College Football Predictions 2011: Power Ranking the New Big Ten Conference
The 2011 college football season will usher Nebraska into this storied conference and will also feature the first ever conference title game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
With all these changes, there is an ever-growing buzz surrounding Big Ten football, and I will give you a sneak peek on what the standings will look like when it is all said and done next fall.
Let me know if you have any comments or concerns, regardless if they are positive or negative.
12. Indiana Hoosiers
1 of 12
Former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson comes to Bloomington and begins the uphill climb of trying to breathe life into an Indiana football program that has only made one bowl game appearance since 1993.
Wilson has an impressive coaching resume and has worked under accomplished head coaches such as former Randy Walker of Northwestern and Bob Stoops of Oklahoma. Kevin’s coaching pedigree gives Hoosier fans reason to be optimistic about the future of the Indiana football program.
Unfortunately, as of right now there is simply not enough talent on the current roster for Indiana to make a positive move in the Big Ten standings in 2011.
Quarterback Ben Chappell has departed after throwing for 3,295 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. In addition to the loss of Chappell, the Hoosiers will have to replace leading rusher Trea Burgess and the explosive Tandon Doss at wide receiver.
Indiana will also have to show improvement on the defensive side of the ball having surrendered 34 points per game in 2010.
A light non-conference slate that features games against Ball State, North Texas and South Carolina State should provide some early victories and subsequent confidence for this fledgling Indiana team, but ultimately wins will be hard to come by when the Hoosiers begin to navigate Big Ten play.
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers
2 of 12
Minnesota finds itself in a situation similar to Indiana. The Golden Gophers have brought in new blood to push their stalling football program in a positive direction, and the man assigned the task of breathing life into this Minnesota football program is Jerry Kill.
Kill most recently guided Northern Illinois to the MAC championship game last season and has had success at smaller schools such as Southern Illinois and Emporia State.
Minnesota will rely heavily on MarQueis Gray on offense. Gray is a 6'4", 230 lb sophomore from Indianapolis, Indiana who is by far the Gophers most explosive talent offensively. It is uncertain whether Gray will continue to line up at wide receiver, where he caught five touchdowns last season, or if the coaches will move Gray back to his natural position at quarterback, where longtime signal-caller Adam Weber needs to be replaced.
There is good news and bad news for Minnesota on defense. The bad news is that Minnesota surrendered 33 points per game last season defensively and looked especially overmatched in games against Ohio State and Wisconsin. The good news is that the aforementioned Golden Gopher defense returns nine starters and should be improved after the tough growing pains they endured in 2010.
Minnesota likely won’t challenge for a bowl game in 2011, but MarQueis Gray’s presence on offense and the heavy number of returning prospects on defense gives Golden Gopher fans a small sliver of hope for next season.
10. Purdue Boilermakers
3 of 12
Despite a 4-8 record in 2010, Purdue has reason to be excited about the 2011 season. Sophomore quarterback Rob Henry returns after showing promise in a freshman campaign in which he threw for 996 yards and eight touchdowns.
Henry will be pushed in the spring by Miami [Fl] transfer Robert Marve. Marve started the first four games of the 2010 season before suffering a season-ending torn ACL. The quarterback battle between Marve and Henry should be the main storyline to follow in West Lafayette during the spring.
Purdue fans can also find solace in the fact that four offensive linemen return in 2010, in addition to wide receivers Antavian Edison and Keith Smith, whose 2010 season was cut short by injury.
On defense, standout defensive end Ryan Kerrigan needs to be replaced, and the Boilermakers' secondary needs to play better as a unit. Opposing offenses may have had trouble running against the Boilers' imposing front seven, but those same teams had no problem airing it out against a Purdue secondary that was often times caught out of position.
Purdue will rely on its passing game to manufacture points in 2011, and either Marve or Henry will be tasked with leading this Boilermaker spread attack on offense. As crucial as passing the ball effectively will be on offense, finding a way to stop opposing teams' passing attacks will be just as critical on defense.
If Purdue can hit their stride offensively and patch up their holes in the secondary, then this Boilermaker team might be able to make some noise in the Big Ten.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
9. Illinois Fighting Illini
4 of 12
Running back Mikel Leshoure burst onto the scene last season for the Illini, rushing for 1,697 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010. Leshoure’s inspired play helped elevate Illinois to a bowl appearance and subsequent victory in the Texas Bowl.
Unfortunately for head coach Ron Zook, Leshoure has moved onto the NFL and a new offensive catalyst will have to be found for the Illini. That catalyst might just be sophomore quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who played well under center as a freshman and figures to improve even more as a sophomore.
Scheelhaase is one of nine returning starters on offense for Illinois and he, along with his other returning teammates, will attempt to keep the offense operating at a high level without the rushing prowess of Leshoure.
Things get a little bit dicier on defense. Illinois returns six starters, but must replace departed professional prospects such as linebacker Martez Wilson and defensive tackle Corey Liuget. Who will step up and become the face of this defense with Wilson and Liuget gone? Will anyone on the Illini defense truly step up and establish themselves as a standout talent?
These are just a few of the questions that hound Illinois as they prepare for spring football.
Illinois returns 15 starters from a team that won a bowl game last season, but talents such as Leshoure, Wilson and Liuget will be very tough to replace.
8. Penn State Nittany Lions
5 of 12
Penn State had a respectable campaign in 2010 that ended with an Outback Bowl appearance. Nittany Lion fans are hoping for more in 2011, but first there are some questions that need to be answered.
Matt McGloin performed admirably in his seven games under center, and the junior from Scranton should be the established starter going into next season. Surrounding McGloin will be talents such as wide receivers Derek Moye and Justin Brown.
Unfortunately, Penn State will have to venture on without decorated senior running back Evan Royster, and the coaching staff will have to find a new back to pick up Royster’s production.
Penn State returns eight starters on defense and expects better performances out of a unit that allowed 30.7 points per game in the Nittany Lions six losses. The majority of the defense is comprised of upperclassmen, so we will have to wait and see if this experience pays dividends.
There is definitely talent on both sides of the ball for Penn State, but questions still remain as the Nittany Lions go into training camp. Who will replace the production of Evan Royster at running back? Will Matt McGloin be able to take on increased responsibilities in his second year as a starter? Will the defense perform better in their big games?
7. Northwestern Wildcats
6 of 12
Head coach Pat Fitzgerald has done an excellent job at Northwestern and has the Wildcats positioned for another solid season in 2011.
Northwestern returns an ample of amount of talent from their 2010 team that came up short in a shootout against Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl last season.
Among the players returning for Northwestern is quarterback Dan Persa, who had his 2010 campaign cut short by a ruptured achilles. Persa threw for 2,581 yards last season and will once again lead the Wildcats offensive attack this coming season. Persa will welcome back four of his offensive linemen and skill talents such as running back Mike Trumpy and wide receiver Jeremy Ebert.
Northwestern’s strength will be a senior-laden defensive backfield that will attempt to slow down gunslingers such as quarterbacks Denard Robinson, Terrell Pryor, Taylor Martinez and Nathan Scheelhaase.
Northwestern skips Ohio State and plays Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State at home, which bodes well for the Wildcats. Northwestern will once again be competitive in the Big Ten, and a bowl game appearance is expected.
6. Iowa Hawkeyes
7 of 12
Iowa is one of the programs that always seem to churn out results even when they seem to be down and out.
Iowa won 10 games in 2010, but the Hawkeyes will have a new look in 2011.
Departed senior Ricky Stanzi is gone, as is wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, defensive end Adrian Clayborn and safeties Brett Greenwood and Tyler Sash.
Despite all those losses, it is hard to see head coach Kirk Ferentz letting the Hawkeyes fall too far.
Wide receiver Marvin McNutt and running back Marcus Coker return to help out new quarterback James Vandenberg. Iowa fans will also breathe a sigh of relief at the fact that the majority of the Hawkeyes offensive line returns from 2010.
Defensively, Iowa will have to fill the holes of the aforementioned Clayborn, Greenwood and Sash. Cornerback Shaun Prater was an All-Big Ten performer last season and should emerge as a leader on this new-look Hawkeye defense.
It would be all too easy to dismiss the Hawkeyes this season as a Big Ten afterthought, but I am going to give Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa program the benefit of the doubt on this one. No, Iowa will not challenge for a Big Ten crown, but I still expect them to be making bowl plans at the end of the season.
5. Michigan Wolverines
8 of 12
The offense should be as explosive as ever in Ann Arbor with quarterback Denard Robinson returning under center for head coach Brady Hoke. Denard will receive the majority of his skill players back from 2010 such as running back Vincent Smith, and wide receivers Roy Roundtree, Junior Hemingway and Darryl Stonum.
As we have come to learn though, offense is never the problem in Ann Arbor; instead it is the defense that has held the Wolverines back.
Michigan gave up 35.2 points per game last season including 89 points in their final two games against Ohio State and Mississippi State. The good news for Wolverine fans is that eight starters are back on the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive tackle Mike Martin was an All-Big Ten performer last season and not a single impact player needs to be replaced. At the end of the day, though, Michigan will have to show improvement on the field before too much stock can be put in these returning players.
There is no question that this offense led by the explosive Denard Robinson will score high quantities of points in 2011. The question will be whether the defense can truly assert themselves this season and perform at a higher level than the 35.2 points per game they gave up in 2010.
The degree to which Michigan has improved on defense will determine how high this team can climb in the Big Ten standings.
4. Wisconsin Badgers
9 of 12
Wisconsin loses a lot of talent from the 2010 squad that played in the Rose Bowl, but running backs Montee Ball and James White are back and that alone gives Badger fans reason to be hopeful about 2011.
Wisconsin does not try to hide the fact that they are a power running team, and the return of Ball and White will once again signal another season of smash-mouth football in Madison. The only difference this season is that supporting skill players such as quarterback Scott Tolzien, tight end Lance Kendricks and wide receiver David Gilreath are gone.
This means that a much bigger target will be on the backs of Ball and White as they take on their rushing duties next season.
Defensively, Wisconsin returns six starters, and there is a considerable amount of talent returning on this side of the ball. One area where Wisconsin will be especially tough is in the defensive backfield, where All-Big Ten performers Aaron Henry and Antonio Fenelus will preside.
The one weak link in the defense may be at linebacker, where replacements need to be found for seniors Blake Sorenson and Culmer St. John.
Scott Tolzien served as the leader and field general for this Badger offense, and his leadership will need to be replaced. Sophomore quarterback Jon Budmayr will most likely step into the starter’s role, and it will be interesting to see if he can play at a high level and utilize the talents around him.
3. Nebraska Cornhuskers
10 of 12
Nebraska’s 2010 season ended with a Holiday Bowl thumping against a Washington team that the Huskers thumped earlier this season. But as bad as the previous season ended, Cornhusker fans will be happy to know that there is still plenty of talent leftover for 2011.
Dual-threat quarterback Taylor Martinez returns after a fabulous freshman season and hopes to carry over his success from last year into this coming season. Look for Martinez to single out wide receiver Brandon Kinnie on the edge and also throw to running back Rex Burkhead out of the backfield. Two question marks for Nebraska on offense will be a revamped offensive line and a rushing attack that is without the services of the departed Roy Helu Jr.
Defensively, Nebraska’s strength will be a front seven that includes All-American candidate Jared Crick on the defensive line. Cornerback Prince Amukamara was a prime-time performer for the Cornhuskers in the defensive secondary and must be replaced.
Nebraska will have to get solid play out of their offensive line and hope that Rex Burkhead can play well at running back, but besides that there is no reason to believe that the Cornhuskers will not be very competitive in their first Big Ten campaign.
2. Michigan State Spartans
11 of 12
Michigan State won 11 games last season in 2010, and the talent is in place for the Spartans to make a run at the Big Ten championship in 2011.
The punishing one-two punch of Edwin Baker and Le’Veon Bell returns at running back for head coach Mark Dantonio. As if the return of Baker and Bell was not enough, the Spartans also welcome back senior quarterback Kirk Cousins and veteran wide receivers B.J. Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and Keith Nichol.
All this returning talent is fabulous news for Michigan State fans, but it must be noted that the Spartans need to replace three starting offensive linemen.
The Spartans also return an ample amount of talent from 2010 on defense, but replacements will have to be found to take on the tasks of stepping into the enormous shoes of departed senior linebackers Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. Michigan State’s ability to compensate for their pair of losses at linebacker will determine whether this defense is simply good or great.
Michigan State will not be at a loss for talent when they step on the field next season, and Big Ten title expectations are not far-fetched goals. The Spartans need to plug holes on the offensive line and at linebacker, but if these needs get addressed then Roses could be in Michigan State’s future.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
12 of 12
The Buckeyes hold onto the top spot in the power rankings, but there is definitely reason to be skeptical of this Big Ten heavyweight.
More details continue to come out regarding “Tattoo-gate,” and it will be interesting to see how the issue ultimately plays out. Head coach Jim Tressel, quarterback Terrell Pryor, wide receiver Devier Posey, running back “Boom” Herron and offensive lineman Mike Adams will all serve five-game suspensions to begin the season.
These suspensions are reason for concern along with the fact that Ohio State’s defense will undergo a complete overhaul in 2011. Starters Cameron Heyward, Chimdi Chekwa, Brian Rolle and Ross Homan are all gone and fresh faces will have to assert themselves on the defensive side of the ball.
With that being said, Ohio State consistently brings in some of the top prep talent in the country, and it can be said with relative certainty that the players who are "next in line” are likely skilled talents in their own right. Still, whenever a school experiences that kind of turnover there is always reason to be concerned.
Ohio State’s offense will be a force to be reckoned with at full strength. Posey, Pryor, Adams and Herron are all high-level talents to say the least, and this unit should be special once the aforementioned players serve their suspensions.
Questions such as whether Ohio State can weather the five-game suspensions and whether the defense can work its way through the heavy departures will have to be addressed, though.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
