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Articles by Matt Eifert
Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Is anyone good? Original
Indiana looked horrible in a win while Iowa, USC, Oregon, and Michigan all suffered ugly defeats. Here are our latest Big Ten Football Power Rankings: The craziness of the Big Ten season didn’t stop in Week 8 as both Michigan and Oregon lost again. On top of that, Minnesota righted the ship and Wisconsin stormed the field after a huge win over Lincoln Riley and USC.
Friday Discussion: Will we see Bryce Underwood on the field at Michigan again? Original
Kyle Whittingham and the Michigan coaching staff made what most people agree to be the right choice last Saturday by benching Bryce Underwood at halftime against Penn State. Tommy Carr stepped in for the second half and the offense looked rejuvenated. However, Underwood played the part of a team captain well on the sidelines by continually praising his teammates, supporting Carr, and remaining engaged in all facets of the game.
Betting the Big Ten: Week 8 sees what Tommy Carr can do Original
The noon slate was spectacular to us on Betting the Big Ten last week, as we went perfect on the afternoon. Unfortunately, we missed on Washington vs. Purdue Friday night, as well as both of the late-night games Saturday. We still finished 4-3 on the week thanks to Ohio State and Michigan State covering, as well as Michigan vs. Penn State hitting the predictable under. On the season, we now sit at 44-37-1. Let’s keep it rolling. The Week 8 slate leaves a bit to be desired.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings sadly crowns a new No. 1 Original
Ohio State escaped a thriller without Julian Sayin while UCLA remained unbeaten. Here are our latest Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Week 7 was one of the craziest weeks of college football that we’ve seen in years. Ranked teams were dropping like flies outside of the Big Ten, while the Big Ten’s ranked teams quietly took care of business. Ohio State hung on for dear life against Indiana, while Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles got his revenge against Michigan State.
Friday discussion: How will CFP expansion affect Michigan football?
Yesterday, Michigan's least favorite reporter Pete Thamel broke the news that the College Football Playoff (CFP) would soon be expanding to 24 teams for the 2027 season and beyond. The general consensus of the college football world is this is an atrocious idea proposed by money-hungry TV executives. I don't disagree, but that's not the point of today's discussion. Today's question is this: how do you think CFP expansion will impact the Michigan football program, specifically, in 2027 and beyond?
Friday Discussion: How will CFP expansion affect Michigan Football? Original
Yesterday, Michigan’s least favorite reporter Pete Thamel broke the news that the College Football Playoff (CFP) would soon be expanding to 24 teams for the 2027 season and beyond. The general consensus of the college football world is this is an atrocious idea proposed by money-hungry TV executives. I don’t disagree, but that’s not the point of today’s discussion. Today’s question is this: how do you think CFP expansion will impact the Michigan football program, specifically, in 2027 and beyond?
Betting the Big Ten: Week 7 examines the game of the year Original
For the first time in a month, the Big Ten was not kind to us. While we correctly identified Purdue covering (and then some) against Minnesota, and Ohio State vs. Maryland hitting the over, we also had arguably our worst miss of the season: the over in the Oregon vs. UCLA game. On the week, we went just 3-5. Fortunately, we’ve built up some goodwill so we’re still above .500 at 40-34-1 on the year. Let’s get back on track.
Big Ten football power rankings adjust to a shocker in Eugene
Week 6 saw UCLA pick up a huge road win in Eugene, while Indiana snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in Lincoln. Our power rankings had to adjust accordingly, as Oregon plummets and UCLA moves up near the very top. There is still tons of football left to be played, but here are our Big Ten power rankings heading into Week 7: 10. Purdue Boilermakers: 3-3, Def. Minnesota 41-13, LW: 14 Purdue? Really? I'm just as surprised to see the Boilermakers crack the top 10 as you are, but check the tape.
Friday Discussion: Who is most at fault for Michigan’s disastrous start? Original
Following Michigan’s loss to Iowa, Kyle Whittingham stated in a press conference that he felt like his team was 0-4, despite their 3-1 record. Following one of the ugliest football games in Michigan history, the Wolverines are now 3-2 on the season, with two objectively bad losses. Whittingham must feel like he’s 0-5 now. While there’s plenty of blame to go around the Michigan football program for the atrocious start, we want to hear your opinion on who’s at most fault.
Betting the Big Ten: Week 6 mercifully doesn’t make us pick a Michigan game Original
This week, we give our best Big Ten football bets for Indiana vs. Nebraska, UCLA vs. Oregon, and more: Let the good times roll for Betting the Big Ten. Just don’t look at Michigan’s record. Week 4 had been our best week to date at 6-3. In Week 5 we did even better, going 6-2 thanks to every single under we picked hitting. Our only misses were on two overs. Maybe the strategy should just be to take unders from here on out. Spoiler alert: it won’t be because that’s no fun.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings sees Michigan plummet
Week 5 was an interesting week in the Big Ten. Northwestern opened a new stadium with a bang, while Michigan faltered and Ohio State easily dispatched Iowa in a ranked matchup. These results didn't drastically shake up the rankings, but they helped us get a clearer picture as to who is a real contender and who's a pretender. Sadly, Michigan falls in the latter category. Without further ado, here's who we've got ranked in the top 10 heading into Week 6: 10. Northwestern Wildcats: 3-1, Def.
Friday Discussion: Does Michigan realistically have any chance at the CFP anymore? Original
Through one-third of the regular season, the Michigan Wolverines are 3-1. Before the season, many thought that would be a realistic possibility, but a disappointing possibility at that. However, in college football, how you pass the eye test matters almost as much as your actual record. The Wolverines have certainly flunked the eye test, to say the least.
Betting the Big Ten: Week 5 sees if Iowa can do it again Original
Week 4 was very, very kind to us here on Betting the Big Ten. By very kind what I mean is that we went 6-3 on the week, thanks to a pair of overs covering by a half point each, as well as a shootout occurring in Los Angeles despite Dante Moore’s brutal head blow. After our best week to date, we now sit at 31-27-1 on the year. Week 5 features just one ranked matchup as Ohio State travels to Iowa City as the Hawkeyes attempt to make magic happen twice.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings reassess the conference after a few upsets Original
Wisconsin, Iowa and Oregon all picked up huge wins over the weekend. Here’s where we have them ranked in this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 3 was pretty ho-hum with expected results across the board. Week 4 was anything but. Iowa pulled off a stunner in the Big House, Wisconsin shocked Penn State in Happy Valley, and Oregon picked up a huge road win in Los Angeles. Those results and more drastically affected our rankings this week.
Friday Discussion: Who was Michigan Football’s MVP of the non-conference schedule? Original
It’s hard to believe, but Michigan’s regular season is already 25 percent complete. The Wolverines are 3-0 as some expected, but the manner in which they got there was certainly unexpected to say the least. Today’s discussion question is this: who has been Michigan’s MVP through the first three games of the 2026 season? Let’s run through the options. Offensively, the team has been disappointing so far.
Betting the Big Ten: Week 4 examines two ranked matchups Original
Now that’s more like it. After a ho-hum noon slate, we went nearly perfect in the afternoon window to go 9-6-1 in Week 3. We picked several large underdogs that were able to cover like UTEP, Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky. On the season, we now sit at 25-24-1. Week 4 is the true start of conference play, as nearly every Big Ten team plays another one. On top of that, we’ve got two top-25 matchups. Let’s keep the good times rolling. All lines are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Big Ten football power rankings heading into conference play
Week 3 was fairly ho-hum in the Big Ten, as most games went as expected. The only real surprise was Northwestern's beatdown of Deion Sanders and Colorado. While there isn't a ton of change from last week, here's what we have headed into the first full week of Big Ten play: 10. UCLA Bruins: 3-0, Def. Purdue 52-38, Last Week: 10 UCLA picked up their first Big Ten win of the season by defeating Purdue at the Rose Bowl.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings heading into conference play Original
The Big Ten games went mostly as expected this week. Here are our Power Rankings heading into the heart of conference play: Week 3 was fairly ho-hum in the Big Ten, as most games went as expected. The only real surprise was Northwestern’s beatdown of Deion Sanders and Colorado. While there isn’t a ton of change from last week, here’s what we have headed into the first full week of Big Ten play: UCLA picked up their first Big Ten win of the season by defeating Purdue at the Rose Bowl.
Friday Discussion: Is Michigan Football a CFP contender or pretender? Original
Somehow, someway, the Michigan Wolverines are 2-0. Michigan has scored just 30 points through two games, but that’s all it has taken to win both of them. With that in mind, are the Wolverines legitimate CFP contenders or is their record simply a mirage with several losses on the horizon? Before the season, the most common record prediction for the Wolverines was 9-3.
Roundtable: Michigan Football vs UTEP Original
The Michigan Wolverines (2-0) return to The Big House this weekend to take on UTEP to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule (3:30 p.m. on BTN). In this week’s Roundtable, Maize n Brew staff members give their final thoughts on last week’s upset win over Oklahoma, give some bold predictions for tomorrow’s game and more! As we always do, let’s look back at last week’s game. Provide any takeaways or hot takes you have coming out of the Oklahoma game.
Betting the Big Ten: Week 3 sees the start of Big Ten play Original
This week, we give our best bets for Michigan, USC, Oregon, Ohio State and every other team in the Big Ten Conference: Week 2 started off horrendously as we missed on Friday night in the Rutgers matchup and a majority of the games in the noon slate on Saturday. However, we rallied back with an incredible afternoon slate as Mississippi State crushed Minnesota and Duke, Michigan State, and Maryland all covered. We wrapped up a solid week at 9-7 and now sit at 16-18 on the year.
Big Ten football power rankings are completely shaken up after Week 2
Everything changed in Week 2. Michigan stunned Oklahoma at the Big House, Ohio State chocked away a huge lead in Austin, and Oregon fell in what could be the biggest upset of the season. Accordingly, our power rankings changed dramatically as we can only judge teams by what's happened on the field. Here's what we've got headed into Week 3: 10. UCLA Bruins: 2-0, Def.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings are completely shaken up after Week 2 Original
Our Big Ten Football Power Rankings have completely flipped since last week. Here is what we have after Week 2: Everything changed in Week 2. Michigan stunned Oklahoma at the Big House, Ohio State chocked away a huge lead in Austin, and Oregon fell in what could be the biggest upset of the season. Accordingly, our power rankings changed dramatically as we can only judge teams by what’s happened on the field.
Friday Discussion: What does Bryce Underwood need to do to gain your trust back? Original
There’s no denying that Bryce Underwood was downright bad in a miraculous Week 1 win over Western Michigan. The sophomore quarterback’s final stat line was 12/22 for 170 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. However, the statistics don’t tell the full story. Underwood had a near second interception that was overturned by replay. He also fumbled at the most critical juncture of the game.
Betting the Big Ten: Week 2 features non-conference challenges Original
This week, we give our best bets for Michigan, USC, Oregon, Ohio State and every other team in the conference: Week 1 was unkind to us here on Betting the Big Ten. Michigan game aside, we ended up on the wrong side of a handful of blowouts. However, we did correctly identify UMass to cover against Rutgers — we should have taken it one step further and projected the outright winner. In total we went 7-11 to start the year. While not great, it’s certainly not a hole we can’t climb out of.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings following an ugly Week 1 Original
There is quite a bit of movement in our weekly power rankings. Here is what we have heading into Week 2: Now that games have been played on the field, it’s much easier to rank the Big Ten teams. Despite the conference’s relatively strong weekly record, there’s quite a bit of movement that needed to be made in our rankings. Here’s what we’ve got headed into Week 2: Illinois took care of a plucky UAB squad despite gaining 81 fewer yards from scrimmage than the Blazers.
Friday Discussion: How excited are you for the Kyle Whittingham era? Original
We made it. Michigan football returns tomorrow. It’s been quite the offseason in these parts. Sherrone Moore was unceremoniously dismissed following the news breaking that he was having an affair with a subordinate. Warde Manuel’s tenure will also be coming to a close soon due to the results of an internal investigation. All the while, the Wolverines brought in a future hall-of-fame coach to run the football program in Kyle Whittingham.
Betting the Big Ten Returns Original
Welcome to the triumphant return of Betting the Big Ten! As in prior years, we are going to take a stab at giving pick suggestions for each and every Big Ten game each week. Spreads, totals, and even prop bets are fully on the table. We’ve had some decent success in recent years so feel free to play along, but as always, please bet responsibly. All lines are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Anyone who’s read this piece in prior years knows I love to make picks based off trends.
Big Ten football power rankings heading into week 1
Preseason rankings are inherently silly in and of themselves. However, they do provide a good baseline to look back and laugh at once the games have been played on the field. From here on out, we'll be publishing our Big Ten Power Rankings each Monday to assess how teams have shifted up and down the list throughout the season. Without further ado, here's our totally subjective preseason rankings. 10. Minnesota Golden Gophers: Week 1 vs.
Big Ten Football Power Rankings heading into Week 1 Original
Welcome back to our weekly installment of the Big Ten Football Power Rankings! Here is what we have heading into Week 1: Preseason rankings are inherently silly in and of themselves. However, they do provide a good baseline to look back and laugh at once the games have been played on the field. From here on out, we’ll be publishing our Big Ten Power Rankings each Monday to assess how teams have shifted up and down the list throughout the season.
Friday Discussion: Will Bryce Underwood make a sophomore leap? Original
There’s no denying that quarterback Bryce Underwood is the most pivotal player on Michigan’s 2026 roster. It’s become almost cliche to talk about Underwood and how important it is for him to develop. With the season right around the corner, we wanted to give you one more opportunity to let us know your thoughts about Underwood. Will he take the proverbial sophomore leap? How do you foresee his season going at the helm of the Michigan offense?
Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football coaches heading into 2026 Original
With the 2026 college football approaching, here is our preseason power ranking of all 18 Big Ten head coaches: The Big Ten is on top of the football world. Having won three consecutive national championships, that fact is indisputable. A big part of that is the excellent coaching within the conference. Today we took a stab at ranking the 18 head coaches in the Big Ten heading into the 2026 season.
Michigan Football: 5 biggest X factors for the 2026 season Original
Heading into a Michigan football season, we usually have a pretty good grasp of what the team’s ceiling and floor are. However, the 2026 Wolverines present just about the widest possible range due to a brand new coaching staff, a quarterback widely regarded as talented but in need of development, and a defense that looks to reload after losing a majority of their starters. This team could certainly make the College Football Playoff given how talented it is.
Friday Discussion: Do you have a problem with underclassmen being team captains? Original
Michigan Football announced its team captains for the 2026 season earlier this week: Graduate student safety Rod Moore, senior defensive tackle Trey Pierce, junior running back Jordan Marshall, and sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood were selected to lead the team this year, along with an additional leadership council. As we detailed earlier this week, this breaks a longstanding tradition of Michigan captains only being seniors.
Michigan Football: Ranking every road trip in 2026 from easiest to hardest Original
Michigan’s 2026 regular season schedule is fortunate to feature eight games at home and just four on the road. While the quality of teams the Wolverines face will allow for their schedule to qualify as a gauntlet, a majority of the big games being at home is a slight consolation. Of the four road trips Michigan will embark on under new head coach Kyle Whittingham this year, which one is the toughest?
Preseason Poll Roundup: Where Michigan Football lands heading into Week 1 Original
With Week 1 of the college football season just a couple weeks away, several outlets have begun publishing their preseason rankings. While preseason polls in and of themselves are silly — as no snaps of football have been played on the field yet — they can be a good way to judge how the national media perceives your program. With that in mind, we compiled a few of the notable polls and projections to paint a picture of how the media views Kyle Whittingham’s program heading into the 2026 season.
Comparing and contrasting SEC vs Big Ten depth since conference expansion Original
Which of the Big Ten and SEC conferences has traditionally been deeper since the conferences expanded? Let’s take an in-depth look: The Big Ten has won the College Football Playoff National Championship for three consecutive seasons. The Michigan Wolverines hoisted the trophy following the 2023 season, a team that lost to Michigan won the national title in 2024, and the Indiana Hoosiers capped off a magical season with a national championship in 2025.
Friday Discussion: Should Michigan be downplaying the Ohio State rivalry to the media?
ANN ARBOR, MI - APRIL 18: Michigan Wolverines head coach Kyle Whittingham speaks to the media during the postgame press conference following the Michigan spring football game on April 18, 2026 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, MI. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Michigan football is in the thick of fall camp, and with that comes press conferences for players and coaches.
Friday Discussion: Should Michigan be downplaying the Ohio State rivalry to the media?
Michigan football is in the thick of fall camp, and with that comes press conferences for players and coaches. In recent weeks both head coach Kyle Whittingham and quarterback Bryce Underwood have downplayed the rivalry with Ohio State. Is that a tactical move, a sign of the times with the expanded College Football Playoff, or simply a mistake? Should Michigan be downplaying the importance of The Game to the media? Whittingham was hired in part to be the proverbial adult in the room for the program.
Stock up, stock down on the Big Ten’s football offseason Original
This past college football offseason was chaotic. This is nothing new in the current landscape of college athletics. However, some programs handle the ups and downs of the offseason better than others. Today we present to you the Big Ten programs with their stock heading in the right direction as well as those who may be trending badly moving forward. Oregon lost just twice last season, both times to the same team: the Indiana Hoosiers.
Friday Discussion: Which non-Bryce Underwood Michigan player is most important to develop for 2026? Original
With a brand new coaching staff, strength and conditioning staff and players galore, the Michigan Wolverines will look quite a bit different in a few weeks. Despite the influx of new talent, the importance of player development is at an all-time high. In order for the Wolverines to succeed, they cannot rely solely on new players stepping up. The guys already inside the building need to progress and develop.
Predicting Big Ten football award winners this season Original
The Big Ten hands out several postseason awards in football. Here’s who we think will take each of them home in 2026: While not as prestigious as some of the national awards, the Big Ten hands out a collection of postseason awards each year. Typically dominated by Michigan and Ohio State, these awards recognize the best of the best at each position and on each side of the ball. Today, we predict who will take home the hardware in each category for the 2026 season.
Big Ten Football: The best futures bets to make right now on DraftKings
Don't look now, but we are just a handful of weeks away from the start of college football season. For those of us who enjoy betting on sports, now is a great time to take a look at futures and see what Vegas thinks of each team before a single snap has been played. We thought it would be appropriate to highlight some of our favorite Big Ten futures that are available now. All listed lines are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Please bet responsibly.
Friday Discussion: Are jersey patches inevitable in college football? Original
Earlier this week, it was announced Ohio State reached a deal with Chase Bank to put a sponsorship patch on their uniform for $15 million. Shortly after that, Notre Dame announced a partnership deal with SoFi to put a patch on their jerseys in exchange for $18-20 million. In the NIL era, this isn’t overly surprising. At a time when schools are desperate to grab cash in any form or fashion to put together the best roster possible, things such as jerseys and stadiums are no longer sacred.
DE Carter Meadows’ path to Michigan Football, outlook for 2026 Original
Unlike other blue bloods, Michigan doesn’t often reel in high five-star prospects. For every Rashan Gary and Bryce Underwood, there are classes without a single five-star in it that are developed into powerhouse football teams. The class of 2026 is the former, as Michigan brought in two five-stars this offseason in Savion Hiter and Carter Meadows. Meadows has the makings of a star, but will need some time to get ready for Big Ten action.
Friday Discussion: Should college football be played on natural grass? Original
The FIFA World Cup wrapped up last weekend with Spain taking the crown on natural grass at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Per FIFA regulations, World Cup games are required to be played on natural surfaces, meaning that several of the large American stadiums had to lay down sod to meet those requirements. This sparked a debate on the internet as current NFL players decried the fact that they have to play on artificial turf while the stadiums they play at are capable of having natural grass.
3 non-negotiable traits Michigan's next athletic director must have
The job description of a college athletic director is as long as it's ever been. While Warde Manuel's pending departure from the University of Michigan feels warranted, there's no denying he had some major successes along with his failures. Michigan athletics will soon start a new chapter — a new president and AD are on the way, and the department's two biggest programs hired new head coaches this offseason.
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