Bold Predictions for Big Ten Football in 2017

A revival at Michigan State and a down year for Michigan, Trace McSorley's run to New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation and Ohio State's redemption tour will highlight the Big Ten's biggest storylines in 2017.

The league if fresh off what should've been a banner year that saw four teams in the Top 10 of the final College Football Playoff rankings and 10 teams in bowl games.

But the conference went a disastrous 3-7 this postseason, highlighted by Ohio State's stunning 31-0 loss to Clemson in the playoff semifinal.

How will the Big Ten unravel next year after a disappointing finish to the 2016 season?

Northwestern Will Push Wisconsin for the West Division Title

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Northwestern was expected to contend for the West Division title after a surprising 10-win campaign in 2015, but early, unexpected troubles derailed the 2016 season right out of the gate.

The Wildcats had playmakers all over the field with the Big Ten's best receiver in Austin Carr, standout running back Justin Jackson and an elite linebacker in Anthony Walker, but they dropped their first two games to Western Michigan and Illinois State, the latter being a disastrous upset that could've completely derailed the season.

But head coach Pat Fitzgerald righted the ship and got big wins over Iowa and Michigan State and a near upset of Ohio State on the road. Northwestern ended its season with a 31-24 upset over No. 23 Pitt in the Pinstripe Bowl, and that win will catapult them to bigger things next year.

The Wildcats lose Carr and Walker, but the defense returns nine starters and the offense will be headlined by Jackson and quarterback Clayton Thorson, who eclipsed 3,000 yards passing to complement 27 total touchdowns.

Watch for the Wildcats, who benefit from missing both Ohio State and Michigan on the schedule, to challenge Wisconsin for West supremacy.

Michigan Will Lose Four Games

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Michigan will take a step back in 2017.

That's not an indictment or doomsday prediction for the program as a whole, but with what the Wolverines lose from their stellar 2016 squad, it's going to be hard for Jim Harbaugh to reach double-digit wins for the third consecutive season.

Michigan was bolstered by an experienced group this year, and Harbaugh will have to find a way to replace 17 senior starters on his offense, defense and special teams units. That doesn't include the projected loss of Jabrill Peppers, the do-everything playmaker who proved how vital he was to Michigan's game plan when he sat out of the 33-32 loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Losing that much talent and experience will show up in the standings next fall.

Of course, Ohio State successfully replaced 16 starters to make a playoff run this year, but the Buckeyes recruited at a much higher level over the last three years, signing classes that ranked Nos. 2, 8 and 5 nationally, according to Scout. Michigan, meanwhile, signed Nos. 7, 35 and 27, making the prospect of reloading much more difficult.

Florida will get the best of the Wolverines in the season opener, and they'll fall to Penn State and Ohio State in league play. And their fourth loss will come in stunning fashion to...

Michigan State Will Bounce Back, Beat Michigan

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Very little went right for Michigan State in 2016 after an unsettling (yet oddly promising) start.

The sluggish season-opening win over Furman (28-13) was troublesome, but at the time, an impressive victory over Notre Dame gave the impression that all was well in East Lansing. But the Spartans fell apart, losing nine of their last 10 games, with their only victory coming against Big Ten basement-dweller Rutgers.

Things will turn around for Mark Dantonio's squad next year. The Spartans lose their defensive anchor in Malik McDowell, but an offense that struggled a season ago will see Donnie Corley breakout to be the perfect complement to L.J. Scott and a powerful running game.

Michigan State will start Big Ten play with a loss to Iowa, but that's because it'll be looking too much ahead to its showdown with rival Michigan the following week. The Spartans will score a defensive touchdown and do just enough to beat the Wolverines before finishing the regular season with eight wins.

Trace McSorley Will Be a Heisman Trophy Finalist

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Penn State head coach James Franklin needed something special to happen in 2016 for his program to break from mediocrity and prove it can contend in a loaded East Division.

Everyone knew that Saquon Barkley would have a fantastic year after eclipsing the 1,000-yard rushing mark as a freshman. But the Nittany Lions didn't truly take their top form until quarterback Trace McSorley was unleashed down the stretch of the season.

The sophomore was nothing short of sensational, throwing for 3,614 yards to complement 36 total touchdowns. He caught fire during the biggest stretch of the season, throwing four touchdown passes in each of Penn State's last three games. 

That momentum will carry over to 2017. With Franklin and the coaching staff trusting their quarterback with a loaded game plan from Week 1, McSorley will put up even better numbers next fall and earn an invite to New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Ohio State Will Go 13-0 and Get Back to the Playoff

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Nothing should scare the Big Ten or the rest of the country more than an angry Urban Meyer, and that's exactly what they'll get when the 2017 season kicks off.

There was very little intimidating about the Buckeyes the last time they took the field, of course, when they were embarrassed in a 31-0 shellacking at the hands of Clemson. But the loss forced a shakeup at the top for Ohio State, and with the (expected) arrivals of Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson, the offense will form an actual, functional identity.

While change takes place at the top, the roster will get the continuity it lacked in 2016 as the Buckeyes will return at least seven starters on defense and at least nine on offense. 

Unlike last year, Ohio State's two hardest games will take place in the confines of Ohio Stadium when it hosts Oklahoma in Week 2 and Penn State in Week 9. The Buckeyes get extra time to prepare for each, as they open the season on a Thursday against Indiana (giving them nine days of prep for the Sooners) and have a bye week before the Nittany Lions showdown.

Meyer's sixth consecutive victory over Michigan will put Ohio State in the Big Ten title game, where it'll improve to 13-0 and punch its ticket to the playoff with a 10-point win over Wisconsin.