2022 – Big Ten – MEGALOCKS

Indiana Hoosiers 2022 College Football Preview

Indiana Hoosiers 2022 College Football Preview

August 1, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 2-10

ATS – 2-10

The season seemed to be progressing in reasonable fashion after the Hoosiers took care of Western Kentucky and stood at a mark of 2-2. And then, the season took a seat on the FECES EXPRESS as Indiana lost their next eight (!) games in a row to finish with a record of 2-10. They were a horrific 0-9 in Big Ten action after going 11-5 over the previous two seasons.

Was the 2021 season a HARBINGER of things to come?

Indiana Hoosiers 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

Indiana was brutal on offense LY and finished the season ranked #113 in the FBS in rushing offense AND passing offense. Consistency, yo. During their eight-game slide to end the campaign they managed to score more than 15 points just once. The Hoosiers bring in former Missouri trigger man Connor Bazelak to lead the offense, and whilst he has a LASER ROCKET ARM, he needs to cut down on mistakes (23-17 TD to INT). It’ll be a challenge for Bazelak to get things going as he loses the top-three pass catchers from LY’s squad including ace TE Peyton Hendershot (46, 543, 4 TD). The WR/TE group looks mediocre on paper but we’ll see how things turn out. Indiana will also be without #1 RB Stephen Carr and hope that Auburn transfer Shaun Shivers can fill his shoes. The offensive line doesn’t look like a disaster (3 returning starters, 60+ career starts) but note that the big boys were ineffective in 2021 (3.2 YPC, 29 sacks allowed). The offense doesn’t inspire much confidence and it’ll be up to Bazelak to work some magic.

DEFENSE

The Hoosiers took a step back on defense LY and allowed more than 30 PPG (33, #109 FBS) for the first time since 2015. They also struggled mightily in the PENETRATION department as they only tallied 17 sacks in 12G (#115). We expect better from Indiana this season as they bring back seven starters and add a small handful of talented Power 5 transfers to the mix. The DL has good size but we still aren’t clear where the pass rush is gonna come from in 2022. Losing star LB (and #1 tackler) Micah McFadden to the NFL is gonna hurt BIGLY and they’ll need transfers to step up right away. The good news is that the secondary is CHOCK FULL of talented upperclassmen including CB Tiawan Mullen who missed a big chunk of last season due to injury. This looks like an “average” stop unit but there’s definite upside potential if the aforementioned transfers pan out and/or they can find a way to get more heat on the QB. Stay tuned!

SPECIAL TEAMS

Things look pretty decent. PR DJ Matthews is a dangerous specimen (TD LY) and they’ve got a good kicking combo in punter James Evans and PK Charles Campbell (13-18 FG, 20-20 XP LY).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – They’ve got a reasonable shot to start 3-0 and somehow lucked into a SWEET draw from the West division by missing Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. November is NASTY as they face Penn St, Ohio St and Sparty.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing heinous is noted.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline Aug 1

Over 4 -115

Under 4 -115

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

Don’t shoot the messenger. The roster looks sketchy but the schedule is CHARMIN SOFT.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

Indiana is on a six-game bowl losing streak. They last tasted postseason victory back in 1991 when they shutout Baylor 24-CACK in the world-famous Copper Bowl.

HC Tom Allen is an eye-popping 11-2 ATS (85%) as a home favorite but just 4-11 (27%) as a home underdog.

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

It’s time to see what these guys are made of. The Hoosiers were a doormat for a long time before Tom Allen come to Bloomington and turned things around. They look light on talent but at least they picked up a legit QB and added a number of bodies on defense. They’ll need to get off to a hot start if they wanna sniff a bowl game because November is gonna be rough. Our best guess is four or five wins but we give them a PUNCHER’S CHANCE of sneaking into a minor bowl game. Good luck, Hoosiers!

Want more Indiana football ?

WEBSITE

https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/football

FORUM

https://indiana.forums.rivals.com/forums/iu-football-board.28/

http://btownbanners.com/forum/5-indiana-hoosiers-football/

https://indiana.forums.rivals.com/forums/premium-iu-football-forum.26/

NEWS

https://www.crimsonquarry.com/

http://www.indystar.com/sports/hoosiers/

http://hoosierhuddle.com/

http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/84/indiana-hoosiers

Maryland Terrapins 2022 College Football Preview

Maryland Terrapins 2022 College Football Preview

July 31, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 7-6

ATS – 5-8

Yes, guy.

Maryland rocketed off to a 4-0 start, and whilst they sputtered to the wire losing six of their final eight regular season contests, they still managed to book their first winning season since 2014. Ya, it was just a bowl game, but we like what we saw in the Pinstripe Bowl as they absolutely CREMATED Virginia Tech (W 54-10). That should have these guys ready to fire in 2022. Let’s go!

Maryland Terrapins 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Terps did some damage last year, particularly vs weak opponents, and finished the year ranked #32 in the FBS in total offense (441 YPG) and #13 in passing offense. They got a sparkling performance out of QB Taulia Tagovailoa (69%, 3,860, 26-11 TD to INT) and all he needs to do is cut down on mistakes in order to be REALLY good. BABY TUA will be glad to know that he gets back his top-two targets who are legit Big Ten weapons in WR Rakim Jarrett (829, 5 TD LY) and Dontay Demus (507, 18.1). The RB room looks like a bit of a BLACK HOLE after the departure of Tayon Fleet-Davis and it’ll be interesting to see if a #1 back emerges from the depth chart. The best news might be the fact that the offensive line brings back five (!) starters and over 90 career starts. Our DEEP BIG TEN INSIDERS think that Maryland will average 30+ PPG for the first time since 2010 (!).

DEFENSE

The defense was MEH last season as they didn’t really do much of anything particularly well (#70 FBS run defense, #88 pass efficiency D). The exception was a pass rush that managed to get to the QB 31 times (#5), and that was the first time they tallied 30+ sacks since 2016. Things should get slightly better in 2022 as they return seven starters on this side of the football and don’t appear to have a glaring weakness. They’ve got good size up front but could use a pass rusher or two to emerge. The LB group looks ok and will be bolstered by the addition of West Virginia transfer Vandarius Cowan, and the secondary features a pair of above-average CBs. They’ve got a legit shot to allow fewer than 30 PPG for the first time since 2018, but they only way that seems possible is if they can replace the sack production of their top-two doods from 2021 (11 sacks).

SPECIAL TEAMS

This looks like an average group at best. The good news is that PR Tarheeb Still took a punt back to the CRIBBY HIZZY WIZZY last season and they scooped up a solid PK in Chad Ryland thru the transfer portal (Eastern Michigan).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – The Terps should be able to start 3-0 before they tackle Michigan in their Big Ten opener. We like the draw from the West (Badgers, Cats, Boiler Up) and they should be able to bag a last grasp win if needed in the final week (home to Rutgers).

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing overly-spooky has hit our radar.

Season Win Total

Per BetOnline July 31

Over 6 -115

Under 6 -115

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

The only thing on PLANET EARTH less trustworthy than the DEATH JAB is Mike Locksley’s ability to win football games. Having said that, this team is way too talented to miss out on a bowl game.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

The Diamondback TERRAPIN is a turtle species native to Maryland. Amaze the multi-gendered Karen next door with that trivia bomb.

Your pal Mike Locksley has a career record of 15-49 (.234) and a 27-37 ( 42%) mark vs the point spread.

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

It took a while, but FEAR THE TURTLE finally put together a decent season whilst inhabiting the Big Ten. They’ll be able to SCORE the FOOTBALL and think that they’ve got more upside than many teams in the Big Ten. We fully expect them to make a bowl game and wouldn’t be surprised if they SHOCKED the WORLD with a big upset at some point during the 2022 season. Let’s do ittttttt!

Want more Maryland football ?

WEBSITE

https://umterps.com/sports/football

FORUM

http://maryland.247sports.com/Board/University-of-Maryland-Sports-53

https://maryland.forums.rivals.com/forums/terps-football-forum.18/

NEWS

http://www.testudotimes.com/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/maryland/

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/120/maryland-terrapins

Purdue Boilermakers 2022 College Football Preview

Purdue Boilermakers 2022 College Football Preview

2021 Recap

Record – 9-4

ATS – 8-5

BOILER UP had a pretty good season, particularly when you consider who they lost to during the regular season. Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio St. They took care of business and even found a way to beat Michigan St and Iowa in impressive fashion. Purdue treated us to a great Music City Bowl when they defeated the explosive Volunteers by a score of 48-45.

Purdue Boilermakers 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

Purdue was as close to one-dimensional as a team could get LY as they displayed an impressive air attack primarily behind the arm of Aidan O’Connell (355 YPG, #5 FBS) whilst getting nothing done on the ground whatsoever (84 YPG, #127). O’ Connell is going to have trouble duplicating his success from LY (3,712, 28 TD) as he loses his top-three (!) targets including devastating WR David Bell (93, 1,286, 6 TD) who’s off to the NFL. Purdue added some doods via the transfer portal but the weaponry definitely takes a step back this year. The RB group retains #1 rusher King Doerue but we aren’t thrilled with the overall talent in the room. The OL looks fine, but appears to be an average group on paper. Expect less production in 2022.

DEFENSE

The defense did a good job LY as they allowed 22 PPG (#34 FBS) and they were much better than what we saw from 2018-2020. There’s reason for concern this season as Purdue loses a pair of stars in pass-rushing freak George Karlaftis and #1 tackler LB Jaylan Alexander. There’s a light dusting of solid players to build around including DT Branson Deen, (10 TFL LY), LB Jalen Graham, and CB Cory Trice who was very good in 2019 and 2020 (2G LY, injury). We worry a lot about the pass rush as they’ve been anemic in that regard for a long time, and even with Karlaftis LY, they registered just 26 sacks (#9 Big Ten).

SPECIAL TEAMS

This looks like an average unit overall, but at least they have a decent PK in Mitchell Fineran who connected on 24-29 FG attempts in 2021. Hopefully, the addition of return man Charlie Jones from Iowa can give them a spark.

Schedule Analysis

Overall – Purdue has gotta be ready right off the jump as they take on Penn St in their opener. The non-conference schedule looks pretty soft and note that they miss Ohio St AND Michigan from the East. The most challenging part of the season is a stretch starting on September 17 in which they play four road games in six weeks.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – October 22 – at Wisconsin

This will be their 3rd road test in four weeks (4th in 6W, see above) and Purdue has lost seven straight games in Madison. Not sure we’ll be hungry to grab the points in this spot.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline July 31

Over 7.5 +110

Under 7.5 -140

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Under

Eight wins would be surprising given all the star-power that’s missing from last year’s edition.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

HC Jeff Brohm is an impressive 20-9 ATS (69%) with Purdue as an underdog. That includes an 89,000 STAR MEGALOCKS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE SIZZLER LOCK winner vs Michigan St last year (won outright 40-29).

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

It’s hard for us to get too PUMPT about this Purdue squad as they look worse than last year’s team on both sides of the football. It’ll be difficult to replace the key components that did such great things in 2021. We’ll call for a six or seven win season and a trip to a minor bowl game.

Want more Purdue football ?

WEBSITE

https://purduesports.com/sports/football

FORUM

https://purdue.forums.rivals.com/forums/free-board-boilermaker-football.24/

http://purdue.247sports.com/Board/Purdue-Boilermakers-Message-Board-Forum-59450

https://purdue.forums.rivals.com/forums/knucklehead-central.22/

NEWS

http://www.hammerandrails.com/

https://www.indystar.com/sports/boilermakers/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2509/purdue-boilermakers

Illinois Fighting Illini 2022 College Football Preview

Illinois Fighting Illini 2022 College Football Preview

July 31, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 5-7

ATS – 7-5

Year one of the Bret Bielema experience wasn’t a complete disaster, as while the Illini failed to make the postseason, they had some decent wins along the way. CORN, Minnesota, and who can forget the impossible 9-OT (!) SNOT BUBBLER win at Penn St?

There’s a lot of work to be done after they allowed your pal Lovie Smith to CACK things up for years. Let’s see how 2022 is shaping up.

Illinois Fighting Illini 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

Illinois had a horrific THROW GAME LY (#122 FBS pass offense) but they did some decent work on the ground (#55) thanks to the fine play of Chase Brown (1,005, 5.9) and Josh McCray (549, 2 TD). Both of those men are back and they’ll run behind a decent-looking OL that features over 70 career starts. The Illini made a good move bagging former Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito who booked a 28-12 TD to INT mark during his time with the Orange. We aren’t too impressed with the WR/TE talent but at least DeVito has the top-two targets from LY on board. Illinois has averaged 20 PPG in each of the last two seasons and we’ll call for slight improvement in 2022.

DEFENSE

The Illini made yuuuuge strides on defense LY as they went from allowing 34.9 PPG and 467 YPG to just 21.9 and 366 respectively. They also bagged 31 sacks (#5 Big Ten). There doesn’t appear to be much ‘star’ power in the unit but they return six starters including their top-two tacklers in safety Sydney Brown and LB Tarique Barnes. The DL also looks good as they have impressive GIRTH at NG and a pair of good pass-rushing DEs in Jer’Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph. This has the look of an “average” Big Ten defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS

RUH ROH. This will almost certainly be a problem area as the Illini will be undergoing a complete rebuilding project. They’re gonna miss their fine tandem of punter Blake Hayes (43.1 net) and PK James McCourt (18-23 FG LY).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – The non-conference slate opens up the chance of a hot start and it’s not inconceivable to see the Illini sitting with three or four wins as they exit September. The second half of the schedule is much more difficult and note that they play their final two games ON THE HIGHWAY.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing heinous is noted.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline July 31

Over 4.5 -130

Under 4.5 +100

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

We don’t love the roster but they just need to win two or three games from October onward to hit the ‘over’.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

HC Bret Bielema has been good to degenerates over the years in conference play as he’s tallied a career ATS record of 59-46-2 (56%). Exhibit A – Bielema was 7-2 vs the number in Big Ten play last season.

Illinois’ last bowl win came back in 2011 when they took down UCLA in the Fight Hunger Bowl (W 20-14).

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

The roster doesn’t inspire much confidence but there are some opportunities for wins along the way. You know they’ll give 100% effort most weeks so we fully expect them to SHOCK the WORLD at some point during the campaign. We forecast them falling just short of bowl eligibility in 2022.

Want more Illinois football ?

WEBSITE

http://www.fightingillini.com/index.aspx?path=football

FORUM

https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Board/Football-Fan-Forum-103854/

http://www2.illiniboard.com/forum

NEWS

http://www.thechampaignroom.com/

http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/football

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/356/illinois-fighting-illini

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2022 College Football Preview

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2022 College Football Preview

July 30, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 5-8

ATS – 6-7

The Scarlet Knights drilled Temple in the season opener (W 61-14) and got off to a 3-0 start before reality set in. They managed just two more victories the rest of the way and finished the regular season with a record of 5-7. The circumstances surrounding fake globalist “science” allowed Rutgers to sneak into the postseason but they were plastered by Wake Forest in the Gator Bowl (L 38-10).

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

It was a disgusting sight to behold LY as Rutgers couldn’t do much on the ground (#89 FBS rushing offense) or thru the air (#114) and they managed a mere 19.7 PPG (#120). QB Noah Vedral is back (59%, 7-7 TD to INT LY) but it’ll be interesting to see if star recruit Gavin Wimsatt can run with the job after redshirting in 2021. It’s hard to see Rutgers getting much better on offense after losing their top two players (RB Pacheco, WR Melton) but maybe Wimsatt can come out like a HOUSAFIRE? He certainly has at least two legit targets at WR in Aron Cruickshank and Syracuse transfer Taj Harris. The RB situation looks like a BLACK HOLE on paper but at least they’ll be working behind a decent offensive line that added some good talent via the transfer portal.

DEFENSE

The defense held their own LY as they held opponents to a respectable 25.6 PPG (#56 FBS) whilst allowing just 56% completions (#13)(!). The front seven looks pretty sketchy on paper, particularly a LB group that loses some talented players including #1 tackler Olakunle Fatukasi. They’re very experienced in the secondary which should allow them to be decent vs the pass. Of course, they could still get ripped to shreds by the better passing offenses on their schedule if they don’t find a way to get more heat on the QB (23 sacks LY, #11 Big Ten).

SPECIAL TEAMS

Yes, guy.

Rutgers has one of the best special teams units in the Big Ten given the return of a pair of SPICY return men, as well as all-Universe punter Adam Korsak who booked an impossible 45.3 yard net in 2021. PK Valentino Ambrosio was decent LY (12-16 FG, 29-30 XP).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – The non-conference slate doesn’t feature any BODY BAG GAMES but the trips to Boston College and Temple could be a problem. Rutgers misses Wisconsin from the West but have to face Minnesota (A), CORN (H), and Iowa (H). The good news is that they don’t have to deal with back-to-back road games.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – September 17 – at Temple

The Owls won’t amount to much this season but the Scarlet Knights could end up being a road favorite in this spot and do we really trust them in that ATS role? Also note that Big Ten play is on deck (at Ohio St).

Season Win Total

Per BetOnline July 30

Over 4 -115

Under 4 -115

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Under

It looks like they’ll do well to get to five wins given that schedule.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

HC Greg Schiano has been able to CHOP WOOD effectively in the role of road underdog tallying an ATS mark of 28-17-1 (62%).

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

It looks like a long year ahead for Rutgers. They play in the flat out NASTY Big Ten East division and are still several notches below the top teams in terms of talent. We think it’ll be one more year of buttoning things up before the Scarlet Knights can start thinking about regular bowl game appearances.

Want more Rutgers football ?

WEBSITE

https://scarletknights.com/sports/football

FORUM

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/forums/rutgers-football.20/

https://247sports.com/college/rutgers/Board/Rutgers-Football-102431/

NEWS

http://www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/

http://www.onthebanks.com/

https://www.thescarletspotlight.com/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/164/rutgers-scarlet-knights

Minnesota Golden Gophers 2022 College Football Preview

Minnesota Golden Gophers 2022 College Football Preview

July 30, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 9-4

ATS – 8-4-1

The Golden Gophers had another good season under the tutelage of HC PJ Fleck and just missed out on a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game. Their late-season loss to Illinois was a killer but at least they managed to ruin the Badgers’ title hopes with a 23-13 win in the season finale. Good for Minnesota, but bad for those who took Wisconsin in a 900,009 STAR MEGALOCKS SUDDEN HEALTHY ATHLETE DEATH SYNDROME LOCK loser.

Can the Gophers contend for the division title once again? Let’s dig in.

Minnesota Golden Gophers 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Gophers were an OLD SCHOOL bunch LY focusing on running the ball down peeps’ throats (198 YPG, #27 FBS). They did an admirable job considering the absolute destruction that the injury bug laid on the RB room and they get back three of their top-five backs including star Mohamed Ibrahim who has booked a PAIR (!) of 1,000-yard seasons. QB Tanner Morgan was a mess last season (10-9 TD to INT LY, 30-7 in 2019) but he’s got the talent to rebound in 2022. All the key THROW GAME targets are back including a pair of WRs that averaged 17+ YPC in 2021 (Wright, Brown-Stephens). The OL will still be decent but return just a single starter to the mix. The offense doesn’t look great but they should be more balanced. Potential upside can only be harnessed if we see better play from Morgan. Stay tuned!

DEFENSE

Minnesota’s defense might have been the most underappreciated unit in all of college football LY as they ended the campaign ranked #3 (!) in the FBS in total defense (279 YPG), #8 in run defense, and #15 in pass efficiency D. We expect the Gophers to be less productive up front as they lose two (!) NFL draft picks but at least they did a good job getting FRESH FISH from the transfer portal. They should be ok at LB and the strength of the defense is the back-end where they bring back three starters, and add a rock solid CB from WKU in Beanie Bishop. You don’t need us to tell you they can’t be as good as LY but we still think they can be an above-average stop unit depending on how the revamped DL shapes up.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The kicking game should fine with the return of punter Mark Crawford (40.9 net LY) and PK Matthew Trickett (17-25 FG LY, 1-4 50+). Ideally, they can find some spice at KR/PR.

Schedule Analysis

Overall – It looks pretty good. The non-conference schedule is a walk in the park and they miss both Ohio St and Michigan from the East. Their fortunes will almost surely come down to the final two games when they battle Iowa (H) and Wisconsin (A).

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – September 17 – Colorado

This is Minnesota’s last non-conference game before the Big Ten opener (at Michigan St) and note that Colorado will be looking for revenge after the Gophers spanked them 30-CACK last September.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline July 30

Over 7.5 -125

Under 7.5 -105

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

They’re likely to post four wins in their first five games and go from there.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

QB Tanner Morgan has a decent shot to become Minnesota’s all-time leading passer this year (8,072) as he’s breathing down Adam Weber’s neck (10,917). Let’s go!

Head coach PJ Fleck has an impressive 62-45-3 (58%) career mark vs the spread and he’s booked a 32-23-3 (58%) record whilst leading the Golden Gophers.

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

Minnesota will be right in the thick of things heading into November and have a good shot to take down the division if the they don’t regress too much in the trenches. We expect that improved QB play and the crafty coaching of PJ Fleck will make them a tough out.

Want more Golden Gophers football ?

WEBSITE

https://gophersports.com/sports/football

FORUM

http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?2-7-National-Titles-Football-Forum

https://minnesota.forums.rivals.com/forums/inside-gopher-nation.8/

NEWS

http://www.thedailygopher.com/

http://www.gopherhole.com/

http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/135/minnesota-golden-gophers

Wisconsin Badgers 2022 College Football Preview

Wisconsin Badgers 2022 College Football Preview

July 30, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 9-4

ATS – 7-6

The Badgers got beat up early with a tough schedule dropping games to Penn St, Notre Dame, and Michigan. They turned things around after that 1-3 start and rattled off seven wins in a row. All they needed to do for a berth in the Big Ten Championship was take down Minnesota but they couldn’t GIT ER DONE (L 23-13). If you didn’t enjoy watching Iowa crap down their leg vs Michigan in the title game you can thank the Badgers.

Wisconsin Badgers 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Wisconsin offense was what you thought it would be LY, just with extra-crappy QB play. They finished #21 in the FBS in rushing offense thanks to the eventual emergence of RB Braelon Allen (1,268, 6.8!, 12 TD) but QB Graham Mertz was a major disappointment (10-11 TD to INT). The rushing attack will be devastating with the return of Allen and #2 RB Chez Mellusi (815, 5 TD) but Mertz loses his top-three THROW GAME targets including their fine TE Jake Ferguson. The Badgers have a new OC (Bobby Engram, Ravens staff) and a rock-solid offensive line, so maybe, just maybe they can figure things out? We don’t have much confidence in the offense and Mertz needs to get a lot better if the Badgers wanna be a serious Big Ten player. <grabs popcorn>

DEFENSE

Wow. Brick wall, yo. The Badgers finished last season ranked #1 in the FBS in total defense allowing an impossible 239 YPG and they were #4 in scoring defense (16.2 PPG). DC (and eventual HC somewhere) Jim Leonhard has his work but out for him this year with only three returning starters back on this side of the football. The DL looks like your typical Badgers front on paper and features an excellent NT in Keeanu Benton. Wisconsin regularly reloads at LB but they lost a pair of stars (and the team’s top-two tacklers) in Leo Chenal and Jack Sanborn. The Badgers were #4 in the FBS in pass efficiency defense LY (55.5%, 9-16 TD to INT) but undergo a complete overhaul in the secondary this season which has us a bit concerned. Wisconsin went BIGLY in the transfer portal to shore up the back end so we’ll see how that turns out. Probably very well knowing Leonhard, but you never know.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Things look decent with the return of punter Andy Vujnovich (46.4, 40.2 net LY) and KR Stephan Bracey (32.2, TD) but they’ll need to find a replacement for PK Collin Larsh (17-22 FG, 39-40 XP LY).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – The Badgers start the season with three straight games vs TOMATO CANS but have a tough draw from the East (Ohio St, Michigan St, Maryland). They travel to face Iowa but get the Gophers at home to end the campaign.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing overly-spooky is noted.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline July 30

Over 8.5 -140

Under 8.5 +110

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Under

The Badgers need to go 6-2 in Big Ten play to hit the ‘over’. They’ll lose at Ohio St and have four or five other tough conference games.

MEGAmazing Tidbit

HC Paul Chryst has been a MONEY BURNER vs Vegas as home chalk posting a record of 17-24-1 (41%).

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

The Badgers will run the ball and play good defense as per usual but we don’t think the stop unit will be dominant and the QB situation is still a bit scary. They’re a legit division contender but don’t look much better than a few other teams in their division. We’ll look elsewhere in the West division futures market for “value”.

Want more Wisconsin football ?

WEBSITE

https://uwbadgers.com/sports/football

FORUM

https://247sports.com/college/wisconsin/Board/Football-Board-103797/

http://wisconsin.247sports.com/Board/Badgers-Message-Board-23

http://buckyville.yuku.com/forums/1/Badger-Football-Board/Badger-Football-Board#.WYHu4rpFyiM

https://wisconsin.forums.rivals.com/forums/the-badgers-den.6/

NEWS

http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/275/wisconsin-badgers

Nebraska Cornhuskers 2022 College Football Preview

Nebraska Cornhuskers 2022 College Football Preview

2021 Recap

Record – 3-9

ATS – 7-4-1

The only thing more surprising than perfectly healthy people dropping dead after a few doses of the totally safe and totally effective death jab is when a team outgains the opposition by an average of 82 (!) YPG only to post a record of 3-9. Yup, that happened. Nebraska blew out three TOMATO CANS and lost nine games, ALL by single-digits.

It can’t possibily get any more wacky this year, AMIRITE?

Nebraska Cornhuskers 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

CORN did a good job of moving the ball LY (#45 FBS rush offense, #27 pass) but they didn’t SCORE the FOOTBALL as much as you would have thought (#70 scoring offense). There are changes all over the place starting at QB where they bring in Texas (!) transfer Casey Thompson who did a good job with the Longhorns LY (24-9 TD to INT, 63%). Thompson doesn’t bring elite mobility to the table like former 8-year starter ** Adrian Martinez but he also won’t be a turnover machine like his predecessor was a good chunk of the time. The top-four RBs return for battle but it’s unclear if they have a true #1 Big Ten back in the room. CORN will be without their top-two targets from last year’s squad including stud TE Austin Allen (602, 15.8) and will rely on transfer portal talent, a few holdovers, and new OC Mark Whipple to work some magic in the THROW GAME. The OL could be an issue as they will be without NFL-bound center Cameron Jurgens and their rehab-bound projected starter at LG. There’s potential for good things on offense but we don’t see a lot of “star power” at first glance.

** needs fact check

DEFENSE

Nebraska was pretty decent on defense LY (22.7 PPG, #36 FBS) and recall that they held Oklahoma to 23 (!) points and Ohio St to just 26 (!). They lose quite a bit of production this year and return just five starters to the stop unit. We like the look of the first two levels as the team’s top-two tacklers are back to do damage at LB (Reimer, Henrich) and they have a pair of potential stars up front in DE/LB Garrett Nelson and TCU transfer Ochaun Mathis. The secondary looks like a weak spot as they return just one starter and lose star CB Cam Taylor-Britt who was taken in the 2nd around of the NFL draft. This has the look of an “average” Big Ten defense but there’s definite upside potential if they can dial up some kind of pass rush for a change (20 sacks LY, #12 Big Ten).

SPECIAL TEAMS

CORN NATION, rejoice. The special teams GONG SHOW is coming to an end. They were #129 in the Phil Steele ratings last year and that might have been generous. Nebraska brings in a solid ST coach and highly-skilled FCS specimens at P and PK. Let’s gooo!

Schedule Analysis

Overall – They’ve got a pair of layups in non-conference play but have to play the Sooners again, although this time it’s in Lincoln. They get a nice draw out of the East (Michigan, Rutgers, Indiana) but will have to do some good work before November rolls around because that month looks tuff. CORN gets to mingle with some IRISH HOTTIES on an August road trip as they open the season in Dublin, and note that they only play four true road games.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing heinous noted.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline July 28

Over 7.5 -115

Under 7.5 -115

MEGALOCKS says:

No leanage.

We’ll shop around for a “7” and consider a small potatoes “over” play. As much as we want them to dominate and win the division, it’s difficult to trust this program to win eight games.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

HC Scott Frost has been a major disappointment (15-29, .341) but degenerates know that he’s been pretty good ATS as a road underdog (9-4, 69%). Purdue, Michigan, and Iowa, BEWARE!

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

Nebraska has made some necessary changes to the roster and the coaching staff, and that gives us hope heading into 2022. They also play in the weaker half of the Big Ten and there’s nobody in the division that gives us a ton of confidence as we approach press time. We expect them to be in the division race heading into November, and then, who knows?

GO, CORN!

Want more Nebraska football ?

WEBSITE

https://huskers.com/sports/football

FORUM

http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/forum/1-husker-football/

https://nebraska.forums.rivals.com/forums/husker-board.12/

https://nebraska.forums.rivals.com/forums/red-sea-scrolls.24/

NEWS

http://www.cornnation.com/

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/football/

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/football/

http://www.huskermax.com/

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/158/nebraska-cornhuskers

https://hailvarsity.com/nebraska-football

Iowa Hawkeyes 2022 College Football Preview

Iowa Hawkeyes 2022 College Football Preview

July 27, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 10-4

ATS – 8-6

The Hawkeyes got off to hot start (6-0) and then it looked like the season was going down the CRAPPER when they lost back-to-back Big Ten West games (Purdue, Badgers). To their credit, they hung in there and won the divisional WAR OF ATTRITION to make the Big Ten Championship Game. Michigan ripped them to shreds in the big one (L 42-3) and Kentucky slithered past the Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl (L 20-17). So the season ended poorly, but it was still a double-digit win season.

Iowa Hawkeyes 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The offense was DISGUSTING LY, particularly for a division champ, and they finished the campaign ranked #101 in the nation on the ground and #109 thru the air. Both QBs are back this year but note that Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla combined for a smelly 12-11 TD to INT ratio in 2021. It’s a killer to lose the great Tyler Goodson (1,151 rush, 31 receptions LY) and they need one or two youngsters to develop in a hurry. The WR/TE group is underrated as Iowa features one of the best TEs in the Big Ten in Sam LaPorta (53, 670, 3 TD) and the dangerous WR Keagan Johnson (19.6). The OL looks ok on paper but note that they lose an AA center in Tyler Linderbaum. This looks like an average offense at best unless the QB play dramatically improves.

DEFENSE

Yes, guy.

The Hawkeyes were stout on defense LY (19.2 PPG, #13 FBS; 329 YPG, #17 FBS) and were a very opportunistic bunch (31 forced turnovers, #3 FBS). Seven starters are back this year and they look loaded at every level. The DL is deep and experienced and features a pair of doods that bagged 7 sacks in 2021. The LB unit could be the best in the Big Ten and brings back their top-two tacklers including AA Jack Campbell. Iowa was fantastic vs the pass LY (#5 FBS pass efficiency D, 16-25 TD to INT) and have an elite CB in Riley Moss. They’ll need to find three new starters tho. Yup, this stop unit looks sick.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Fun fact. Iowa has ranked in the top-13 in Phil Steele’s special teams rankings four years in a row. We don’t think they’ll make it a FIVE-BAGGER as they need to break in a new PK and find a replacement for their dangerous PR/KR Charlie Jones.

Schedule Analysis

Overall – It won’t be an easy docket to navigate, yo. They get Iowa St (as per usual) in non-conference play and draw both Ohio St (A) and Michigan (H) from the East. November is going to be a challenge (Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota, CORN).

Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing overly-spooky is noted.

Season Win Total

Per BetOnline July 27

Over 7.5 -105

Under 7.5 -135

MEGALOCKS says:

Lean: Over

The schedule is demanding later in the season but they could very easily start 4-0 and go from there.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

Iowa is an eye-popping +46 in turnover margin over the last 5Y.

MEGALOCKS Outlook:

The Hawkeyes won the West division LY whilst being outgained by their opponents. Yup, that happened. They’ll have to find a better recipe if they want to repeat as division champs but we give them a good shot given the defense they’ll bring to the table every week. Let’s go!

Want more Iowa football ?

WEBSITE

http://www.hawkeyesports.com/schedule.aspx?path=football

FORUM

https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/forums/iowa-football.26/

http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/index.php?forums/football.6/

NEWS

http://www.hawkcentral.com/football/

http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/

http://www.thegazette.com/sports

https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2294/iowa-hawkeyes

Michigan St Spartans 2022 College Football Preview

Michigan St Spartans 2022 College Football Preview

July 27, 2022

2021 Recap

Record – 11-2

ATS – 10-3

Mel Tucker and the Spartans had a hell of a run LY and were in the hunt for the Big Ten East title until the second-last week of the regular season. They started out on SUPAH HOT FIRE (8-0) and even took down Michigan in a very entertaining battle (W 37-33). Ohio St beat them like a RED-HEADED STEPCHILD ** but they still finished with an impressive record of 11-2.

** Karen, if you don’t like that phrase, speak to our manager

Michigan St Spartans 2022 Outlook

OFFENSE

The Spartans were a dangerous bunch LY and they did good work on the ground (176 YPG, #6 Big Ten) as well as through the air (254 YPG, #6). The THROW GAME is still in good shape with the return of 3,000-yard passer Payton Thorne and star WR Jayden Reed (1,026, 17.4, 10 TD) but the yuuuge question mark is how the Spartans deal with the loss of all-Universe RB Kenneth Walker (1,636, 6.2, 18 TD) who just ripped Michigan’s defense apart again as we were typing this sentence. The good news is that the RB room looks deep with the return of their #2 and #3 RBs as well as a pair of talented transfers in Jarek Broussard (Buffs) and Jalen Berger (Badgers). The OL played great LY but there’s reason for concern with just two starters back in the fold. This looks like a slightly-above average Big Ten offense on paper.

DEFENSE

The defense was a bit WACKY LY as they were stout vs the run (117 YPG, #4 Big Ten), were MASTERS OF PENETRATION (43 sacks, #1 Big Ten, #6 FBS) but yet allowed a ridiculous 325 YPG thru the air (dead last FBS). We expect them to play good defense this season and not get roasted nearly as bad on the back end. The DL looks like your typical strong Michigan St front as they have great size inside and they added highly-regarded Florida transfer DE Khris Bogle to the mix. The LB group is set with the return of leading tackler Cal Haladay and the addition of UNLV stud Jacoby Windmon. The secondary is more experienced heading into 2022, and while they don’t look like a NO FLY ZONE, they’ll be an improved group. They’ve booked 40+ sacks in each of the last two full seasons, and if they can do that again, it could be a nasty stop unit. Stay tuned!

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Spartans are in good shape with the return of their excellent punter Bryce Baringer (42.9 net LY) and star PR Jayden Reed who was phenomenal in 2021 (19.8, 2 TD).

Schedule Analysis

Overall – The Spartans should get off to a 2-0 start before making a tough trip out west to battle Washington. They draw Wisconsin and Minnesota out of the West division but at least they get to play both of them at home.

Season Win Total

per BetOnline July 27

Over 7.5 -130

Under 7.5 +100

MEGALOCKS says:

No leanage.

GUN to the HEAD we’d take a small taste of the ‘over’ but we worry about that schedule just a wee bit and almost-certain regression.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

Michigan St has posted a mediocre 20-32 mark vs Vegas (38%) as home chalk over the L10Y. They’re 3-2 in that role under Mel Tucker.

The Spartans have only lost one non-CFP bowl game since 2010, and that was the legendary SNOT BUBBLER of a Redbox Bowl in 2018 in which they fell to Oregon by an impossible score of 7-6.