Big Ten Conference
Conference Rank: #4
Bowl Teams: 8
Conference Champ: Ohio State
Offensive Player of the Year: Beanie Wells-RB-Ohio State
Defensive Player of the Year: James Laurinaitis-ILB-Ohio State
Coach of the Year: Jim Tressell-Ohio State
Conference Forecast: The Big Ten has been one of the weakest BCS conferences in the last few seasons, with Ohio State dominating the rest of the competition the way that FSU once did in the ACC. There have been other good teams but normally no other great teams and the bottom part of the Big Ten has been awful. This year Ohio State is a National Champion front runner and I believe Penn State and Wisconsin will also be very good. But while there may be 3 very strong teams this year there is not much after that. The top of the Big Ten is better but the middle of the conference and the bottom of the conference look as soft as ever.
Predicted Standings (Note: (#,#) = conference rec; #,# = regular season rec; [#,#] = final rec)
1. Ohio State (8-0) 11-1 [12-1]
2. Wisconsin (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
3. Penn State (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
T4. Michigan (5-3) 9-3 [9-4]
T4. Iowa (5-3) 8-4 [8-5]
6. Illinois (4-4) 7-5 [7-6]
7. Michigan State (3-5) 6-6 [6-7]
T8. Northwestern (2-6) 6-6 [6-7]
T8. Purdue (2-6) 4-8
T8. Minnesota (2-6) 5-7
11. Indiana (1-7) 3-9
Team Notes and Predictions
Ohio State (8-0) 11-1 [12-1]
Finish: 1st
Bowl Game: Rose Bowl
Forecast: Ohio State is primed for a run at the National title again. They have 19 of 22 starters returning, including senior QB Todd Boeckman and Beanie Wells, the best RB in the conference. They also have top rated freshman QB Terrelle Pryor coming to give them a running option from the QB spot and they have the best O-line in the Big Ten. The defense is rock solid, with the best LB combo in the country and a stellar group of defensive backs. They also have excellent special teams. They must play at USC in the third week of the season and I think they’ll lose that but won’t lose another game all season and will go undefeated in the conference. I have them beating Clemson in the Rose Bowl.
Wisconsin (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
Finish: 2nd
Bowl Game: Cotton Bowl
Forecast: Wisconsin must break in a new QB but they return 17 starters and they have a strong defense and a good set of running backs. I see them winning 10 games, with their only losses coming to Ohio State and Iowa. I have them losing to Auburn in the Cotton Bowl.
Penn State (6-2) 10-2 [10-3]
Finish: 3rd
Bowl Game: Sugar Bowl
Forecast: Penn State loses Dan Connor but they will still have a great defense led by the DL and they have strong special teams. Offensively the disappointing Anthony Morelli era is over and they are going back to a spread offense that they used when they went 11-1 in 2005. That offense suits their young QB’s and they have a great set of receivers. Unfortunately for the Lions they must play at Wisconsin and Ohio State and I see them losing both of those games. I have them making the Sugar Bowl as an at-large BCS team and losing to Florida.
Michigan (5-3) 9-3 [9-4]
Finish: Tied 4th
Bowl Game: Outback Bowl
Forecast: Michigan is going through perhaps the biggest transition in their long history. With Rodriguez coming in and completely revamping the system and the roster suffering massive losses, I’d like to say that this is the year the Wolverines finally miss out on a bowl game. After all, they return just 10 starters and lose players at almost all key positions. However, their schedule is just not that difficult. They have too many winnable games for me to predict a major down season. I think they’ll win those winnable games and maintain a similar level of success to the one that they’ve always had. I have them losing to Bama in the Outback Bowl.
Iowa (5-3) 8-4 [8-5]
Finish: Tied 4th
Bowl Game: Champs Sports Bowl
Forecast: It’s not easy to win in Iowa City but the Hawkeyes have been a major disappointment in the last few years. This season they have questions on defense but they are strong at both lines and they have a very manageable schedule. I see them having their first solid season since 2005. I have them losing to BC in the Champs Sports Bowl.
Illinois (4-4) 7-5 [7-6]
Finish: 6th
Bowl Game: Insight Bowl
Forecast: Illinois surprised many with a very nice season last year but this year they lose star RB Rashard Mendenhall and have serious questions at offensive line and linebacker. The defensive line should improve and of course they still have Juice Williams but they lose 24 lettermen and they have about as tough a schedule as anyone in the Big Ten. I think they’ll be solid but that that harder schedule will hold them to 7-5 in the regular season. I have them losing to Kansas in the Insight Bowl thingy.
Michigan State (3-5) 6-6 [6-7]
Finish: 7th
Bowl Game: Alamo Bowl
Forecast: Michigan State has gained a well earned reputation as a disappointer but this is Dantonio’s second year and they have a good QB and good RB’s. I think they’ll once again get hopes up around East Lansing with a 5-1 start but then lose 4 in a row to disappoint everyone as usual. I have them losing to Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl.
Northwestern (2-6) 6-6 [6-7]
Finish: Tied 8th
Bowl Game: Motor City Bowl
Forecast: Northwestern returns 15 starters and 47 lettermen from last year’s 6-6 team. The O-line is a question mark but the offense should be strong once again. Their schedule is really easy and I see them going 4-0 and getting off to a 6-1 start. I think they’ll shit themselves down the stretch and lose their final 5 games, but despite that awful finish I think they’ll get to their first bowl since 2005. I have them losing to Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl.
Purdue (2-6) 4-8
Finish: Tied 8th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Purdue is lead by senior QB Curtis Painter but they lose 23 lettermen and return just 12 starters. I think Joe Tiller’s last season will be his worst. I see Purdue being pretty awful, starting 2-1 and then losing 7 of 8. I think they’ll beat Indiana at home in Joe T’s last game.
Minnesota (2-6) 5-7
Finish: Tied 8th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: I believe Minnesota will be improved but it would actually be hard for them not to improve after the disgrace that was 2007 for the Guh-oh-fers. They’ll still be horrible. I see them losing at Bowling Green and dropping 5 of their final 6 games.
Indiana (1-7) 3-9
Finish: 11th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Indiana was a really nice story last year but they are still Indiana and they have huge question marks all over, not the least of which is how the hell are they going to replace WR James Hardy. The answer, of course, is that they won’t be able to replace him, it’s Indiana. They won’t be able to “Play 13” for a second straight season and will win only 3 games all year, getting wins over Western Kentucky, Murray State, and NW, all at home.
Big Games on the Schedule
Sat, August 30th
Utah @ Michigan (If they lost to App St. last season, they could surely lose this one)
Illinois vs. Missouri (Last year this was a classic)
Sat, September 6th
NW @ Duke (NW will be looking to avenge last season’s defeat)
Sat, September 13th
Iowa St. @ Iowa (Last year’s loss to Iowa St. was pathetic for the Hawkeyes)
Michigan @ ND (ND hasn’t lost 3 straight to Mich since 1908)
Ohio St. @ USC (This is almost definitely the biggest non-con game of the year)
Wis @ Fresno St. (Could be tough early road test for Wis)
Sat, September 20th
ND @ Mich St. (Home team has lost 7 straight in this series)
Iowa @ Pitt (This could be interesting)
Sat, September 27th
Wis @ Michigan (Wis has won only once at Mich since 1965)
Sat, October 4th
Ohio St. @ Wis (The biggest in conference test for OSU)
Sat, October 11th
Penn St. @ Wis (One of the biggest games of the year in the conference)
Sat, October 18th
Michigan @ Penn St. (This one’s always good)
Sat, October 25th
Mich St. @ Michigan (Mich was won 6 straight in this series)
Penn St. @ Ohio St. (PSU hasn’t won @ OSU since 1978)
Sat, November 11th
Ohio St. @ Illinois (Rematch of last year’s classic won by Ill)
Sat, November 22nd
Michigan @ Ohio St. (Still the best rivalry in football)
Mich St. @ Penn St. (This one is always interesting)
Indiana @ Purdue (Battle for the Old Oaken Bucket)
Illinois @ NW (In-state rivalry)
Iowa @ Minnesota (I’m sorry but the Big Ten rivalry games are boring)
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