B1G Bowl Schedule, Lines, and Whatnot
(All games on ESPN)
12/26 (played) 7-5 Georgia Tech v 6-6 Minnesota. Line: GT by 6. GT worst loss: 49-21 Clemson. Outcome: 34-10 Minnesota
12/27 (played) 7-5 Miami v 7-5 Wisconsin. Line: Miami by 3. Miami worst loss: 33-17 LSU. Outcome: 35-3 Wisconsin
12/28 1:30pm 7-5 Auburn v 6-6 Purdue. Line: Auburn by 3.5. Auburn worst loss: 52-21 Bama.
12/29 12:00pm 9-3 Florida v 10-2 Michigan. Line: Michigan by 6. Florida worst loss: 38-17 Missouri
12/31 3:00pm 8-4 Oregon v 7-5 MSU. Line: Oregon by 3. Oregon worst loss: 44-15 Arizona
12/31 7:00pm 8-4 Utah v 7-5 Northwestern. Line: Utah by 7. Utah worst loss: 21-7 Washington
1/1 12:00pm 8-4 Mississippi State v 8-4 Iowa. Line: MSST by 7. MSST worst loss: 24-0 Bama
1/1 1:00pm 9-3 Kentucky v 9-3 PSU. Line: PSU by 7. UK worst loss: 24-7 Tennessee
1/1 5:00pm 10-3 Washington v 12-1 OSU. Line: OSU by 7. Washington worst loss: 21-16 Auburn
Interesting that the bowl selection committee lined up B1G teams with 6 expected losses and 3 wins, but the B1G has already won 2 of the expected losses, and handed those teams their worst losses of the season.
December 28th, 2018 at 9:23 AM ^
As long as we win, Msu loses and Osu loses I’m good.
December 28th, 2018 at 10:40 AM ^
Go Kentucky too
December 28th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
Eh. Psu is irrelevant to me, but yeah, Go Big Blue!
December 28th, 2018 at 1:45 PM ^
Yes to all that and see rest of B1G win their games. Yes even PSU as it would be over an SEC team
December 28th, 2018 at 9:26 AM ^
Purdue should play inspired today since their HC decided to stay.
December 28th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^
I would really like Purdue to smash Auburn. Every chip in the "SEC is awesome" narrative armor helps a little bit.
December 28th, 2018 at 3:43 PM ^
That game is turning out to be a tragedy. Auburn is running it up.
December 28th, 2018 at 9:29 AM ^
Man i hate to say it but if was in Vegas right now I'd drop a ton on Florida +6.
We might win (I really hope we win) but i don't see any way we cover that line.
December 28th, 2018 at 9:32 AM ^
You don’t see ANY way we can win by a TD?
December 28th, 2018 at 9:59 AM ^
Ok good point.
I do not forsee us winning by more than a TD. In fact i think this will be a very ugly game - think 2006 Rose Bowl - where we come out flat and play disinterested.
Ill save my score prediction (and the down votes im surely going to get) for the prediction thread somebody will make soon.
December 28th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
Sounds like you have a big BPONE in the slow cooker helping you get ready for the game.
December 28th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
I guess maybe i am. Historically bowl games are won by the more motivated team and do you see any outward indication our team is?
December 28th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
I'll think we'll be able to get a good idea of how the game will play out within the first 1-2 UM offensive possessions. If UM is sticking to the run, run, pass offense while hammering away for 1-2 yards with Chris Evans, I can't predict a win.
December 28th, 2018 at 1:50 PM ^
I tend to agree - I’d like to think the coaching staff can help them rebound and come out on fire but I really have my doubts. Hope I am pleasantly surprised but I’ve been predicting a loss for a few weeks now...
December 28th, 2018 at 9:35 AM ^
If we open up the offense and let Shea, DPJ, Black, Collins and the tight ends just "do stuff" I think we will cover it. If every play every snap as though it is part of the worlds slowest and weirdest science experience it will come down to the wire.
December 28th, 2018 at 9:35 AM ^
I think the OSU game is potentially diluting our view of the nature of our team this year. Its a recency bias. We have some players. Beating Florida by a touchdown (a team that got beat by double digits to Kentucky, lost by 21(!) to Missouri) should not be an unreasonable feat. In fact, it should be expected. Our corners are playing and Gary won't be a significant loss. The only major negative impact is missing Bush. Bowl practice reports have been positive, mentioned by multiple coaches. Our offense is back and hopefully passes 25+ times. 31-21 M
Go into offseason positive. Read rave reports of Charbonnet as the Next Coming in Spring practice, Jeter as the next Alan Branch, McGrone as the next Bush - rinse and repeat with the Hype Train in August gearing up for a Natty run in '19 w/ OSU at home :-)
December 28th, 2018 at 9:37 AM ^
Any time you lose your starting RB (thousand yard rusher), and two of your best defensive players it is difficult to tell what to expect. Michigan is having an open try out for the defense tomorrow. That will be pretty interesting to watch,
December 28th, 2018 at 9:36 AM ^
The line and favorites record is identical or nearly so, at 10-9.
Multiple blowouts with three “competitive” games thus far of the 19.
That TCU/Cal game was hideously enjoyable to watch, just for the lack of functional offenses and the drama of the interception count and if the TCU qb would have more ints than completions
Not a good bowl season so far, IMO
December 28th, 2018 at 9:39 AM ^
None of this part of bowl season is ever "good." It is football if you are in a pinch, but watching over a quarter of any of these games is difficult. Tomorrow will be a good day for football fans. The only good part of our bowl selection (and you have to squint hard to see it) is that we are serving as the appetizer for the Playoff. The game will have a lot of eye balls simply for that reason and because both are strong national brands.
December 28th, 2018 at 9:54 AM ^
I did not watch that game and have no idea what you are talking about. +1, however, for use of the term “hideously enjoyable.”
December 28th, 2018 at 10:08 AM ^
MSU gunna get killed
December 28th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
Defense, and roids, travels. MSU's offense is dogshit, but their defense is probably better than most of what Oregon has seen all year.
December 28th, 2018 at 10:27 AM ^
Um there's no bowl selection committee is there? Not sure if the OP thinks theres a conspiracy against the Big Ten in bowl games. The Big Ten usually has a bunch of underdog teams because the teams travel well and have big fanbases. Also, we get a lot of SEC matchups and although I hate the SEC, they are routinely the best conference.
December 28th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
It seems like we mixed in some more ACC/Big12 matchups recently. Also, with the B1G being left out of the playoffs a few times, and the SEC getting a lot of NY6 invites, like we always have as well (dating back to BCS), it seems to have sort of evened the playing field a bit for our conference match ups. I think we're gotten more even matchups and proven to do a lot better than when we were huge underdogs regularly as a conference.
Also- having UM/OSU/PSU/MSU/Wisky all pretty good at the same time doesn't happen often. Giving teams like Northwestern, Purdue, Minny, etc a lot more breathing room down the heirarchy.
December 28th, 2018 at 12:06 PM ^
I always enjoy how once a narrative starts, everyone jumps in to repeat it. The tired narrative since the OSU game has been, "we're too conservative, we need to open it up, pass more, run less, blah, blah, blah."
However, let's look at the facts. Florida's strength on defense are their pass rushers, speed from the outside and defensive backfield.
Florida's rushing defense was 73rd in the country. Their passing efficiency defense was 18th. They have speed pass rushers. The best way to beat them is the way Wisconsin just beat another speed, finesse team, Miami. Run the ball right at them, between the tackles.
Yes, it won't hurt to mix it up a little, maybe pass on first downs here and there, just to keep them honest. But Michigan's best chance to beat Florida is to play physical, between the tackles, rushing football.
Against decent teams, with the exception of LSU, Florida was dominated on both sides of the ball. Their QB was mediocre at best against the good defenses.
I understand all the gnashing of teeth and trepidation after OSU and with the departure of four key players. However, JBB is not that great of a player, our defense played excellent with Gary on the sidelines and Evans, Tru and company are not much of a drop off from Higdon. The loss of Bush is problematic but our defense played seven teams (ND, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin, MSU, Penn State, Ohio State) whose QB's, when healthy, are better than the Florida QB. Other than the first halves against ND and NW and the entire OSU game, we dominated these better QB's.
This is going to be another butt kicking of yet another overrated SEC team. Michigan 34-10.
GO BLUE!!
December 28th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^
I want what this guy's having.
December 28th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
To be fair in regard to the ND game, we played them with Wimbush as their qb, not Ian Book.
Wimbush ended up being not good and was replaced with Book.
December 28th, 2018 at 4:31 PM ^
And our starting safety got ejected early and his replacement got beat on 2 jump ball TDs. Not to mention our OL that needed time to shake the Drevno quirks. Play that game a couple of weeks later and there is a good chance that the result would have been different.
There are many variables.
December 28th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^
Who is going to run between the tackles? Evans? Not a drop off from higdon? What team did you watch this year?
Franks is better than qbs wimbush, Wiscy, injured psu, and msu. You are spewing alternative facts
December 28th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
Lol, osu defense was terrible. Our 1975 offense really worked against them, let's keep it up.
December 28th, 2018 at 4:32 PM ^
While you are probably correct for this particular game, I would just like to see some evidence that the staff knows its both ok and occasionally necessary to score quickly.
December 28th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
This is pure semantics but Clemson (28) defeated GT by a larger amount than Minnesota did (24).
December 28th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
Eh, thanks... I wasn't going to put my methodology in the OP but I stand by it. Since you mention "Semantics" I actually used the word "worse" rather than "larger".
I was looking at a combination of scoring margin and score difference. You are comparing simply score difference. I'd opine that a score of 62-41 is not as much of a blowout as 21-0 or 31-10. But then again its quite possible to have equal yards, plays, and time of possession with those.
In most cases it was really clear cut what the worst loss was. I suggest that 35-10 is a worse loss than 49-21 in that while the point difference (24 v 28) is slightly smaller, the scoring margin is much larger (3.5x vs 2.3x). That said 7-0 is not much of a blowout, nor is 14-0.
In short, I think most teams would rather win 35-10 than 49-21.
December 28th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
I really like nw and the points.
December 28th, 2018 at 2:42 PM ^
Unfortunately, OSU will be the only remaining win for the B1G
December 28th, 2018 at 4:04 PM ^
Iowa is going to get waxed
December 28th, 2018 at 4:39 PM ^
Someone please explain to me how a "NY6" bowl is being played on 29 Dec, and our 10-2 team is playing before B1G teams with records of 7-5, 7-5, 8-4 and 9-3? Yeah, yeah, we're the early game in a triple header with the two national semi-final games. Whoop-de-fricking-do. We're the JV game, as we wave the world's tiniest banner from the ramparts of our sand castle. Gimme a real bowl game on Jan 1 against anyone but Florida. But, I still desperately want to win this game because I can't imagine the howt takez all damn off season if we follow up the horror in Columbus with another wet fart in a bowl game.
End of rant. Go Blue!