Big Ten
Michigan State
2014 record: 11-2 (7-1 Big Ten)
Coach: Mark Dantonio
Players to watch:
Quarterback Connor Cook enters 2015 as the face of the Spartans after he threw for 3,214 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season. As Cook plays his fifth and final season in East Lansing, Michigan, his name has been in the conversation of Heisman Trophy finalists and top quarterback prospects in next year’s NFL draft. If he replicates his 2014 production, he can pass former quarterback Kirk Cousins to become the program’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns.
Defensive end Shilique Calhoun will provide veteran leadership for a defense that ranked eighth in total defense in 2014. Calhoun’s 39 tackles and eight sacks last season earned him first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-America honors for the second consecutive year. Calhoun and Cook were the two Spartans named to the Big Ten’s Players to Watch list.
Interesting fact: Since 1953, Michigan State and in-state rival Michigan have squared off every season — this year’s contest is Oct. 17 in Ann Arbor — for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
Season Outlook: With the combination of a three-year starter under center, a dominant offensive line and a defense that’s been ranked in the nation’s top 10 the past four years, Michigan State appears to be one of the best-equipped teams to keep pace with defending national champion Ohio State. The Spartans, however, lost Big Ten Receiver of the Year Tony Lippett and Jeremy Langford, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards at running back in 2014. The Terps will have a chance Nov. 14 to avenge last year’s 37-15 home loss to Michigan State when they travel to Spartan Stadium. — Callie Caplan
Minnesota
2014 record: 8-5 (5-3 Big Ten)
Coach: Jerry Kill
Players to watch:
Quarterback Mitch Leidner started 12 of 13 games for the Gophers as a sophomore in 2014 and threw for 1,798 yards and 11 touchdowns. But perhaps Leidner’s biggest impact on Minnesota’s offense comes by way of his mobility. He ran for 452 yards and 10 touchdowns on 126 carries last year and could build on that production if he stays healthy in his junior season.
Cornerback Eric Murray has been a two-year starter for the Gophers, yet the senior has only one interception in his time Minneapolis. Opposing offenses often avoid Murray’s side of the field, but the second-team All-Big Ten defender finished fourth on the team with 69 tackles in 2014. Another shutdown year could improve Murray’s chances as a first-round NFL draft pick.
Interesting fact: The Gophers haven’t won a bowl game since they beat Alabama in the 2004 Music City Bowl. They’ve lost in their past seven appearances.
Season outlook:
With the Big Ten West division crown on the line in their final regular-season game of 2014, Kill’s squad led Wisconsin by four at halftime but ultimately fell to the Badgers, 34-24. Anchored by four seniors in the defensive backfield, the Gophers received three votes to win the West in Cleveland.com’s annual Big Ten preseason football poll. — Callie Caplan
Nebraska
2014 record: 9-4 (5-3 Big Ten)
Coach: Mike Riley
Players to watch:
Wide receiver De’Mornay Pierson-El shined on special teams as a true freshman in 2014 when he ranked second in the nation in punt-return average and took three punts back for touchdowns. The Big Ten’s Players to Watch list selection is sidelined with a foot injury through Nebraska’s first few games, but when Pierson-El returns, he has a chance to become one of the nation’s more dynamic players.
Running back Terrell Newby finished fourth on the team in rushing yards a season ago and looks to be one of Riley’s top choices out of the backfield in his junior season. Ameer Abdullah shouldered the rushing load in 2014, but the Cornhuskers’ second all-time leading rusher entered the NFL in May. Newby turned in a career-best performance with 16 carries for 107 yards against Florida Atlantic in last year’s season opener.
Interesting fact: Nebraska has the most conference championships (43) of any team in the Big Ten, which the school moved into in 2011, but the Cornhuskers haven’t won a title at any level since 1999.
Season Outlook:
Though former coach Bo Pelini won at least nine games in each of his seven seasons in Lincoln, Nebraska, the team swapped him out for Riley. Riley inherits a team that went 9-4 in 2014 and returns junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. The Cornhuskers face Wisconsin and Minnesota — two other squads expected to contend for the Big Ten West division — in back-to-back weeks in October. — Callie Caplan
Michigan
2014 record: 5-7 (3-5 Big Ten)
Coach: Jim Harbaugh
Players to watch:
Quarterback Jake Rudock is the older of the two signal-callers in contention to replace Devin Gardner. Coach Jim Harbaugh has yet to decide on a starter, as both Rudock, a fifth-year senior, and junior Shane Morris sit atop the depth chart.
Running back De’Veon Smith had a team-high 519 rushing yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore last season. Derrick Green was also featured in the Wolverines’ backfield a year ago — he had 82 carries for 471 yards — but Smith remains No. 1 on the depth chart.
Interesting fact: The Wolverines, who played their first season in 1879, have the most wins all-time in college football.
Season outlook: With a top-10 recruiting class and Harbaugh at the helm, the Wolverines should improve on their subpar 2014 season. They’ll also look for revenge Oct. 3 against the Terps, who pulled out a 23-16 win last year in the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan. — Kyle Stackpole
Indiana
2014 record: 4-8 (1-7 Big Ten)
Coach: Kevin Wilson
Players to watch:
Quarterback Nate Sudfeld threw for 2,523 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2013, but he had a season-ending shoulder surgery last year after injuring his non-throwing shoulder against Iowa on Oct. 11. The senior will be back under center for the Hoosiers’ season opener against Southern Illinois.
Running back Jordan Howard replaces unanimous first-team All-American Tevin Coleman, who was second in the nation last season with 2,036 rushing yards. Howard is used to shouldering the workload, however, as he was a first-team All-Conference USA honoree last season for UAB before transferring to the Hoosiers. He finished 2014 with 1,587 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Interesting fact: Indiana has made one bowl game since 1993. In 2007, the Hoosiers suffered a 49-33 loss to Oklahoma State in the Insight Bowl.
Season outlook: The Hoosiers finished last in the Big Ten East a year ago, and in a stacked division again, they figure to be a long shot to make a bowl game. The Terps, who blew out Indiana, 37-15, in their conference opener last year, welcome the Hoosiers to College Park on Nov. 21. — Kyle Stackpole
Iowa
2014 record: 7-6 (4-4 Big Ten)
Coach: Kirk Ferentz
Players to watch:
Quarterback Jake Rudock transferred to Michigan to play his final college season, leaving junior C.J. Beathard as the starter. After throwing for 645 yards and five touchdowns last year in limited action, Beathard will look to take Iowa to its third straight bowl game.
Defensive end Drew Ott returns his senior season after earning second-team All-Big Ten honors a year ago. Ott finished 2014 tied for sixth on the Hawkeyes with 57 tackles and had a team-high eight sacks.
Interesting fact: Ferentz is entering his 17th year as a head coach, putting him in a tie for second among the longest-tenured active NCAA Division-I FBS coaches.
Season outlook: Iowa finished better than .500 in 2014 but lost its starting quarterback and running back. The Terps will see this new-look offense when they travel to Iowa City, Iowa, on Oct. 31. — Kyle Stackpole
Illinois
2014 record: 6-7 (3-5 Big Ten)
Coach: Bill Cubit
Players to watch:
Wide receiver Mike Dudek earned freshman All-American honors last year after catching 76 passes for 1,038 yards and six touchdowns. While he suffered a torn ACL on April 8 and is out indefinitely, Dudek would provide an explosive receiving option if he returns.
Quarterback Wes Lunt split time with Reilly O’Toole last season, and both signal callers had more than 200 attempts and passed for more than 1,000 yards. But the Fighting Illini lost O’Toole to graduation, leaving Lunt with the reigns under center. He’ll look to ignite an offense that finished in the bottom half of the Big Ten in scoring in 2014.
Interesting fact: Pro Hall of Famers Red Grange and Dick Butkus played for the Fighting Illini.
Season outlook: Interim coach Bill Cubit looks to lead the Fighting Illini into top half of the Big Ten West after placing fifth in the division last year. They may not compete with Wisconsin and Nebraska but should be in contention to play in their second straight bowl game. — Kyle Stackpole
Purdue
2014 Record: 3-9 (1-7 Big Ten)
Coach: Darell Hazell
Players to watch:
Quarterback Austin Appleby will take over as the Boilermakers’ full-time starting signal-caller after making seven starts last year. The junior threw for 10 touchdowns and ran for five scores last year.
Cornerback Frankie Williams not only shines at stopping opposing receivers, but he is also considered a top kick returner. The senior made second-team All-Big Ten last season with 74 tackles and three interceptions.
Interesting fact: Both the first person to get launched into space twice (Gus Grissom) and the first person to walk on the moon (Neil Armstrong) were graduates of Purdue.
Season outlook: After finishing last season with three wins and the previous campaign with one, the Boilermakers look to continue their upward trend this season behind Appleby’s play. Purdue is searching for its first .500 season since 2011. — Josh Schmidt
Rutgers
2014 Record: 8-5 (3-5 Big Ten)
Coach: Kyle Flood
Players to watch:
Wide receiver Leonte Carroo had a breakout junior campaign with 1,086 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Rutgers captain should be a solid weapon for the quarterback coach Kyle Flood names his starter.
Linebacker Steve Longa was among the best freshmen at his position in 2013, but he suffered a setback in his defensive numbers last year. Longa will look to bounce back to his 2013 form, when he totaled 123 tackles, with 7.5 for a loss.
Interesting fact: Rutgers hosted the first college football game ever when it defeated Princeton 6-4 in 1869.
Season outlook: The Scarlet Knights look to follow up a solid first season in the Big Ten with an even bigger splash. Rutgers will face three teams ranked in the preseason top 20 throughout its campaign before it hosts the Terps on Nov. 28 in their regular season finale. — Josh Schmidt
Wisconsin
2015 Record: 11-3 (7-1 Big Ten)
Coach: Paul Chryst
Players to watch:
Running back Corey Clement racked up 949 yards and nine touchdowns last season despite backing up 2015 first-round draft pick Melvin Gordon. He’ll likely see an expanded workload in Gordon’s absence.
Outside linebacker Vince Biegel enters his third season with the Badgers with high expectations. After a dominating 2014 campaign in which he led the team with 16.5 tackles for loss and finished second with 7.5 sacks, Biegel made the 2015 watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the best defensive player.
Interesting fact: A man nicknamed Piccolo Pete often stations himself outside the university bookstore in a neon-orange jumpsuit and plays his piccolo as students walk by.
Season outlook: The Badgers seem to have an endless stable of top-tier running backs, so it’ll be interesting to see what Clement can do with the bulk of the carries this season. Wisconsin starts off the season with a difficult game against Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 5. Two months later, they’ll travel to College Park to face the Terps. — Josh Schmidt
Northwestern
2014 record: 5-7 (3-5 Big Ten)
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald
Players to watch:
Running back Justin Jackson rushed for the seventh most yards in the Big Ten (1,187) as a freshman last year. He also tied for the ninth-most touchdowns in the conference with 11. He was the lone rookie ranked in the top 10 for all-purpose yards last season, at eighth (1,388).
Cornerback Nick VanHoose led the Big Ten in passes defended per game last season, deflecting 10 attempts and intercepting two. He also finished with 5.9 tackles per game, the 34th-most in the conference.
Interesting fact: Northwestern last played in a BCS Bowl Game in 1995, when it fell to USC in the Rose Bowl.
Season outlook: The Wildcats will be without their starting quarterback from last year in Trevor Siemian, but coach Pat Fitzgerald will welcome redshirt freshman and four-star recruit Clayton Thorson into the starting role. Alongside Jackson, Northwestern could be primed to deliver a strong offense this year after finishing 12th in the conference in points scored per game last season with 23. — Kyle Melnick
Ohio State
2014 record: 14-1 (8-0 Big Ten)
Coach: Urban Meyer
Players to watch:
With coach Urban Meyer still uncertain whom he’ll start at quarterback, sophomore J.T. Barrett and junior Cardale Jones are both in the running to lead the Buckeyes. Barrett led the Big Ten in total offense last season with 3,772 yards and passed for the second most yards per game (236.2). When Barrett got injured at the end of the season, Jones led the Buckeyes to Big Ten and NCAA championships. Regardless of who’s named the starter, Ohio State will have talent under center.
Junior defensive lineman Joey Bosa led the Big Ten with 12 sacks last season, averaging 0.90 sacks per game. He also led the conference with 21 tackles for a loss, and his four forced fumbles were tied for the most.
Interesting fact: The Buckeyes have won three consecutive Big Ten regular season championships and haven’t lost a conference game since Meyer arrived in 2012.
Season outlook: Ohio State is the consensus No. 1 ranked team in the preseason Associated Press Poll and is the favorite to defend its NCAA title. The Buckeyes return their key playmakers on both sides of the ball and will look to improve on their conference-best 44.8 points per game this year. Ohio State will welcome the Terps for their second conference match of the season on Oct. 10. — Kyle Melnick
Penn State
2014 record: 7-6 (2-6 Big Ten)
Coach: James Franklin
Players to watch:
Quarterback Christian Hackenberg’s 229 passing yards per game last season was the third best in the Big Ten. The junior completed 55.8 percent of his passes, and he’s a favorite to be a top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft if he chooses to leave Penn State after the season.
Wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.3) as a redshirt freshman last year. His 69.2 receiving yards per game was the fifth-most in the conference, and he will be the Nittany Lions’ No. 1 receiver for the second straight year.
Interesting fact: Coach James Franklin served as an assistant coach at this university from 2000 to 2004.
Season outlook: Last year, the Nittany Lions allowed the fewest points in the Big Ten, but their offense finished last in points per game. With Hackenberg and Hamilton, Penn State is primed to have a breakout year on offense and compete for one of the top spots in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions will travel to M&T Bank Stadium on Oct. 24, looking to avenge a one-point home loss to the Terps last season. — Kyle Melnick
