The page has been turned on the Urban Meyer era at Ohio State, but given the amount of the talent the Buckeyes have amassed in recent seasons it wouldn't be any kind of shock if this year's chapter has the same ending as last year's -- meaning another Big Ten crown and a Rose Bowl berth, at the very least.
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| Ohio State's Chase Young (Eleven Warriors) |
Offensive guru Ryan Day, who molded neophyte starter Dwayne Haskins into a first-round NFL draft pick, takes over the whole show, and though he lacks experience as a top dog the Buckeyes did flourish during a three-game "audition" last season while Meyer was suspended. Day is cut from the Chip Kelly mold offensively and has gained high praise from those in the game, but the question remains whether he can handle the white-hot spotlight that comes with being head coach in Columbus. If the Buckeyes improve on a rare poor year defensively, and if the offensive line jells faster than expected then it could be a banner first season for Day. Maybe even as good as Meyer's initial year -- 12-0.
If Michigan is ever going to knock the Buckeyes off of their perch under Jim Harbaugh, this could be the year. A baker's dozen starters return, including eight on offense, and Josh Gattis comes in from Alabama to run the offense in a style that should fit QB Shea Patterson much better than Harbaugh's favored Pro style attack. There were some big losses on the defensive front, but DC Don Brown is one of the best in America and should have his troops ready to go. A tricky game with Army precedes a conference slate that finds the Wolverines hosting top rivals Ohio State and Michigan State, as well as a midseason tilt with Notre Dame. Road games with Wisconsin and Penn State could be tough.
It was a classic "not as bad as their record" season for Michigan State in 2018 as Sparty was decimated by injuries and lost to Arizona State, Nebraska and Oregon by a combined seven points. QB Brian Lewerke was not good (8-11 TD-INT ratio) but battled injury much of the season. Now healthy, he should be more like the 2017 version (20-7), especially with a solid receiving corps and completely intact offensive line. The defense will be its usual snarling self and will keep MSU in every game. Going to Northwestern, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan could be daunting, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility for the Spartans to post double-digit wins.
Youth is the buzzword for Penn State, which is the main reason they are seen as a step behind the league's top three. The Trace McSorley era is history, so the pressure is on Sean Clifford to run the Nittany Lions, who had their lowest point total in three seasons last year. The defense has a chance to be really good thanks to Brent Pry's aggressive scheme, one that netted 47 sacks a year ago. Penn State must go to Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State but went 4-1 away from home in 2018 so maybe it pulls off an upset or two and challenges for the East Division crown.
Indiana will be a legit challenger if, and only if, the defense ever finds a way to stop opponents. After back to back years of improvement the Hoosiers allowed nearly 30 ppg in 2018 but do have seven players back on the stop side. There is talent in the backfield and receiving group, so whoever wins the quarterback job will have a nice array of talent to work with. First-year coach Mike Locksley inherits a Maryland team that lost its last four games to finish 5-7, but he has recruited well and gains the services of Virginia Tech QB Joshua Jackson. There may be some hiccups as the new system and culture are installed, but by the end of the season the Terps could be a tough out. It's kind of shocking that Chris Ash has survived into his fourth season at Rutgers, especially considering he has won just seven times and been winless in league play two of three years. A loaded schedule -- at Iowa, Michigan and Penn State and home against Ohio State and Michigan State -- offsets a more experienced unit and keeps the Scarlet Knights in the cellar again.
The Big Ten West could be the most wide-open division in college football in 2019, with as many as five teams having a legit claim to the crown.
A lot of hype has surrounded Scott Frost and Nebraska in year two, and though it went just 4-8 in 2018 it was a much better team by season's end. It lost to Northwestern by 3, Ohio State by 5, blasted Minnesota and upset Michigan State before falling by a field goal late against Iowa. The schedule is manageable as Nebraska misses Michigan, Penn State and Sparty, and hosts Ohio State. While it would be a huge shock for Frost to engineer an unbeaten turnaround in year two (as he did at UCF), eight or nine wins seems plausible.
Underestimate Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern at your own peril -- the Wildcats won the West last year, beating Sparty, Iowa and Minnesota on the road in the process. The defense should once again be hard-nosed, led by one of the better linebacker groups in the league, and the offense should be solid with Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson taking over at quarterback. We should know quickly how good the Wildcats are as they open at Stanford and host Michigan State three weeks later.
With just four starters back on defense, this could be the year where offense is highlighted more than defense for Iowa. The Hawkeyes will always be fundamentally sound and hard-nosed on D, but have just four starters back, so much of the onus will be on QB Nate Stanley and a strong cast of skill players. An excellent O-line helps, but the schedule is tricky, with road swings to Iowa State, Northwestern, Michigan and Wisconsin. The season finale in Lincoln could determine the division champion.
Things have gradually improved at Minnesota under PJ Fleck, and 2019 could produce another small step forward as nine are back on a potentially explosive offense. The ground game is bruising, and receiver Tyler Johnson is somehow under the radar despite catching 78 passes and scoring a dozen times last year. The defense was shaky last year, allowing six foes to score more than 30 points, but played well down the stretch. That should provide optimism, as should a schedule that misses OSU, Michigan and Penn State.
After four consecutive seasons of 10+ wins, Wisconsin hit a speed bump last year and won just 8 games. The offense was wildly inconsistent, largely due to quarterback play, and the normally stout defense allowed over 20 ppg for just the second time in the last seven years. While there are still questions under center -- and around center, as four O-line starters depart -- none exist in the backfield, where Jonathan Taylor is one of the best around. The Badgers get Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa at home but must go to OSU, Nebraska and Minnesota. Wisconsin could be better this year but it may not show in the record.
Purdue showed real progress last season, upsetting Ohio State and Iowa at home, but returns only three starters on offense. That could mean some tough sledding, though one of those starters is the electric Rondale Moore, who gives the Boilermakers a chance in every game. The defense allowed over 30 ppg a year ago and returns nine -- maybe not a good thing, though NG Lorenzo Neal and LB Markus Bailey are standouts. Purdue must go to Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin, and has a tricky non-league slate featuring Nevada, Vanderbilt and TCU. Look for a small step back in 2019. The talent is improving in Illinois, even if the results are mostly stagnant. Illinois won four game last year, its most in three seasons, and has 17 starters back. Reggie Corbin is one of the best runners in the conference, but that won't matter if the Illini can't shore up a run defense that allowed 6.4 yards per tote and 245 yards per game. Michigan, Nebraska and Northwestern come to Champaign, but Illinois hits the road to face Iowa, Michigan State and Minnesota
BIG TEN PREDICTIONS
EAST
1 Ohio State (12-1, 8-1)*R
1 Michigan (10-2, 8-1)*R
3 Michigan State (9-3, 6-3)*R
4 Penn State (8-4, 5-4)*R
5 Indiana (6-6, 3-5)*
6 Maryland (3-9, 1-8)
6 Rutgers (2-10, 1-8)
WEST
1 Nebraska (9-4, 6-3)*R
1 Northwestern (8-4, 6-3)*R
3 Iowa (8-4, 5-4)*R
3 Minnesota (8-4, 5-4)*
5 Wisconsin (7-5, 4-5)*
6 Purdue (5-7, 3-6)
7 Illinois (5-7, 2-7)
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Ohio State over Nebraska
* Bowl participant
R CFB Focus Top 40 team
ALL BIG TEN
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Shea Patterson/Michigan
RB Jonathan Taylor/Wisconsin
RB JK Dobbins/Ohio State
WR Rondale Moore/Purdue
WR Tyler Johnson/Minnesota
WR JD Spielman/Nebraska
TE Pat Freiermuth/Penn State
OT Alaric Jackson/Iowa
OT Jon Runyan Jr./Michigan
OG Ben Bredeson/Michigan
OG Jonah Jackson/Ohio State
C Tyler Biadasz/Wisconsin
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE Chase Young/Ohio State
DE Kenny Willekes/Michigan State
DT Raequan Williams/Michigan State
DT Darrion Daniels/Nebraska
LB Micah Parsons/Penn State
LB Joe Bachie/Michigan State
LB Paddy Fisher/Northwestern
CB Lavert Hill/Michigan
CB Jeffrey Okudah/Ohio State
S David Dowell/Michigan State
S Jordan Fuller/Ohio State
FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Matt Coghlin/Michigan State
P Drue Chrisman/Ohio State
RS Rondale Moore/Purdue
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Adrian Martinez/Nebraska
RB Reggie Corbin/Illinois
RB Anthony McFarland/Maryland
WR Nico Collins/Michigan
WR KJ Hill/Ohio State
WR Rashod Bateman/Minnesota
TE Jake Ferguson/Wisconsin
OT Tristan Wirfs/Iowa
OT Will Fries/Penn State
OG Terrance Davis/Maryland
OG Wyatt Davis/Ohio State
C Cesar Ruiz/Michigan
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DE AJ Epenesa/Iowa
DE Yetur Gross-Matos/Penn State
DT Robert Landers/Ohio State
DT Lorenzo Neal/Purdue
LB Mohamed Barry/Nebraska
LB Malik Harrison/Ohio State
LB Markus Bailey/Purdue
CB Josiah Scott/Michigan State
CB Matt Hankins/Iowa
S Josh Metellus/Michigan
S Geno Stone/Iowa
SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
K Logan Justus/Indiana
P Will Hart/Michigan
RS KJ Hamler/Penn State
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jonathan Taylor
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Chase Young
COACH OF THE YEAR: Scott Frost/Nebraska
TOP NEWCOMER: QB Hunter Johnson/Northwestern
TOP FIVE GAMES (NONCONFERENCE)
Northwestern at Stanford (Aug. 31)
Army at Michigan (Sept. 7)
Arizona State at Michigan State (Sept. 14)
Iowa at Iowa State (Sept. 14)
Notre Dame at Michigan (Oct. 26)
TOP FIVE GAMES (CONFERENCE)
Ohio State at Nebraska (Sept. 28)
Michigan State at Ohio State (Oct. 5)
Michigan at Penn State (Oct. 19)
Michigan State at Michigan (Nov. 16)
Ohio State at Michigan (Nov. 30)
TOP FIVE INCOMING FRESHMEN
WR Garrett Wilson/Ohio State
S Daxton Hill/Michigan
RB Anthony Williams/Michigan State
S Nick Cross/Maryland
DE George Karlaftis/Purdue
TOP FIVE TRANSFERS
QB Hunter Johnson/Nortwestern (Clemson)
QB Justin Fields/Ohio State (Georgia)
QB Joshua Jackson/Maryland (Virginia Tech)
QB Brandon Peters/Illinois (Michigan)
WR Jayden Reed/Michigan State (Western Michigan)
TOP JUCO TRANSFERS
RB Dedrick Mills/Nebraska
DT Keonte Schad/Minnesota
OT Anthony Whigan/Penn State
NG Juan Harris/Indiana
OG Parris Heath/Maryland
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