I think it could be a pace thing. But it's not that big of a deal IMO.

Pepsi Challenge!

From what I saw, taken with a grain of salt.

Week 11 GB
Week 12 MIN
Week 13 @ DET (Thanksgiving)
Week 14 AZ
Week 15 @ MIN (MNF)
Week 16 DET
Week 17 Seattle (TNF)
Week 18 @ GB

By then, Williams will be on the bench and hated in Chicago

Then MU needs to step up their game. If 8 million more is accurate and more on NIL is  MU is not doing enough.

Not sure how accurate that is. Last year the program went to Italy and Hawaii, know they have a great training table and get all the shoes and clothes they want, fly charter, plus some NIL money, they can compete

Going off KenPom:
Underdog
2021 vs Illinois, MU +9
2022 vs Purdue, MU +10
2023 vs Illinois, MU +1
2023 vs Purdue, MU +3

Favorite
2022 vs UW, MU -5
2023 vs UW, MU -1
2023 vs Mich. State, MU -3

Idk how hard it is to look up at point spreads by coach so these are just at a glance records and I'll leave it you to decide if you want to check whether Shaka's teams were favored or not.

Vs B12 7-0 (just between VCU & MU)
Vs PAC 12 (8-3)
Vs SEC (7-6)
Vs ACC (11-5)

Again I don't know what amount of games his teams were or were not favored in so maybe a lot of scrubs there but that'd be wild if he just happened to predominantly play teams he's an underdog against in the B1G as opposed to other conferences. I think there's enough data to at least ponder whether it's a matchup of styles issue.