Preseason Big Ten power rankings: Does Ohio State have any competition?

Preseason Big Ten power rankings: Can anyone stop Ohio State?

There’s a ton of turnover for Northwestern to deal with in 2021. They have a new defensive coordinator with a total of six returning starters on both sides of the ball. They lose their four leading receivers and top linebacker. The first order of business is to find a new quarterback, with South Carolina Ryan Hilinksi bringing the greatest intrigue.

Jim Harbaugh still has talent to work with, which is fortunate because he has to bounce back big time from last year’s 2-4 record. The defense has a new coordinator to whip them into shape after giving up 34.5 points per game. The offense is in rebuild mode with major personnel losses. Presumptive quarterback Cade McNamara has a lot on his shoulders.

The Nittany Lions had a miserable start to the 2020 season. They rebounded with four victories to end the year and will be looking to carry that momentum into 2021. Quarterback Sean Clifford gets top wide receiver Jahan Dotson back to give Mike Yurcich a solid platform to build on offensively. The pass rush is starting from scratch after losing last year’s three leading sack getters.

The Hoosiers have questions on offense that need addressing. Will Michael Penix be the same playmaker coming back from a second ACL tear in his right knee? Does Jack Tuttle have what it takes to replace him if it comes to that? Can the run game get going either way? At least Indiana doesn’t need to worry about the defense. They have Micah McFadden and most of last year’s squad returning after limiting opponents to 20.3 points per game.

The Hawkeyes are replacing a bunch of big men on both sides of the trenches this season. It would be a greater concern if Kirk Ferentz and his staff weren’t so practiced with reloading those positions. Quarterback Spencer Petras can get the job done, but he’ll have to find some new playmakers with Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith moved on. The defense will once again drive the team forward.

Graham Mertz looks like a stud at quarterback with talent around him to get this offense rolling. The Badgers will expect a huge step forward from last year’s 25.1 points per game. The defense was excellent last season and returns most of the key figures, including leading tackler Jack Sanborn. They’re the team to beat in the West.

Yes, Ohio State had 10 players drafted in 2021, including quarterback Justin Fields and a bunch of linebackers. Don’t expect the Buckeyes to concede control of the conference, though. Ryan Day doesn’t have to rebuild. He has enough talent to reload and go again. Figuring out Fields’ replacement is the biggest wildcard with the greatest potential for a hiccup.

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