Which players will emerge as stars? How will unbalanced schedules help Iowa and hurt Nebraska? Which teams will meet in the first Big Ten championship game? We've got your answers (and a lot more).
The emergence of Taylor Martinez gave Nebraska a promising start and a top-10 ranking. But things fell apart the last four games, bottoming out with a 19-7 loss to Washington in the Holiday Bowl. The Huskers just missed a Big 12 championship for the second straight year.
As usual, the Blackshirts should be solid. Jared Crick, Lavonte David and Alfonzo Dennard give NU a standout at each defensive level. Rex Burkhead and Kyler Reed will be key components of the offense.
Martinez's sluggish finish opens the quarterback competition, creating the possibility that Nebraska puts a new starter in the huddle for the fifth straight year. The offensive line was hit-and-miss all season. Without guards Ricky Henry and Keith Williams, young players must step up. The receiving corps is perhaps the greatest area of concern. Only Brandon Kinnie had more than one catch last year.
Unyielding. After a nonconference slate that requires Nebraska's attention, it opens Big Ten play with Wisconsin and Ohio State. November features road trips to Penn State and Michigan. Fortunately, the biggest divisional games — Michigan State and Iowa — are in Lincoln.
Even if Bo Pelini solves his offense, there are too many tough tests to think about a national title. But this division is winnable, even for a flawed team. Look for Nebraska to earn a Dec. 3 date with Ohio State or Wisconsin.
An Insight Bowl win over Missouri salvaged a frustrating season. In each of its five losses, Iowa led or was tied in the fourth quarter. The defense gave up only 17 points a game, but it continually failed to make critical stops. Off-field issues also troubled the program. Three running backs who were supposed to carry the offense in 2010 have all left the program.
Receiver Marvin McNutt, tailback Marcus Coker and a brutish offensive line should give new quarterback James Vandenberg time to get his feet wet.
“(Ricky) Stanzi put up sterling numbers (25 touchdowns to just six interceptions), but Vandenberg has been waiting for this. Shouldn't be a lot of drop-off if any,” said Marc Morehouse of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
Coker ran for 219 yards in the bowl game. Omaha Central grad Shaun Prater and Micah Hyde anchor a strong secondary.
How does Norm Parker rebuild a defense that loses major pieces Adrian Clayborn, Christian Ballard, Karl Klug, Jeremiha Hunter and Tyler Sash? A dominant defensive line in 2010 suddenly turns into a reconstruction project.
Friendly like Mr. Rogers. No Ohio State, Wisconsin or Illinois. Is Iowa better than Nebraska and MSU? Maybe not, but those teams play Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes have a good shot at the division.
Iowa rebounds from 2010, but loses a Thanksgiving weekend matchup in Lincoln with a division title on the line.
The Spartans' breakthrough began with a successful fake field goal in overtime against Notre Dame. In October, they beat Wisconsin at home and rallied to edge Northwestern. Statistically, Michigan State was pretty average. But Mark Dantonio's team executed in the clutch, going 5-0 in games decided by 10 points or less. The only blackmarks were losses to Iowa (37-6) and Alabama (49-7).
The backfield of Kirk Cousins and Edwin Baker forms the offensive backbone. Defensive backs Johnny Adams and Trenton Richardson are All-Big Ten caliber. And kicker Dan Conroy and return specialist Keshawn Martin can decide a close game.
The Spartans' strength in 2010 was defense. Replacing all-conference linebackers and leading tacklers Greg Jones and Eric Gordon won't be easy. Everything lined up for Michigan State last year: eight home games, a bunch of close wins — and no Ohio State on the Schedule . Can the Spartans recover from a humiliating loss to Alabama and beat better competition?
Rugged. The road games are flat-out nasty: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern. And don't forget Wisconsin at home.
Dantonio's bunch must now perform with the burden of expectations. Backfield experience helps, but there are too many road hurdles to win a division.
The Wildcats missed chances to make a national splash when they lost second-half leads to Penn State and Michigan State. They did upset Iowa when quarterback Dan Persa led a furious rally, capping it with the game-winning touchdown pass with 1:22 left. Ironically, that's the moment Northwestern's season went south. Persa tore his right Achilles' tendon on the play and missed the rest of the season. Northwestern didn't win again.
The offense. Almost everyone returns. Receiver Jeremy Ebert nearly topped 1,000 yards. But the most important cog is the senior quarterback. Persa threw for 258 yards per game, finishing with 15 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He's expected back in time for spring practice.
The defense gave up 48 to Illinois, 70 to Wisconsin and 45 to Texas Tech in the last three games.
“We'll look at everything — scheme, personnel,” coach Pat Fitzgerald told the Chicago Tribune. “I can tell you there's no one on that defense who has a (guaranteed) job. ... They've been in position to make plays and haven't made them. The competition starts now.”
Favorable. Northwestern dodges Ohio State and Wisconsin. The nonconference features road trips to Boston College and Army.
The Wildcats will pester a few contenders with their dynamic passing game — Persa is a legitimate playmaker — but the defense is too soft to crack the top half of the league.
Wins over Connecticut and Notre Dame highlighted a hot start. But once Big Ten play began, the Wolverines' defense got exposed, giving up at least 34 points in each of six losses. That doesn't include a 67-65 triple-overtime win over Illinois. Brady Hoke took over for Rich Rodriguez.
Denard Robinson made a splash in September, compiling 502 total yards against Notre Dame. He'll have help from a steady line and receiver Roy Roundtree.
The defense was 110th nationally in total yards. Surely it will improve under Hoke, but how much? Hoke must also determine how much he (and new offensive coordinator Al Borges) cater the offense to Robinson, who won't be nearly as effective if Michigan abandons the spread. Borges plans a pro-style offense with spread characteristics.
“They said Michael Vick couldn't be a West Coast-style quarterback, and he's one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL,” Borges told the Detroit News. “Why? Because they put him in situations to run and throw. ... If Michael Vick can do that with the Philadelphia Eagles, why can't Denard Robinson do that at Michigan?”
Tough (eventually). Hoke gets a chance to start fast with five straight home games, including Notre Dame and his former team, San Diego State. But November is daunting: at Iowa, at Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio State.
Hoke's a “Michigan man,” but it'll take time to rebuild a hard-nosed mentality. The Wolverines will be lucky to reach .500.
Closing wins over Illinois and Iowa with an interim coach couldn't clean the stain of nine straight losses. Tim Brewster is out as head coach.
Coach Jerry Kill, who came from Northern Illinois, didn't exactly knock the wool socks off Gopher fans when he was hired. But he's succeeded at every level, from high school to the Mid-American Conference. His staff is made up of loyal assistants who followed him all over the Midwest.
“He's got a system, he's used it for two decades and he trusts it (and the loyal staff who implement it) completely,” said Phil Miller of the Star Tribune. “Going to be fascinating to see how it translates to the Big Ten.”
Where to begin. Depth is a problem, especially on defense. Gary Tinsley and the Gophers ranked 98th nationally in points allowed. But the biggest wild card is quarterback. Minnesota switches from a four-year starter and pocket passer in Adam Weber to MarQueis Gray, one of the Gophers' best receivers last year. He'll orchestrate Kill's new offense, with spread characteristics.
Average. There's a road trip to Southern California. And a four-week stretch that goes like this: Nebraska, Iowa, at Michigan State, Wisconsin. Good news is Minnesota doesn't play Ohio State or Penn State.
Kill will make progress, but the reconstruction process will be slow. Minnesota should be happy to win four games.
Ho-hum 12-1 for the Buckeyes, who had national championship aspirations before stumbling at Wisconsin. When you claim six straight Big Ten titles, top-10 seasons come pretty easy.
The offense should be very good, even without its suspended top quarterback, running back, receiver and offensive tackle for the first five games. Terrelle Pryor is the key component, the Heisman candidate, but he has plenty of help, especially in the backfield. Lineman John Simon, a product of Cardinal Mooney in Youngstown, Ohio, is the top returning defender.
Two big concerns. First, the suspensions to Pryor and four teammates, all of whom are starters. Ohio State has appealed the decision. If the NCAA doesn't reduce the penalties, then Ohio State must face Michigan State without its full arsenal, then take Pryor to Lincoln for his first action. Not ideal. The defense loses five first-team All-Big Ten players. Five! Cameron Heyward, a force on the defensive line, may be the hardest to replace.
Suspenseful. A trip to Miami is a test simply because of the suspensions. October is a bear: Michigan State, at Nebraska, at Illinois, Wisconsin. The season ends in Ann Arbor.
Wisconsin will be on their heels. But the Buckeyes will rebuild the defense and win the division. If the NCAA reduces the suspensions by a few games, OSU has a chance to win 'em all and contend for a national title.
One of the best years in school history ended with a Rose Bowl bid. The Badgers upset Ohio State at Camp Randall and rallied to clip Iowa on the road. Only a road loss to Michigan State spoiled a perfect regular season. Wisconsin's offense stole the headlines, scoring at least 70 points three times.
It starts with the running game. The offensive line should be massive again, and there's plenty of depth at running back with James White and Montee Ball. The defense should be excellent. Most important, the Badgers enter 2010 with confidence.
“Beating the Buckeyes was big for UW's psyche, the first time coach Bret Bielema was able to get over that hurdle after three previous losses,” said Tom Mulhern of the Wisconsin State Journal.
Eleven starters are gone, including four first-team All-Big Ten selections: Outland winner Gabe Carimi, guard John Moffitt, tight end Lance Kendricks and defensive end J.J. Watt. Quarterback Scott Tolzien must be replaced, too. “The key will be finding a quarterback,” Mulhern said. Sophomore Jon Budmayr is the leading contender.
Difficult. October features duels with the three chief competitors for a league crown: Nebraska, at Michigan State, at Ohio State. By Halloween, the Badgers will know exactly where they stand.
Bielema has built a force that won't go away. But chances for a Big Ten crown come down to the game at Ohio State. That's too tall of a task for a new QB.
Ron Zook's Fighting Illini showed as much inconsistency as any team in the Big Ten. They pushed Missouri and Ohio State to the final minutes and dominated Penn State in Happy Valley. That's the good stuff. They also lost to Minnesota at home. At least Illinois finished on a high, rolling Baylor in the Houston Bowl.
Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, whom Nebraska pursued, was “the most important Big Ten freshman last fall,” says Herb Gould of the Chicago Sun-Times. Scheelhaase set a school record for QB rushing (868 yards). New coordinators Paul Petrino (offense) and Vic Koenning (defense) gave the program a jolt in 2010.
“The consensus is that the arrow is pointing up,” said Bob Asmussen of the Champaign News-Gazette, “though not all of the fans believe in Zook.”
All-Big Ten back Mikel Leshoure (1,697 yards), defensive tackle Corey Leguit and linebacker Martez Wilson bolted for the NFL, leaving Illinois in search of new stars. The passing game (111th nationally) must improve.
Soft as a pillow. Four relatively easy nonconference games (Missouri is off the slate). The only road games are Indiana, Purdue, Penn State and Minnesota. The Illini dodge Nebraska, Michigan State and Iowa.
Zook almost lost his job after 2008-09, but he has gained momentum. Look for Illinois to step forward with that Schedule . Eight or nine regular-season wins is possible.
The Nittany Lions scored three points at Alabama and at Iowa. At Ohio State, they led 14-3 before 35 unanswered OSU points. They led Florida 24-17 in the Outback Bowl, then gave up 20 straight. True freshman quarterback Rob Bolden started, but got replaced in November by walk-on Matt McGloin, who sparked the offense before five interceptions against Florida. Bolden requested a scholarship release; Paterno turned him down. So the freshman, at least for now, is still with the team.
The pass defense was second in the Big Ten, and all four starters return, including cornerback D'Anton Lynn. There's a budding star at linebacker in Mike Mauti. Receiver Derrick Moye returns after 885 yards on 53 catches.
Penn State needs a pass rusher after just 17 sacks all year. Evan Royster, a 1,000-yard rusher, graduates. First-team All-Big Ten guard Stefan Wisniewski leaves. The real problem is quarterback. Kevin Newsome was expected to start last year before Bolden beat him out. He, too, may transfer.
“There's just a lot of flux,” said David Jones of the Patriot-News. “Everything begins with the quarterback, and I just can't see how next year will be any better than this year.”
Backloaded. Aside from Alabama at home, Penn State doesn't face many big names until November. Then it's Nebraska at home, at Ohio State, at Wisconsin. Ouch.
Penn State's talent isn't good enough to compete with the upper tier. Paterno goes 7-5.
Here's how bad it got for Purdue. The top quarterback, running back and receiver all suffered ACL injuries. The backup QB played the last half of the season with a broken index finger on his throwing hand. He would've sat out, but the third stringer got hurt on his first play under center. Purdue had one of the worst offenses in the country. Not one player gained more than 50 yards per game, rushing or receiving. No wonder the Boilers lost their last six, including a gut punch to rival Indiana.
Freshman cornerback Ricardo Allen was second-team all-conference. That's a high honor for a young player on a bad team. He returned interceptions for touchdowns against Michigan and Michigan State. Allen highlights a defense that returns all but two starters. If receiver Keith Smith and tailback Ralph Bolden make it back from the ACL injuries, the offense gets a big boost.
Big Ten defensive player of the year Ryan Kerrigan graduated after a huge season. How does Purdue replace his 13 sacks? Then there's the quarterback question. It's wide open with Rob Henry, Caleb Terbush and Robert Marve, who's still recovering from his knee injury.
No Nebraska or Michigan State helps. But the Boilers play Wisconsin on the road, Ohio State and Iowa in consecutive weeks.
Purdue has the pieces to make a little noise if it can stay healthy. Danny Hope will score an upset or two (Look out, Notre Dame!) and win six games, saving his job.
The Hoosiers were 3-0 on Oct. 2 when Michigan came to town. They had the Wolverines on the ropes before Denard Robinson came through in the clutch. From there, IU spiraled.
Quarterback Ben Chappell led the league in passing, and his three wideouts were 1-2-3 in receptions per game. But the defense failed, ranking 102nd nationally in scoring defense. Head coach Bill Lynch was fired and replaced by Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson, whose spread offense took the Big Ten by storm in 2000 when he was at Northwestern.
Linebackers Leon Beckum and Jeff Thomas, two of the team's three leading tacklers in 2010, may be able to solidify the defense. Receiver Damarlo Belcher led the Hoosiers with 78 catches last year.
Gone are the prolific Chappell and Tandon Doss, an All-Big Ten receiver who declared for the NFL Draft. Wilson must find a quarterback to operate his up-tempo, spread offense. But let's be clear: the real test is repairing the defense. That task falls to co-coordinators Mike Ekeler, a former Bo Pelini assistant, and Doug Mallory.
Indiana doesn't play Nebraska. That's a break. But it also doesn't play Minnesota, which might have been its one chance for a conference win.
One of the toughest BCS jobs in America will test Wilson. His offense will score, but the defense needs a few years before it reaches respectability.
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