Ohio State at Penn State 9/29
As Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma have emerged as the best teams in their respective conferences during the playoff era. The Big Ten enters the 2018 season as the most interesting conference. Michigan’s talent level finally looks ready to match head coach Jim Harbaugh’s intensity. Nebraska alum Scott Frost leads the Cornhuskers after achieving an undefeated season and “claimed” National Championship with UCF. Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan State are all strong teams with solid head coaches. Penn State almost made the playoff two years ago, and despite losing Saquon Barkley this past season, the Nittany Lions are returning an incredibly talented team that has won 22 games over the past two seasons.
Of course, the Big Ten has had a dominant team as well in Ohio State. Led by one of the best coaches in college football, the Buckeyes have made the CFP twice—winning the national title in its inaugural year. Of course, Urban Meyer is currently on administrative leave, while the school investigates allegations he covered up domestic violence claims against former assistant coach Zach Smith. If the investigation finds that Meyer knew about the specific incidents and failed to act appropriately, he will likely be fired—leaving the team in a state of flux. On the field, the Buckeyes could probably get by on talent alone. But Penn State will be the first team on the schedule with a real shot to beat them. If Meyer isn’t fired, the game in Happy Valley might be worth tuning in just to have someone to root against.
