2017 Big Ten Conference Football Projections

East

Z-Ohio State Buckeyes 12-1 (9-1)

It has not taken head football coach Urban Meyer that much time to restore order for the Ohio State Buckeyes as in his five years in Columbus, they’ve only lost six games while claiming one national championship. The Buckeyes didn’t win the Big Ten Conference last season, but they still went 8-1 within the conference. Ohio State’s strong regular season saw them qualify for the College Football Playoff. However after a 31-0 shellacking at the hands of the Clemson Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl, it’s back to the drawing board for Ohio State as they look to win the Big Ten and return to the College Football Playoff.

J.T. Barrett is back for his senior season at Ohio State and he’s looking to leave on a strong note. Barrett has been able win numerous big games as the starting quarterback of the Buckeyes which included going undefeated as a freshman in 2014, along with a Fiesta Bowl victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and getting a road win over the Oklahoma Sooners last year. However Barrett did falter in Ohio State’s last three games of the 2016 college football season which gives him something to work on heading into a new campaign.

Barrett is still one of the better play makers at the quarterback position in the Big Ten Conference, but the Buckeyes will need him to become more efficient as far as making plays in the pocket goes. As the defenses that Ohio State faced towards the end of the season in 2016 got better, Barrett struggled as he never had a completion percentage higher than 57.6 in their last three games. And Barrett’s play could be the determining factor in whether or not that the Buckeyes will be able to win the Big Ten.

Meyer’s spread offense is predicated on the ability to run the football and the Buckeyes have themselves another dynamic tailback in sophomore Mike Weber. Last year as a freshman, Weber averaged 6 yards per carry as he totaled 1,096 yards on the ground. Weber has that explosiveness in the mode of former Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliot and he could be a dark horse to win the Heisman Trophy, while also being in the mix to be the Big Ten Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year.

Barrett and Weber will have the luxury of being protected by an experienced offensive line which includes senior center Brady Taylor. This offensive line has the ability to lean on opposing defenses as the Buckeyes offense tends to get better as the game goes along.

Defensively the Buckeyes will have to replace key talent that helped the unit be sixth in the nation in total defense last season. But under Meyer the cupboard is never bare in Columbus.

After recording 5 sacks last year as a freshman, defensive end Nick Bosa could be ready for a breakout performance here in 2017. And Junior linebacker Jerome Baker was second on the team in tackles last season with 83 as he should continue to be one of the better coverage linebackers in the Big Ten.

After Ohio State went on the road last year and defeated the Oklahoma Sooners, they’ll get an extra motivated team that will travel to Columbus on September 9th for the rematch. The Penn State Nittany Lions were the only team to defeat the Buckeyes in the regular season last year; however this time around Ohio State will get them at home on October 28. And of course there is regular season finale with the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor on November 25th as these two games will go a very long way in determining who wins the Eastern Division of the Big Ten this year in order to qualify for the conference title game.

Y-Penn State Nittany Lions 10-2 (7-2)

It’s safe to say that the Penn State Nittany Lions are back as far as being a football power. After not finishing ranked in the Associated Press Poll since 2009, the Nittany Lions roared through the competition last year as they won the Big Ten Conference for the first time since 2008. Penn State had the luxury of sneaking up on teams last season which included a victory at home over the Ohio State Buckeyes. And although that Penn State head football coach James Franklin has a very talented team to work with, the element of surprise is gone. But luckily for Franklin, he has arguably the top backfield combination in the Big Ten at his disposal.

At 6’1″, junior quarterback Trace McSorley doesn’t have the prototypical size for a signal caller, but he fits Franklin’s system to a tee. McSorley has tremendous mobility and agility which makes him so difficult for opposing defenses to stop. Last year McSorley threw 29 touchdown passes to just 8 interceptions which can traced back to his ability to improvise and create when the initial play breaks down. And whereas most mobile quarterbacks tend to take off, McSorley gives his wide receivers the opportunity to get open for the big play down the field.

And if dealing with McSorley isn’t enough, teams that face Penn State must also account for junior running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley rushed for 1,496 yards last year to go along with 18 touchdowns on the ground as he was the Big Ten Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. At 5’11”, 223 lbs., Barkley is a load for defenders to tackle as he has a thick lower body, while also becoming a better runner as the game progresses. Had it not been for a rule which requires players to be out of high school for three years before entering the National Football League, Barkley would be playing pro ball right now. But the NFL’s rule works out immensely for Penn State as they arguably have the best ball carrier in the nation in their backfield this season.

Senior tight end Mike Gesicki was a little under appreciated last year after he was the Nittany Lions second leading receiver with 679 receiving yards and 5 touchdown grabs as he can get the job done. Gesicki is like a swiss army knife for the Penn State offense as he can be used as an H-back, a blocker in pass protection, a run blocker, and he also has the ability to stretch the field vertically in the passing game by keeping opposing safeties and linebackers honest. McSorley won’t have a problem getting Gesicki the football this season and thus he could be an All-Big Ten performer.

Aside from Gesicki, senior wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton has the potential to be a breakout performer in the Nittany Lions passing game. At 6’1″, 211 lbs., Hamilton has size and speed, while being the perfect compliment to the play making ability of McSorley and Barkley in Penn State’s offense.

Penn State had a young offensive line last year, but led by junior center Connor McGovern, this is now a veteran offensive line that could be the best that the Big Ten has to offer.

The Nittany Lions were a young team on both sides of the ball last year which led to them getting plenty of seasoning. Senior linebacker Jason Cabinda and junior linebacker Manny Bowen are solid tacklers, while defensive back Marcus Allen is a play maker and an enforcer in the secondary. And this will be vital for Penn State as they will be seeking to improve being the 37th ranked defense in 2016.

The Nittany Lions were the kings of the comeback in 2016 which could once again work in their favor in 2017. However Penn State must deal with a daunting schedule that will see them travel to face the Iowa Hawkeyes who are never an easy squad to secure a road win against. In three consecutive weeks the Nittany Lions will face the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Michigan State Spartans as this stretch will decide their fate as to whether or not that they’ll be able to get back to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Title Game in December.

Y-Michigan Wolverines 10-2 (7-2)

It hasn’t taken head football coach Jim Harbaugh that long to turn around the fortunes of the Michigan Wolverines program. After the Wolverines only had one 10-win season in the previous eight years, they’ve gone 10-3 in each of the last two campaigns under Harbaugh. Harbaugh is taking Michigan back to being a national brand as they are once again a perennial top-10 program. But will 2017 be the year that Harbaugh will be able to bring the maize and blue a Big Ten Championship?

Under Harbaugh there hasn’t been anything that has been pretty about the Wolverines as they are an old-school, lunch pale crew, but it has been effective. Senior quarterback Wilton Speight is set to begin his second consecutive year as the starting quarterback for the Wolverines. Speight needs to show that he is more than just a game manager as in Michigan’s three losses last season, he threw a combined 4 interceptions. However Speight has good size for a quarterback at 6’6″, while he weighs 243 lbs., and being under the tutelage of Harbaugh should once again help him to get prepared for the riggers of playing in the Big Ten Conference.

Harbaugh is in the process making the Wolverines a more physical football team which means being able to run the football effectively. In 2015, Michigan averaged 4.2 yards per carry, while last year it was 4.8. However the Wolverines need to find a game changing play maker at the tailback position. With just 88 carries last year as a true freshman, running back Chris Evans showed his potential as he averaged 7 yards per carry, and he’ll be vital to the success of Michigan’s offense in 2017.

Senior offensive tackle Mason Cole will anchor a Michigan offensive line that is truly a lunch pale crew as they could be the engine of this squad.

It will be tough for Michigan to duplicate their success on defense from last year as they were ranked second in the nation in total defense. Don Brown is set to begin his second year as Michigan’s defensive coordinator as he looks to make sure that his unit remains stingy. However the Wolverines must replace their top eight tacklers from last season, along with defensive end Taco Charlton.

The Wolverines will be a work in progress as the season goes along, but they will get better as their regular season finale against the Ohio State Buckeyes should once again decide who’ll win the Eastern Division of the Big Ten Conference.

X-Indiana Hoosiers 7-5 (5-4)

For the first time since 1992, the Indiana Hoosiers enter the college football season looking to make their third consecutive bowl appearance. The Hoosiers have been able to survive some of the stiff competition within the Eastern Division of the Big Ten Conference to become bowl eligible, but things will be slightly different in Bloomington heading into a new college football season.

After nearly six years as Indiana’s head football coach, Kevin Wilson is out. The school and Wilson agreed to mutually part ways last December due to his mistreatment of players. Indiana didn’t look to far to find Wilson’s replacement as defensive coordinator Tom Allen was promoted. Allen has never been a head coach at the collegiate level as he must now learn on the fly in the Big Ten which will not be easy.

Quarterback Richard Lagow is set to be under center for his senior campaign and he needs to build off of what he did in 2016. Lagow was up and down at time as he threw 19 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. And as Lagow goes, so does the Indiana offense as 11 of his interceptions came in losses last season.

Junior wide receiver Nick Westbrook was Lagow’s go-to-guy in the passing game last year and you can expect more of the same this time around. Last season Westbrook tallied 54 receptions and he was just five yards shy of reaching the coveted 1,000-yard mark. At 6’3″, 215 lbs., Westbrook is a big receiver that is a matchup problem for opposing cornerbacks and he and Lagow should be able to wreak some havoc on defenses in the Big Ten this fall.

There will be plenty of experience on Indiana’s offensive line as they’ll have a pair of seniors in right tackle Brandon Knight and left guard Wes Martin as well as juniors in left tackle Coy Cronk, center Hunter Littlejohn, and right guard Simon Stepaniak as this offense could be one to keep your eyes on.

Last year the Hoosiers were 45th in the nation in total defense and they should be able to improve in 2017. Led by senior linebackers Tegray Scales and Marcus Oliver, Indiana’s top nine tacklers from last season are returning on defense. Defensively the Hoosiers were also able to tally 13 interceptions last season and they should be able to set up their offense with solid field position via the turnover.

The schedule makers weren’t kind to Indiana as their first game right out of the chute will be at home versus the Ohio State Buckeyes, while they’ll also have road games against the Penn State Nittany Lions and Michigan State Spartans. But if the Hoosiers can handle their business versus the teams in which they are expected to defeat, they could once again be ready to go bowling.

X-Michigan State Spartans 7-5 (4-5)

During Mark Dantonio’s tenure as the head football coach of the Michigan State Spartans, the level of expectations have changed in East Lansing. Five of the last six seasons have seen the Spartans finished ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press Poll which included them making the College Football Playoff in 2015. Michigan State has claimed two outright Big Ten Championships under Dantonio as well, but they took a huge step backwards in 2016.

After beginning the 2016 college football season with a record of 2-0, Michigan State would lose nine of their remaining ten contests for their worst campaign since 1991. Things never clicked for Sparty as last year marked the first time that they lost to the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Penn State Nittany Lions in the same season. Aside from struggling against conference powerhouses, Michigan State also lost to the Rutgers Scarlet Knight and Illinois Fighting Illini who were a combined 5-19 last season. And after Dantonio worked so hard to build Michigan State into being one of the better teams within the Big Ten, he needs to have a bounce back campaign in the worst way here in 2017.

For the Spartans to turn things around this season, their offense is going to have to pick up the production. Last season Sparty was 75th in the nation in total offense which included them being held under 20 points five times. Dantonio is a firm believer in having an effective rushing attack which means that you can expect a heavy dose of junior running back LJ Scott. Scott was able to improve in his sophomore year in East Lansing, but he was still unable to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark on the ground. This was in part due to the fact that Michigan State lacked talent on that side of the football around Scott. However any success that Michigan State intends to have this year will rely on the running ability of Scott.

Michigan State was 32nd in the nation in defense last season as there is room for improvement for this unit under defensive coordinator Mike Tressel. Senior linebacker Chris Frey led the Spartans in tackles last year with 96 and she should be a leader for this team. But where the Spartans must improve the most in is their ability to force turnovers and put pressure for opposing quarterbacks. Last year Sparty was only able to tally 11 sacks, while only grabbing 8 interceptions which are two areas that they must improve in if they want to once again be a player in the Big Ten Conference.

I don’t see the Spartans being able to contend for the Big Ten Title here in 2017 as Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are light years ahead of them. It also won’t help the Spartans cause that they have some difficult road games on tap which includes meetings with the Buckeyes and Wolverines and Buckeyes, along with a contest in Evanston, Illinois versus the Northwestern Wildcats. But Michigan State should be an improved team as I simply do not see Dantonio having consecutive bad seasons.

X-Maryland Terrapins 6-6 (3-6)

In D.J. Durkin’s first year as the head football coach of the Maryland Terrapins, he got the most out of his team by getting them to a bowl game. But after Maryland began the season with a record of 4-0, they went 2-7 the rest of the way as Durkin was indoctrinated into life in the Big Ten Conference. And as Maryland was only able to go 3-6 within the Big Ten last season, will they be able to build off of that mark in 2017?

After junior quarterback Caleb Henderson began his collegiate career with the North Carolina Tar Heels, he decided to transfer to Maryland. And after Henderson had to sit out last year, he is expected to be Maryland’s guy under center this season. Junior running back Ty Johnson provided plenty of explosiveness coming out of the backfield for the Terrapins and you can expect more of the same this time around. Last season Johnson averaged 9.1 yards per carry as he is Maryland’s home-run hitter on offense.

There will be plenty of experience on the offensive line for the Terps as led by left tackle Derwin Gray, you’re looking at an offensive line that has four seniors in the starting lineup which should make Henderson’s transition to be the starting quarterback in College Park a bit smoother.

Durkin’s specialty is defensive football and after the Terrapins were only 77th in the nation in total defense last season, this year should see them as an improved unit. Maryland’s top three tacklers from last season are returning which includes senior linebacker Shane Cockerille. Senior defensive end Jesse Aniebonam is a solid pass rusher coming off of the edge which should help to keep Maryland in games, while also potentially forcing turnovers. But the Terps needs to improve in the secondary as they were only able to force 5 interceptions last year.

Whereas last year’s non-conference schedule was easy for Maryland, that won’t be the case this time around as they’ll travel to take on the Texas Longhorns of the Big 12 Conference, while hosting the Central Florida Knights of the American Athletic Conference. And the Terps Big Ten slate isn’t easy either which includes road games versus the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Minnesota Golden Gophers and home dates with the Michigan State Spartans and Penn State Nittany Lions.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights 3-9 (1-8)

It has been a steady decline for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights since they joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014. That year would see Rutgers go 8-5 which included a bowl game victory. However since then the Scarlet Knights have lived up to their expectations in the Big Ten as they’ve become the whipping boys for the conference powerhouses. In three years in the Big Ten, Rutgers is a combined 1-11 versus the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan State Spartans, and Penn State Nittany Lions. And if the Scarlet Knights have any chances of being a contender within the conference, these are the teams that they are going to need to get past.

Chris Ash is set to begin his second year as the head football coach of Rutgers. And after Ash and the Scarlet Knights were only able to go 2-10 last year, there is only one way for them to go which is up.

The talent pool for Rutgers isn’t deep as this is a team that was 97th in the nation in total defense last season, while they were dead last in total offense which isn’t going to cut it in the Big Ten. Rutgers calls the State of New Jersey home. And even though that the Garden State is littered with quality football talent, the Scarlet Knights has not been able to keep those players home as they are consistently losing out in the recruiting battle to the Big Ten powerhouse schools.

However two names to look out for this season for Rutgers are linebackers Trevor Morris and Deonte Roberts who are both solid tacklers. And the ability of Morris and Roberts will be on display this year as they should be on the field a ton due to a lackluster offense.

Rutgers wanted the money of the Big Ten which they’ve gotten. But now the Scarlet Knights have to accept the reality of life for them in the Big Ten as they are now everyone’s homecoming game.

West

X-Wisconsin Badgers 9-4 (7-3)

Six of the last eight years have seen the Wisconsin Badgers win at least 10 games. But since Wisconsin is a program that lacks national sizzle, they tend to get lost in the shuffle. The Badgers are coming off of an 11-win season and a victory in the Cotton Bowl over the Western Michigan Broncos. Things could have been ever better for the Badgers had they not blown a 21-point lead in the Big Ten Championship Game to the Penn State Nittany Lions as they would have been Rose Bowl bound. However for Wisconsin head football coach Paul Chryst, he will head into the 2017 college football season looking to keep his program near the top of the Big Ten.

Last year saw quarterback Alex Hornibrook gain valuable time as a freshman and now he can hopefully build off of that. Hornibrook will now need to be more than just a game manager as he no longer has the protection of running back Corey Clement who is in the National Football League. The Badgers also have a young offensive line which includes a pair of sophomores in left tackle David Edwards and left guard and Jon Dietzen as this unit will have to get their feet under them in a hurry in order to keep up in the Big Ten.

Last year the Badgers were seventh in the nation in total defense and they’ll have some key components that will be returning. Junior inside linebacker T.J. Edwards led the team in tackles last season with 89, while senior inside linebacker Jack Cichy was fourth with 60. The Badgers lost 15.5 sacks when linebackers T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel went to the National Football League, but their departure could open the door for senior defensive end Alec James and senior outside linebacker Garrett Dooley to emerge. The Badgers pass rush also opened things up for their secondary and I anticipate senior strong safety D’Cota Dixon to have another big season. In 2016, Dixon had 4 interceptions, and his range will be important if Wisconsin intends on hanging tough in the Big Ten West.

The Badgers have never been known to take it easy in the non-conference portion of their schedule as a September 16th trip to face the BYU Cougars will be telling. And when the Big Ten portion of Wisconsin’s schedule begins, road meetings with the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Minnesota Golden Gophers, as well as home affairs with the Northwestern Wildcats, Michigan Wolverines, and Iowa Hawkeyes will show us a ton about the character of this team.

X-Northwestern Wildcats 9-3 (6-3)

Under head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Northwestern Wildcats are enjoying their best stretch in program history. After being a two-time Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year during his playing career at Northwestern, Fitzgerald has brought the same hard working ethic to his team in Evanston, Illinois. Fitzgerald’s record with the Wildcats is 77-62 which is nothing to sneeze at. But can Fitzgerald do something which hasn’t been done at Northwestern since 1995 which is to lead them to the Big Ten Conference Title?

Whereas the Wildcats were only able to go 7-6 last season, led by their offense they have the ability to be a sleeper here in 2017. Senior running back Justin Jackson has the ability to frustrate defenders with his elusiveness coming out of the backfield. Last season saw Jackson gain 1,524 rushing yards to go along with 15 touchdowns on the ground and he has the potential to once again be one of the better running backs in the Big Ten.

Accuracy is the name of the game for Northwestern junior quarterback Clayton Thorson. After Thorson was only able to complete 50.8% of his passes as a freshman in 2015, he got that number to nearly 60% last year at 58.6. Now the key for Thorson as a junior is to get that number above 60, and he can do it by complimenting the rushing ability of Jackson which means utilizing the play-action pass in order to be efficient.

Led by left tackle Blake Hance, the Wildcats have three seniors that will be starting on their offensive line as they will not only be responsible for opening up holes in the run game for Jackson, but to also protect Thorson as this unit will be a big part of any chance that Northwestern has of getting to the Big Ten Title Game.

However as the old saying goes, offense might win games, but defense wins championships. And although that Northwestern might have a prolific offense on their hands, they are going to need a strong effort on the defensive side of the football in 2017. Last year the Wildcats were 60th in the nation in total defense, and on top of that they lost three of their top four tacklers from 2016 as well as their leading pass rusher.

But Fitzgerald knows a thing or two about strong linebacking play in the Big Ten and a player to watch out for at Northwestern this year is junior outside linebacker Nate Hall. After grabbing 5 interceptions last year as a sophomore, junior cornerback Montre Hartage should once again be one of the better corners in the Big Ten as it will be interesting to see how much that opposing offenses will be willing to test him.

The Wildcats should benefit from an easy non-conference schedule, but when Big Ten play begins they must hunker down for a pair of road games against the Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers which will more than likely decide who wins the Big Ten West.

X-Minnesota Golden Gophers 7-5 (5-4)

It might be hard to believe, but the Minnesota Golden Gophers have claimed a share or have outright won 15 Big Ten Conference Championships on the gridiron. Minnesota’s 15 titles are third most in conference history behind the 42 of the Michigan Wolverines and the 35 of the Ohio State Buckeyes. But unlike Michigan and Ohio State who are regularly atop the Big Ten standings, the Golden Gophers have not won the conference crown since 1967. Since then the Gophers have been an up and down program with just one appearance in a New Year’s bowl game. Each of the last five years have seen Minnesota reach a bowl game, but they’ve been unable to take that next step in the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers program dealt with their fair share of off-the-field issues last season which saw the school part with Tracy Claeys as their head football coach, but they may have struck it big in finding his replacement.

In January, Minnesota would name P.J. Fleck as their new head football coach. Fleck became a hot commodity on the coaching scene as in four years as the head football coach of the Western Michigan Broncos, he compiled a record of 30-22 which included leading the Broncos to their first undefeated regular season in school history. Fleck is a 36-year old that is full or energy, and now it will be interesting to see if he’ll be able to turn Minnesota into an upper echelon program within the Big Ten. But as Fleck is set to take over a new program, he can have solace in knowing that he inherits a team that won nine games last season, while three of their four losses came by a touchdown or less.

Conor Rhoda’s time with Minnesota has been in the role of being a backup quarterback. And as Rhoda is set to begin his final season in Minneapolis, he’ll be eager to show what he can do. But whereas Rhoda is inexperienced, he can lean on junior running back Rodney Smith. Last year Smith was the heart and soul of the Minnesota as he carried the football 240 times for 1,158 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. And you can expect Smith to once again get his opportunity to show what he can do under Fleck.

Defensively in 2016, the Gophers amassed 37 sacks with junior linebacker Blake Cashman and senior defensive tackle Steven Richardson combining for 14.5 of those. The front seven of the Golden Gophers already had played with a solid level of intensity which will now only be magnified under Fleck.

The first half of Minnesota’s schedule is very manageable, but when the competition will pick up in the second half as they’ll have road games against the Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan Wolverines, and Northwestern Wildcats, Fleck will get a healthy dose of life in the Big Ten.

X-Nebraska Cornhuskers 7-5 (4-5)

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are coming off of their eighth 9-win season in the last nine years. But will the Huskers be able to build off of what they did last season in order to win the Big Ten Conference which is something that they’ve been unable to do since they joined the league in 2011?

Mike Riley is set to begin his third season as Nebraska’s head football coach. Riley is known for his offensive football, but the first two years of his regime in Lincoln has seen both he and the Cornhuskers offense in limbo. When Riley took over for his predecessor in Bo Pelini, he had to convert from a run oriented offense to a passing system that had philosophies of the West Coast offense. Riley was attempting to do this with players that Pelini had recruited and in year three he can potentially get some semblance of order.

The outlook for the Cornhuskers offense in 2017 will begin with junior quarterback Tanner Lee. Lee sat out the 2016 college football season after he transferred from the Tulane Green where he didn’t exactly light it up. In two years at Tulane, Lee 23 touchdowns and 21 interceptions as he was on one of the worst teams in college football. And whereas Lee could get lost in the shuffle with the Green Wave, he will now have to contend with the “Sea of Red” at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln where they expect their team to contend for the Big Ten Title.

Defensively Nebraska must replace a ton of production as their top three tacklers from 2016 have graduated, but senior safety Kieron Williams who led the team in interceptions last season with 5 has the potential to be the best safety in the Big Ten.

The Huskers should once again be a bowl team here in 2017, however after finishing one win shy of winning the Big Ten West last season, they will more than likely take a step back this time around.

X-Iowa Hawkeyes 7-5 (4-5)

With the stunning retirement of Bob Stoops as the head football coach of the Oklahoma Sooners in June, Iowa Hawkeyes head football coach Kirk Ferentz is now the current longest tenured head coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. In 18 seasons at Iowa, Ferentz has a record of 135-92 which includes getting his team to a bowl game in 14 of those years in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes are coming off of consecutive New Year’s Day bowl games for the first time since 2005, but will they be able to avoid getting lost in the shuffle this year in the Big Ten Conference?

After C.J. Beathard spent the last two years as the starting quarterback for Iowa, it is now Nathan Stanley’s opportunity to take over the reigns. Stanley saw limited action last year as a freshman, and he should be another in a long line of game managers that Ferentz has relied on to keep his offense going. Last year saw running back Akrum Wadley split carries in the backfield with LeShun Daniels Jr. But with Daniels now in the National Football League, Wadley will have a bigger workload here in 2017 as he has a chance to be the best running back in the Big Ten in this his senior season.

The Hawkeyes offense will benefit from having one of the most experienced offensive lines in the nation that features three senior starters which includes left tackle Boone Myers. One of Ferentz’s specialties is developing quality offensive lineman and this group of big uglies could have a stellar season for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa was 23rd in the nation last year in total defense, and although that they lost some talent on the defensive side of the football, they still have have middle linebacker Josey Jewell. Jewell recorded 124 tackles last year as a junior and with his senior campaign set to begin, he should be in the running to win the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker.

The Hawkeyes have the potential to be a force in the Big Ten West, but they face a daunting journey. After a pedestrian like non-conference schedule, Iowa has home games within the Big Ten against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Minnesota Golden Gophers, and Ohio State Buckeyes, while they’ll also have road affairs with the Wisconsin Badgers and Nebraska Cornhuskers as this could be the conference’s tough schedule.

Purdue Boilermakers 2-10 (1-8)

In the expansion of the Big Ten Conference, the Purdue Boilermakers have been an afterthought. You have to go back to 2011 to find the last time in which Purdue was able to finish with a winning record, while they haven’t finished a season ranked since 2003. The last four seasons have seen the Boilermakers win a combined nine games which has resulted in a change of leadership in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Jeff Brohm is set to begin life in the Big Ten as the new head football coach of the Boilermakers. Brohm spent the last three years as the head football coach of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers where he compiled a record of 30-10 which included winning a pair of Conference USA Championships. Brohm is known for production on the offensive side of the football as Western Kentucky was fifth in the nation last year in total offense in 2016 and he will need to input some life into the Purdue offense.

As Brohm is taking over, he has a quarterback in place in junior David Blough. Last season Blough passed for 3,352 yards, but the majority of that was due to the fact that Purdue constantly attempting to play catch up. Blough threw 25 touchdowns, but he was also intercepted 21 times and that must change in order for the Boilermakers to be competitive in the Big Ten. However it will be tough for Blough to get that interception total drastically down in 2017 being that Purdue doesn’t have a ton of talent at the skill positions around him, while there aren’t any seniors on the offensive line which hurts; especially since Brohm will be instilling a new blocking system.

Defensively Purdue must become more competitive after they were 91st in the nation last year in total defense. The Boilermakers surrendered 44 points or more in a game last year six times which simply won’t cut it. Anthony Poindexter and Nick Holt will be co-defensive coordinators this year as they look to ignite a fire under Purdue’s defense. However last year saw the emergence of middle linebacker Markus Bailey who led the team in tackles (97) and interceptions (4) as a true freshman, and he’ll be a building block as well as a leader for this unit here in 2017.

Brohm will begin his time at Purdue by facing his alma mater in the Louisville Cardinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference as they’re led by head football coach Bobby Petrino who also happens to be his coaching mentor. And when Big Ten play begins, it will be simply about attempting to compete for Purdue as up is the only way for them to go.

Illinois Fighting Illini 2-10 (1-8)

The football program of the Illinois Fighting Illini currently finds themselves in a rut that they cannot get out of. 2010 was the last time that Illinois finished a college football campaign with a winning record as they’ve been taking a beating since then in the Big Ten. Former Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith is coming off of a 3-9 campaign his first time around in Champaign as he was fighting an uphill battle. Smith wasn’t named as the head football coach until March 2016 which put him behind the eight-ball as far as recruiting and being able to put together a coaching staff as he set out to instill discipline and have a culture change for this team. And as a new college football season is on the horizon for the Illini, will they be able to show any signs of life?

It’s still unclear if Smith will go with junior Chayce Crouch or sophomore Jeff George Jr. as the Illinois starting quarterback, but this is a team that needs a leader. The Illini were 123rd in the nation in total offense last season as they were limited to 10 points or less five times. The inability of the Illinois offense didn’t make things better for their defense that spent too much time on field. And like the offense of the Fighting Illini, the defense needs to find some impact players as well.

Smith and his team are still fighting an uphill battle in the Big Ten, and until they are able to reverse the tide, they are going to keep watching the parade pass them by.

Big Ten Championship Game:Lucas Oil Stadium-Indianapolis, Indiana: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin

Conference Champion: Ohio State

X-Bowl Eligible

Y-New Year’s Six

Z-Conference Champion

Sources: Sports-reference.com, Cfbstats.com, Ourlads.com