East Division:
- Ohio State
Year after year we know who the team to beat in the BIG 10 is and once again it is Ohio State. The Buckeyes made a trip to the National Championship last year after winning the BIG 10 Championship for the 4th year in a row. This season will be no different for them even with the departure of Justin Fields to the NFL. With enormous talent on both sides of the ball, the BIG 10 still runs thru Columbus.
2. Penn State
Penn State is coming off one of their worst seasons in many years where they went just 4-5 last season, but have the talent and the coaching staff to get back to a top caliber team. The Nittany Lions did a good job in the off-season snagging two DL transfers in Arnold Ebiketie and Derrick Tangelo. They lost a lot on the line from the previous season, so the addition of those two will be crucial. The season opens up with a monstrous game at Wisconsin and then at home against Auburn both in the month of September. We will have the opportunity to see if Penn State will be back to contender status early this season.
3. Indiana
The last two seasons Indiana has made a name for themselves as one of the more competitive teams in the BIG 10. The Hoosiers have arguably the best QB/WR tandem in the conference with quarterback Michael Penix and receiver Tyler Fryfogle. The offense is going to do what we expect them to do based off the last two seasons, but the question mark falls to the defense. Indiana is returning 9 starters on the defensive side of the ball, but in a full season can they hold their opponents below 21 PA again? The Hoosiers are a team to could beat Penn State, but also lose to Michigan, which is why 3rd in the East Division feels right where they will finish.
4. Michigan
The Jim Harbaugh hot seat cannot possibly get any hotter after their 2-4 shortened season in 2020. It is Michigan Wolverine football, of course, they have a boat load of talent on the roster. The problem for the Wolverines is most of that talent is inexperienced. Fans are wondering if J. J. McCarthy will get his shot at QB by the time this season ends and I think he does. A talented true freshman who I think can benefit from PT in some winnable games. Due to the inexperience of Michigan they will win a game or two against some top BIG 10 opponents, but then they will also drop a game or two against some lower BIG 10 opponents.
5. Maryland
As Alabama and Miami Dolphins fans know so well….. It’s Tua Time, except this time it is Tua’s younger brother Taulia Tagovailoa time. Possibly the best quarterback in the entire conference with Penix and Mertz, Taulia is looking to have his breakout season after an average 2020 year. With Brian Stewart now calling the defense the Terrapins hope to see some life shot into that defense, but it has been spotty at best. Maryland will be a lower tier BIG 10 team because of the side of the conference they play on. Make no mistake this team will be giving teams on the other side of this conference all they can handle.
6. Michigan State
Mel Tucker has not had it easy since he has got to Michigan State, but they did show some positives in winning the rivalry game over Michigan last season. Their offense was truly the problem this last season. The Spartans turned the ball over way to frequently causing their defense to be on the field all game long. The offense had the lowest PPG and most turnovers in the BIG 10 last season. They hope to be able to get something going on the offense side of the ball this year as they brought in two running backs, two wide receivers, an offensive lineman, and a quarterback from the transfer portal this season. The Spartans are going to need these older transfers to make an immediate impact if they do not want to be towards the bottom of the BIG 10 again.
7. Rutgers
Rutgers improved tremendously in just one season as we watched them win three conference games last year. The Scarlet Knights are going to need a repeat of creating turnovers if they want to be near three or four conference wins this season. They had 19 turnovers, but the second worst pass defense in the BIG 10. It is hard to sustain a defense relying on turnovers while giving up big play after big play. As for the offensive side of the ball, the offensive line needs to take a huge leap in a hurry. They do not get a lot of protection and it kills their passing game. The Scarlet Knights will put up a fight in some games here and there, but overall see them at the bottom of the East Division.
West Division:
- Wisconsin
After a COVID riddled 2020 season the Badgers look to bounce back strongly here in 2021. With the star quarterback Graham Mertz looking to become the top QB in the BIG 10 Wisconsin is going to be a force. The Badgers have one of the easiest schedules in the conference this season with the the three teams they are playing from the other side of the conference being Penn State at home, Michigan at home, and Rutgers. Anticipate seeing Wisconsin take on Ohio State in the BIG 10 Championship this season.
2. Iowa
Iowa is riding a 6 game winning streak to end the 2020 season and will once again have one of the best secondaries, if not the best, in the BIG 10 this season. The offense has Tyler Goodson, the all-american hopeful, taking handoffs behind a scary strong offensive line. If Iowa can get their passing game going offensively they may have what it takes to beat Wisconsin in Madison towards the backend of the season.
3. Nebraska
The surprise team in the West Division is going to be Nebraska this season. Scott Frost and company are looking to make some noise with an experienced roster. The Cornhuskers are hoping to get their offense back to where it used to be after a bad 2020 season offensively. Running back Markese Stepp and wide receiver Samori Toure are expected to be key factors to give some fire power to the offense. Scott Frost is looking to make his first bowl appearance with the Cornhuskers and expect them to win some good BIG 10 games along the way.
4. Northwestern
Northwestern is coming off a season where they were the West Division champs and gave Ohio State a scare in the BIG 10, but are a new team coming into 2021. The Wildcats are not returning many starters from the previous season and are currently having a QB battle from two transfers. There are a lot of question marks for the Northwestern team this year and they are unsure of who their playmakers will be this upcoming season. With a strong offensive line they should be able to run the ball well to makeup for the potential lack of playmakers. If this team can find some playmakers they could be back at the top of the West Division this season, but with all the uncertainty this looks like a middle of the pack year.
5. Minnesota
Minnesota is coming off a disappointing 2020 season where they went just 3-4 in the shortened season. The defense was the big issue for the Golden Gophers last season. The had a tough time getting stops and gave up over 30 points a game last season. This was surprising for a team that was anticipated to have a good back seven. This year the defense hopes that the BIG 10 stud Boye Mafe can give some energy to this defense on the line. The Gophers will be competitive in games, but it will come down to them getting key stops in the second half of games.
6. Purdue
Purdue struggled on both sides of the ball last season. The Boilermakers had a really hard time getting their ground attack going all last season. Their hope is that they have improved on the offensive line this off season, especially in an upcoming season where neither Aidan O’Connell or Jack Plummer have solidified their role as the dominate QB. The good news is with a new DC and a strong incoming defensive line this year they might be able to give their offense some opportunities to in the game in the 4th quarter. Purdue is going to need someone to step up on the offensive end for them to avoid a bottom tier finish.
7. Illinois
Bret Bielema back in the BIG 10, but with Wisconsin rival Illinois. The strong point for this Illinois team is going to be their offensive line. On the other hand they are going to have issues stopping the run on the defensive end. Their lack of depth at linebacker and on the defensive line is a big concern for the Fighting Illini moving into the 2020 season. With Bielema at the helm for his first season 2-3 conference wins would be a nice start for them.
BIG 10 CHAMPIONSHIP: OHIO STATE over WISCONSIN
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