Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State goes for broke in shortened season

The Big Ten returns midway through the 2020 season. Ohio State is looking for a national title, while the rest of the conference is looking to stay relevant.

There’s a clear number one coming into the season in the Big Ten. Ohio State is the cream of the crop, with a returning Heisman candidate in Justin Fields, a stellar defense, and a championship level coaching staff. After that, it’s more of a toss-up. It looks pretty obvious who the next tier of teams are, but in this ultimately strange season, it could be anyone’s ball game.

After the top five, literally, anything can happen. The worst team in the league on paper, Rutgers, brought back head coach Greg Schiano hoping to get back some of the magic that once made them a driving force in what once was the Big East.

The Big Ten might be the most intriguing conference in all of college football. The top five teams could all have a legitimate shot at the College Football Playoff if things go right. The other nine teams could lay the foundation for the next five years if the intriguing pieces they have actually work out. How they rank now could change dramatically as the first snap finally takes place this Friday at 8 p.m.

Rutgers is back! With Schiano at the helm, they are looking to build off of a two-win season. However, since the team plays in New Jersey, the restrictions for practices is a little tighter than other schools. So, don’t expect much out of the team to start. If they can end their 21-game Big Ten losing streak, this could be a major win for the Scarlet Knights’ season.

Can Michigan State really fall from bowl eligible to one of the worst teams in the conference? It was quite the offseason for the Spartans, so anything is really in the realm of possibility. Mark Dantoni abruptly retired after getting a huge bonus. They spent big money to take Mel Tucker from Colorado, despite a rough season there. There should be little expectations for this team this season with Brian Lewerke gone at quarterback.

Illinois is an interesting team in 2020, but this feels right to lean towards a rough season for Lovie Smith and company. They made their first bowl game in five years last season, and Brandon Peters returns. Things can turn for the better this season, but there are a lot of pieces to replace across the team, including running back Reggie Corbin. Jake Hansen is key for the defense, as he returns following a back injury that ended his season last year. Is he 100 percent? That could change things going forward.

Maryland was just awful in 2019, and many believe their additions this offseason aren’t enough to take them to the next level, but they are one of the most interesting teams to watch in college football. Rakim Jarrett is a five-star receiver who could become a star immediately. He’s already looked like a must-watch during practices before the season starts. Then, there’s the obvious. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa transferred from Alabama, and now he’s looking to make a splash in a new conference. He got the waiver to play immediately, and he could lead Maryland to new heights.

Northwestern was so awful last season. Their only win in Big Ten play came at the expense of Illinois. They have a pretty easy schedule based on possible opponents, avoiding Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan. This could help them ease into a bounce-back season. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald is looking to make sure everyone knows last year is never happening again. Graduate transfer quarterback Peyton Ramsey and offensive coach Mike Bajakian are the sole reasons for optimism. This offense has struggled for years, and they are coming in to fix it.

Purdue had a rough season in 2019, with a lot of its roster very young and inexperienced. That can help them this year, as some key members return from injury (a full season from wide receiver Rondale Moore and defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal coming back post ACL tear). Jeff Brohm is desperate to prove he’s worth his high salary, but he will miss the opener after he tested positive for COVID-19. They have a very tough start with Iowa, but overall the schedule isn’t too hard. It could be a bounceback year for the Boilermakers.

This is a make-or-break season for Scott Frost. He’s been awful since going back to his alma mater. They get that first matchup with a hyped-up Ohio State team that was a catalyst in the Big Ten returning. There’s a possibility the Cornhuskers could literally make their season this week with a win against a rusty Ohio State. Adrian Martinez had a severe sophomore slump last season and looks to refind the form that had him at 2,617 yards and 17 touchdowns his first year in college football.

Indiana returns a very interesting offense, led by a triple threat of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., running back Stevie Scott, and wide receiver Whop Philyor. This is expected to drive them in the defense-heavy Big Ten. Injuries are a major factor here, as Penix had trouble staying healthy in the past. They could very easily move into the top five in terms of pure talent. The first week against Penn State is a ready good litmus game for them.

Iowa is a total wild card here. Coming off a 10-win season, the Hawkeyes have big shoes to fill this season as they replace quarterback Nate Stanley and 1st-round pick Tristan Wirfs. The good news is Iowa has never been a team that won with its offense. As long as Kirk Ferentz can keep this defense intact, and if he can avoid a new controversy popping up, then Iowa can compete with just about anyone.

Figuring out where to put the Michigan Wolverines every year is quite the task. Jim Harbaugh has always kept the Maize and Blue competitive, but they seem to lose a lot of games that matter. They still haven’t beaten Ohio State in eight years, and it will likely become nine with a new quarterback (likely Joe Milton) and a different offensive philosophy while they face their biggest to end the season again.

Was 2019 a fluke for Minnesota, or is P.J. Fleck just a magician? The last time the Golden Gophers scorer at least 11 games was back in 1904. It had been a long stretch of mediocrity for Minnesota. So, after their best season in a century, does Minnesota have the right pieces in place to do it again? The advanced analytics hate Minnesota, with the FPI Index putting them eighth in the division. Those aren’t perfect, but it shows there are major question marks that keep Minnesota out of the top three until one of the other teams loses.

Obviously, losing Jonathan Taylor hurts this offense, but Wisconsin is still a really good team this season. Quarterback Jack Coan broke his foot in practice, but that might hurt his own personal prospects more than anything since they have the very talented Graham Mertz as a backup. There should be little to no drop off there. Wisconsin is missing go-to skill players, but there’s enough here to put them solidly in the top three in the conference.

Micah Parsons sitting out this season really hurts. He was one of the best players in the sport, and Penn State had a distinct advantage on defense when he was on the field. That being said, they are deep at linebacker, and the rest of the team looks really good. James Franklin is one of the best coaches in college football, so he can get this team to compete on a weekly basis no matter who is in front of him. Sean Clifford needs to take a step forward under center if he’s going to help this team even think about competing with Ohio State.

Ohio State is number one, and it’s no real surprise. They are going to be immediately ranked in the top five the second they step on the field, and they are a favorite to make the College Football Playoff. OSU is looking to actually win it all with Fields at quarterback. This is simple. Ohio State has one goal, and they have to avoid being distracted during their run to that goal.

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