Football season is finally upon us and with that it’s time to break down each Power Five conference and make some bold predictions. Today we start with the Big Ten.
FARRELL 50: Nos. 21-25 | 26-30 | 31-35 | 36-40 | 41-45 | 46-50
Big Ten West Champion: Wisconsin. I’m not sold on quarterback Alex Hornibrook, but the running game will be strong as always and the defense will be rock solid even without linebacker Jack Cichy. Northwestern will be interesting to follow as will Nebraska and Iowa, but betting against the Badgers seems foolish.
Big Ten East Champion: Ohio State. Since I’m picking Ohio State to win the national title, of course I have them winning the division. I’m all in on J.T. Barrett’s improvement under Kevin Wilson and Ryan Day and the emergence of playmakers at wide receiver. The defense will be one of the best in the country even with some unproven talent in the secondary.
Big Ten Champion: Ohio State. The Buckeyes are too athletic and deep for the Badgers, but this could be a physical and tough game regardless.
Coach of the Year: Urban Meyer, Ohio State. Meyer has never won the Big Ten Coach of the Year even the year he won the national title, but this year he will have to take the prize. Pat Fitzgerald could steal it away if Northwestern wins the West.
Hot Seat City: Mike Riley, Nebraska. The pressure in Lincoln is intense, everyone is expecting better results on the field than Nebraska had with Bo Pelini. If the Huskers go 8-4 this season and fall short again in the West, a 23-15 record after three years would put Riley squarely on the hot seat for his fourth year right?
Biggest Surprise: Northwestern. Quarterback Clayton Thorson is good, the running game will be good and it will come down to how the defense handles teams such as Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa and Nebraska. The defense returns a lot of talent and the depth on the roster is as good as it has been under Fitzgerald. Nebraska is in the discussion here as well and that game in Lincoln will be huge for both teams.
Biggest Disappointment: Penn State. This won’t go over well with the #WeAre folks, but the pressure is on and coming off 11 wins and a Big Ten title, similar heights will be expected. I’m not saying Penn State will slide like Michigan State did, but I can see an eight- or nine-win season and falling short of division title goals. The schedule isn’t easy with Pitt, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska as challenges and everyone will be gunning for the Nittany Lions this year. The question is, does missing out on a division title qualify as the biggest disappointment in the conference? Based on expectations, it does.
As Expected: Rutgers. Sorry Rutgers fans. After a 2-10 season and shutout losses by 78, 58, 49 and 39 points, I see more of the same this season. Perhaps the drubbings won’t be as bad and some improvement has to be expected, but there aren’t a lot of wins on the schedule.
A Year Away: Michigan. The talent will be there, it’s just a year away from pushing for a Big Ten title. There have been so many losses from last year’s team that it’s hard to expect Michigan be ready to win the division this year, but next year and beyond? Watch out.
Building for the Future: Nebraska. The Huskers' recruiting under Riley has been unprecedented at least in the Rivals.com era and the roster is getting more athletic and faster each year. I’m not sure when or if Nebraska will break through and win the West under Riley, but they are doing all the right things in recruiting.
Conference Offensive MVP: J.T. Barrett. Penn State running back Saquon Barkley could easily be the choice here or PSU quarterback Trace McSorley, but if Ohio State plays up to the level it can and Barrett improves his downfield passing, he will be the guy.
Conference Defensive MVP: Jerome Baker, Ohio State. Baker is coming off a terrific season and he can take it to the next level. Ryan Shazier, Darron Lee, Raekwon McMillan and now Baker, the Ohio State recent linebacker tradition has been amazing.
Best NFL Prospect: Barkley, Penn State. Michigan DL Rashan Gary could be included here, but he’s still a couple of drafts away. Barkley is being talked about in the Ezekiel Elliott mold as a top five NFL pick and is perhaps more athletic at the same stage. A huge season and teams could be trading up for him.
True Freshman of the Year: Tarik Black, Michigan. I could go with Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones here or a defender like Penn State CB Lamont Wade, but Black has shown from day one he’s college-ready and could be the most reliable option overall.
Breakout Player: Gary, Michigan. His teammate, Chris Evans, could be the choice here as well but I’ll go with Gary, who was overshadowed last season by Taco Charlton and Chris Wormley. Now there is no one to hold him back.
