Ohio State is the overwhelming favorite to win the Big Ten East in 2021. Determining which team is the best in the West is less unanimous.

Northwestern has won the Big Ten West in two of the last three seasons. Wisconsin could be set to rebound after a relatively disappointing season last year. Iowa has finished one game behind the division lead in both of the past two seasons and could be poised to jump to the top in 2021.

Here’s how the Big Ten West stacks up at the start of Week 1.

Iowa (6-2 last season)

The Hawkeyes won their final six games of the 2020 season after starting the campaign 0-2.

Quarterback Spencer Petras (nine touchdowns and five interceptions last season) is entering his second season as Iowa’s starting quarterback and should have plenty of support from the running game again in 2021. Running back Tyler Goodson is coming off an All-Big Ten season, and is running behind center Tyler Linderbaum, a preseason first-team All-American.

Iowa’s defense returns all five of its starters in the secondary, as well as linebackers Jack Campbell and Seth Benson. The Hawkeyes are tasked with replacing All-American Daviyon Nixon, first-team All-Big Ten performer Chauncey Golston, and starter Jack Heflin on the defensive line, however.

On special teams, Caleb Shudak takes over for Keith Duncan at kicker. Tory Taylor is back at punter after earning Big Ten Punter of the Year as a freshman.

Illinois (2-6)

The Fighting Illini are looking for a fresh start in 2021 under the direction of former Hawkeye player and assistant coach Bret Bielema. Illinois went 17-39 in five years under Lovie Smith and didn’t post a single winning season in that stretch.

Illinois is 1-0 on the season already after beating Nebraska in a Week 0 matchup. Quarterback Brandon Peters left the game with a shoulder injury and his status for the rest of the season remains unclear.

This year’s Illinois team could be similar to Bielema’s Wisconsin teams in that the Illini are going to rely on running the ball in 2021. Illinois returns a veteran offensive line (four seniors projected to start) and depth at running back, led by Chase Brown and Mike Epstein (combined for 907 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in the shortened 2020 season).

Minnesota (3-4)

The Gophers head into 2021 boasting one of the most experienced teams in all of college football. P.J. Fleck’s squad returns 10 starters on offense and another 10 on defense.

Minnesota is hoping that experience translates to a season as successful as it had in 2019, when the team went 11-2. Last season, the Gophers regressed, going 3-4 and allowing 30 points per game.

Tanner Morgan is back as the team’s starting quarterback and looking to return to his second-team All-Big Ten level of play from 2019. Minnesota went from 22nd-best nationally in points per game two years ago to 71st last year. Running back Mohamad Ibrahim led the conference in rushing last season and will run behind an offensive line with all five starters back from last season.

Nebraska (3-5)

Could this be the end of the Scott Frost era? If Week 0 was any indication, probably.

Nebraska enters year No. 4 of Frost’s tenure after going 12-20 in his first three seasons leading the program. This season, Nebraska has potentially the toughest schedule in the Big Ten, including three games to end the season against Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

Adrian Martinez is in his fourth season as Nebraska’s starting quarterback. Former Hawkeye Oliver Martin could be one of his top receiving threats this season. Frost said at Big Ten Media Days that Martin is setting himself up to play a “huge role.”

The Huskers return 10 starters from a defense that allowed 29.4 points per game last season.

Northwestern (7-2)

The Wildcats won their second West Division title in the last three years last season.

Now, Pat Fitzgerald is hoping his team follows up the division title in 2021 better than they did in 2019. After winning the West in 2018, the Wildcats went 3-9 in 2019.

Northwestern is only returning four starters on offense and another four on defense in 2021. Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson was recently announced as the team’s starting quarterback.

Purdue (2-4)

Head coach Jeff Brohm, after back-to-back losing seasons and allowing more than 30 points per game last season, brought in Brad Lambert in the offseason to be the team’s new defensive coordinator. Lambert will lead a defense with nine returning starters, including defensive end George Karlaftis, who has 9.5 sacks in two seasons in West Lafayette.

Wide receiver David Bell, who scored three touchdowns against Iowa last season, returns to Purdue as the team’s top pass-catching option after Rondale Moore’s departure for the NFL.

Wisconsin (4-3)

Last season was a down year by Wisconsin standards.

The Badgers suffered a three-game losing skid at the end of the regular season and had two games canceled in October because of COVID-19 protocols.

Graham Mertz is back for Wisconsin after an up-and-down first year starting for the Badgers. Mertz went 20-for-21 with five touchdowns in a season-opening victory over Illinois, but then threw four touchdowns and five interceptions the rest of the season.

Despite the mediocre record, Wisconsin’s defense allowed the ninth-fewest points in the FBS last season and returns eight defensive starters in 2021.