AccuScore Conference Previews – Big 10

Jonathan Lee AccuScore Analyst
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Favorite: Ohio State
Like it or not, the Buckeyes could easily make a third straight appearance in the BCS championship game. What's not to like about this team? Twenty starters are back, and its a veteran group (47 fourth- or fifth- year players are on the roster). This team is simply loaded. Running back Beanie Wells is a legitimate Heisman candidate and Brian Robiskie continues the recent tradition of gamebreaking wide receivers at Ohio State. The defense could easily be the best in the country led by cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and linebackers James Laurinaitis and Larry Grant. All three will be very high NFL draft picks in 2009. Ohio State will have two tune-ups before what could be the game of the year, a September 13th showin in Los Angeles against USC. That game could propel the team to the title game like a over over Texas did in 2006.

Contenders: Wisconsin, Penn State
Ohio State is the prohibitive favorite to win the conference title. It would be an upset of monumental proportions for another team to beat the Buckeyes, but these two squads are the most likely culprits to do it. No matter who is on the roster it seems like the Badgers are always in the upper echelon of the Big 10, and they have maybe the best tight end in the country in Travis Beckum. Running back P.J. Hill rushed for 1,212 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2007 despite missing about a third of the season due to injury. The defense also returns nine starters. Joe Paterno is still going strong in Happy Valley having won nine games in each of the last two years. Every year could be his last however, and there is uncertainty at quarterback. The trio of Deon Butler, Derrick Williams, and Jordan Norwood are finally seniors however, and having them at wide receiver will help whoever plays under center immensely. The defense is still talented, but a new star linebacker needs to be found with the offseason injury to Sean Lee.

Team on the Rise: Michigan, Illinois
Despite the loss to Appalachian State last year, Michigan wasn’t exactly a horrible team in 2007. The Wolverines won nine games and beat Florida in the Capital One Bowl. Still, expectations in Ann Arbor are much higher which is why Rich Rodriguez was hired away from West Virginia. It may take a year to get his system installed, and a different breed athletes in place but I’m a big believer that his up-tempo attacking style on both offense and defense will work extremely well in the Big 10. Illinois has been succeeding under Ron Zook by using many of the same principles as Rich Rodriguez. Zook has upgraded the overall team athleticism and team speed for the Illini and it has translated directly into more wins resulting in a Rose Bowl berth in 2007. Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn are two of the most dynamic playmakers in the conference, and return a year older and better although the schedule this year is brutal.

Bottom Feeders: Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa
The Golden Gophers continue to preach patience in year two under Tim Brewster. The early schedule is very soft, but then again this team lost to Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, and North Dakota State last year. Minnesota is still years away from Big 10 contention. With wide receiver James Hardy gone, Indiana is entirely reliant on quarterback Kellen Lewis who was suspended all spring and will be running a new no-huddle system. Iowa has been mired in mediocrity recently on the field and has suffered several embarrassing incidents off the field. Kirk Ferentz has let the Hawkeyes fall off drastically since becoming one of the highest paid coaches in college football, and must regain control of his program.

Analyst Power Ranking:
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Penn State
4. Illinois
5. Michigan
6. Michigan State
7. Purdue
8. Iowa
9. Northwestern
10. Minnesota
11. Indiana

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Chaddylove said:

Come on, give the Gophs a little more love...

October 14, 2008

jonlee said:

This was a preseason article. And what exactly has changed in the Big 10 race now that we are in October? I think my ordering of the conference is still pretty much in-line with what has happened so far on the field.

October 03, 2008