Ohio State faces Washington without Clarett

Washington comes into this season with high hopes. The team is ranked No. 17 in the Associate Press top 25 poll and was picked to finish third in the preseason by the Pac-10 media. New head coach Keith Gilbertson inherits a Washington team which has one of the best pass-catch combinations in the country, with senior quarterback Cody Pickett throwing to junior wide receiver Reggie Williams. Both are preseason Heisman Trophy hopefuls and will be more than a handful for a young Ohio State defense.

Ohio State's strength this season will be on offense, even without star sophomore tailback Maurice Clarett. All other 10 starters are returning from last season's national championship team. Two key players for the Buckeyes this year are junior DB-WR Chris Gamble and senior LB-FB Jason Bond, both two-way players. Bond is going to play some fullback in addition to linebacker after some injuries, and Gamble continues his double duty from last season.
J. Ryan Mulcrone

Central Michigan at No. 4 Michigan

Saturday's matchup marks Lloyd Carr's 100th game as head coach at Michigan.

The heavily favored Wolverines will be playing without star cornerback Marlin Jackson. Jackson was suspended for the season opener by head coach Lloyd Carr after pleading guilty to an aggravated assault charge stemming from an Ann Arbor altercation earlier this summer.

It remains uncertain whether Jackson, the preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, will be suspended for more than one game.

Playing at U-M for the second time in school history and the first time since 1931, Central Michigan has the unique distinction of feeling just a little at home within the Big House.

CMU head coach Mike DeBord, in his fourth season as a Chippewa, served as an assistant coach under Carr for eight seasons in Ann Arbor. He served as offensive coordinator on the 1997 U-M team that won a share of the national title.

After finishing 12th in the MAC in offense last season, CMU has placed a premium on improving the Chippewas' offensive output.

Junior Jeff Perry and senior Derrick Vickers battled throughout spring and preseason ball for the starting nod at quarterback, and senior running back Terrence Jackson was named to the preseason Doak Walker award watch list as the nation's best running back.
Patrick Walters

No. 21 Wisconsin at West Virginia

Wisconsin is geared for big things in the Big Ten.

Returning this season is an offense that should do some damage with the return of 5-foot-11 senior receiver Lee Evans from a knee injury last season. Add junior running back Anthony Davis (3,021 yards in his first two seasons including 1,555 yards in 2002) to Evans' deep-threat potential and defenses will have no time to gamble.

Last season at Camp Randall Stadium the Badgers, then-ranked No. 25, defeated West Virginia 34-17. But this time around Wisconsin must head to the hills to play a West Virginia squad at a hostile Mountaineer Field.

West Virginia, 9-4 in 2002, brings a threat to the Badger defense with their multiple offensive sets and no-huddle spread offense. Quarterback Rasheed Marshall threw for 1,616 yards and nine touchdowns, while breaking current Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's Big East quarterback rushing record with 666 yards. And if the Badgers keep focus on Marshall, running back Quincy Wilson - who worked behind starter Avon Cobourne (1,710 yards) last season - can bring the heat with his 901 yards and a Big East best 6.4 yards per carry a season ago.

This game will be a great tune-up for the Badgers as they look to Big Ten greatness in the face of Ohio State and Michigan.
Paul Day

Illinois vs. Missouri

For the second year in a row, St. Louis will host the Illinois-Missouri football game in the Edward Jones Dome.

A well-known basketball rivalry, the football teams are hoping to follow up last year's exciting 33-20 upset by Missouri and make the football game a yearly event.

Illinois is in the same boat as Michigan State, coming off a season of high expectations, failing to meet those expectations and now coming into this season with little or no expectations.

"Some of our players have made comments, but I like to think we go out each game with an edge and play regardless of whether we are the favorite or the underdog," Illinois head coach Ron Turner said.

Missouri's quarterback Brad Smith emerged as one of the most exciting players in the country.

Smith threw for 2,333 yards and rushed for 1,029 yards, in the process he tossed 15 touchdowns and ran in seven more.
J. Ryan Mulcrone

Indiana at Connecticut

There is not much to be said for these two not-so-spectacular programs.

Indiana is in the midst of a rebuilding period, while expecting to be Big Ten bottom dwellers again after a 3-9 finish and only 65 scholarship players available. UConn finished with a 6-6 record in NCAA Division I-AA play. The .500 season was their best since 1998. But UConn has nowhere near the ability of a Big Ten club.

Much of Indiana's season could ride on the back of Notre Dame junior transfer Matt LaVecchio at the quarterback position.

UConn could use the inaugural game at the new Rentschler Field as their inspiration to defeat a Big Ten opponent.

The win would be a great start to the long haul ahead for the Hoosiers, but the Huskies are home and looking for national attention, especially being in the back yard of ESPN.
Paul Day

Miami (Ohio) at Iowa

This season Iowa has some shoes to fill.

A year ago the Hawkeyes took the Big Ten by storm, finishing 8-0 and tying eventual national champion Ohio State for the conference crown.

Last season's second-place finisher for the Heisman trophy and leader of such an awesome season, Brad Banks left Iowa City for graduation and a shot at the NFL, leaving an opening in the team's most coveted position last year.

Miami seems far from a roadblock, but are led by quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, who has amassed the second-most career passing yards (with 6,343) by a nonsenior.

There will definitely be questions on offense, but running back Fred Russell's return for another season along with his 114.9 yards per game average (2nd in the Big Ten) makes them respectable. And Banks' backup, 6-foot-7 junior college transfer Nate Chandler will add size, but not the running game Banks did a season ago. Add a defense that should be one of the Big Ten's best led by All-Big Ten end Howard Hodges and two-time All-Big Ten strong safety Bob Sanders and Miami will probably be stopped shy of their upset dreams.
Paul Day

Tulsa at Minnesota

Minnesota will take to the field this season with heavy hearts. The Golden Gophers open the 2003 season just four days after former football head coach Jim Wacker died of cancer, and less than a month after former hockey head coach Herb Brooks died in a car accident.

After Minnesota finished the 2002 regular season 6-5 and beat Arkansas in the 2002 Music City Bowl - their first postseason bowl win since 1985 - the Gophers return 16 starters on offense and defense.

Among the returning are fifth-year senior quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq and the one-two backfield combination of junior Terry Jackson II and senior Thomas Tapeh. Jackson and Tapeh combined for 2,298 yards rushing last season, one of the best combination tallies in the nation.

For WAC opponent Tulsa, junior quarter back James Kilan was named starter last week by first-year head coach Steve Kragthorpe. Kilan will start for the third time when the Golden Hurricanes visit the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Saturday.
Patrick Walters

Northwestern at Kansas

Young is the word in Evanston this season. After losing 17 letterwinners last season, the Wildcats start six seniors this year, four on offense and two on defense.

Fifth-year coach Randy Walkeris looking to improve on last season's 3-9 record - 1-7 in the Big Ten - by showcasing sophomore quarterback Brett Basanez and senior running back Jason Wright, Northwestern's team MVP and an All-Big Ten honorable mention.

But aside from a young, though relatively experienced offense, defense will face the most scrutiny for Northwestern. The Wildcats allowed 502 yards per game last season, en route to allowing an average of 41 points each game.

Senior linebacker Pat Durr will be expected to anchor the Wildcat defense after recovering from a knee injury which sidelined him for nearly the entire 2002 season.

Kansas, 2-10 last season, isn't too far off from Northwestern's defensive troubles. The Jayhawks allowed 472 yards per game last season, with opponents averaging 42 points each game.

Saturday's game is the first meeting between the schools.
Patrick Walters

Temple at Penn State

Penn State opens their season by hosting yearly Big East cellar dweller Temple. The Owls will make the journey across the state of Pennsylvania to Beaver Stadium in hopes of shocking the Nittany Lions in week 1.

Temple finished last season with a 4-8 record, beating Syracuse, Richmond, Rutgers and Connecticut.

"They lost a lot of kids, but they brought in a lot of kids from junior colleges," Penn State head coach Joe Paterno said. "They'll be a tough team."

Paterno's team will be led by junior quarterback Zack Mills. Mills hopes to improve on his numbers from last season, in which he passed for 2,417 yards and 17 touchdowns in 13 games.

Penn State was picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten.
J. Ryan Mulcrone