Illinois
The last time Illinois started a season like this, Harry Truman was president, a gallon of gas cost 20 cents and the Big Ten comprised of nine teams.
Sixty years after their 1951 national championship season, the Illini sit at 4-0 heading into conference play.
Ranked No. 24, the Illini face a favorable schedule comprising eight home games and zero road contests against opponents currently ranked in the AP Top 25.
After outscoring Arkansas State and South Dakota State by a combined 89-18 margin to open the season, the Illini’s offense struggled and was bailed out by the defense in a 17-14 win over Arizona State, which helped the Illini earn its ranking.
Illinois’ Big Ten season-opener Saturday against Northwestern will prove valuable in gauging what to expect the rest of the year from the Orange and Blue. Regardless of what happens on Saturday, the Illini could feasibly win at least eight games, though upsetting teams like Wisconsin and Michigan will be difficult, even at home.
Illinois prediction: 9-3.
Big Ten Championship Game prediction: Wisconsin over Nebraska.
-Kevin Kaplan, Daily Illini
Gridiron Podcast: Big Ten season preview by The Badger Herald
Indiana
Four games into the season, the climb out of the Big Ten cellar for Indiana has already appeared to be quite steep. IU has struggled against foes like Ball State and North Texas and owns a 1-3 record entering Big Ten play.
The addition of a completely new coaching staff under Kevin Wilson provided hope for many of the Hoosier faithful. As the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma from 2002-2010, he coached two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks and went to 10 bowl games in 10 seasons.
Despite the optimism, questions abound on both sides of the ball. Could a defense that gave up 34 points a game last season make a quick turnaround? Who would replace key offensive players like quarterback Ben Chappell and wide receiver Tandon Doss?
Senior wide receiver Damarlo Belcher, who led the Big Ten in receptions last season, looks to fill Doss’ shoes, but the quarterback situation is much foggier. Even though sophomore Edward Wright-Baker started each game, he and sophomore Dusty Kiel are still neck-and-neck in the competition after Kiel played a strong fourth quarter against North Texas.
There are still more questions than answers.The defense has allowed non-conference opponents to score 26.5 points per game, and the quarterback position is still very much up in the air.
Big Ten Championship Game: Wisconsin 34, Nebraska 21.
-Alex McCarthy, Indiana Daily Student
Iowa
In line with most of the one-loss teams so far in the Big Ten, Iowa has begun 2011 in a somewhat head-scratching fashion. The Hawkeyes began their season with an easy win over Tennessee Tech before heading to Iowa State for a hotly anticipated rivalry game with the Cyclones. After three overtimes, Iowa State emerged victorious, 44-41.
The following week, Iowa barely squeaked by Pittsburgh, rallying from 17 points down in the fourth quarter in a 31-27 win. Quarterback James Vandenberg threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns in that game, and along with wide receiver Marvin McNutt (25 receptions, 413 yards and four touchdowns), he has been the Hawkeyes’ best offensive player thus far. Defensively, linebackers James Morris and Christian Kirksey have led Iowa’s defense, combining for 79 tackles in four games.
The Hawkeyes have a manageable Big Ten schedule, which begins Saturday at Penn State. After that, Iowa returns home for two games against Northwestern and Indiana, its homecoming game. A roadtrip to Minnesota comes in late October, before Michigan and Michigan State come to Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes then close their season on the road against Purdue and Nebraska.
If Iowa can win the games it’ll be favored in – most likely all of the home games, plus perhaps Minnesota and Purdue – and grab a victory at Penn State, it could position itself nicely near the top of the Big Ten.
-Mike Fiammetta, The Badger Herald
Michigan
For Michigan’s offense, everything begins and ends with quarterback Denard Robinson. The dynamic junior quarterback has already run for 552 yards this season, more than twice as many as the next Wolverine. He has five rushing touchdowns on the year – the same number as the rest of the roster combined.
The remainder of the running attack is balanced out between junior Vincent Smith and redshirt sophomore Fitzgerald Toussaint. Smith is averaging 8.5 yards per game, and Toussaint has three touchdowns on the year.
Through four games, the passing attack has been Michigan’s weakest link. Robinson has completed just 49 percent of his passes against mostly inferior teams and has as many interceptions, six, as he does touchdowns. No wide receiver has consistently stood out, either.
Michigan’s defense, a sieve last year, has been somewhat of a bright spot. The Wolverines have scored three times as many touchdowns as their opposition and have already forced 13 turnovers.
Michigan’s first real Big Ten challenge is Oct. 15 on the road against Michigan State. If the Wolverines can escape from East Lansing, they have a realistic shot of being 10-0 heading into the huge game against Nebraska.
Michigan prediction: 10-2
Big Ten Championship Game prediction: Michigan vs. Wisconsin
-Everett Cook, Michigan Daily
Michigan State
As co-defending Big Ten Champions, the Michigan State football team entered the 2011 season with a wealth of experience returning on offense and a few defensive newcomers with potential.
The Spartans head into the Big Ten season at 3-1, having averaged 417.2 total offensive yards while holding its opponents to 172.2 yards – first in the Big Ten and NCAA – and an average of 11 points per game.
Opening with a 28-6 win over Youngstown State, the Spartans followed up the second week with a 44-0 shutout over Florida Atlantic – where senior wide receiver B.J. Cunningham caught five passes for 73 yards, making him MSU’s all-time leader in career receptions.
MSU suffered its first loss of the season against Notre Dame, 31-13. Despite the loss, senior quarterback Kirk Cousins had his fourth career game with more than 300 passing yards, finishing 34-for-53 for 329 yards.
The team also has weapons for the running game in junior running backs Edwin Baker and Larry Caper and sophomore running back Le’Veon Bell – who ran for 81 yards and three touchdowns in the first half against Central Michigan.
Junior defensive tackle Jerel Worthy and senior safety Trenton Robinson anchor MSU’s defense, while sophomore linebackers Max Bullough and Denicos Allen follow up with 24 and 21 total tackles, respectively.
-Michelle Martinelli, The State News
Minnesota
Minnesota’s 1-3 non-conference season has been filled with disappointment, inconsistent play and off-field medical issues.
The current focus of the coaching staff – aside from returning new head coach Jerry Kill to health – is to implement a long-term plan of rebuilding the program.
Unfortunately, Kill has suffered several seizures already this season, notably during the New Mexico State game in Minneapolis.
Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys and offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover have each been with Kill for more than ten years and will assume coaching duties if Kill is unable to travel with the team to begin Big Ten play.
Along with the new coaching staff, Minnesota transitioned former wide-receiver MarQueis Gray to quarterback, a position he played in high school. The expectations were high with his athletic ability, which he has shown in his scrambling, but there are doubts about his future due to his poor passing production.
Freshman quarterback Max Shortell has already replaced Gray at times due to injury, and the coaching staff will look to include Shortell in future packages.
The Gopher running game has been promising, led by senior tailback Duane Bennett and Gray. The Minnesota defense has senior presence at each level but has yet to put together a consistent pass rush or coverage package in Claeys’ new defensive system.
-Adam Richard, Minnesota Daily
Nebraska
In Bo Pelini’s first three seasons as Nebraska’s head coach, the Husker defense improved each year. That trend hasn’t exactly continued in 2011 as NU prepares for its inaugural Big Ten Conference schedule.
The Nebraska defense heads to Wisconsin this weekend having already allowed over 100 yards rushing through two straight games. The Huskers currently rank ninth in the Big Ten in rush and pass defense.
A positive sign for the defense, though, is the return of NU’s leaders on all three levels. Defensive tackle Jared Crick, linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard are all expected to be on the field together for the first time this season on Saturday.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Huskers are still getting comfortable with new offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s system, which features a heavy dose of option runs. A more mature Taylor Martinez is starting to look like a true quarterback rather than just the explosive athlete fans got to see at the beginning of last season.
Last season, the offense relied too much on Martinez’s ability and couldn’t produce after he went down midway through the season. NU added explosive young playmakers in the backfield and in the receiving game to take some of the weight off Martinez’s shoulders.
-Doug Burger, Daily Nebraskan
Northwestern
After dropping four of six games dating back to last season without quarterback Dan Persa, Northwestern is certainly grateful to have its senior signal-caller back.
Persa set a Big Ten record last season, completing 73.5 percent of his passes. The dual-threat quarterback also threw for 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions and finished second on the team in rushing with 519 yards.
He is supported by an experienced offensive line that finally seems to be improving after myriad issues in the past, and by a stable of promising young running backs like Mike Trumpy and Adonis Smith, although no back has yet emerged as a standout.
All-Big Ten wide receiver Jeremy Ebert leads the team with 162 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions while senior superback Drake Dunsmore has yet to emerge this season.
On defense, Northwestern has a talented secondary that will need to overcome a defensive front that surrendered 381 rushing yards to Army.
Kick returner Venric Mark might be the most dangerous man on the team, averaging 28.9 yards on kickoff returns and 12 yards on punt returns. Still, at 2-1 and coming off an eyebrow-raising loss to the Black Knights, the Wildcats have an awful lot to prove, beginning with their Big Ten opener against Illinois.
-Jonah Rosenblum, The Daily Northwestern
Ohio State
In Columbus, Ohio State’s 2011 season has unfolded more strangely than arguably any year in recent memory.
Jolted by the resignation of Jim Tressel, the departure of quarterback Terrelle Pryor and the suspensions of DeVier Posey, Daniel “Boom” Herron, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas, the Buckeyes entered this season under extraordinarily fierce scrutiny. OSU opened the season with an easy 42-0 win over Akron but struggled to pull out a 27-22 win over Toledo the following week.
After that, the Buckeyes played their worst game of the season to date, falling on the road to Miami, 24-6. In that game, Ohio State managed to gain only 209 yards, a measly 35 of which came from the passing game. Quarterbacks Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller have each received reps so far, with Bauserman taking the great majority.
After responding to the Miami loss with a 37-17 win over Colorado, Ohio State enters Big Ten play with an intriguing game against Michigan State, another one-loss team that was expected to figure into the top of the conference picture.
Then the schedule gets even tougher, with two road trips to Nebraska and Illinois. Ohio State returns home to host Wisconsin before welcoming Indiana and then travelling to Purdue, playing Penn State at home and Michigan on the road. That final stretch is manageable, but those first four conference games could very well spell doom for the Buckeyes.
-Mike Fiammetta, The Badger Herald
Penn State
The one question Penn State fans wanted answered before the season still lingers as the Nittany Lions (3-1) prepare to start Big Ten play: Who will be the primary quarterback? It appears Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin may continue to share snaps under center throughout the conference schedule.
Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions’ defense has been a bright spot through four games, but a season-ending injury to linebacker Michael Mauti has dimmed the defense’s outlook moving into Big Ten play. Defensive tackle Devon Still has emerged as the Nittany Lions’ top defensive weapon and has helped control the line of scrimmage while making several plays in the backfield. With the offense still searching for its identity, the defense will have to carry Penn State through the heart of the schedule.
Penn State opens conference play with a very winnable game at Indiana and has a friendly schedule leading up to a bye on Nov. 5. Should the Lions play up to their potential in their first five conference games, the importance of a tough final three games will be magnified. However, Penn State will need its offense to find a rhythm if it wants the season finale at Wisconsin to have an impact on who represents the Leaders Division in Indianapolis on Dec. 3.
Big Ten Championship Game prediction: Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
-Ryan Loy, The Daily Collegian
Purdue
After a disappointing 2010 season, the Purdue football team looks to stay healthy and make its first bowl game in the Danny Hope era.
The Boilermakers return a slew of starters that hopes to build on the few successes of last season. Although quarterback Caleb TerBush’s first college game experience came against Middle Tennessee State in the opening game of the season, he has settled nicely into his role as a starter. With second-team All-Big Ten running back Ralph Bolden healthy, who missed the 2010 season with an ACL injury, TerBush is relieved of some pressure.
There isn’t one primary target at receiver, but Purdue has a nice combination of size and speed at wideout. Senior Justin Siller, at 6-foot-3, leads the team with 14 receptions, while sophomore Gary Bush boasts speed as he ran a preseason 4.28 40-yard dash time.
On the defensive side of the ball the Boilermakers lost Ryan Kerrigan to the NFL but returned just about every other starter. Led by sophomore cornerback Ricardo Allen, the Boilermakers use speed to make up for their below average size.
-Tara Sipples, Purdue Exponent
Wisconsin
This past spring, the Wisconsin football appeared to be just one puzzle piece away from returning for another crack at the Rose Bowl.
Then quarterback Russell Wilson fell out of the sky and landed under center.
Through four games, Wilson, a talented dual-threat passer who transferred from North Carolina State, has surpassed all expectations in Madison. He currently owns the second-best passer rating in the country at 218.38 and has outgained his stable of running backs 1,136 yards to 982.
With Wilson in command, the Badgers endured few tests over the non-conference season, winning all four games with a combined score of 194-34.
Offensive coordinator Paul Chryst has plenty of reliable and elusive options to give the ball to in running backs Montee Ball and James White, wide receiver Nick Toon and tight end Jacob Pedersen.
More can still be seen from a Badger defense that nevertheless has had a solid opening to the year. A shortage of turnovers – just one before last week’s game against South Dakota – and more missed tackles than head coach Bret Bielema would prefer to see are keeping the ‘D’ honest. Nevertheless, Wisconsin seems to be capable of more on offense this year, and a Big Ten title could very well be headed back to Madison.
Big Ten Championship Game prediction: Wisconsin vs. Nebraska.
-Elliot Hughes, The Badger Herald