Big Ten Preview: Life could be tough for Ohio State without Miller
Welcome to the new and improved Big Ten — well, sort of. NCAA football's oldest division welcomed two new teams in Maryland (ACC) and Rutgers (American Athletic Conference) this season while the race is on for supremacy in the East Division. Michigan State returns as the defending conference champions, but some key losses during the offseason might give Ohio State an opportunity to make their claim as the No. 1 team. At least, if they can recover from the loss of quarterback Braxton Miller, as it was confirmed on Tuesday that the early Heisman favorite re-injured his right shoulder in Monday's practice and will not play this season.
The Favorites
It’s no question the big favorites to win the Big Ten are Ohio State and Michigan State. The Spartans lost a handful of important players during the offseason, which might give the Buckeyes an opportunity to sneak ahead of their conference rivals. In the case of a complete collapse by either one of these major contenders, Wisconsin or Nebraska could step in as big players if all goes according to plan.
Michigan State
Last year's record: 13-1
AP preseason poll: 8
What you need to know: As the Big Ten's defending conference champions, Michigan State needs to compensate for the big losses of cornerback Darqueze Dennard and linebacker Max Bullough. Rose Bowl MVP quarterback Connor Cook should provide some stability in the passing game for his squad. Generally speaking, it's a two-team race for the conference title and Michigan State will need to silence Ohio State to repeat last season's success.
What you probably didn't know: Michigan State's 34-24 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game was the most-watched college football game of last season with 13.9 million viewers on FOX. Also, they have trouble with spelling.
Potential upset: They've won two of their last three against Ohio State but Week 11 at Spartan Stadium will be a major test.
Ohio State
Last year's record: 12-2
AP preseason poll: 5
What you need to know: Ohio State comes into the 2014 season with one of the best defensive lines in college football, so that's the good news. The bad news is they are stuck with an inexperienced offensive line that lost the likes of Jack Mewhort, Corey Linsley and Andrew Norwell. Oh, and the whole Miller thing, even though J.T. Barrett is expected to be a worthy replacement. So if Ohio State is able to get their offense clicking early, they could be the team to beat in the Big Ten.
What you probably didn't know: Canadian rap artist Drake attended the Orange Bowl in January and got a bench pass that credited him as a member of Ohio State University. Seriously though, that guy is everywhere/apparently works for everyone.
Potential upset: Penn State on Oct. 25 could make everyone a little nervous.
Wisconsin
Last year's record: 9-4
AP preseason poll: 14
What you need to know: Good not great seems to be the general consensus when it comes to Wisconsin in recent years. Some key losses on offense include the departures of wide receiver Jared Abbrederis and tight end Jacob Pedersen. At least Heisman Trophy candidate running back Melvin Gordon is sure to have a positive impact on the reworked offense.
What you probably didn't know: They pull out all the stops when it comes to recruiting: Your letter comes with a WWE belt (print out). Also, you can win scholarships by being good at trivia.
Potential upset: There is only one spot of separation between the two teams in the early AP poll, but Week 1 in Houston could be a big one if Wisconsin can get their running game going against LSU.
Nebraska
Last year's record: 9-4
AP preseason poll: 22
What you need to know: Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. showed signs of being a strong starter during the 2013 season but he'll have to give a bit more if he really wants to carry the offense for this Nebraska team. That's where running back Ameer Abdullah can help out and he's back after a 2013 campaign with 1,690 rushing yards.
What you probably didn't know: Abdullah and wide receiver Kenny Bell got into a Twitter beef this summer after Bell insulted the state of Abdullah's cleats. Abdullah fired back by posting a photo of Bell's (alleged) car, which was in all kinds of rough shape.
Potential upset: Nebraska managed to get by a pesky Northwestern team last year, thanks to a Hail Mary, but they might not be so lucky on Oct. 18.
The Surprises
Penn State certainly has all the makings of a potential Cinderella story with a new head coach and star quarterback leading the rebuild. Indiana went 5-7 last season but could also see some vast improvements if their offense, led by quarterback Nate Sudfeld, can win them some games despite a questionable defense. And Iowa had the cards in their favor this year with the schedule-makers.
Iowa
Last year's record: 8-5
Running back Mark Weisman and a strong receiver squad should give Iowa an offensive boost. The defensive secondary could use some work, but the line is as solid as ever and is expected to perform well in high-pressure situations this season. However, a strong schedule gives other teams the opportunity to make Iowa look bad, and one of those games could be in Week 7 against new Big Ten member Maryland.
Penn State
Last year's record: 7-5
With the massive scandal now behind the team, Penn State can finally focus on football. New coach James Franklin will architect the Penn State rebuild and quarterback Christian Hackenberg is back after a stellar season with 2,955 passing yards as a true freshman. Week 7 against Ohio State will be a good measuring stick for the team to see just how far they've come.
Indiana
Last year's record: 5-7
Despite some missing depth in the wide receiver positions, Indiana’s offense should be one of the best in the Big Ten. Indiana’s defense might be a bit of a mess but quarterback Nate Sudfeld and his offense can go a long way in making this team look really good.
The Disappointments
Purdue is an absolute mess coming off a 1-11 season, the worst in school history. Northwestern is dealing with a depleted offense and two key players out of their lineup, it'll be up to quarterback Trevor Siemian to try and cushion those losses.
Northwestern
Last year's record: 5-7
Venric Mark and his 1,630 rushing yards will be sorely missed, and Northwestern is going to need all the offense they can get this season especially with a season-ending injury to wide receiver Christian Jones.
Purdue
Last year's record: 1-11
The Big Ten’s worst team also had their worst season in school history so there’s nowhere to go but up for Purdue, right? Their defense is expected to have another tough year especially with the departure of Ricardo Allen who was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.
The Leftovers
This might be their year, or it could be filled with more disappointment. Here are a few teams with the potential to be great, but it's just not clear if they will make it to the top this season.
Minnesota
Last year's record: 8-5
Sorry, an average of 148.1 passing yards a game with 10 completions won’t cut it on offense this season. With the departure of Phillip Nelson, the starting quarterback is now Mitch Leidner, and he'll need to take the pressure off a strong defensive corps.
Michigan
Last year's record: 7-6
The rushing game is certainly an area of concern for Michigan, as the net rushing total from last season was -48 yards, so returning running backs Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith have their work cut out for them. Michigan’s Week 9 homecoming could get a wrench thrown into it if Indiana gets its top-shelf offense firing on all cylinders by the time they make it to Michigan Stadium.
Illinois
Last year's record: 4-8
Oklahoma State transfer Wes Lunt is the new quarterback on the block with the departure of Nathan Scheelhaase. Lunt's arm is strong and he will have some young guns to throw to in Geronimo Allison and Mike Dudek. The biggest questions remain on defense as their mix of transfers and freshmen need to mesh well in order to be successful.
Maryland
Last year's record: 7-6
One of two newcomers to the Big Ten this season, Maryland joins the conference with a big time passing game led by quarterback C.J. Brown. Their running game is looking shaky as of late, but its improvement will also have a lot to do with how the team’s offensive line performs this season.
Rutgers
Last year's record: 6-7
Starting quarterback Gary Nova has 39 career interceptions and struggles with consistency, so he needs to be much better if Rutgers wants to do anything in their first year in the Big Ten.
At least they keep it fun: Head coach Kyle Flood surprised his squad during an offseason practice when he transformed the team's ice bath area into a nightclub-style party with house music, smoke machines and strobe lights.