Big Ten preview

With the conference schedule set to begin, State News football reporters Jacob Carpenter and Cash Kruth evaluate and predict how each team will fare.

Minnesota (4-0)

Nonconference — The Golden Gophers blazed through their first four games, beating the likes of Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Montana State and Florida Atlantic by an average of 19 points a game.

Player to watch — Defensive back Traye Simmons. The junior has 18 tackles — 10 solo — with six pass break-ups and two interceptions in his first year out of junior college.

Predictions — Cash: 3-5, Jacob: 1-7

Northwestern (4-0)

Nonconference — The Wildcats, who are usually seen at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, spent their first four games feasting on the likes of Duke and Syracuse.

Player to watch — Quarterback C.J. Bacher. The Wildcats have a talented running back in Tyrell Sutton, but the main threat in a spread offense should come from the quarterback. In four games against lesser opponents, Bacher has thrown three touchdowns compared to five interceptions.

Predictions — Cash: 2-6, Jacob: 3-5

Penn State (4-0)

Nonconference — The No. 12 Nittany Lions jumped out of the gates, putting up 66 points in their first game against Coastal Carolina. The questions about Penn State’s true ability will be answered during the Big Ten season with games at Purdue, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Player to watch — Linebacker Navorro Bowman. What other position would we look out for at “Linebacker U”? The sophomore leads the team with 35 tackles, including five tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception.

Predictions — Cash: 7-1, Big Ten Champions, Jacob: 7-1 (co-Big Ten Champions)

Wisconsin (4-0)

Nonconference — The Badgers dominated Akron and Marshall before traveling to the West Coast to beat a nationally ranked Fresno State team.

Player to watch — Tight end Garrett Graham. The 6-foot-4 junior as been the quarterback Allan Evridge’s favorite target, leading the team with 11 receptions and hauling in all three of Wisconsin’s touchdowns through the air.

Predictions — Cash: 6-2, Jacob: 7-1 (co-Big Ten Champions)

Iowa (3-1)

Nonconference — After scoring more than 40 points against both Maine and Florida International, the Hawkeyes beat in-state rival Iowa State 17-5, before suffering their first loss of the year last week — a 21-20 heart-breaker to Pittsburgh.

Player to watch — Running back Shonn Greene. The 235-pound bruiser averages 126.5 yards per game and has crossed into the end zone four times.

Predictions — Cash: 1-7, Jacob: 3-5

MSU (3-1)

Nonconference — After losing to California in their opening game, the Spartans have put their season on the legs of senior running back Javon Ringer. In the second game of the season against Eastern Michigan, Ringer rushed for five touchdowns. For an encore against Florida Atlantic, Ringer carried the ball 43 times for 282 yards.

Player to watch — Ringer. MSU’s season depends on the durability of the 5-foot-9, 202-pound senior captain.

Predictions — Cash: 6-2, Jacob: 5-3

Ohio State (3-1)

Nonconference — Perhaps no other Big Ten team has had a more unceremonious nonconference slate than the Buckeyes. Beyond its 35-3 drubbing by Southern California, Ohio State struggled with Ohio and Troy en route to their 3-1 record.

Player to watch — Terrelle Pryor. The freshman phenom quarterback has been handed the reins to the Buckeyes earlier than expected and will need to mature quickly as a passer to win a conference title.

Predictions — Cash: 6-2, Jacob: 6-2

Illinois (2-1)

Nonconference — With the exception of a narrow 20-17 win over doormat Louisiana-Lafayette, the Fighting Illini have played well. Although they dropped their opener to Missouri by 10, Illinois put up a fight against one of the nation’s top five teams.

Player to watch — Juice Williams. If the junior quarterback can play like he did against Missouri in week one (26-of-42 for 451 yards passing), he should be the Big Ten’s best player.

Predictions — Cash: 5-3, Jacob: 5-3

Indiana (2-1)

Nonconference — Hoosiers fans, avert your eyes. Indiana has yet to play a BCS conference team and dropped a game against Ball State, a MAC school. The conference schedule doesn’t get any easier, with road games against Illinois and Penn State.

Player to watch — Greg Middleton. The junior defensive end is one of the few bright spots on a defense that surrendered 42 points to Ball State last week.

Predictions — Cash: 2-6, Jacob: 0-8

Purdue (2-1)

Nonconference — So far, the Big Ten’s cardiac kids blundered a 17-point lead in a double-overtime loss to Oregon and needed a late fourth-quarter touchdown to hold off Central Michigan. The Boilermakers travel to South Bend this week before starting the Big Ten season against Penn State.

Player to watch — Joe Tiller. So he’s not a player. Who cares. Tiller, the Boilermakers head coach who has revitalized Purdue’s program in his 12 years on the job, will retire at the end of the season.

Predictions — Cash: 3-5, Jacob: 4-4

Michigan (1-2)

Nonconference — It’s a wonder Rich Rodriguez can get out of bed every morning, what with the enormous growing pains he and his team are suffering from this year. The Wolverines lost their opener to Utah, slid past Miami (Ohio) and looked bad against Notre Dame.

Player to watch — Sam McGuffie. The freshman running back and YouTube.com sensation has lived up to the hype early on and will need to carry the team and its anemic passing games.

Predictions — Cash: 2-6, Jacob: 3-5

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Football reporters Jacob Carpenter and Cash Kruth sort out the best of the Big Ten.

Top 5 Players

1. Javon Ringer, RB, MSU

2. Juice Williams, QB, Illinois

3. Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Ohio State

4. James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State

5. P.J. Hill, RB, Wisconsin

Top 5 Quarterbacks

1. Juice Williams, Illinois

2. Curtis Painter, Purdue

3. Kellen Lewis, Indiana

4. C.J. Bacher, Northwestern

5. Brian Hoyer, MSU

Top 5 Coaches

1. Joe Paterno, Penn State

2. Jim Tressel, Ohio State

3. Joe Tiller, Purdue

4. Ron Zook, Illinois

5. Rich Rodriguez, U-M

Top 5 Newcomers

1. Freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State

2. Redshirt freshman running back Stephfon Green, Penn State

3. Junior defensive back Traye Simmons (junior-college transfer), Minnesota

4. Freshman running back Sam McGuffie, U-M

5. Freshman punter Brad Nortman, Wisconsin

Published on Thursday, September 25, 2008