The Big Ten stays put at 12 teams this season with Rutgers and Maryland headed to the conference next season. The conference should be a bit better at the top this season with Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Northwestern as solid to 25 teams and the first five all have the ability to be anywhere from 5-15 for most of the season. The big question will be whether we continue to see the improvement at the quarterback position to make that jump possible and see better post season results. The bottom with Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Purdue isn't going to help with perception issues but a strong top cures all issues. (ACC, MWC and Conference rank previews)
Leaders: |last year W-L, returning offensive starters, returning defensive starters, %yards returning, %tackles returning|
Best Team: Ohio State|12-0, 9, 4, 95.3%, 53.5%| Let's start with the worries for this year's squad. The Buckeyes lose the entirety of D-Line and a good chunk of the O-Line, even with those concerns optimism runs high in Columbus. Urban Meyer has a track record of success in the second year, both at Florida and at Utah, plus Meyer brings back Braxton Miller at QB and lots of skill position talent (95% of last year's yards coming back). On defense they should have enough talent from the last couple recruiting classes to fill holes and should be carried by a pretty good secondary.
Worst Team: Illinois|2-10, 9, 3, 92.7%, 56.2%| Ron Zook left nothing in the cupboard for Tim Beckman and his staff. I shouldn't say nothing, I'm sure the kids left behind from the Ron Zook era are good kids but the football talent is weak at best and a 2-10 record tells all you need to know. 12 returning starters total should be a sign of optimism but, as has been the case with most of my worst teams, a lot of non-talented returing starters isn't going to be much help. Illinois needs to bring some talent on the roster but patience is the key for Beckman going into and coming out of year 2.
Intriguing Team: Wisconsin|8-6, 8, 7, 75.4%, 66.4%| Wisconsin did the semi-impossible, they followed a living legend at coach with his handpicked replacement and he managed to take the program to arguably even greater heights. Bielema is now gone for the Ozark but his time the Badgers went outside the program to find his replacement. Gary Anderson takes over a program in great shape but possibly at the zenith of its potential. Anderson's resume speaks for itself and his rebuilding of Utah State was a masterpiece of coaching, his new Wisconsin team will certainly be less of a project but not without its challenges. Anderson and staff will be transitioning the defense to a 3-4 and the lack of depth along the line should make the transition good along with an underrated linebacker corps. The core competency for this team will still be its ability to run the ball with James White and Melvin Gordon behind one of the best offensive lines in the county once again.
Legends:
Best Team: Nebraska|10-4, 9, 4, 80%, 34.3%| The offense will be potent in Lincoln this season with an abundance of talent returning, Taylor Martinez at QB, Kenny Bell at WR and only the loss of Rex Burkhead as a major contributor from last year's team. The o-line returns a lot of talent as well which should continue to open up big lanes for the offense. The defense is another story all together, with only a third of the tackles returning and more than a few years of disappointing if not bad play on defense has left much to be desired from the Blackshirts. The success of this team will rest at the feet of Pelini and staff to maximize the talent on defense to allow the offense to win what are shaping up to be shootouts.
Worst Team: Iowa|4-8, 7, 7, 48.7%, 72.8%| I'm not sure what happened in Iowa City, Ferentz had this team performing above expectations most years and competing for championships ocsaionally. Then AIRBHG kicked in, the team had some bad bounces and the overall quality of the team dropped off. The talent on defense has still been there but the graduating students at Iowa haven't seen quality quarterbacking in their time at the #1 party school in the country. The defense should be stout again but will there be any offense to speak of this year or will Hawkeye fans wish they were drunk all season.
Intriguing Team: Michigan|8-5, 6, 6, 54.1%, 69.3%| Michigan enters the year with fewer questions at the quarterback position but with the same issues on defense they have had for the last 8 years it seems. With their best defensive lineman injured and a secondary that underperformed just about every standard last year I can't shake the feeling that the defense won't be able to make much improvement this season. The offense on the other hand should benefit from the stability of Devon Gardner being in control all offseason and the return of much of the skill positions will be a major plus. Lastly Taylor Lewan will hold down an above average offensive line that will give the skill guys the ability to use thier highly recruited talents to their fullest potential.
Conference Standings:
Leaders: Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Indiana, Purdue, Illinois
Legends: Nebraska, Michigan State, Michigan, Northwestern, Minnesota, Iowa
Championship Game: Ohio State vs. Nebraska Winner: Ohio State
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