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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Josh Keatley

Most important game for each Big Ten West football team in 2023

Every preseason pundit is giving out their best games to watch for the upcoming season and who and when to watch and that makes sense because there are so many interesting games. I was actually going to follow this same format and list my top games to watch in the Big Ten, but as I made the list, I noticed it was filled with the same three teams; Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan.

That made me feel guilty for not including some of the less watchable teams in the conference and instead I am going to provide a key game for each team in the Big Ten and we will start with the Big Ten West Division.

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Each game that is chosen is a game on the schedule that I feel defines the program and the trajectory each is taking.

Now let’s dive in!

Illinois Fighting Illini

Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Game to Watch

Illinois at Purdue – September 30th

This is an obvious selection. Jeff Brohm has left Purdue and the program replaced him with Ryan Walters, who was the defensive coordinator of the Fighting Illini last season. Many think Illinois is due for some regression this season after winning eight games last year. After barely beating the Boilermakers to the tune of 31-24 in 2022, it would be wise for Bret Bielema to place his foot on the throat of the new headman in the Big Ten and avoid as much regression as possible.

 

Iowa Hawkeyes

Fb 080 Jpg

Game to Watch

Iowa at Wisconsin – October 14th 

This is one of the more underrated rivalries in the Big Ten and the Hawkeyes are looking to win back-to-back against the Badgers after defeating them 24-10 at home last season. With that said, Wisconsin has won five of the past seven in this series. and new head coach, Luke Fickell, is looking to make an impact in the Big Ten for his first season.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Game to Watch

Minnesota at Iowa – October 21st

Minnesota won nine games last season and always seems to be on the brink of the top of the Big Ten, but the Hawkeyes are always there to stomp the Gophers back down. Iowa won this contest 13-10 last season and has won the last eight games in this series and ten of the past 11. If Minnesota is going to break through to the next tier of the Big Ten it needs a win in this series.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Osu21neb Bjp 219

Game to Watch

Nebraska at Illinois – October 7th

This is an underrated game. Everyone is highlighting the Cornhuskers against some of the top-tier teams in the Big Ten like Iowa, but Matt Rhule is entering his first season at Nebraska and needs time to change the losing culture there. Highlighting a game against Illinois is much more reasonable. The Cornhuskers were smoked by the Fighting Illini last season, 26-9, and pulling out a win in Urbana-Champaign in 2023 would be a reasonable sign of good things to come under Rhule.

Northwestern Wildcats

Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Game to Watch

Northwestern at Rutgers – September 2nd

The Wildcats program took a step backward this off-season with the news of hazing. New head coach David Braun was thrown into a position he is clearly not ready for, but the 2023 season opens with a winnable game within the conference. Coming away with a win in Piscataway can win some much-needed goodwill immediately. There are not a ton of winnable games on this schedule so Northwestern needs to take advantage.

Purdue Boilermakers

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Game to Watch

Illinois at Purdue – September 30th

We highlighted this game above for the Fighting Illini as well for the same reasons. Jeff Brohm left the Boilermakers and they replaced him with the former defensive coordinator of Illinois, Ryan Walters. The Purdue program made some serious strides under Brohm, and defeating the Fighting Illini would show that they aren’t going to take a step in the wrong direction.

Wisconsin Badgers

Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Game to Watch

Iowa at Wisconsin – October 14th 

We highlighted this game for the Hawkeyes as well, but this is an important game for both programs. Iowa took the last meeting with the Badgers and they need to get a win in this series to show that Fickell and company are moving this program forward for Wisconsin.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Josh Keatley on Twitter.

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