The Big Ten is the new SEC.
Think of it this way: Ohio State has taken over for Alabama as college football’s premier powerhouse. The conference also now boasts Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, a coaching rock star, not to mention playoff dark horse Michigan State and a host of other dangerous teams. Starting to make sense?
In addition to predicting how each Big Ten team will finish in its division, RedEye assigned each school a power rating (can’t get any better than Ohio State) and buzz factor (doesn’t get any crazier off the field than Harbaugh’s Wolverines), both on a scale of 1-10.
EAST
1. OHIO STATE
Getty Images
The Buckeyes are the first unanimous preseason No. 1 in the history of the Associated Press poll. Ohio State sees your “SEC speed” cliche and increases the stakes.
Power rating: 10. There are a dozen players on this team who could be first- or second-round NFL draft picks. If Kentucky is a de facto NBA Development League franchise, OSU plays that role in football.
Buzz factor: 10. Coach Urban Meyer’s image appears on a sports network every 10 minutes it seems. Also, the OSU quarterback storyline is the sports media version of Taylor Swift: overplayed!
Quotable: “I don’t like the word ‘restore’ because restore makes it seems like it went to crap and dilapidated, some hipsters went and bought it and needed to live in it as an investment and [they’re] trying to flip it right now, and that’s not what it is.” –-Linebacker Joshus Perry, on whether Harbaugh can restore the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry
2. MICHIGAN STATE
Getty Images
The Spartans are like the White Sox with the second-team-in-their-region chip on their shoulder. It’s not just figurative, either. MSU football players have an actual poker chip sewn on the shoulder of their workout shirts this year.
Power rating: 10. Sparty’s talent is green, but those chips should be blue because this is roster is filled with elite talent.
Buzz factor: 8. This year, that chip is more apropos than ever. Despite MSU’s national title potential and its recent dominance of Michigan, everyone focuses on Ohio State and/or Harbaugh.
Quotable: “I’m like the Hulk, man, I just got to control it, because once I lose it, I lose it.” –Defensive end Shilique Calhoun, on whether he’s ever in a bad mood
3. PENN STATE
Associated Press
Christian Hackenberg could be the first quarterback drafted in 2016 provided the offensive line, which allowed 44 sacks last year, keeps him alive. Anthony Zettel could be the first or second defensive tackle selected.
Power rating: 7. It’s easy to praise the quarterback, receivers, secondary, linebackers, defensive line and running backs. Not so easy when it comes to the offensive line.
Buzz factor: 8. This is Nittany Nation, a micro-state whose obsession with football is unrivaled.
Quotable: “Anthony Zettel is strange in a good kind of way.” –-Coach James Franklin
4. MICHIGAN
Associated Press
Mr. Discount Khakis needs time to turn things around. However, passing effectively on the Wolverines could be harder than making an original joke about Harbaugh’s pants. Wayne Lyons could be the first cornerback selected in April. Alongside him in the secondary is Jabrill Peppers, whom college football literati have deemed the Next Big Thing.
Power rating: 6. Stellar defense + broken offense = Michigan winning some boring games this season; seven to nine victories sounds right.
Buzz factor: 10. Harbaugh is sports’ version of Amy Schumer—utterly inescapable.
Quotable: “Just look at the face, he’s got a wonderful, wonderful face, and he’s just as good on the inside.” –Coach Jim Harbaugh, on wide receiver Jehu Chesson
5. RUTGERS
Associated Press
More Top Picks Differences
There’s more to New Jersey than Ed Hardy shirts and fist-pumping. The Scarlet Knights could make a bowl again given their soft schedule and skill position talent.
Power rating: 5. Quarterback inexperience and defensive line size are major issues, so don’t expect Rutgers to win eight games again.
Buzz factor: 4. Rutgers is New York’s college football team—according to themselves. I’m not buying it, but maybe they will prove me wrong.
Quotable: “We’re in the No. 1 media market in the world … and that needle in New York is moving its way up and up and up.” –Coach Kyle Flood
6. INDIANA
MCT photo
This could be coach Kevin Wilson’s last hurrah, although who could have fared better? If he hovers around .500, he should keep the gig. Bowl berths are the traditional ceiling in Bloomington.
Power rating: 3. If quarterback Nate Sudfeld gets hurt again, watch out. He doesn’t have much to work with at receiver, and the defense is one of the nation’s worst.
Buzz factor: 2. This program traditionally serves as just a time killer until basketball season begins.
Quotable: “My brother went to Romania, my other brother went to Cuba, my sister went to Bulgaria, my cousin went to Vietnam, my other cousin went to Djibouti, I went to Uganda.” –Quarterback Nate Sudfeld, on his family’s global mission work
7. MARYLAND
Baltimore Sun
“Wedding Crashers” told us: “crab cakes and football, that’s what Maryland does!” It’s half-right. Maryland crab cakes work both as an appetizer and as an entree. This team overachieved and went bowling last year. With just 11 returning starters and the defense learning a new scheme, there’s no reason to “Fear the Turtle.”
Power rating: 3. No definite replacements for quarterback C.J. Brown and receiver Stefon Diggs is concerning. On the plus side, the marching band does an excellent cover of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” theme song.
Buzz factor: 2. Let’s just say this: In basketball, Maryland will be favored to win its the league.
Quotable: “We still have a lot of things to get done in the next two weeks.” –Coach Randy Edsall, on switching to a 4-3 defense
WEST
1. WISCONSIN
MCT photo
Death. Taxes. Huge Badgers linemen creating daylight for speedy tailbacks. Paul Chryst replaces Gary Andersen as the new foreman of this big red machine.
Power rating: 9. Third-best team in the league, provided quarterback Joel Stave can be a Kyle Orton-like “game manager.”
Buzz factor: 7. In so-called college football “sexiness,” writers save the Hannah Davis analogies for Ohio State; making overlooked Wisconsin probably Alison Brie. That fits, seeing as her last name is a type of cheese.
Quotable: “You got an iPhone, and you got a flip phone, and you see all these great features the iPhone can do, and then you look at the flip phone—which phone are you going to go with? I’m going with the iPhone. That’s what I compared. Wisconsin is the iPhone, Nebraska is the flip phone.” –Running back Corey Clement, on how the result of the 2012 Big Ten title game sold him on which school to attend
2. NEBRASKA
Associated Press
There’s culture shock with happy-go-lucky Mike Riley replacing the poster child for anger management, Bo Pelini, as coach. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong is underrated, but it’s questionable how he’ll adjust to Riley’s system.
Power rating: 7. Riley may be a guy you’d like to have a beer with, but his 93-80 career record fails to overwhelm.
Buzz factor: 9. As the fight song says, “there is no place like Nebraska” for discussing college football 24-7-365.
Quotable: “They’re saying that they’re going to put money behind my name, so I’ve got to prove them right. I’ve got to show them that they bet on the right horse.” –tight end Trey Foster, one of five walk-ons who was just granted a full scholarship by Riley
3. IOWA
Associated Press
The team is loaded with question marks, but so is the Big Ten West. Coach Kirk Ferentz has a contract buyout estimated around $13.3 million (according to Forbes) so unless the Hawkeyes are home for the holidays, he’s staying till 2016 at the minimum.
Power rating: 6. Could just as easily win eight games as four, or somewhere in between.
Buzz factor: 4. The only storyline is “Will Ferentz do enough to justify keeping his job?”
Quotable: ”We didn’t have to call Dr. Phil in or anything like that for our football team.” –Ferentz, on his team’s offseason mindset
4. NORTHWESTERN
Associated Press
Back-to-back 5-7 seasons (on the heels of five straight bowl campaigns) has inspired harsh criticism. Coach Pat Fitzgerald would rather the criticism be directed at him. He introduced two Twitter hashtags to encourage that.
Power rating: 6. The offense will be fine once it settles on one, true dual-threat quarterback. The running game, defensive line and secondary should be solid.
Buzz factor: 6. Aside from the unionization ruling, NU hasn’t made major headlines. That’s refreshing, because really the media cared about that story a zillion times more than fans did.
Quotable: “Totally put it on me, put a hashtag out there, have our fans and media: Do this Fitz. Send it to me by noon on Monday. Attach your name to it. And then on Saturday, when things go wrong, W-T-Fitz.” –coach Pat Fitzgerald
5. MINNESOTA
More Top Picks Best Amazon Prime Day Gaming Pc Deals 2026
Getty Images
The Gophers offense is nothing to Snapchat home about, but the defense is solid. If you enjoy punting, then 2015 Gopher football is for you!
Power rating: 7. Minnesota won’t win eight games again, as they have the toughest opener of any Big Ten team: against No. 2 TCU.
Buzz factor: 4. Upset the Horned Frogs and this number jumps 3 points.
Quotable: “We’re one of the schools going to be playing No. 1 in the country and No. 2. So we’ll find out who we are early, and that’s not all bad.” –coach Jerry Kill
6. ILLINOIS
Associated Press
Tim Beckman’s forgettable era is over; offensive coordinator Bill Cubit will be the interim coach. Ultimately, Beckman failing to win the hearts and minds of some of his players did him in. Preliminary results of an investigation into alleged abuses by Beckman returned disturbing findings. Firing a coach a week before the season is a drastic measure, and these are drastic times for the Illini.
Power rating: 4. Cubit has head-coaching experience, and the passing game has flourished since he’s arrived. However, the running game has been bad and the defense has issues.
Buzz factor: 8. The Illini have generated lots of publicity, though for the wrong reasons. Cubit looks, sounds and acts like he knows what he’s doing while Beckman never did.
Quotable: “I was briefed and told [Chicago law firm Franczek Radelet] had interviewed more than 90 people and reviewed more than 200,000 documents.” –Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas on how extensive the investigation was.
7. PURDUE
Associated Press
There was a compelling quarterback derby in preseason camp, but whoever starts won’t have much to work with.
Power rating: 3. At least they have basketball going for them.
Buzz factor: 3. Indiana is and always will be a hoops haven first.
Quotable: “I see a want-to from all of ’em, they attack me as if I’m Joe Blow. … They’re competitive as hell.” –cornerback Frankie Williams on the quarterback competition
Paul M. Banks is a RedEye special contributor. @paulmbanks
For more RedEye sports, click here.