It showed that the soft non-conference schedule -- 13 home games, including 11 against mid- and low-majors -- is not a consecutive stretch. Rutgers will face Minnesota -- coming off a NCAA Tournament berth -- and Michigan State to break up the non-conference stretch.
Big Ten favorite Michigan State is up twice in the first five Big Ten games, after opening the new year against Purdue and Wisconsin. That stretch of powers could be a formula for an 0-5 Big Ten start, barring an upset.
On the other hand, the schedule gets much easier from there, with favorable home-and-homes against Illinois, Ohio State and Nebraska.