Welcome to the final installment of the RBR! It’s been a great season and with your awesome performance, the B1G gained a ton of recognition for being active and highly competitive. In this edition we’ll have a look at where things started, the final rankings and look at how the season will wrap up!
18.) MINNESOTA (82) 1-11
Started: 13
Previous: 17
Coach: UncleLbo34
The Gophers started the season as the 13th team in the predictions and immediately fell to 18 after 2 early losses to Mizzu and UCF. Their lone win came with an upset of the upsetters, beating Illinois on the road 12-7. The Gophers could never get out of the hole and struggled with being consistently active. A season-ending sim loss to Wisconsin decided their final fate.
17.) WISCONSIN (87) 1-11
Started: 5
Previous: 18
Coach: Wave214 (15-39)
To say that Wisconsin and Coach Wave crashed would be an understatement. After beginning the season at 5, Wisconsin also struggled with early losses and activity. By the end of block 5, the Badgers found themselves in the basement. Credit to Coach Wave though, as late in the season we saw signs of life when the Badgers were feisty outs against Purdue and Iowa. Now that the first new season is in the rearview, Coach Wave will get an opportunity for a fresh start at a new program and look to carry that momentum forward.
16.) WASHINGTON (82) 2-11
Started: 11
Previous: 15
Coach: Doodee (157-75)
A slightly late start for vet Coach Doodee had him scrambling to get the Huskies going. He found success with a big win in the Apple Cup, but the following 4 games against Northwestern, Rutgers, Michigan and Iowa proved to be brutal. While they just missed in many close games, they were able to steal a 2nd victory, knocking off the Trojans in Wk.10.
15.) UCLA (82) 4-8
Started: 14
Previous: 15
Coach: Ghost of Pauley Pavilion (61-150)
From the penthouse to the outhouse and back to the penthouse, it’s been a whirlwind season for Coach MB. After having his Rolls Royce repossessed by the school, the Bruins stood up for the coach and showed what they were capable of in back-to-back wins against Washington and USC to close the year. The Victory Bell returned to UCLA, but will the coach?
14.) MARYLAND (80) 4-8
Started: 17
Previous: 13
Coach: Drewwbacca
Maryland is the first team in the rankings to move up from their initial prediction! Unfortunately, Maryland’s roster is just lacking. Coach Drew worked a small miracle, getting Billy Edwards to lock in as QB and get production out of WR Prader. In the end though, Maryland could never get over the depth of talent hurdle. The final closing games against some heavy hitters, saw the Terps continue to put up significant points while the defense couldn’t slow down anyone. While Coach Drew may consider a return to the B1G, I’m not sure another stay in Maryland is in his sights.
13.) MICHIGAN STATE (80) 3-9
Started: 16
Previous: 14
Coach: Korben_Dallas7
Going 3-9 and finishing 13th probably isn’t appealing to Coach Korben, but the reality is that this roster was devoid of anything useful compared to most B1G teams. He recognized that the closest thing to playmakers that he had were QB A. Chiles and TE J. Velling, and he used them to the best of their ability. When you consider that MSU lost 6 games by 1 score, it was a really good season. The record is more of a reflection on the depth of the B1G than it is the coach. I think there’s a bright future ahead for Coach Korben.
12.) ILLINOIS (80) 4-8
Started: 15
Previous: 12
Coach: uf83198 (47-27)
Without question, there is no more important and exciting 4-8 team in the country! Coach UF, the Upset King, made the most of all 3 of his conference wins by knocking off 3 of the 4 teams in the championship game tiebreaker and securing the spot for Rutgers. However, when he wasn’t busy beating up the B1G’s elite, the Illini were losing 1 score games (6 on the year)! The prospect of another season with leading B1G passing yardage QB Luke Altmyer and a chance to right those wrongs, could be appealing. But sitting out bowl season when it looked to be a sure thing after Wk.8 has got to sting for Coach UF. A touch choice lies ahead!
11.) INDIANA (82) 5-7
Started: 9
Previous: 11
Coach: TattooBoyP (63-79)
The Hoosiers regular season finished out hit started, with a tough loss. In Wk.1 the Hoosiers were surprised by what turned out to be a very competitive Kent State team. Thinking that bowl eligibility (6 wins) was on the line, the Hoosiers fell short against in-state rival Purdue. When you look back on where their opponents finished, Coach P won the games he should have and was competitive in losses. In simple terms, he did his job, the team just couldn’t get that “little bit more” that they needed. The good news however, is that with the CFP, the bowl committee was able to pull in a few 5-7 programs, so the Hoosiers season isn’t done yet! Indiana will cruise up to the Motor City to take on Pitt in the Detroit Bowl, and have the opportunity to write a new ending to this season by beating down the boss!
10.) USC (87) 6-6
Started: 6
Previous: 9
Coach: The_5thLineMason
They call him the Streak! (probably too young for this, ask Coach P) Doing his best Ray Stevens impression, but not in a good way, USC went from a 5 game win streak in the middle of the season, capping it with a big win over Rutgers, to losing the final 4 games of the year, including upsets by Washington and UCLA. WR Zachariah Branch was electric and Coach Mason is going to need to dial up his number a lot in the Gator Bowl. It’s going to be fireworks seeing the speedy WR for USC try to match big plays against Toledo’s lightning quick HB J. Stuart. Toledo is looking for a statement win after missing out on the MAC championship game via tiebreaker and feeling left out of the CFP. USC has a chance for a statement win to finish the year!
9.) PENN STATE (88) 8-4
Started: 4
Previous: 10
Coach: footballkelly31 (67-129)
After starting the season 4-0, Coach Kelly and the Nittany Lions ran into the aforementioned USC hot streak and got lit up 33-7. That was followed by an upset loss to SDSU that derailed Penn State heading into their battle with Ohio State, which they ultimately lost as well. Credit to Coach Kelly as he managed to right the ship down the stretch, but it may have been too little, too late, to save his job in Happy Valley. While 8-4 isn’t terrible and HB Nic Singleton and edge rusher Abdul Carter had great seasons, I’m sure Coach Kelly expected more. The Lions will be playing in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl (for those not familiar, it’s the former Copper Bowl/Cactus Bowl) in Arizona against a BYU team that’s gone 1-4 in their last 5, but nothing is “guaranteed” here, because BYU is an old school squad that focuses on playing clean, mistake-free football.
8.) RUTGERS (82) 8-5
Started: 12
Previous: 8
Coach: geauxcapper
Maybe it’s odd to see the team that just fought valiantly B1G championship game sitting in 8th place, but I believe Dennis Green said it best, “they are who we thought they were.” Rutgers and Coach Geaux did manage to win 8 games, but in looking at the total body of work, there’s no signature win on the record. They were within a score of Oregon St, Baylor and even Ohio State, which are all great teams, but they never closed a win vs a top level opponent. Their inclusion in the game was less about their success and more about the fact that Illinois took out their competition for them. In the end, they’ve drawn the perfect opponent in the Reliaquest Bowl (formerly Outback Bowl), in Cincinnati. The Bearcats, much like the Knights, finished with a quality record of 8-4, but came up short against better teams (ASU, WVU). This is a an opportunity for each team to put that highlight win on their resume!
7.) IOWA (87) 9-3
Started: 7
Previous: 5
Coach: Wildes1 (38-33)
Much like Rutgers, when you look at the entire story, Iowa’s best B1G conference win was over 12th ranked Michigan State by just a TD. This is a team that plays nasty defense with Sebastian Casto and Jermari Harris patrolling the secondary and they love to run the rock with the B1G’s leading rusher, LeShon Williams. But when push comes to shove, Iowa wasn’t able to take out another top-level team so far this season. They are going to get an opportunity to change the narrative in the Music City Bowl and this matchup is going to have every old school, smash mouth football fan watching! Iowa will square off with Oregon State, in a battle of teams known for great ball control and defense! Mark this one on your calendars now, it’s going to be a slugfest!
6.) OREGON (93) 9-3
Started: 2
Previous: 7
Coach: mtwasik (195-188)
The Ducks season was flipped upside down with a stunning loss at Purdue in Wk.8 and the inability to rebound against Michigan in Wk.10. While this essentially eliminated them from a shot at the B1G Championship, big credit to Coach Wasik for keeping his team focused and closing the season strong with 3 consecutive wins! While I never imagined that a fight between Ducks and Owls could be a fierce battle, that’s what we’re going to get in the Citrus Bowl, as Oregon takes on the 1-loss AAC Champions, Temple. After a highlight reel loaded victory over up-and-coming Oregon State in Wk.3 to start the season, Coach Wasik looks to end the same year by knocking off another NDL newcomer in Coach Eljefe.
5.) PURDUE (82) 8-4
Previous: 6
Coach: dub6582
After closing the regular season with a masterful 6 game winning streak, Purdue’s Old Oaken Bucket victory left them just short of battling Ohio State for the B1G championship. Hudson Card has looked absolutely locked-in at QB, while Devin Mockobee has delivered numerous angry runs worthy clips down the stretch. With signature wins over Oregon, Northwestern, Penn State and CFP bound Ohio State, Coach Dub has set the bar sky-high for future seasons. The Boilermakers will be traveling to NY for the Pinstripe Bowl, where they’ll face off with a Louisville team that’s also on a 3-game winning streak, after suffering a series of hiccups in the middle of their season. Someone’s streak is going to get snapped in New York!
4.) NORTHWESTERN (80) 9-3
Started: From the bottom now he’s here!
Previous: 3
Coach: matt90210 (161-157)
There’s not enough space in this writeup for me to express how impressed I’ve been with what Northwestern has accomplished this season. Coach Hollywood has written a script that could only happen in the movies. HB Cam Porter has been steady all year and QB Jack Lausch was likely regarded as the worst QB in the B1G at the start of the season. The only thing left for Northwestern to do is go full Cody Rhodes and finish the story! Northwestern is the true Cinderella in the CFP and they journey starts off with a tough matchup in the bayou, against LSU. They need to be focused on the task at hand and not look ahead at OSU, who would be waiting in the next round. Will the dream be shattered or does Coach Hollywood and the Wildcats have 1 more scene to write?
3.) MICHIGAN (88) 9-3
Started: 3
Previous: 4
Coach: phreakk (50-43)
It’s been a rough few weeks for the Wolverines, as they’ve watched the season and CFP slip away. No team was hurt by an Illini upset as much as Michigan. With their other 2 losses coming against CFP teams Tennessee and OSU, the Illinois loss blocked them out of a rematch with OSU and damaged their Massey rating enough that even a Wk.13 victory over Northwestern, wasn’t enough to get them into the CFP. Coach Phreakk and the Wolverines need to get focused, because there will still be a lot of lights on them when they roll into the Texas Bowl to take on a surging Arizona State squad and veteran NDL Coach vtrunngun. Maybe 1 more win could open the door for a Michigan return or at least leave quality options on the table for Coach Phreakk’s next stop?
2.) NEBRASKA (84) 10-2
Started: 8
Previous: 2
Coach: Spyder_XT (0-0)
Coffee is for closers and Coach Spyder and the Huskers are bankrupting Starbucks! After being the 1st victim of Illinois back in Wk.4, Coach Spyder has had QB Dylan Railoa and HB Rahmir Johnson shredding opposing defenses. The only other mark on the record is an absolutely wild loss at Ohio State. Now, after being on the wrong side of the B1G championship game tiebreaker, Nebraska gets a chance on the big stage in the CFP. Nebraska is ready to bring the fight to Athens to battle the immortal Zeus, or in this case, Georgia. The path to glory and a national title may be the toughest of any team in the CFP, but the Huskers are battle tested and have their eyes on the prize!
1.) OHIO STATE (93) 12-1
Started: 1
Previous: 1
Coach: seeitsaveit13 (225-136)
Ohio State and Coach seeit go wire-to-wire in the rankings! While it seems like it was destined, sometimes “just doing your job” is the hardest thing. Week in and week out, every team was gunning for them. Purdue managed to be the team to strike the King, but they couldn’t take the throne. Now OSU is right where many expected, enjoying a well-earned 1st round bye in the CFP and awaiting the winner of B1G brother Northwestern and highly touted LSU. Can the Buckeyes, led by Q. Judkins and T. Henderson continue their run to a national championship?
Thank you to everyone for an memorable first season back in the B1G and for reading the final edition of Reign’s B1G Rankings! The B1G All Conference team information will be coming soon. While I’ll always be a fan of the B1G4LYFE, I will be moving on to a new and exciting role within the NDL very soon. I’ll continue to stick around as needed to help the transition to the new commish during the off-season. In the meantime, keep paying attention to the announcement section, because we’ve got some exciting action coming your way!
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