2015 Big Ten Conference Football Projections

East

Ohio State Buckeyes 13-0 (9-0)

The Ohio State Buckeyes are not only the team to beat in the Big Ten Conference, but also in college football. The Buckeyes enter the 2015 college football season as and they are expected to be in contention to repeat as national champions, but first they have to survive the Big Ten Conference.

For Ohio State head football coach Urban Meyer, he has three quarterbacks that are capable of leading his team, but on Saturdays this fall, only one of them can play. Senior Braxton Miller, junior Cardale Jones, and sophomore J.T. Barrett have all had success at quarterback and whoever is the starter this season will be looking over his shoulder. But Miller has volunteered to finish his collegiate career at wide receiver which will eliminate some of the confusion.

Regardless of who will be Ohio State’s starting quarterback this season, they will be playing behind an offensive line that led by senior offensive tackle Taylor Decker, will be returning four starters from last year’s national championship team. This Buckeyes offensive line is expected to continue opening holes for junior running back Ezekiel Elliot who should flirt with rushing for 2,000 yards and also being named as the Big Ten Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year which will help Ohio State who is looking to once again have one of the top offenses in the nation.

Defensively the Buckeyes were 19th in the nation last season in total defense and with junior defensive end Joey Bosa leading the way as far as putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, Ohio State will once again be tough to score on.

The only thing that would prevent the Buckeyes from getting back to the Big Ten Championship Game would be their final two regular season games as they’ll host the Michigan State Spartans and when they travel to meet the Michigan Wolverines which should both be fierce contests. But the Big Ten Title in 2015 is definitely Ohio State’s to lose.

Michigan State Spartans 11-1 (7-1)

The Michigan State Spartans lost two games in 2014, but they could take solace in knowing that the teams that beat them in the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes played for the national championship. The culture has changed in East Lansing for Michigan State under current head football coach Mark Dantonio as the Spartans are now a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten Conference.

The Spartans run a pro-style offense and senior quarterback Connor Cook is poised to have a big year in it. Cook is one of the best winners that Michigan State has ever had play quarterback and he would love to cap his collegiate career off with another Big Ten Conference Title. Junior running back Delton Williams is ready to emerge as the next workhorse running back for Dantonio while Cook will be throwing the football to a trio of senior wide receivers in AJ Troup, Aaron Burbridge, and Macgarrett Kings. The Spartans also posses one of the best offensive lines in the conference as they’ll return four starters from last year’s team including senior center Jack Allen.

Dantonio continuously preaches defense and as Michigan State finished last season ranked eighth in the nation in total defense, you can expect another strong showing from them this season. Led by senior defensive end Shilique Calhoun, the Spartans return seven starters from a defense last season that held eight of their 13 opponents under 20 points. And Calhoun’s motor never stops which will once be trouble for Michigan State opponents.

The Spartans will step out of conference on September 12 to host Oregon. But Sparty will have three big conference games on the road as they’ll meet the Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Ohio State as they look to win the conference and get to the College Football Playoff.

Michigan Wolverines 9-3 (6-2)

The dawn of a new era is upon us for Michigan Wolverines football. Former Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh is now the head football coach at Michigan and he has brought expectations and enthusiasm with him to Ann Arbor. Harbaugh has previously coached at the University of San Diego, Stanford, and in the National Football League with the San Francisco 49ers as he has had success at each stop of the way along his coaching journey.

Harbaugh has taken over a Michigan football program that has fallen by the wayside. The Wolverines have not won the Big Ten Conference Championship since 2004 and once the conference expanded in 2011, Michigan has failed to win it’s division. For years in the Big Ten, Michigan has been right alongside the Ohio State Buckeyes as far as conference supremacy. But in recent years Michigan has been left in the dust by Ohio State and they’ve also been past by the Michigan State Spartans within the conference as they will now look to regain their spot at the top of the conference under Harbaugh.

In the spirit of Harbaugh, you can expect him to have an open competition at every position, but Michigan’s starting quarterback job will be junior quarterback Shane Morris’ to lose. Last season the Wolverines were 64th in the nation in rushing and you can expect that number to improve under Harbaugh as Michigan will get off of the bus running the football this season; especially since all five starters are back on the offensive line.

Defensively the Wolverines return eight starters as first year defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will look to establish the 3-4 defense in Ann Arbor.

The Wolverines have a favorable schedule this season, but their season will be defined by what they are able to do on October 17 when they host the Michigan State and on November 28 when they clash with the Buckeyes.

Penn State Nittany Lions 8-4 (4-4)

The first year for the Penn State Nittany Lions under head football coach James Franklin was an up and down one, but things could be better for them in 2015. Last year Franklin had the dark cloud of NCAA sanctions and a four-year bowl ban hanging over his program. But last fall the NCAA reduced those sanctions including lifting Penn State’s bowl ban which will help them in recruiting; especially in the State of Pennsylvania. Penn State has not won the Big Ten Conference since 2008 and they are hopeful that they’ll be able to win the Eastern Division of the Big Ten this season to advance to the conference title game.

Junior quarterback Christian Hackenburg is set to begin his third year as Penn State’s starting quarterback. Hackenburg didn’t have the most talented team around him in 2014, but he does have a big arm and he is still one of the better quarterbacks in the conference. Hackenburg did develop a chemistry wide receiver Daesean Hamilton who know as a sophomore will be expected to take a bigger role in the Nittany Lions offense.

Part of Penn State’s problem was that they were unable to run the football last season with any success as they were 120th in the nation as far as rushing. But Franklin is hopeful that four returning starters on the offensive line led by senior center Angelo Mangiro can remedy that.

As usual Penn State’s defense is a blue collar unit that embodies the spirit of Western Pennsylvania. Last year the Nittany Lions were second in the nation in total defense and as they are set to return seven starters under defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, they should once again be a force to be reckoned with.

Penn State will work with a soft non-conference schedule this season, but their final two games of the regular season will see them meet the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans which will let us know how far that this program has come under Franklin.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 6-6 (3-5)

In their first year in the Big Ten Conference, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights were a pleasant surprise as they went 8-5 and established themselves in their new conference. Rutgers head football coach Kyle Flood has been able to maintain the workman like approach that was instilled in Piscataway by his predecessor Greg Schiano which has allowed the Scarlet Knights remain relevant.

This season Flood will look to sophomore quarterback Chris Laviano to fill the void of Gary Nova who graduated. Laviano only attempted 28 passes as a freshman and he’ll need to get his feet wet in a hurry in order for the Scarlet Knights to have a puncher’s chance in 2015. Laviano will have a security blanket to throw the football to in senior wide receiver Leonte Carroo who has the potential to be an All-Big Ten performer this fall.

Rutgers will need to fatten up on victories in their non-conference schedule as their Big Ten slate of games will see them go on to the road to meet the Penn State Nittany Lions, Wisconsin Badgers, and Michigan Wolverines along with hosting the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan State Spartans.

Maryland Terrapins 5-7 (2-6)

Like the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, the Maryland Terrapins were expected to struggle in their first year in the Big Ten Conference. But under head football coach Randy Edsall, Maryland found themselves with a winning season and going bowling. The Terrapins had a patchwork offense in 2014, but if they aren’t consistent this season, it will hinder their chances to be successful in the Big Ten.

The Terps have a three-game stretch this October that will see them face the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Penn State Nittany Lions. And with only one of those games taking place in College Park, Maryland, the Terrapins will have their work cut out for them in 2015 as far as securing a winning season.

Indiana Hoosiers 3-9 (0-8)

Since 1994, the Indiana Hoosiers football program has only produced one winning season as they’ve consistently been in the shadow of the school’s men’s basketball program in Bloomington. For Indiana head football coach Kevin Wilson, he is entering his fifth season at Bloomington and he has a tough gauntlet to survive in the Eastern Division of the Big Ten Conference as he and his team must go through some major heavyweights within the conference. 2015 won’t see that many cupcakes for them to face which means that the folks that follow the Hoosiers are already counting down to basketball season.

West

Iowa Hawkeyes 9-4 (5-4)

As Kirk Ferentz is set to embark on his 16th season as the head football coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, he has seen his fair shape of ups and downs in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes tend to be a middle of the pack team in the Big Ten Conference. But since the Big Ten has gone to a two-division format along with the fact that they real heavyweights are in the Eastern Division of the conference, Iowa has a chance to make some noise in 2015 and make their first appearance in the conference title game this December.

Under Ferentz, Iowa has typically had “game managers” at the quarterback position and they lost one as Jake Rudock decided to transfer within the Big Ten to the University of Michigan. Rudock’s departure means that junior quarterback C.J. Beathard will get his opportunity under center this fall in Iowa City as he’ll look to add to the blue-collar approach of Ferentz’s teams.

Iowa’s non-conference schedule should be considered as “cupcake central” and outside of road meetings with the Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers, they should be able to navigate their way through the Western Division of the Big Ten.

Minnesota Golden Gophers 6-6 (4-4)

Slowly but surely Minnesota Golden Gophers head football coach Jerry Kill is building a program for the maroon and gold. The Golden Gophers are coming off of their third straight straight bowl appearance and their second consecutive 8-5 campaign. But in 2015, does Kill’s team have what it takes to win the Big Ten West?

Last year running back David Cobb was Minnesota’s offense. But Cobb is now in the National Football League which means that sophomore running back Berkley Edwards will have his opportunity for the Golden Gophers. Led by senior offensive tackle Josh Campion, the Gophers have three starters returning on the offensive line, but their success will come down to whether or not junior quarterback Mitch Leidner can take his game to another level.

Defensively the Golden Gophers return seven starters as they look to stop offenses in the Big Ten and introduce teams to the frigid cold that is Minneapolis.

The Golden Gophers will begin their 2015 college football season by hosting the TCU Horned Frogs of the Big 12 Conference which will be followed up by a trip to Fort Collins, Colorado to meet the Colorado State Rams out of the Mountain West Conference. Minnesota’s Big Ten Conference schedule includes road games against the Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Iowa Hawkeyes along with home meetings with the Michigan Wolverines, Illinois Fighting Illini, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Wisconsin Badgers as this will not be an easy campaign for Kill and crew.

Nebraska Cornhuskers 7-5 (4-4)

The past few years have seen the Nebraska Cornhuskers offense resemble “three yards and a cloud of dust”, but things will be changing in 2015. Mike Riley is the new head football coach at Nebraska and he will be looked to make the Cornhuskers have more of a passing offense. In 14 years at Oregon State University, Riley compiled a record of 93-80 with eight bowl appearances. But the pressure will be on Riley in Lincoln as he is replacing Bo Pelini at Nebraska. In seven seasons at Nebraska, Pelini had a record of 67-27 with three appearances in a conference title game. But it wasn’t enough to meet the extreme expectations at Nebraska and thus he was fired.

This year will be tough for Riley as he will be transitioning Nebraska from primarily being a running team to more of a throwing team. Riley will also look to make junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong more efficient. In two years at Nebraska, Armstrong has never had a completion percentage higher than 53 percent. In the past Nebraska has run to set up the pass, but in Riley’s system, it’s more about passing the football to set up the run as the threat of the pass allows his team to run the football. Riley runs a West Coast offense which relies on the quarterback getting the football out quicker and more efficient which Armstrong will have to improve on. Nebraska’s leading receiver that is returning from last season’s team is junior Jordan Westerkamp who averaged 17 yards for each reception and he”ll more than likely be Armstrong’s go-to-guy in 2015.

The Cornhuskers return seven starters defensively. But new Nebraska defensive coordinator Mark Banker comes to the Cornhuskers from Oregon State with Riley where his defense was ranked 76th in the nation last season which doesn’t give the folks in Lincoln hope for a revival of the Blackshirts this fall.

The Huskers schedule in 2015 is not a favorable one as their non-conference schedule will see them host the BYU Cougars and they’ll travel to take on the Miami Hurricanes out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. And when the Big Ten Conference schedule kicks off, Nebraska will have to deal with home games against the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan State Spartans.

Wisconsin Badgers 7-5 (4-4)

The past 25 years have seen the Wisconsin Badgers morph into one of the top football programs in the nation. But Badgers success on the field has not been able to keep them from losing head coaches. Paul Chryst has taken over as Wisconsin’s head football coach and his hire marks the Badgers third head football coach since 2012. The constant turnover at the head coaching position cannot help Wisconsin on the recruiting front as recruits wants stability from a program; especially for a Badgers program that historically hasn’t been able to land five-star players.

Quarterback Joel Stave is set to begin his senior season at Wisconsin and once again he has to prove himself to another coaching staff as he’ll have to do it for a Badgers team that doesn’t have that much talent around him offensively.

The Badgers do return eight starters from a defense that was fourth in the nation last season, and until the offense is able to get their footing, this is the unit that will have to carry this team.

The Badgers will have their hands full to begin the college football season when they travel to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas to meet the Alabama Crimson Tide out of the Southeastern Conference and their Big Ten Conference season could be made or broken by their first two games as they face the Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Northwestern Wildcats 6-6 (4-4)

In 2012, the Northwestern Wildcats won their first bowl game since 1948, but since then things haven’t gone well for them. Under head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, the past two years have seen Northwestern go 5-7 in each season and they are hopeful that 2015 will find them bowling again.

 

At 6’4″, 240 lbs., junior quarterback Zack Oliver is intimidating and he’ll need to be as Fitzgerald likes his quarterbacks to run and throw the football. Running back Justin Jackson enjoyed a good freshman season as he rushed for 1,187 and 10 touchdowns. And for Northwestern to be viable in the Big Ten West in 2015, Jackson will need to rush for at least 1,500 yards this season.

Northwestern’s season opener will be a tough one as they’ll host the Stanford Cardinal of the Pac-12 Conference and their Big Ten Conference schedule includes road games against the Michigan Wolverines, Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Wisconsin Badgers as they look to become bowl eligible in 2015.

Illinois Fighting Illini 6-6 (3-5)

Since 2000, the Illinois Fighting Illini have only had four winning seasons and they have not reached a bowl game in consecutive years since 1990 which means that head football coach Tim Beckman will have his work cut out for him in 2015. Junior quarterback Wes Lunt appears to be the favorite to be the starting quarterback for the Illini this season and he’ll look for sophomore wide receiver Mike Dudek who has the potential to be an All-Big Ten performer this year as a target in the passing game early and often.

It will be important for Illinois to take care of business in their non-conference schedule as they’ll face a tough slate in the Big Ten that will see them have road meetings with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Purdue Boilermakers 3-9 (1-7)

There was a time when the Purdue Boilermakers were able to hang with the big boys of the Big Ten Conference, but that notion is a now a thing of the past. The past two years have seen the Boilermakers lose 20 games which is not going to get it done in an improving Big Ten Conference.

For Boilermakers head coach Darrell Hazel, he must improve his squad that was 111th in the nation last season in total offense as he’s hopeful that junior quarterback Austin Appleby can lead them.

The only thing that Purdue can do in 2015 is to hold on for the long and bumpy ride in West Lafayette.

Big Ten Title Game: Iowa vs. Ohio State

Conference Champion: Ohio State

Sources: Sports-reference.com, Cfbstats.com, NationalChamps.net