Legends

1. Nebraska 11-1 (7-1 in conference)

Nebraska is prepared to waltz into their new conference and become the big man on campus from day one. With Taylor Martinez running the ship and NFL prospects like Jared Crick lining up on the opposite side of the ball, they are clearly the most balanced team in the Big Ten. They also have a schedule that lines up very favorably for them. The one thing they’ll have to adjust to is the physicality up front in the Big Ten. While there might be more defensive NFL prospect depth in the Big 12 -especially in the back seven of each defense- the Big Ten puts a lot more stock in their ability to stack the box and stop the run. The Big Ugly-s up front in the Big Ten may not be the most explosive or athletic but they stop the run and clog holes better than most other defensive units in the country. Because of this Nebraska will be forced to use a little bit more balanced attack and Martinez will have to keep defenses honest by throwing the ball, something Bo Pelini and company should have no problem adjusting to once they realize they have to. Overall, the Huskers look poised to make another run at a National Championship appearance and don’t be surprised if they hold onto one of the top three spots in the country deep into the season. Their two biggest tests will come on the road when they face Wisconsin in October and Michigan in late November. They’re physically superior to both of those teams but the target on their back couldn’t be much bigger during their first season in the Big Ten Conference.

2. Michigan State 10-2 (6-2)

The Spartans may have had a rough opening week but they’re going to be fine in the long run. They didn’t necessarily dominate their opponents over the first three weeks of the 2010 season but they seem to get better as the year goes on and also have a coach -Mark Dantonio- who will only motivate his team with substandard play. Senior QB Kirk Cousins is one of the most underrated players in the country and has the weapons around him to make a big splash in conference and on the national scene. The defense is anchored by junior DT Jerel Worthy, a 6’3″ 305lb fire hydrant who draws favorable comparison to former Auburn stud Nick Fairley. If Worthy was in the SEC he would be a unanimous All-American selection but will have to put up huge numbers to receive those accolades this season and probably will. The Spartans will get the opportunity to make a splash on the national scene during a week 3 battle with Notre Dame, where they should take a young Irish team to the wood shed. I don’t see MSU winning a tough Big Ten this year back-to-back 10-win seasons should get Dantonio a hefty raise and some immediate credibility on the recruiting scene.

3. Northwestern 9-3 (5-3)

While Cousins is one of the most underrated players in the country, he shares a conference with hands down the MOST underrated player in America. Wildcats QB Dan Persa is an absolute surgeon with the football, connecting on over 73% of his passes last year while leading an undermanned Northwestern program to a seven win season and a Bowl appearance against Texas Tech. While Persa is a big reason for the school’s football rejuvenation, Pat Fitzgerald is undoubtedly the heart of a program that he not only coaches but also starred for during his playing career. Fitzgerald is arguably the smartest coach in America and when the Wildcats face another team with equal ability, there’s no reason for a coin flip. Simply give the edge to Fitz and his Cats because he is going to find a way to outsmart and out-scheme you.

4. Michigan 7-5 (4-4)

Denard Robinson is one of the best athletes in the Big Ten but it will be interesting to see how his talents translate to Brady Hoke’s new offensive style. Robinson ran for over 1,700 yards as a sophomore but he may not have as many chances to break loose from opposing defenses since he’ll be taking so many more snaps from under center. Hoke has his heart set on running a pro-style offense but it seems that his personnel would dictate more of a spread approach, especially with his quarterback. Whether or not he doesn’t think you can win in the Big Ten with a Denard Robinson-type athlete at QB is a question only he can answer but it will be interesting to see if you can win with Robinson taking snaps under center.

5. Iowa 7-5 (3-5)

The Hawkeyes are going to rely on their running game along with a stout defense to play a little ball control style this season. Kirk Ferentz was once considered the hottest coaching name in the country and that reputation earned him a big raise to stay in Iowa City. The last few seasons haven’t treate him quite as well and it’s most likely that Iowa will be the last coaching stop of his career. If he can stop the downward trend that the Iowa program seems to be on, quality recruits will unquestionably be on the way.

6. Minnesota 5-7 (2-6)

The Golden Gophers went out of conference to play USC in their first game of the season in each of the last two years but they play your typical powder puffs after that. They should be able to roll over New Mexico St, Miami (OH) and North Dakota St but once conference play starts they’ll be hard pressed to pick up victories. First year head coach Jerry Kill has his work cut out for him and Minnesota needs to change the culture before they start worrying about W’s and L’s.

LEADERS

1. Wisconsin 10-2 (6-2 in conference)

Russell Wilson is the biggest addition for any team in the country this season. I realize recruits like South Carolina’s DE Jadeveon Clowney, Georgia’s RB Isaiah Crowell and Texas’ RB Malcolm Brown might leave their schools with records and hardware attached to their names but the Wilson has a chance to deliver a Big Ten Championship along with the possibility of a BCS Championship to a place starving for titles. The Badgers used a physical running game to loosen teams up last season while Scott Tolzien picked defensive backfields apart once they broke the linemen’s will, but this season they have one of the best passers and most cerebral players at the quarterback position in all of college football at the helm. Combine that with a stout defensive that is much more athletic than people give them credit for and you may have the perfect blend in the Big Ten. Their biggest test will come when they face Nebraska, Michigan State and Ohio State in a four week stretch in the middle of the season but if they can conquer that -a formidable task for any team in the country- there will be nothing but blue skies ahead. Personally I can’t see them walking out of those four game unscathed but stranger things have happened and if they do, they will probably only be a Big Ten Championship game victory away from playing for a National Championship. But first things first and that’s a date with the Huskers on October 1st!

2. Ohio State 8-4 (4-4)

The loss of Terrelle Pryor and Co. was crippling but the bigger loss was that of head coach Jim Tressel. We could go on about the negatives revolving around the Buckeyes program but they have to focus on what they have and we -as good gamblers- have to do the same. Freshman Braxton Miller could breathe fresh life into the program but he probably won’t get the keys to the Ferrari from day one. He is probably a better passer at this point in his development than Pryor was and could give the Buckeyes a much different look at times. Senior Nate Williams is one of the better defensive players in the Big Ten and won’t let his unit go down without a fight. Combine that with a first year coach looking to change his tag from “interim” to “permanent” and you’ll see some desperation that wasn’t necessarily there during the Buckeyes’ championship seasons. This is one team I wouldn’t advise betting for or against in the 2011 season simply because of the emotional rollercoaster they’ll be on throughout the year.

3. Penn State 6-6 (3-5)

Joe Paterno’s squad will most likely depend on the run after getting killed in the passing game in 2010. Both QBs, Robert Bolden and former walk-on Matt McGloin, had flashes of brilliance but they mostly came against subpar competition. Once the tape was out on both of them it was downright ugly at times. From Bolden being replaced to McGloin throwing five INTs in a Bowl loss, there weren’t too many highlights in the Penn St passing game last season. The running game with Silas Redd as the lead back will probably serve them better in 2011. Defensively Penn State returns eight starters to a defense that should be tough against the pass and keep them in games. Don’t expect Joe-Pa to get blown out this season -except when they face Alabama in week two- but don’t expect him to rack up the wins at a furious pace either.

4. Purdue 5-7 (2-6) 5. Indiana 5-7 (2-6) 6. Illinois 3-9 (0-8)

The NCAA should allow Midnight Madness to take place at these schools after each football team loses their first game which, in most cases, would be around the second week of September. YUCK!