BleedGopher
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per Tom Oates:
In so many ways, Big Ten Conference football is loaded this season.
With the retirement (for now, anyway) of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and several long-suffering programs on the rise, the Big Ten race is as wide-open as it has been since Meyer arrived in Columbus in 2012 and began compiling an 83-9 record over seven seasons. This summer, eight conference teams have been showing up in one preseason top 25 or another.
In the Eastern Division, the big four — Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State — are expected to wage war, especially if the Buckeyes slip even a little bit. In the suddenly deep Western Division, young coaches such as Nebraska’s Scott Frost, Purdue’s Jeff Brohm and Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck have made such a quick impact that six teams — all except Illinois — are considered potential title threats.
The strength of the Big Ten isn’t limited to its growing list of contending teams, either. Look around the conference and you see some of football’s most critical positions teeming with veteran, NFL-bound talent.
Indeed, the Big Ten has cornered the market on pass-rushing defensive ends, with four potential first-round draft picks. There are tackling machines at linebacker from Nebraska to Maryland and every school in between. Every team — yes, even Rutgers — seemingly has a quality running back to power its offense. Wide receiver is yet another position where the all-conference voting is going to be very difficult.
For all of its riches, however, the Big Ten is potentially deficient in two vitally important areas.
https://madison.com/wsj/sports/coll...ion_42d7fab9-7441-5090-a5fc-60f4107217ed.html
Go Gophers!!
In so many ways, Big Ten Conference football is loaded this season.
With the retirement (for now, anyway) of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and several long-suffering programs on the rise, the Big Ten race is as wide-open as it has been since Meyer arrived in Columbus in 2012 and began compiling an 83-9 record over seven seasons. This summer, eight conference teams have been showing up in one preseason top 25 or another.
In the Eastern Division, the big four — Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State — are expected to wage war, especially if the Buckeyes slip even a little bit. In the suddenly deep Western Division, young coaches such as Nebraska’s Scott Frost, Purdue’s Jeff Brohm and Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck have made such a quick impact that six teams — all except Illinois — are considered potential title threats.
The strength of the Big Ten isn’t limited to its growing list of contending teams, either. Look around the conference and you see some of football’s most critical positions teeming with veteran, NFL-bound talent.
Indeed, the Big Ten has cornered the market on pass-rushing defensive ends, with four potential first-round draft picks. There are tackling machines at linebacker from Nebraska to Maryland and every school in between. Every team — yes, even Rutgers — seemingly has a quality running back to power its offense. Wide receiver is yet another position where the all-conference voting is going to be very difficult.
For all of its riches, however, the Big Ten is potentially deficient in two vitally important areas.
https://madison.com/wsj/sports/coll...ion_42d7fab9-7441-5090-a5fc-60f4107217ed.html
Go Gophers!!
