MMQB - The Big Ten May (Not So Secretly) Be Terrible

Well folks, it happened - after flirting with danger the first two weeks of the season, the Wisconsin Badgers lost to BYU this past weekend. The Badgers’ loss is just another early-season miscue from the Big Ten, a conference as highly touted as any entering the 2018 season. In total, five teams began 2018 ranked in the top 25 - Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan all ranked in the top 15 to start the season. Only Ohio State and Penn State remain undefeated just 3 weeks into the season.

Michigan lost its opening game on the road against Notre Dame (understandable), Michigan State lost at Arizona State a week later (less understandable), and Wisconsin tumbled this past week at home against BYU (egregiously awful).

Despite unbeaten streaks, neither Penn State nor Ohio State have looked like world-beaters. OSU owns the most impressive win, upending TCU, but also gave up 31 points to the Oregon State Beavers . . . who most recently lost to Nevada. And Penn State needed overtime in week 1 to take down G5 Appalachian State.

No sir, the Big Ten may (not so secretly) be terrible this year. It would not surprise me one bit if the B1G cannibalizes itself in 2018, and a two- (or three-) loss champion is left out of the playoffs AGAIN.

Time will tell, but things look bleak for the conference at the moment.