There’s no doubt about it. Ohio State has run roughshod over the rest of the Big Ten the past three seasons, and this year’s Buckeyes should be no exception. Virtually everybody of significance is back which means this might even be the best team Jim Tressell has put on the field to date.Sleeper: Penn State
Despite all the off-season dismissals and injuries, there are still enough talented players left for Penn State to make a run at the Big Ten title. It’s a good thing Paterno had great depth on defense because that was the area hit hardest in the off-season. Even with the losses, the defense should still be very good. Pair that with an offense that boasts as many playmakers as anybody in the conference and it’s easy to see that the biggest threat to Ohio State’s supremacy lays in State College, PA.On the Rise: Michigan State
Mark Dantonio is on the verge of shifting from being the most underrated head coach in the nation to being a very hot commodity when the big coaching jobs start opening up. Dantonio learned how to win in the Big Ten from Jim Tressell (watch Javon Ringer put up Beanie Wells-like numbers this year) and he has already laid an excellent foundation. Look for the Spartans to continue to improve and become a player in the Big Ten race as early as 2009.Declining: Minnesota
How can a team that won only one game a year ago be getting worse? Well, consider where Minnesota was just a year and a half ago under Glen Mason and where they are right now under Tim Brewster – the program is in definite decline. Why the Gopher brass decided to fire Mason, the most successful coach at the school in recent memory, is beyond me. It led to a terrible product on the field and the only thing that has changed this season is the defensive coordinator - as if that was the problem. Gopher faithful better get comfortable in the cellar because that’s where they’ll be for a while. But look on the bright side – at least they won’t have to watch games in that awful dome much longer!PROJECTED STANDINGS & RECORDS
| 1. Ohio State | 11-1 (7-1 conference) |
| 2. Penn State | 10-2 (6-2) |
| 3. Wisconsin | 9-3 (5-3) |
| 4. Illinois | 8-4 (5-3) |
| 5. Michigan State | 8-4 (5-3) |
| 6. Michigan | 7-5 (4-4) |
| 7. Iowa | 6-6 (4-4) |
| 8. Northwestern | 6-6 (3-5) |
| 9. Purdue | 5-7 (3-5) |
| 10. Indiana | 5-7 (2-6) |
| 11. Minnesota | 2-10 (0-8) |
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Offense: Javon Ringer (RB, Michigan State)
Defense: James Laurinaitis (LB, Ohio State)
Special Teams: David Gilreath (KR, Wisconsin)
NATIONAL AWARDS CANDIDATES
Vontae Davis (CB-Ill) – Arrington, Deion
Maurice Evans (DE-PSU) – Arrington
David Gilreath (KR-Wis) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Stephfon Green (RB-PSU) – J.Pike’s Fave
Malcolm Jenkins (CB-OSU) – Arrington, Deion
James Laurinaitis (LB-OSU) – Arrington
Kellen Lewis (QB – Ind) – Frazier
Zoltan Mesko (P-Mich) – Sproles/Sauerbrun
Terrelle Pryor (QB-OSU) – Frazier
Javon Ringer (RB-MSU) - Bo Jackson
Anthony Scirrotto (DB-PSU) – Deion
Morgan Trent (DB-Mich) – Deion
Donvan Warren (CB – Mich) – Deion
Chris Wells (RB-OSU) – Bo Jackson
Juice Williams (QB-Ill) – Frazier
Martez Wilson (LB-Ill) - Arrington
Gold Wrenches:
Ohio State offensive line
Penn State defensive line
Ohio State defensive line
Wisconsin offensive line
Penn State offensive line
Michigan defensive line
No comments:
Post a Comment