SB Nation

Bill C. | July 21, 2014

2014 Minnesota Football Season Preview

Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska & The All Rest Broken Down By SB Nation's Bill Connelly

2014 Minnesota season preview

Eastern Illinois, August 28
Eastern Illinois, August 28
6:00 p.m., Big Ten Network

Minnesota went 3-0 against their least heralded opponents (FCS and bottom quartile of FBS) in 2013, winning by an average score of 41 to 19.

Middle Tennessee State, September 6
Middle Tennessee State, September 6
2:30 p.m., Big Ten Network

Following a disastrous 2011 season, Rick Stockstill has put together back-to-back eight-win seasons at Middle Tennessee. A third straight is within reach if MTSU can avoid too much of a drop-off at quarterback and on the offensive line.

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at TCU, September 13
at TCU, September 13
3:00 p.m., FOX Sports 1

Tight losses and sketchy quarterback play have held TCU back since the Frogs' move to the Big 12. Can a new QB, new offensive co-coordinators, and yet another fantastic defense change the narrative? They're not that far away from some high-caliber play.

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San Jose State, September 20
San Jose State, September 20
TBA

San Jose State withstood the loss of head coach Mike MacIntyre without a collapse; now the Spartans are tasked with weathering the loss of star quarterback David Fales. Survive 2014, and SJSU could start to thrive in 2015 and beyond.

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at Michigan, September 27
at Michigan, September 27
TBA

Awful offensive line play and youthful defensive mistakes turned a solid start into a feckless finish for Michigan in 2013. Can a more experienced Wolverines squad, replete with a new offensive coordinator, bounce back?

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Northwestern, October 11
Northwestern, October 11
TBA

It's been a strange 12 months for Northwestern, from injuries and tight losses on the field to union drama off of it. Pat Fitzgerald's experienced Wildcats will almost certainly recover this fall, but is the magic of 2012 gone?

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Purdue, October 18
Purdue, October 18
11:00 a.m., TBA

We can't hold the Boilermaker's awful 2013 against first-year head coach Darrell Hazell. But it's hard to see how Purdue will end up a whole lot better in his second year. Still, a better record could be on the way.

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at Illinois, October 25
at Illinois, October 25
11:00 a.m., TBA

Take the name off of the jersey, and everything about Illinois looks like a team that will still be about the country's 70th-best. But Illinois seems addicted to huge surges, backward and forward. Which will it be in Tim Beckman's third season in Champaign?

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Iowa, November 8
Iowa, November 8
TBA

Decent run game, great defense. Iowa once again played like Iowa in 2013, doubling the previous season's wins and setting the Hawkeyes on a brand new trajectory. Can they take advantage of a shaky 2014 schedule despite losses on D?

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Ohio State, November 15
Ohio State, November 15
TBA

Ohio State's offense won't be quite as efficient as it was last year, and the defense has both immense upside and countless question marks. The Buckeyes aren't a sure thing, but they're still the safest bet in the Big Ten.

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at Nebraska, November 22
at Nebraska, November 22
TBA

Nebraska has needed both frustrating losses and miraculous wins to craft this strange streak of six consecutive four-loss seasons. And with a couple of standouts and a lot of rebuilding in the trenches, it appears four losses are again a possibility.

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at Wisconsin, November 29
at Wisconsin, November 29
TBA

Wisconsin's dominant front seven must rebuild, and there are even more questions about the passing game than before. But the Badgers are still more proven than any of their West rivals and are the division favorite until proven otherwise.

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