BIG TEN EAST
Indiana Hoosiers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Illinois, Nov. 14
Game Before: at Ohio State
Game After: at Michigan
Not only is this the Illinois game one of the worst sandwiches possible – between road games at Ohio State and Michigan – but the showdown with Purdue comes after going to Ann Arbor, and Michigan State and Penn State come before going to Columbus.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Maryland Terrapins
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Rutgers, Oct. 31
Game Before: Wisconsin
Game After: at Michigan
There are must wins, and there’s Halloween for Maryland at home against Rutgers. It’s coming off a date against Wisconsin, and the finishing kick after playing the Scarlet Knights … at Michigan, Ohio State, at Penn State, Michigan State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Michigan Wolverines
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Purdue, Oct. 24
Game Before: at Minnesota
Game After: Maryland
There’s no real sandwich game on the Michigan slate, but the Homecoming game against Purdue is a potentially massive letdown moment. It comes right before a week off, and after a run of Wisconsin, Penn State, at Michigan State and Minnesota.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Michigan State Spartans
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Indiana, Oct. 24
Game Before: Ohio State
Game After: Minnesota
Will the Spartans have anything left in the tank? They’ll have a run of Miami, at Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State before having to go to Bloomington. And after the trip? Minnesota, there’s a week off, and then at Penn State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Ohio State Buckeyes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Nebraska, Oct. 31
Game Before: at Penn State
Game After: Indiana
There’s no true sandwich game for the Buckeyes, but the home date against the Huskers could be letdown time coming off a run of Iowa, at Michigan State and at Penn State. The Huskers are going to bring plenty of national attention, but it’s a dog days game with a month still to go – OSU has to get up for it.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Penn State Nittany Lions
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Indiana, Oct. 31
Game Before: Ohio State
Game After: at Nebraska
Not only is this in late October of a long season, but it comes after at Michigan, Iowa and Ohio State, and before going to Nebraska and dealing with Michigan State. Fortunately, there’s a week off before dealing with Iowa.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Temple, Sept. 19
Game Before: Syracuse
Game After: at Ohio State
There’s no such thing as a letdown game yet for Rutgers, but the trip to Temple is dangerous. It might be early the year, but it comes after facing Syracuse at home and before kicking off the Big Ten season at Ohio State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
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BIG TEN WEST
Illinois Fighting Illini
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Rutgers, Oct. 3
Game Before: Bowling Green
Game After: at Nebraska
Illinois isn’t strong enough to have a true sandwich game on the date against an inferior team, but it does have a dangerous letdown moment with a week off before starting the Big Ten season with a road game at Rutgers. The Nebraska game the following week will feel bigger.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Iowa Hawkeyes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Northern Illinois, Sept. 26
Game Before: at Minnesota
Game After: Michigan State
Northern Illinois has a way over the years of coming up with a non-conference shockers – ask 2013 Iowa, who lost 30-27 in the opener. Iowa has the Big Ten opener at Minnesota the week before, and then it’s Michigan State, at Ohio State, at Penn State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Illinois, Oct. 24
Game Before: Michigan
Game After: at Michigan State
The Golden Gophers don’t get their week off until mid-November. Before that, they have a midseason grind with four road games in five weeks, going to Maryland and Wisconsin before hosting Michigan. Right after that comes a trip to Illinois, followed up by a date at Michigan State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Penn State, Nov. 7
Game Before: at Ohio State
Game After: at Iowa
Of course Penn State is hardly a letdown game, but it’s a brutal sandwich date for the Huskers who have to deal with a rough second half run. Before the Nittany Lions come to town, Nebraska goes to Rutgers and Ohio State, and follows it up with dates at Iowa and Wisconsin. It’s the only home game between October 10th and November 27th.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Northwestern Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Central Michigan, Sept. 19
Game Before: Tulane
Game After: at Penn State
Akron in 2018, Illinois State in 2016, Northern Illinois in 2014, Army in 2011 … there’s nothing more Northwestern than losing at home in September against a mediocre team. It starts the year at Michigan State, has a tough home game against Tulane, and has to go to Penn State after dealing with the Chippewas.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Purdue Boilermakers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Northwestern, Oct. 31
Game Before: at Michigan
Game After: at Minnesota
It’s Homecoming – for whatever that means anymore – it’s a likely must-win to have any hopes of going bowling, and it’s a dangerous sandwich game after road games at Illinois and Michigan and before going to Minnesota and dealing with Wisconsin and Iowa.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Wisconsin Badgers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Maryland, Oct. 24
Game Before: Minnesota
Game After: Illinois
There isn’t a true sandwich game for the Badgers, but there’s a possible letdown against the Terps. It’s a road game coming off a break, which comes after at Michigan, Notre Dame in Lambeau Field, and the Paul Bunyan Axe game against Minnesota. Up next, the revenge game against Illinois for last year’s loss.
– Full Schedule Analysis