http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2012/12/san_diego_state_michigan_pose.html
Doug Lesmerises at the Plain Dealer ranked our 2013 schedule from most difficult to least difficult game. When I was reading it, I almost fell out of my chair when I saw he had the SDSU game (at home, no less) ranked as our toughest game of next year. I mean, c'mon, I know the B1G is down, but that's ridiculous.
After watching SDSU in their bowl game, I don't care how many starters they have coming back, there is no way we should lose to that team. We should defeat them convincingly!
Here are my rankings for most difficult games next year:
1. at Northwestern
2. at Michigan
3. vs. Wisconsin
4. at California
5. vs. San Diego State
6. vs. Penn State
7. vs. Indiana
8. at Purdue
9. vs. Iowa
10. at Illiinois
11. vs. Buffalo
12. vs. Florida A&M
I think people are really sleeping on how much of a challenge NW could be next year and I think they have a legit shot at making the B1G title game out of the Legends Division. All of their big playmakers are coming back and their record could have been even better this year if not for some heart-breaking defeats.
Toughest teams for me to gauge are California, PSU, and Iowa.
Cal's record was bad this year but we struggled with them at home this year and next year we have to go to their place. First road test of the year so I think it will be closer than many will predict.
PSU surprised pretty much everyone this year with how good they were despite the sanctions and off season turmoil. O'Brien is returning as coach but they lost a lot of tremendous leaders and talent in their Senior class. However, their current recruting class is smaller due to the sanctions but it does have good talent. I don't think PSU falls off as much this year or during the sanctions as what people are predicting IF O'Brien sticks around for the long haul.
Iowa was a major disappointment last year and their fans are once again complaining about Coach Ferentz. I just don't see how they make a significant jump next year. They will be breaking in a new starting QB with Vandenberg graduating and they have to come to the Shoe. OSU will have half their season under their belt at that point and should be hitting their stride on both sides of the ball.
Overall, next year's schedule looks to be even easier than this year's undefeated run (no MSU or Nebraska), but winning 24 games in a row is a task all in itself!
I pretty much agree with you and will only comment on a couple of matchups.
I think its hard to sleep on our rivals up north. With a real QB and some real talent coming in, I think they are definetly heading upward (just not as rapid as we are). Nerdwestern is good and I like their squad. The thing I think helps us against them, is that we run and/or can mimic a similar offence to theirs so it wont be much of a surprise to us. Where it used to be foriegn to much of the B1G, its now very similar to our bread and butter, we just have 10x the talent.
Cal - while not that sweet - is still a cross country trip.
But Lesmerises need to get real with this SDSU bs. He has to be just trying to garner attention for his article.
Don't forget the new Cal coach was at Louisiana Tech last year and they led the nation in scoring so Cal's offense is going to be much better than it was this year. I dont think Cal will be that proficient on offense this fall they'll still cause people problems. And, as TheHannimal says, its on the road and likely a night game to boot. That wont be easy.
TTUN concerns me only because its TTUN and who knows how strong they'll be. Nerdwestern concerns me because its on the road and will also be a night game. We lost there in 2004 when it was a night game.
"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever
1. @UM (Rivalry on the road)
2. @Cal (Good new coach, and always tough to play away out west)
3. @ Purdue (Do I really need to remind people about Purdue)
4. Wiscy (like their new coach, but we get them at home)
5. @NW (Good team, but they rarely give us trouble. Should count as a home game)