Around the Big Ten | Matchups, Power Rankings for Week 1 of the college football season
Sports Editor Chloe Peterson previews this weekend’s matchups and gives the DI’s first power rankings of the 2022 season.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost talks with Big Ten Network football analyst Gerry DiNardo during day one of Big Ten Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Thursday, July 22.
September 1, 2022
Power Rankings
- Ohio State — The Buckeyes are back, baby.
- Michigan — Two starting quarterbacks, second in the rankings.
- Michigan State — Michigan State is the type of good team that no one knows anything about.
- Wisconsin — Graham Mertz redemption year?
- Purdue — Purdue is going to win the West, just you wait.
- Iowa — Does Iowa have a quarterback yet?
- Minnesota — Mo Ibrahim is back, so maybe Minnesota will be good again.
- Penn State — I don’t even know what to think about Penn State anymore.
- Northwestern — It’s an even year, the Wildcats have to be back.
- Maryland — Taulia Tagovailoa broke three program records last year and Maryland was still bad.
- Rutgers — Also bad.
- Illinois — Super bad.
- Indiana — I forgot about Indiana in my original rankings, if that tells you anything.
- Nebraska — 0-1 to start the season, just like the college football gods intended.
Week 1 Big Ten matchups
Western Michigan @ No. 15 Michigan State
When/where to watch: Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN | Line: MICH -20 | O/U: 54
Western Michigan won’t have to go far to get trampled, at least. To give Western Michigan some credit, Kalamazoo is a cooler town name than East Lansing.
Illinois @ Indiana
When/where to watch: Friday at 7 p.m. on FS1 | Line: IND -3 | O/U: 47.5
Bring me the Big Ten map commercial. I only have two more seasons before they have to expand to the ~West Coast~ for Big Ten country teams USC and UCLA.
Colorado State @ No. 8 Michigan
When/where to watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on ABC | Line: MICH -27 | O/U: 58
I like to think of Colorado State as an FCS team. That being said, Colorado State did lose to FCS South Dakota State, so it’s like the Rams are right there.
South Dakota State @ Iowa
When/where to watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on FS1 | Line: -15.5 O/U: 44.5
Iowa actually has a chance to lose this one, funnily enough. South Dakota State almost beat Minnesota in 2019 anyway. SDSU to the Big Ten, anyone?
Buffalo @ Maryland
When/where to watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on BTN | Line: MD -23 | O/U: 63.5
Charlie Jones went to the MAC, the Big Ten West, and then the Big Ten West again. He left Buffalo, left Iowa, and now tickets to this game are as low as $3.
Rutgers @ Boston College
When/where to watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on ACC Network | Line: BC -7 | O/U: 48
Rutgers playing a road game in the first week of the season really is… something. Rutgers, a Big Ten team, being the underdog in week of the season is a whole ‘nother kind of something.
North Dakota @ Nebraska
When/where to watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on BTN | Line: -22 | O/U: 48.5
Try not to onside kick when you’re up by two possessions this time, Nebraska. Although, it would be really funny if you did.
Illinois State @ Wisconsin
When/where to watch: Saturday at 6:00 p.m on FS1 | Line: WIS -33 | O/U: 39
I have no opinion about this blowout game. I still have to write around 50 words about it though, so I guess this is a chance for Graham Mertz to show he’s not terrible.
No. 5 Notre Dame @ No. 2 Ohio State
When/where to watch: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC | Line: OSU -17 | O/U: 58.5
Objectively, the only Big Ten game worth watching this week. And this season, Brian Kelly won’t be in South Bend with his *fahmily*.