The biggest questions and storylines facing the Big Ten as camps open across the league ahead of the 2019 college football season.
With so much turnover in the conference, whether it be coaching or personnel turnover, almost no team in the conference is unchanged heading into the 2019 season. This year in Big Ten football will be full of storylines. With those storylines now firmly on the front-line of national media coverage, let’s dive into the biggest questions facing the conference this season.
5. Is it finally Michigan’s year?
Michigan is being pegged by many as the favorites in the Big Ten ahead of this year’s college football season, with some even claiming that now is the time if head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to have his best shot to beat a never-down Ohio State program.
With new head coach Ryan Day stepping up for the legendary Urban Meyer, many think that Harbaugh needs to take advantage of the change, and win the Big Ten this season, bringing Michigan back to the top.
It would be Harbaugh’s first Big Ten championship, and his first win in five games against Ohio State, and he’s armed with senior Shea Patterson and the Big Ten’s best offensive line. With a Don Brown-coached defense, even minus a few NFL talents from last year, they may have all the pieces needed to make the leap.
4. Who is being overlooked in the conference?
Ohio State and Michigan have been the focal point of Big Ten football all offseason, and rightfully so, but what teams might make the leap and stand a chance against the football giants?
The attention focused on the conference’s two biggest teams may actually be causing some other teams to be underestimated heading into the season. Michigan State and Penn State may have lost a decent amount of talent, but will still put together teams that could be dangerous to the Wolverines and Buckeyes title hopes.
Wisconsin is also plenty dangerous too with Heisman contender Jonathon Taylor at running back, Wisconsin will be looking to bounce back from a down year—and what better way than a run at the conference title?
No. 3: Which quarterbacks emerge?
Not every Big Ten team saw a quarterback shift—Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa should be content with their situations. We did, however, see some big-name teams go through a quarterback shift. Ohio State will be manned by Georgia transfer and former No. 2 overall recruit behind Trevor Lawrence in Justin Fields, who replaces Heisman finalist and first round pick, Dwayne Haskins.
Tommy Stevens transferred from Penn State, leaving the Nittany Lions with redshirt sophomore Sean Clifford under center. Wisconsin also has to replace quarterback Alex Hornibrook although that may prove to be a good thing. Northwestern has to replace quarterback Clayton Thorson but have Clemson transfer and former No. 1 quarterback recruit, Hunter Johnson, ready to roll. Throw in the fact that there will be new quarterbacks at Illinois, Purdue, Maryland, Rutgers and maybe even Indiana, and that creates a near reset.
No. 4: Is Nebraska the team to beat in the Big Ten West?
Nebraska sits as the trendy dark horse pick in the Big Ten West, with Wisconsin laying claim to be the normal winner of the Big Ten West, and also having the dynamic duo of Jonathon Taylor and Paul Chryst. However, Purdue also beat Ohio State last season and returns plenty of talent.
The West is very much wide open, with some established winners in the division not looking as strong as usual. Illinois could set up to win more than their typical (minimal) amount of games and even knock some teams out of division contention.
Whoever comes out on top in this division probably faces an uphill battle (likely against Ohio State or Michigan), but the real focus should be on the conference games building up to it.
Put on your seat-belts, it’s going to be a wild one.
No. 5: Which coaches are on the hot seat?
Rutgers lost its final 11 games of last year but elected to keep Chris Ash. In his third campaign, it certainly doesn’t help his coaching resume. To be fair to Ash and his Scarlet Knights team, they did make some improvements in the offseason, but after Ash told just about everyone who would listen last year that his team would be contending for a bowl game, the failure looks bad.
Ash has to be holding on by his fingernails, as they need someone to come in and help this Rutgers program. He may have a vote of confidence from his school’s athletics director, but not from fans.
Head coach Lovie Smith has split opinions in the Illinois fanbase but brings in an underrated recruiting class with many of the top players from the St. Louis area flocking to Champaign. Smith’s seat is not nearly as hot as Ash’s, but the pressure is on him to start winning after a 9-27 record and a 4-23 mark in the Big Ten in his first three seasons.