Hello and welcome friends to another edition of This B1G Week. This is the very first This B1G Week of 2021, or as I like to call it Twenty Twenty Pun. Also out this week is the first NET rankings of the season are out and surprise surprise, the Big Ten has a strong presence in them. Illinois (4), Michigan (6), and Iowa (7) represent the conference in the top ten. Wisconsin (11) and Rutgers (17) fill out the top twenty for the Big Ten.
Big Ten Game of the Week
Tuesday - 9 pm - ESPN 2 - Rutgers @ Michigan State - There's no sugarcoating it, MSU has had a capital R Rough start to this Big Ten Season. They followed up their 0-2 start by getting clobbered at Minnesota and a too close for comfort victory over Nebraska. Rutgers is off to probably their best start since joining the Big Ten. This game will help us figure out if Michigan State can turn things around or if Rutgers will be competing for a top spot in the conference.
Actual Rankings
B1G Picks
Nonconference Game of the Week
Saturday - Noon - ESPN - Texas @ West Virginia - Texas is coming off of one of the biggest road victories at Kansas on top of an already stellar season. West Virginia has been great all season as well. This makes for a banger of a game to start your Saturday off right.
Team of the Week
Team of the Weak
Iowa Hawkeyes - Iowa has surprised me a little this season. I knew their offense would be amazing, which it is, but I assumed their defense would be a garbage fire. Don't get me wrong it's still a garbage fire but the flames are a little low than I thought they'd be. The handled a red hot Northwestern squad midweek then went in and won a game at Rutgers which is hard to do regardless of crowd size.
Team of the Weak
Northwestern Wildcats - The 'Cats came back down to earth just as fast as they went up into space. They lost their two games this past week by 17 and 19 and we're too impressive. It's hard to tell which is the fluke: their first three games or these two, or more likely they fall somewhere in between.
Actual Rankings
- Michigan - 4-0 - 9-0
- Illinois - 4-1 - 8-3
- Iowa - 3-1 - 9-2
- Wisconsin - 3-1 - 9-2
- Minnesota - 3-2 - 10-2
- Rutgers - 3-2 - 7-2
- Northwestern - 3-2 - 7-2
- Ohio State - 2-3 - 8-3
- Purdue - 2-3 - 7-5
- Indiana - 1-2 - 6-4
- Michigan State - 1-3 - 7-3
- Maryland - 1-3 - 6-4
- Penn State - 0-3 - 3-4
- Nebraska - 0-4 - 4-7
B1G Picks
Monday
8 pm - BTN - Maryland @ Indiana
Grant's Pick: Indiana, Troy's Pick: Indiana
Tuesday
7 pm - BTN - Nebraska @ Purdue
Grant's Pick: , Troy's Pick:
9 pm - ESPN 2 - Rutgers @ Michigan State
Grant's Pick: Michigan State, Troy's Pick: Rutgers
Wednesday
6:30 pm - BTN - Penn State @ Ohio State
Grant's Pick: Ohio State, Troy's Pick: Ohio State
8:30 pm - BTN - Minnesota @ Michigan
Grant's Pick: Michigan, Troy's Pick: Michigan
Thursday
7 pm - ESPN - Iowa @ Maryland
Grant's Pick: Iowa, Troy's Pick: Iowa
7 pm - FS1 - Indiana @ Wisconsin
Grant's Pick: Wisconsin, Troy's Pick: Wisconsin
9 pm - BTN - Illinois @ Northwestern
Grant's Pick: Illinois, Troy's Pick: Illinois
Friday
7 pm - BTN - Purdue @ Michigan State
Grant's Pick: Michigan State, Troy's Pick: Michigan State
Saturday
Noon - BTN - Ohio State @ Rutgers
Grant's Pick: Rutgers, Troy's Pick: Rutgers
2:15 pm - BTN - Michigan @ Penn State
Grant's Pick: Michigan, Troy's Pick: Michigan
Sunday
Grant's Pick: Iowa, Troy's Pick: Iowa
6 pm - BTN - Indiana @ Nebraska
Grant's Pick: Indiana, Troy's Pick: Indiana
8 pm - BTN - Maryland @ Illinois
Grant's Previous Week Pick Record: 8-4
Grant's Total Pick Record: 81-21
Troy's Previous Week Pick Record: 9-3
Troy's Total Pick Record: 84-18
To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)
Grant's Pick: Illinois, Troy's Pick: Illinois
Grant's Previous Week Pick Record: 8-4
Grant's Total Pick Record: 81-21
Troy's Previous Week Pick Record: 9-3
Troy's Total Pick Record: 84-18
To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)
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