CFB: Big Ten West Teams Most Season-Defining Games in 2021

In today’s article, I will be listing out the Big Ten West and each team’s most crucial and impactful game they will play this year. It will focus on the game that has the most implication on the team’s season. This particular game will allow for the team to blossom afterward or struggle if the game turns out to be a loss. If you want to check out the Big Ten East season-defining games, click here.

Illinois - Week Five @Purdue

There is no sugarcoating it, the Fighting Illini are not a talented football team in comparison to the rest of the Big Ten. It would be unfair to say they need to win a certain game as they won’t be the favorite to win many. Hopefully, Bret Bielema can start bringing in some recruits that change the culture of the programs but for 2021 the programs should struggle. As far as a season-defining game goes, I believe the crucial game is in week five when they face the Boilermakers. Purdue should be one of the less competitive games they play in the conference, they will most likely be 1-3 heading into week five so if they can win against Purdue, they will be one step closer to a .500 team.

Iowa - Week Six Penn State

Iowa has a legit chance at winning the Big Ten West this year but a couple of big games can derail their chances at making an appearance in Indianapolis for championship weekend. They open the year against two solid opponents in Indiana and Iowa State, two games they can both win or lose. After that, they should win three straight teams against lesser opponents. In week six, Penn State pays a visit to Iowa and this game will be the season-defining game that Hawkeye fans should have circled. The game has massive implications on the Big Ten and the standings. If Iowa uses their ground and pound style of football, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to handle the Nittany Lion. This game could be the turning point for the Hawkeyes in 2021.

Minnesota - Week Eight @Northwestern

Opening the season with Ohio State should most likely conclude in starting the season with a 0-1 record. After that, the Golden Gophers should have an opportunity to win six straight games as they play some mediocre opponents. In week eight, they have an enormous task to go into Evanston and face a very solid coached, and talented Northwestern football team. The Wildcats represented the West in the championship game and can repeat in doing that this year too. Tanner Morgan is one of the better quarterbacks in the country and their offense should be back to its 2019 form after a strange, disappointing 2020. If they can pull off a victory against Northwestern, they could set themselves up for a shot at competing in the West.

Nebraska - Week Five @Michigan State

Nebraska should start the year off at 3-0. In week four they go up against one of the nation’s most talented teams in Oklahoma and they should lose that game. Spencer Rattler is just too much to handle along with their other offensive weapons. In week five, the Cornhuskers face Michigan State in East Lansing which can be a hostile environment. You might wonder, why is this game a turning point? Well, the Cornhuskers should be 3-1 entering week five, and winning this game would turn them to 4-2. That is one game closer to a bowl. After that, they play three legit teams in Michigan, Northwestern, and Minnesota which might all result in losses making the game versus Michigan State that much more important.

Northwestern - Week One Michigan State

Usually, I don’t put too much intensity on the season opener for any school, in the case of the Northwestern Wildcats, this is different. Hosting the Spartans in week one doesn’t seem like a big deal. It is a game that Northwestern should win easily but it will mean more to the Wildcats this year after they got upset by Michigan State in 2020. This game can define the season because Northwestern is finally starting to get the credit that they deserve after a phenomenal 2020. They are the reigning Big Ten West champions and a win versus the Spartans could set the tone early in their season. The next five weeks, the Wildcats face opponents that they should handle with ease making them 6-0 heading into a big game versus Michigan.

Purdue - Week Three @Notre Dame

The Boilermakers are one of the teams in the West that I have no faith in winning most of the games on their schedule. They are still in the middle of a quarterback competition and the defense is lackluster. They open up the season facing Oregon State and UConn which could result in starting the year at 2-0. During week three, Purdue will face Notre Dame in South Bend, a hostile environment nonetheless. Purdue has pulled off some upsets in recent years, most notably in 2018 when they dismantled the Buckeyes. If Purdue can some way, somehow go into South Bend and upset the Fighting Irish it will give them a whole new life. Now I am not saying this will happen or this is exactly a fair-season-defining game but they aren’t supposed to win many games on their schedule either way.

Wisconsin - Week Four Notre Dame (Neutral Site)

One of the most anticipated games this year in college football is Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin at Soldier Field. The game has it all including two massive midwest football brands, traditional football schools, and it will have a national audience watching it. The Badgers play a ton of solid teams this year. They open up with Penn State and they face the Wolverines again in 2021. The week four matchup versus Notre Dame is a season-defining game as far as what comes after it. In week five the badgers face Michigan at Camp Randall and they will want momentum for a big in-conference game. If they beat the Irish the week before, they can ride the energy from the big victory into the rest of their season hopefully concluding in a Big Ten title.

Writer

By: Justin Howard