There is a definite lack of balance in the Big Ten right now. Yes, these things are cyclical but with Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State all in the East Division, it makes things very difficult for any one of those teams to emerge from that group. Given that those teams also have championship aspirations, it is no surprise that they are also looking for games outside of the conference that will give them a chance to prove themselves playoff worthy. Here is a look at the Big Ten teams with the most difficult schedules within the conference for 2016. Wisconsin Badgers Opponents Combined 2015 Record: 98-57 Wisconsin has become such a consistent program that last year’s ten wins was ho-hum. If they can get there again with this schedule, it will be pretty impressive. Their first game of the season will be against LSU at Lambeau Field. It will be a pro Badger crowd for sure, but not the same as playing on campus, and beating LSU is never easy – especially in a year where they really have to prove themselves. Akron and Georgia State won’t put up much of a fight, but their Big Ten schedule is really tough. They start with back-to-back games on the road against the Michigan teams and then have an off week before hosting Ohio State. At that point, they could be 0-3 in the league – even if they are playing well. On second thought, it could be 0-4 because a visit to Iowa is next…
Continue Reading: The Four Toughest Football Schedules in the Big Ten for 2016
