State of the Big Ten: The Big Ten added Nebraska in the offseason to expand to 12 teams. The conference split into two divisions, Legends and Leaders, and will host a championship game in Indianapolis. Each team has a permanent "cross-over" opponent from the other division. No further expansion is planned at this time.
The Favorite (Legends): Nebraska enters the Big Ten and the schedule-makers did them no favors. The Huskers draw the strongest three teams from the Leaders division. They must play home games Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa while also traveling to Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan. Regardless of the schedule, I still think Nebraska will be playing in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. Bo Pelini's defense is always stout, and the offense was one of the top rushing teams in the country last season, averaging 247 yards on the ground per game.
The Favorite (Leaders): Wisconsin has won ten and eleven games the past two seasons. They might actually win more this season. Russell Wilson transferred to Wisconsin, adding a new playmaker to an already potent offense. Wisconsin scored over 41 points per game last year, topping 70 points on three occasions. If he can add to the offense without disrupting the chemistry, then an undefeated season is possible. Back-to-back road games against Michigan State and Ohio State will be the biggest test. Wisconsin also draws Nebraska from the Legends division, in what is a preview of my predicted Big Ten Championship Game.
The Challenger (Legends): Michigan State had a huge season last year, winning 11 games for the first time in school history. The Spartans will likely be just as strong this season and will be battling Nebraska for the top spot in the division. Michigan State also draws Ohio State and Wisconsin from the Leaders division, so the schedule isn't much easier than Nebraska's. Interestingly, Michigan State scored at least 26 points in each of its 11 wins, but only scored six and seven points in its two losses.
The Challenger (Leaders): Ohio State had a very tumultuous offseason, culminating in the termination of long time head coach Jim Tressel. Also four players will be suspended for the first five games of the season and quarterback Terrelle Pryor left the school to enter the NFL Supplemental Draft. It's impossible to predict how much effect this will have on the Buckeyes, but I don't expect them to be a top ten team this season. The team is still very talented, and could make the Leaders division very interesting if I've overestimated Wisconsin.
The Sleeper: Illinois has the schedule to have a very good season. There are eight home games, plus the road games are very manageable. At Penn State will be a tough contest but traveling to Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota is not a difficult task. Also the Illini miss Nebraska, Michigan State and Iowa from the Legends division. Illinois did have four players drafted last year, but Ron Zook has been able to continuously bring talent into the program. I could see the Illini finishing as high as second in the division.
The Letdown: I have Ohio State as the Challenger in the Leaders division, but this program also belongs here. The Buckeyes should be contending for conference and national championships, but the lack of compliance has left them as a good but not great program.
Conference Player of the Year: I'm jumping headfirst onto the Russell Wilson bandwagon and not looking back.
I Wrote What?: In last year's preview, I picked a pretty good sleeper in Wisconsin, but I vastly underrated Michigan State. I predicted them as a very respectable 8-4, when in reality they were a great 11-1.
Non-conference Games to Watch:
* Ohio State at Miami, September 17 - The ultimate high-stakes college football game. Loser gets the death penalty. Just kidding. I think.
* Alabama at Penn State, September 10 - Hopefully the unfriendly confines of Happy Valley will provide a better game than last year's 24-3 affair.
* Michigan State at Notre Dame, September 17 - Last year's matchup ended with an amazing play when Michigan State faked a field goal and scored a touchdown to win the game in overtime.
* Arizona State at Illinois, September 17 - An underrated non-conference game between two sleepers in their respective conferences.
* Washington at Nebraska, September 17 - The third matchup between these teams in two years. Last year's Holiday Bowl was one of my biggest surprises of the offseason.
Projected Standings:
Legends:
Nebraska | 10-2 | 6-2
Michigan State | 10-2 | 6-2
Michigan | 7-5 | 4-4
Iowa | 8-4 | 4-4
Northwestern | 7-5 | 3-5
Minnesota | 4-8 | 1-7
Leaders:
Wisconsin | 11-1 | 7-1
Ohio State | 8-4 | 5-3
Penn State | 8-4 | 5-3
Illinois | 8-4 | 5-3
Indiana | 4-8 | 1-7
Purdue | 4-8 | 1-7
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