Big Ten East
Indiana Hoosiers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Maryland, Oct. 30
Game Before: Ohio State
Game After: at Michigan
It’s hard to get more jammed into a Big Ten sandwich situation than playing a team in between dates against Ohio State and Michigan. Maryland will be a letdown game for the Hoosiers, too,
– Full Schedule Analysis
Maryland Terrapins
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Kent State, Sept. 25
Game Before: at Illinois
Game After: Iowa
The Big Ten season just gets going with a trip to Illinois and then the FlashFast offense of Kent State comes to town. The notoriously inconsistent Terps might be looking ahead to Iowa and then Ohio State.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Michigan Wolverines
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Maryland, Nov. 20
Game Before: at Penn State
Game After: Ohio State
There are a few potential letdown/sandwich moments for the Wolverines, but sticking the late November trip to Maryland in between Penn State and Ohio State will be a motivational issue.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Michigan State Spartans
Letdown/Sandwich Game: WKU, Oct. 2
Game Before: Nebraska
Game After: at Rutgers
It’s not like the date with Rutgers is a circle game on the calendar, but coming off of games against Miami and Nebraska should signal a letdown alert against WKU and it’s potentially dangerous D.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Ohio State Buckeyes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Tulsa, Sept. 18
Game Before: Oregon
Game After: Akron
The schedule is so soft and mushy that there really isn’t a true sandwich game – Purdue is close coming after Penn State and Nebraska and before Michigan State and Michigan. It’s going to take something special, though, to get up for Tulsa after starting the season against Minnesota and Oregon.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Penn State Nittany Lions
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Ball State, Sept. 11
Game Before: at Wisconsin
Game After: Auburn
The Nittany Lions should be able to take care of the defending MAC champs, but it might not be a breeze to get up for coming in between the season/Big Ten opener at Wisconsin and the date with Auburn.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Delaware, Sept. 18
Game Before: at Syracuse
Game After: at Michigan
Delaware is one of the better FCS teams, and it’s going to have a whole run of spring football to tune up for the season. Rutgers can’t take anyone lightly, but with the Big Ten opener at Michigan coming up, and coming off the date at Syracuse, look out.
– Full Schedule Analysis
– Big Ten 2021 Predictions: Spring Version
Big Ten West
Illinois Fighting Illini
Letdown/Sandwich Game: UTSA, Sept. 4
Game Before: Nebraska
Game After: at Virginia
The Bret Bielema era should get off to an interesting start one way or another with the Big Ten and season opener against Nebraska to kick things off. Going to Virginia will be fun, and in between is a sneaky-decent UTSA team that should go bowling.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Iowa Hawkeyes
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Illinois, Nov. 20
Game Before: Minnesota
Game After: at Nebraska
The Hawkeyes have several potential letdown moments – like Kent State the week after going to Iowa State – but Illinois could be the bigger problem. It’s Senior Day, but it’s coming off the rivalry game against Minnesota and with the regular season finale at Nebraska just six days later.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Miami University, Sept. 11
Game Before: Ohio State
Game After: at Colorado
The RedHawks should be just good enough to be in the thick of the MAC race, and Minnesota is going to be just off enough early on to blow it in what needs to be a layup home game. Coming off the opener against Ohio State and with a trip to Colorado up next, there can’t be a misfire.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Buffalo, Sept. 11
Game Before: at Illinois
Game After: at Oklahoma
There’s a week off before dealing with UB, but one way or another, Nebraska might not be all that fired up for the home opener after starting the Big Ten season with the Illini and with everyone talking about the trip to Oklahoma a week later.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Northwestern Wildcats
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Ohio, Sept. 25
Game Before: at Duke
Game After: at Nebraska
Northwestern has a history of issues with home games against MAC teams, and it’s not like this one against Ohio is early enough in the season to ensure full and undivided attention. The Cats get a trip to Nebraska the week followed by a week off.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Purdue Boilermakers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: Illinois, Sept. 25
Game Before: at Notre Dame
Game After: Minnesota
It’s not just that the Boilermakers will be coming off the big national game against Notre Dame, it’s also that Minnesota is right after. It’s not like it was the Gophers’ fault, but that’s a revenge game for Purdue after last year’s controversial finish.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Wisconsin Badgers
Letdown/Sandwich Game: at Rutgers, Nov. 6
Game Before: Iowa
Game After: Northwestern
Think the blip against Illinois two years ago – the Badgers were rolling before the shocking road upset. Iowa will be a huge game in the Big Ten West race, and Northwestern should be a factor, too. In between is the trip to deal with the Scarlet Knights.
– Full Schedule Analysis
Letdown Game For Every Power 5 Team
ACC | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC