Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt is excited to see how Illinois, Iowa and Penn State compete this fall with easier Big Ten football schedules to look forward to. Klatt was particularly impressed with one non-CFP Big Ten team last season.
Joel Klatt's latest Big Ten schedule message deemed ideal for Illinois, Penn State, Iowa originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt took time to discuss who won and lost the Big Ten football "schedule lottery" on his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show." Similarly to many conference junkies, knowing who plays who and when is always intriguing and Klatt was no exception.
In particular, Klatt singled out three teams who he suggests are due for breakout seasons given the schedules put in front of them. In particular, Klatt said he's impressed with the draws the Illinois Fighting Illini, Penn State Nittany Lions and Iowa Hawkeyes got this fall.
Beginning with Illinois, it attempts to carry forward the momentum it has built over the last few seasons under coach Bret Bielema. Nineteen wins over the last two seasons is a stark contrast to the Illini teams of the past, which have culminated in consecutive bowl wins in 2024 and this past season
Klatt said the games to circle for the Illini are the Ohio State Buckeyes (Sept. 26), the Oregon Ducks (Oct. 24) and a nonconference rematch against the Duke Blue Devils in Week 2 (Sept. 12). Win two of those games (or all three) and the College Football Playoff conversation becomes interesting.
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"Illinois hit the schedule lottery, and again, you look at this [schedule] and think they have to play Ohio State on the road and Oregon [at home],” Klatt said." They sure do, but it matters when it happens and it matters what happens around them. Duke is on the non-conference schedule for Illinois, and they lost their quarterback [Darian Mensah]. That’s a different team without their quarterback.”
The Illini dominated the Blue Devils 45-19 this past season, which saw them secure five turnovers in one of their best wins of an eventual 9-4 season.
Fellow Illinois opponent, Iowa, is another team where potential College Football Playoff aspirations may come true according to Klatt.
“Iowa got a pretty darn good schedule,” Klatt said. “First and foremost, their big non-conference game is Iowa State. Iowa State was decimated when they lost their coach, Matt Campbell. He went to Penn State and their entire roster basically left. That’s their tough non-conference game, and it’s at Kinnick."
If a few games break right for the Hawkeyes and they don't get upset by a lesser opponent with their only losses potentially coming against the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes, Klatt said a 10-win season is a "possibility." But they will likely need some résumé help.
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As for the Nittany Lions and Campbell, Klatt ranked them, unofficially, as the "schedule lottery" favorite.
"They only face two of what I would categorize as the top-six teams in the conference," Klatt said. They happen in October, and one of them is at home. By the way, your lone really tough game on the road is Michigan, and they’ve got a brand new coach. This is the absolute schedule lottery in the Big Ten.”
No matter what happens this fall even if not every prediction is correct, parity in the Big Ten will certainly be alive and well.
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Category: General Sports
