Urban Meyer to Ohio State: Where Every Big Ten Team Will Finish in 2012

Urban Meyer will be the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes next season, which means the Big Ten is about to get much more interesting. 

The news broke today, and there is no doubt it has some members of the Big Ten worried. 

We know how 2011 went down, but 2012 will certainly bring a lot of excitement towards the Big Ten. Michigan State and Wisconsin will be playing in the first ever Big Ten Championship Game, but it will be difficult for both of them to repeat as division champs in 2012. 

With that said, here are the very early predictions for how the 2012 Big Ten season will end. 

Legends Division No. 6: Northwestern

The Wildcats will be losing quarterback Dan Persa, top running back Jacob Schmidt and their two best receivers, Jeremy Ebert and Drake Dunsmore. 

Kain Colter has done a solid job when Persa was injured, and even though his experience will help him a great deal next year, the Wildcats are losing too much talent on offense to get any better in the Big Ten. 

Leaders Division No. 6: Indiana

The Hoosiers can't get any worse from their 0-8 Big Ten record, but they still won't get much better. Indiana isn't losing a ton of talent, but the team has a whole doesn't have much to begin with. 

Things could change if they're able to land highly coveted recruit Gunner Kiel, but given how bad the Hoosiers are, it doesn't appear he'll commit to them again. 

Legends Division No. 5: Minnesota

Marqueis Gray is the Golden Gophers offense. He led the team in passing and rushing all season, and had he been healthy the whole year, things could have been different for Minnesota.

Avoiding injury in 2012 will be key for Gray. The Golden Gophers will do enough to stay out of the bottom of the division, but the top of the Legends Division is too strong for Minnesota to take down. 

Leaders Division No. 5: Illinois

Ron Zook may be out as head coach, but that won't magically make Illinois a dangerous team. The second half collapse resulted in major changes at Illinois, but losing key players will be their downfall in 2012. 

Quarterback Nate Scheelhaase will return, but replacing running back Jason Ford and top receiver A.J. Jenkins, who had over 1,100 receiving yards, will prove to be too difficult. A top notch new coach could change things, but not by much. 

Legends Division No. 4: Michigan State

The Spartans better hope they cash in on their 2011 success because 2012 will not be so kind. They have a chance to win the Big Ten and play in the Rose Bowl this year, but they will have a very hard time replacing top players next season. 

Quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Edwin Baker and top receiver B.J. Cunningham, who recorded over 1,100 yards this season, will all be graduating, leaving the Spartans in a tough spot. 

They'll rely on their stout defense to win games, but their inexperienced offense will be their demise in 2012. 

Leaders Division No. 4: Purdue

The Boilermakers will look to turn heads in 2012 after pulling some upsets in 2011. The stars return for another season, which means they should be even better than before. 

However, the rest of the Big Ten will have also gotten better, which will result in some late season struggles for Purdue. They're headed in the right direction, but the talent isn't big enough to shock the Big Ten just yet. 

Legends Division No. 3: Iowa

The Hawkeyes were close to some major upsets this season, but their offensive struggles held them back a great deal. That will change in 2012, though, as this team will become much stronger as a hole. 

Quarterback James Vandenberg improved throughout the season, and he will get immensely better during the offseason. Replacing top receiver Marvin McNutt won't be extremely difficult because Keenan Davis and Kevonte Martin-Manley will step up and carry the load. 

Running back Marcus Coker will also be returning, which will help this offense work wonders in 2012. The powerhouse running back rushed for over 100 yards seven times in 2011, and his numbers should get even better for 2012. 

Leaders Division No. 3: Penn State

The Nittany Lions still have to find a new head coach and deal with an offseason of turmoil. They could end up keeping Tom Bradley, but I still think they look outside the program for a new coach. 

Despite the off-the-field problems, Penn State still has a good deal of talent coming back for 2012, and their offense can't get much worse than 2011, when they only averaged 19 points a game. 

They'll beat up on the lesser teams of the division, but struggle against the powerhouses of the Big Ten, which will result in a mediocre season for the Nittany Lions. 

Legends Division No. 2: Nebraska

The Cornhuskers had a strong first year in the Big Ten, and now that they've learned a lot about their newest rivals, it will help them moving forward. 

Taylor Martinez will continue to grow at quarterback, and the Cornhuskers will stick to their resilient ground and pound for great success in 2012. Rex Burkhead will be back for his senior season, which will give Nebraska a great advantage over others. 

They'll surprise a lot of people in 2012, but failing to beat one team will result in a second place finish for the Cornhuskers. 

Leaders Division No. 2: Wisconsin

The departure of Russell Wilson will take a toll on the Badgers, but a strong run game like usual will keep them as contenders in the division. 

Should Montee Ball leave for the NFL, it will be up James White to carry the load. Wisconsin will still be a great team should Ball not return, but if he does, he'll put up monster numbers and reach New York for a possible Heisman trophy. 

Ball's decision will have a great impact on how the Badgers fare in 2012, but if he is gone, they still have what it takes to be near the top of the division. 

Legends Division No. 1: Michigan

Denard Robinson will be a senior, and he will not be denied a trip to the Big Ten title game. He no longer has to put the team on his back thanks to the emergence of a Fitzgerald Toussaint at running back, as well as a much improved defense.

The Wolverines hired the right man in Brady Hoke, and his quick turnaround will get even better in 2012. The defense did a complete 180 from a year ago, and they will continue to play hard next season. 

Michigan was one win away from being the top team in the division this year, and they will not settle for anything less than first in 2012. 

Leaders Division No. 1: Ohio State

The Buckeyes offense was hideous at times in 2011, but the presence of Urban Meyer in 2012 will make them remarkably better. 

Since a number of top players were suspended this past season, it allowed a bunch of young players to gain valuable experience. Sure, the Buckeyes will be losing some very talented players, but expect them to recruit very well now that Meyer is head coach, which definitely means some impact freshman will turn heads in 2012. 

Braxton Miller is very dangerous with his feet, but he needs to become a better passer. Meyer has experience with subpar passing quarterbacks, and Miller will thrive under the new head coach, resulting in a fantastic season for the Buckeyes. 

Big Ten Championship Game

Michigan and Ohio State will have just squared off in their annual rivalry game, and the college football world will go crazy over a rematch. 

It's always intense whenever these two teams go head-to-head, and the fact that they'd be playing for the Big Ten title makes it an even more intriguing matchup. 

No matter the outcome of the previous week, both teams will quickly turn around and be prepared for another battle with so much on the line. 

I give the edge to the Wolverines because their talent on offense is far more experienced than the Buckeyes, and the skills of Denard Robinson will carry them over the top.