How the conference schedule lays out

[Norm Peterson]

There are teams we play twice. There are teams we only play once and it's here. And then there are teams we only play once and it's there.

 

There are teams we'd likely beat either place. There are teams where the home team likely wins. And there are teams where we'd likely lose regardless.

 

In an ideal schedule, the single-play road games would be against teams that would either likely beat you home or away, or that you could beat them on their home floor. The single play homes games would ideally be against teams that the home team would likely win. As it turns out, I think the single plays actually set up pretty good for us.

 

Single plays here:

Michigan St

Penn St

Purdue

 

Single plays there:

Iowa

Maryland

Illinois

 

Double plays:

Minnesota

Indiana

Wisconsin

Rutgers

Northwestern

Ohio St

Michigan

 

Illinois and Purdue are the only ones I had thought would beat us either place. I was wrong. Purdue is clearly one where the home team likely wins. And we don't make a return trip. Hahaha.

 

Based on our play thus far, I'm saying potential conference road wins are as follows: Maryland; Rutgers; Northwestern; Michigan.

 

I think there are only two remaining home games where we have a significant risk of losing: Ohio St and Wisconsin. (Obviously, we *could* lose to any of them.)

 

I think we probably find two Ws among the remaining winnable road games and I think we drop 1 of the 2 losable home games. (Obviously, they're *all* losable if we don't come to play.)

 

So, at the end of the season, I'm looking at 2-8 on the road in the Big Ten and 9-1 at home. That's 11 conference wins. Twenty-one regular season wins overall.

 

OK, I made my prediction. Call your shots.

[Vinny]

I said 10 non-con wins and 22 overall before the season started. I’ll stick to that.

 

22-9 at the end of the regular season. I think we can win on the road this week. 

[Huskerpapa]

My narrow little mind struggles thinking beyond the next game.  Seems to be part of my DNA.  My thinking is that all of our remaining games, no matter the venue, are winnable.  Of course, if we show up playing like the second half versus Minnesota or for the entire game versus Wisconsin, each game can be lost.  Sort of the nature of the league.

[cozrulz]

Win Friday and I'm thinking 13 conference wins...

[AuroranHusker]

7 hours ago, Norm Peterson said:

So, at the end of the season, I'm looking at 2-8 on the road in the Big Ten and 9-1 at home. That's 11 conference wins. Twenty-one regular season wins overall.

 

OK, I made my prediction. Call your shots.

 

I already called 10 non-conference wins and 11 conference wins in the pre-season contest, so yeah. You're finally "on board" with the program !! 

[hhcmatt]

ATM

 

[Cazzie22]

Northwestern will be a big test and Rutgers in Piscataway will not be a guarantee. I think I agree with your overall assessment if we play well.

[cozrulz]

8 conference wins

[Handy Johnson]

Like our old Coach Ken Greenstreet used to tell us down in Superior, time to “Bow the Neck.” 

[Cazzie22]

I am sure Rutgers plays today or tomorrow while we travel back from Iowa City.  But that advantage is neutralized by the long trip to New Jersey.  Team probably gets today off.

[hskr4life]

2 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

I am sure Rutgers plays today or tomorrow while we travel back from Iowa City.  But that advantage is neutralized by the long trip to New Jersey.  Team probably gets today off.

@ msu tomorrow morning 

[throwback]

3 hours ago, Cazzie22 said:

I am sure Rutgers plays today or tomorrow while we travel back from Iowa City.  But that advantage is neutralized by the long trip to New Jersey.  Team probably gets today off.

I think Fred said NU actually has to take both Saturday and Sunday off (per NCAA rules) because they've had so many games and travel days in a row.

 

[jimmykc]

Not a bad idea, anyway.