Power Rankings

1. Ohio State

Here. We. Go. Again.

2. Michigan

No doubt in my mind that Michigan deserves to be below Ohio State. I’m still not over the REAL 2018 Big Ten Championship game, @khakis.

3. Penn State

Penn State is gearing up for one thing this season and one thing only: to lose at Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 12. You heard it here first.

4. Michigan State

The littlest brother of little brothers.

5. Iowa

Ope, Kirk gonna do it to ya again and only go 8-4. I’m just doing this for Nate Stanley.

6. Nebraska

MNGA: Make Nebraska Great Again. Or better yet, don’t.

7. Wisconsin

Remember when Wisconsin was supposed to be good in 2018 but then just wasn’t? Yeah, me too. Disappointing.

8. Northwestern

The nerds won the Big Ten West last season. The Big Ten West was not good last season.

9. Minnesota

I put Minnesota at No. 4 in Week 1 last year and got yelled at. I definitely deserved to get yelled at.

10. Purdue

Irrelevant. Next.

11. Maryland

Has anyone checked on Maryland? Are the turtles OK?

12. Indiana

When you’re not Illinois or Rutgers, you’re Indiana.

13. Illinois

Congratulations, Illini fans! You’re not the worst!

14. Rutgers

Shoutout to the 10 people that attend Rutgers games. That’s the definition of loyalty.

Big Ten Schedule

Thursday, August 29

South Dakota State University vs. Minnesota

8:00 p.m. | FS1

Let it sink in that Minnesota — not Ohio State, Penn State or Michigan — is kicking off the college football season for the Big Ten. This is absolutely ridiculous, much like the game itself probably will be.

Friday, August 30

No. 19 Wisconsin vs. South Florida

6:00 p.m. | ESPN

A lot of Wisconsin’s strongest assets are returning this season, almost giving it a second chance at the success it should have had in 2018. Let’s play a fun game: Jonathan Taylor, over or under 500 rushing yards against South Florida’s defense?

Tulsa vs. No. 18 Michigan State

6:00 p.m. | FS1

Michigan State will continue to be overlooked this season thanks to Big Ten powerhouses, but it should have no problem dominating Tulsa’s defense at home.

Massachusetts vs. Rutgers

6:15 p.m. | BTN

Massachusetts will need its Minutemen to forget the mashing defeat it’ll suffer at the hands of Rutgers, a team that really is not going to be good this year.

Purdue vs. Nevada

8:30 p.m. | CBS

With Indiana and Ball State fighting it out in Indiana on Saturday, Purdue goes to Nevada to fight it out in a game that could go either way if the Boilermakers forget to load up the steam engine.

Saturday, August 31

Howard vs. Maryland

11:00 a.m. | BTN

Maryland has lost a lot of things over the past year, including, but not limited to, its reputation and trust in its football team. It deserves to be handed this win, and Howard will easily oblige.

South Alabama vs. No. 24 Nebraska

11:00 a.m. | ESPN

Nebraska did absolutely nothing to earn the No. 24 spot in AP’s Top 25, but come Sunday, my perception on this could be very different. If the Cornhuskers rise to the occasion (spoiler alert, they should), the Big Ten West could be very interesting.

Akron vs. Illinois

11:00 a.m. | BTN

The Big Ten does a good job in getting its teams wins Week 1, as evident in the fact that even Illinois is projected to run away with this game.

Florida Atlantic vs. No. 5 Ohio State

11:00 a.m. | FOX

Ohio State is good for one really terrible loss per season, but we all know it’s not going to happen Week 1. Let the Buckeyes get shunned from the College Football Playoffs for the third year in a row by a subpar Big Ten team.

Indiana vs. Ball State

11:00 a.m. | CBSS

Let’s just say, you wouldn’t pair Iowa and Iowa State up Week 1. This in-state matchup is lame, but it’s probably the biggest non-loss of a game that Indiana will play all year.

Idaho vs. No. 15 Penn State

2:30 p.m. | BTN

According to ESPN’s Power Index, Penn State has a 99.4 percent chance of winning this game. However, it almost lost to an unranked team Week 1 last season, so who knows what will go down in Happy Valley.

Northwestern vs. No. 25 Stanford

3:00 p.m. | FOX

Northwestern starting out on the road at Stanford is going to be tough. On paper, Stanford dominates this game with no doubt and if Northwestern somehow keeps it close, well, Good Luck Cardinals.

Miami (Ohio) vs. No. 20 Iowa

6:30 p.m. | FS1

This primetime showdown is the perfect chance for Iowa to sink or swim. This season beginning on a high note means dominating right after the opening kickoff, not in the fourth quarter.

Middle Tennessee State vs. No. 7 Michigan

6:30 p.m. | BTN

And here we are, the last game of Week 1. Bringing up the end is No. 7 Michigan in a primetime showdown against SEC powerhouse…. Ahh just kidding, it’s Middle Tennessee State. Boring.