2019 Big Ten Conference College Football Bowl Previews and Predictions
Written by Max Mier
Twitter: @Mier56
Next up on the RNG bowl series, we will dive into the Big Ten’s slate and preview the matchups. The Big Ten enters bowl season with nine teams making the postseason, and the conference flexed their muscle sending three teams to New Year’s Six bowl games, including conference champion Ohio State who is making a return to the College Football Playoff. The conference has shown its strength all season, finishing with six teams ranked in the College Football Playoff Committee’s final top-25, the most of any conference. A strong finish in the bowl season would put the country on notice that the SEC may no longer be the undisputed college football powerhouse.
Let’s get into the previews!
College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
No. 2 Ohio State (13-0, 8-0 Big Ten) vs No. 3 Clemson (13-0, 9-0 ACC)
Kickoff: Dec 28, 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Clemson -2
Ohio State travels out West to take on the Clemson Tigers in a rematch from the 2016 playoff semi-finals. Ohio State has been electric this year, boasting two Heisman trophy finalists in QB Justin Fields and DE Chase Young. Fields suffered a sprained MCL against Penn State and re-aggravated it in the game against Michigan, and in the conference title game he seemed somewhat reluctant to use his legs. The running game with the combo of Fields and running back JK Dobbins has been a big part of the Ohio State offense, so it will be interesting to see if Fields can get back to 100 percent over these few weeks of rest leading up to the game. Dobbins has been dominant in his own right, showing up big in Ohio State’s biggest games this season, posting 531 rushing yards and eight touchdowns combined in the games against Penn State, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Ohio State’s offense will face a tough task against Clemson’s defense, who is the top-ranked total defense in the country, giving up only 245 yards per game. This game will be close throughout, but Clemson’s experience wins out in the end.
Prediction: Clemson 31, Ohio State 20
New Era Pinstripe Bowl – New York, New York
Michigan State Spartans (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-4, 4-4 ACC)
Kickoff: Dec 27. 3:20 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Michigan State -4
Michigan State enters this game having finished the regular season on a two-game winning streak to get to bowl eligibility. The Spartans have struggled on offense this season behind quarterback Brian Lewerke, ranking 101st in total offense, averaging a mediocre 361 yards per game. To make matters worse, the offense has turned the ball over 22 times season. They now face an opportunistic Wake Forest defense, who is tied for 12th in the country with 23 forced turnovers but give up an average of 410 yards per game.
Michigan State is anchored by a strong defense, ranked 18th in the country in total defense. The Spartans will count on their defense to keep them in this game against a Wake Forest offense averaging nearly 500 yards per game. Michigan State’s defense will keep it close in the first half, but Wake Forest will force a couple key turnovers and pull away in the second half.
Prediction: Wake Forest 27, Michigan State 14
Holiday Bowl – San Diego, California
Iowa Hawkeyes (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) vs. USC Trojans (8-4, 7-2 Pac-12)
Kickoff: Dec 27, 8 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Spread: Iowa -1.5
The Hawkeyes enter this game having posted their second straight nine-win season, and they have done it in large part to their defense. Iowa has the nation’s 12th ranked defense, giving up an average of 304 yards of offense per game. Their pass defense is even better, ranking 10th nationally and totaling 11 interceptions on the season while allowing only 184 pass yards per game on average. Defensive end AJ Epenesa has been quietly dominant as a pass rusher, recording three forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks over Iowa’s final four regular-season games and is currently ranked by Mel Kiper Jr. as the nation’s No. 2 defensive end, behind Ohio State’s Chase Young.
This game features strength verses strength, as USC wins with their passing attack, ranking 5th nationally and totaling 33 passing touchdowns and over 4,000 yards on the season.
As the old adage goes, “defense travels”, and that ultimately decides this game with Iowa getting a late stop for the victory.
Prediction: Iowa 30, USC 27
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – Dallas, Texas
Penn State Nittany Lions (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) vs. Memphis Tigers (12-1, 7-1 AAC)
Kickoff: Dec 28, 12 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Penn State -7
Penn State climbed as high as No. 4 in the Associated Press rankings, but late season losses to Minnesota and Ohio State saw their dreams of a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth vanish. Still, the Nittany Lions finished with an impressive resume and won themselves a New Year’s Six bowl berth. They take on the American Athletic Conference champion, the Memphis Tigers, who own the nation’s 10th best offense, averaging over 480 yards per game.
Penn State running back Journey Brown has been in the zone recently, running for 391 yards and seven touchdowns over Penn State’s last four games. He has been a welcome breakout for the Nittany Lions, who saw star quarterback Sean Clifford go down with an injury against Ohio State that kept him out of the team’s final regular season game. James Franklin stated Clifford was a game-time decision, so holding Clifford out may have been precautionary, but Clifford’s health is certainly a storyline to keep an eye on for Penn State.
This will be a close game throughout and will ultimately come down to who can make a big play late in the 4th quarter.
Prediction: Memphis 38, Penn State 34
Redbox Bowl – Santa Clara, California
California Golden Bears (7-5, 4-5 Pac-12) vs Illinois Fighting Illini (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten)
Kickoff: Dec 30, 4 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Spread: Illinois -7
Illinois has had a very up and down 2019 season, sandwiching a stunner over Wisconsin to spark a four-game win streak in between a four-game losing streak that included an upset at the hands of Eastern Michigan, and a two-game losing streak to finish off the regular season. The Illini are making their first bowl appearance under coach Lovie Smith, and their first overall since 2014. Illinois is led by a defense that thrives off of takeaways, ranking 3rd nationally with 28 turnovers forced. An integral part to this defense is senior linebacker Dele Harding who was named first-team All-Big Ten who has three interceptions and three forced fumbles on the season, paired with a team-leading 147 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Unfortunately for the Illini, Cal is one of the best in the country at holding onto the ball, tied for 13th nationally with only 13 giveaways.
Both Cal and Illinois are bad on offense and struggle to move the ball, ranking 117th and 119th nationally in total offense respectively. This will be a low scoring affair, and Illinois makes enough plays on defense to set their offense up.
Prediction: Illinois 21, Cal 17
Vrbo Citrus Bowl – Orlando, Florida
Michigan Wolverines (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2, 6-2 SEC)
Kickoff: Jan 1, 1 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Spread: Alabama -7
The Wolverines come into this game with a sour taste in their mouth after a blowout loss to Ohio State to end the season. Michigan has struggled on the year against top competition going 2-3 in games against ranked opponents, including blowout losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State. Quarterback Shea Patterson has played his best ball of the season recently, throwing for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns with only two interceptions over the past three games. Michigan’s defense is coming off their worst performance of the season after giving up 56 points to Ohio State, but this may have been an outlier as their defense ranks 6th in the country giving up under 300 yards per game and having forced 20 turnovers on the season.
But Alabama will pose a strong threat, ranking 7th in the country in total offense, although most of those stats came before star QB Tua Tagovailoa, who was lost for the season (hip). Back-up QB Mac Jones looked more than competent in Iron Bowl throwing for 335 yard and four touchdowns. Alabama’s motivation level for this game looms a large question, and Michigan will be fired up to get a bowl win and get to 10 wins. Michigan’s defense makes one late stand.
Prediction: Michigan 34, Alabama 28
Outback Bowl – Tampa, Florida
Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) vs. Auburn Tigers (9-3, 5-3 SEC)
Kickoff: Jan 1, 1 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Auburn -7.5
Minnesota has had of the best seasons in the school’s history, with a chance to eclipse the 10-win mark for the first time in 115 years. The Gophers offense has been strong all season, averaging 426 yards of offense per game and scoring 52 touchdowns on the season. Sophomore wide receiver Rashod Bateman has been a big part of this, winning the Big Ten receiver of the year award after hauling in 57 receptions for 1,170 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Gophers will face a stingy Auburn defense, ranking 19th in the country and allowing only 323 yards of offense per game.
Freshman quarterback Bo Nix and the Auburn offense have been middle-of-the-road all season, averaging 421 yards per game and ranking 53rd nationally in total offense. Minnesota has been stifling on defense allowing only 312 yards per game. This game will come down to the wire, but ultimately Gus Malzahn has one too many tricks prepared for Minnesota.
Prediction: Auburn 30, Minnesota 27
Rose Bowl – Pasadena, California
Oregon Ducks (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12) vs. Wisconsin Badgers (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten)
Kickoff: Jan 1, 5 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Wisconsin -2.5
Wisconsin started the season as well as possible, but a regular season stumble against Illinois and the conference championship loss to Ohio State kept the Badgers out of the playoff. The big storyline for the Badgers is running back Jonathan Taylor; he is the pace setter for this offense. When the Badgers get Taylor going, they usually win. But when he is bottled up things don’t go the Badgers way. In Wisconsin’s two losses, Taylor only ran for a combined 182 yards.
Oregon is led by NFL-prospect Justin Herbert at quarterback, but he will face off against the best defense he has seen all season. The Badgers rank 8th in the country in total defense, giving up under 300 yards per game and are tied for 21st in the country with 21 turnovers forced. Oregon has a stout defense, led by standout freshman defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, but the Badgers offensive line and run game are too much for the Ducks; they pull away in the 4th quarter.
Prediction: Wisconsin 31, Oregon 21
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl – Jacksonville, Florida
Indiana Hoosiers (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) vs. Tennessee Volunteers (7-5, 5-3 SEC)
Kickoff: Jan 2, 7 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Spread: Tennessee -1.5
Indiana has had a historic season, reaching a bowl for the third time since 2015 after only one bowl appearance in the previous 21 tries. A win would add more milestones to the season, the Hoosiers would mark the third nine-win season in school history and the first since 1967 and would be the program’s first bowl win since 1991. Indiana has been bolstered by an impressive offense all season, scoring 30 or more points in nine games this season tying a team record. Wide receiver Whop Philyor has been a big part of the offense, becoming only the seventh Indiana player to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season and leads the Big Ten with 489 yards after the catch.
After an 0-2 start to the season, Tennessee has improved drastically in all phases of the game. Senior wide receiver Jajuan Jennings has been a big part of the offensive turnaround hauling in 57 passes for 942 yards and eight touchdowns, but the Vols will be without their top pass-catcher for the first half of the game due to suspension. That will provide Indiana an opportunity to jump out to an early lead, but Jennings proves too much for the Hoosiers and Tennessee mounts a comeback in the second half.
Prediction: Tennessee 31, Indiana 27