Earlier than the beginning of the faculty soccer season, I predicted the order of end within the Large Ten.
Very, very badly, I would add. On model, you say? Yeah, yeah.
Now, with 5 regular-season video games to go (not counting the championship sport) for every crew within the convention, it’s time for my annual Large Ten Re-Rankings column — a practice so wealthy and illustrious, I overlook to jot down it roughly each different 12 months.
Let’s use the looming School Soccer Playoff as a method of separating these groups (present data and my preseason rankings are in parentheses):
CFP locks
1. Ohio State (7-0; 1): With no sport this weekend, the Buckeyes can kick their ft up Saturday earlier than resuming their reign of terror. Quarterback Julian Sayin for the Heisman Trophy?
2. Indiana (7-0; 11): Eleventh? Sheesh, that’s embarrassing. Not solely received’t the Hoosiers regress to the 5-4 convention document I predicted for them; they’ve an incredible shot at operating the desk.
CFP good guess
3. Oregon (6-1; 4): The Geese nonetheless go to Iowa and Washington and host USC. There’s a great little bit of inexperienced left on this putt.
CFP lengthy pictures
4. USC (5-2; 7): Sure, Illinois followers, you nipped the Trojans in Champaign. You additionally misplaced by 47 billion at Indiana. The Trojans aren’t more likely to get to 10-2, however doing so would put them very a lot in play.
5. Michigan (5-2; 6): Freshman QB Bryce Underwood is coming off his finest sport, in opposition to Washington, and his crew can be favored in its subsequent 4 contests. The Wolverines wouldn’t dare beat Ohio State for the fifth time in a row, would they?
6. Illinois (5-2; 5): If the Illini can discover a path to victory Saturday in Seattle, they’ll have a fairly straight shot at 10-2. However would they be a playoff crew at 10-2? Perhaps — if issues have been to fall totally of their favor.
7. Iowa (5-2; 8): There are at the least just a few losable video games left on the Hawkeyes’ docket, however they’re a strong crew that performed Indiana on practically equal phrases. Oregon nonetheless involves Iowa Metropolis, a chance to make an enormous transfer.
8. Washington (5-2; 3): What occurred to the Huskies being this 12 months’s Indiana? Perhaps that was simply my dumb concept.
All the remaining
9. Nebraska (5-2; 10): The Huskers’ finest win got here in opposition to Maryland. Even at 10-2, their résumé wouldn’t be a lot to take a look at.
10. Minnesota (5-2; 9): The Gophers seemed robust as nails final trip, in opposition to Nebraska, however eight wins and a mid-tier bowl looks like the best-case state of affairs.
11. Northwestern (5-2; 12): A tip of the beer helmet to the Wildcats for exceeding all outdoors expectations so far. Emphasis on “so far,” as a result of discovering a sixth win, not to mention greater than that, received’t be straightforward.
12. UCLA (3-4; 16): The Bruins are 3-1 since firing Deshaun Foster. Sadly, the rest of the schedule is diabolical.
13. Maryland (4-3; 17): No one’s speaking in regards to the Terrapins, whose three convention losses got here by a complete of 10 factors. A season of “almosts.”
14. Penn State (3-4; 2): Elevate your hand in the event you noticed this catastrophe coming. Oh, cease, you didn’t.
15. Rutgers (3-4; 13): If the Scarlet Knights can summon any shreds of dignity after dropping at house by 46 to Oregon, they could flip themselves right into a reasonably robust out down the stretch.
16. Michigan State (3-4; 14): 4 straight losses have worn out any and all momentum. A bowl crew, this isn’t.
17. Purdue (2-5; 18): There are obscure indicators of life in Season 1 on Barry Odom’s watch. Or are there? It’s onerous to inform.
18. Wisconsin (2-5; 15): My alma mater received 9 video games throughout my 4 years as a scholar. The doormat Badgers are virtually making me really feel younger once more.
Week 9 picks
All video games are Saturday.
Northwestern (+7½) at Nebraska (11 a.m., FS1, 720-AM): The Wildcats have received 4 video games in a row and are simply nutty sufficient to imagine they will go to Lincoln and make it 5. I wouldn’t put it previous them, however I’ll take the Huskers to hold on 27-21.
No. 8 Ole Miss (+5½) at No. 13 Oklahoma (11 a.m., ABC 7): The Rebels lit up the scoreboard and led a lot of the best way in final week’s 43-35 loss at Georgia, however OU’s protection is at the next stage. Boomer, 30-24.
No. 23 Illinois (+3½) at Washington (2:30 p.m., BTN, 890-AM): The Huskies weren’t bodily sufficient to complete drives in opposition to Ohio State or Michigan. Is Illinois the identical form of animal defensively? It doesn’t appear so, although a bye week ought to have the Illini good and recent. UDub, 31-24.
No. 3 Texas A&M (-2½) at No. 20 LSU (6:30 p.m., ABC 7): Within the proverbial best-of-seven collection on a impartial discipline, I’d take the Aggies 4-3. In Loss of life Valley? Tigers, 31-27.
No. 25 Michigan (-14½) at Michigan State (6:30 p.m., NBC 5): The hole between these rivals is giant, however Little Brother can have one thing to say on this one. Wolverines hold the Paul Bunyan Trophy, although, 27-20.
My favourite favourite: No. 10 Vanderbilt (-2½) vs. No. 15 Missouri (2:30 p.m., ESPN): Final 12 months’s double-overtime loss at Mizzou nonetheless sticks within the Commodores’ craws. It’s payback time.
My favourite underdog: Minnesota (+9½) at Iowa (2:30 p.m., CBS 2): The final 5 Floyd of Rosedale video games in Iowa Metropolis have been actual hogfights, determined by one rating. Hawkeyes eke one out by a kick, however the Gophers cowl.
Final week: 4-3 straight-up, 3-4 in opposition to the unfold.
Season to this point: 36-20, 27-29.
