By Jordan Hansen
Part one in The Daily Iowan’s conference previews
1) Michigan
The fightin’ Harbaughs are back with a vengeance. Yes, they lost their defensive coordinator, but the Wolverines bring back a good portion of a team that won 10 games last year. With Jake Rudock. That should count for something.
2) Ohio State
Here’s a rule of thumb: Never, ever count out an Urban Meyer-led team. I have a sneaking suspicion the Big Ten East Division will come down to the final week of conference play. That game, by the way will be Ohio State vs. Michigan. Should be fun.
3) Iowa
Please, give me another serious contender from the West Division. Wisconsin, maybe? Iowa gets the game in Kinnick. A healthy C.J. Beathard and the return of cornerback Desmond King give the Hawkeyes a huge boost. A solid running game and defense should lead to another good year for Iowa.
4) Wisconsin
If there’s a team that’ll give Iowa a run for its money in the West, it’ll be Wisconsin. A rejuvenated running game under second-year Paul Chryst should have the Badgers in good position once again.
5) Michigan State
Despite the loss of Connor Cook and quite a bit of the team, the Spartans still have plenty of juice (especially on the defense) to be respectable in the East. Can they get over the embarrassment of being annihilated in the College Football Playoffs? The 17th-ranked recruiting class should help.
6) Northwestern
The Wildcats finished last season strongly (up until the team’s bowl game, that is) and should be a solid team again this year. They very well could contend in the West Division.
7) Minnesota
Despite the shifting in the Athletics Department and coaching staff, the Gophers return a strong enough team to finish in the upper half of the West.
8) Penn State
This could be a make or break year for Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin. He needs to put together a good season, and it probably helps Christian Hackenberg isn’t his quarterback anymore.
9) Illinois
The Lovie Smith effect is in full swing. The Illini probably won’t be spectacular next season, but simply having him on the sidelines pulls this program into legitimacy.
10) Nebraska
Mike Riley finished an overall disappointing Cornhusker season on a high note and should get plenty of credit for doing so. However, considering the Nebraska fans, he needs to finish with a winning record this season.
11) Maryland
A new coach should help push this program out of the cellar, but being in the tough East doesn’t help things. If the Terps can get to .500, that would be quite the achievement.
12) Indiana
Both running back Jordan Howard and quarterback Nate Sudfeld are gone, which means the Hoosiers will likely lose the small aura of legitimacy they had last season. Simply put, the defense isn’t nearly good enough to make up for an offense that’ll need to find its feet.
T-13) Purdue
A bad team that made few changes to make itself better during the off-season. The Boilermakers are bad news. Prediction: Darrell Hazell only makes it through half the season.
T-13) Rutgers
Why is this team in the Big Ten? That’s all I have to say about the Scarlet Knights.