Let's look at the schedule:
Purdue at home:
QB is a huge question unless they pick up a transfer. Even then, I don't expect much from their QB.
RB looks pretty good with King and their true freshman coming in.
WR is stacked if Moore is back to 100%. Can a QB emerge to get them the ball?
OL returns 4 starters.
Their Def looks like it will return enough starters including Neal, their DT that was injured last year. It should be salty enough. It wasn't great last year but if their offense is very improved that could produce a good team.
I'm very concerned here. We haven't started well either year under Frost. We're starting a new DL and at least one new CB.
At best this is a tossup to me.
Central Michigan:
I'm hoping I don't need to break this one down. Should be a win.
SDSU
Always good enough but like CMU, we should win this one.
Cincy
They return most of their offense and defense from a team that went 10-3 last year. Including wins over UCLA and UCF. I put this as a 50/50 game.
@ NW
No idea what we're going to get here. Injuries last year, a really down year overall but a team that always plays us tough.
They return most of their starters from last year.
We don't play well on the road under Frost. I have us at 2-2 going into the first road game of the year. I'm going to be hopeful and say we win this one.
Illinois
A team that finished very strong and was hitting on all cylinders. They looked dangerous. Thankfully this one is at home.
They lose their QB, RB and RG. They lose most of their DL, a LB and a DB. I'm hopeful that we can exploit that with a good offense.
I expect Lovie's team to return to being Lovie's team. This is a win.
@Rutgers New coach, who is a good coach. I think this is a win as well. That puts us at 5-2 with an insane schedule up ahead.
@OSU A loss. The best team in the country this year will probably continue to be a monster.
PSU A very good team that returns the vast majority of starters from a young team. I just don't see how we win this after getting beat up by OSU. 5-4
@Iowa Can we beat them finally? They looked pretty good last night. I think Frost rises up and finally punks Iowa to get bowl eligible. A new QB, some new OL and I think we finally get over them.
6-4
@Wisc They are going to need to replace two on both the OL and LB's. QB comes back, does Taylor? I'm not sure it matters much to be honest. Wiscy is going to be a beast again this year. Some retooling on defense for sure but it's not enough for us to get over them in Madison. 6-5
Minny Final game. They have a lot to replace on Defense. They lose both LB starters and a DL.
Their offense is mostly intact. They lose Johnson and Smith (WR and RB).
Fleck is a good coach. I can't stand the little beep but he can coach.
We have the offense to exploit what I expect will be a less than stellar defense. Can our less than stellar defense contain their offense? 50/50, IMO.
I have us sitting around 7 wins (same I as predicted this year). Will that be enough to continue into 2021 with an intact staff/players? I hope so as I think 2021 we will explode onto the scene taking the West and maybe the big title.
