th, 2019 at 10:28 PM ^
From what I have seen, B1G defenses are frauds. They crumble when facing halfway competent qbs.
September 30th, 2019 at 12:20 AM ^
Big Ten Defenses get to play Big Ten Offenses.
'Nuff said.
September 30th, 2019 at 4:54 AM ^
Mostly cause big ten offenses suck
September 30th, 2019 at 5:45 AM ^
Many people here don't seem to get SP+ adjusts for opponents. And then they'll say well it's still trash and the rankings don't make sense, except that you can't find a more accurate predictor than SP+. Better than Vegas.
September 30th, 2019 at 8:21 AM ^
Awesome now beat iowa