If you read my SEC or ACC edition of this earlier, you know how this works. If not, let me fill you in. In this article, I will review every Big 10 team’s 2018 season, and say what they have to look forward to, and what to be concerned about for the 2019 season. After all of that, I will say what their goals should be for the 2019 season.

Illinois

Last Season in Review

Illinois had a 2-0 start to last season, but that does not look as good as it sounded when you figure out that they beat Kent State by seven points, and Western Illinois. Their record went back to to .500 when they lost a close game to South Florida, then were blown out by Penn State. Their win over Rutgers the next week put the Fighting Illini at 3-2. Things fell apart from there. Illinois lost their next three games against Purdue, Wisconsin, and Maryland by an average of 32 points. They stopped the bleeding enough to get a 55-31 win over Minnesota, but then dropped their last three games to Nebraska, Iowa and Northwestern. Illinois was not expected to do much this season, but it still does not make a 4-8 record look any good.

On offense, Illinois was led by running back Reggie Corbin, who eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards. Quarterback AJ Bush struggled through the air, but could make plays on the ground. The Fighting Illini struggled in the passing game, but receiver Ricky Smalling was someone they could rely upon. Nick Allegretti was named second team all Big 10 at guard. Linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips led the defense as he tied for the lead in total tackles and led the team with four interceptions. Defensive end Bobby Roundtree led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.

What to Look Forward to

Reggie Corbin will be back at running back, and should be the focal point of the offense again. Ricky Smalling will be back after leading the Fighting Illini in receiving yards last season. MJ Rivers, next year’s projected starter at quarterback, has game experience and looked about as good as AJ Bush did last season throwing the ball. On defense, Illinois returns 10 out of 11 starters from last season. Bobby Roundtree will look to be a force on the defensive line. Illinois also brought in some talent in the transfer and recruiting market. Offensive lineman Richie Petitbon transferred in from Alabama and will be immediately eligible. Tight end Luke Ford has transferred in from Georgia and is appealing for immediate eligibility. In recruiting, their class is not too great overall but four star athletes Isaiah Williams and Marquez Beason were both big time signings for Illinois. Their schedule in non-conference play is quite favorable as they play three G5 opponents, two of which did not appear in a bowl game.

What to be Concerned About

Nick Allegretti was a good player on the offensive line, and will be hard to replace. Illinois struggled with quarterback play last season, and it appears as though those struggles will continue as MJ Rivers did not put up the best passing numbers, and also did little on the ground. On defense. Del’Shawn Robinson made a lot happen, and was very impactful at linebacker. It will not be easy to make up for the contributions he had for the Fighting Illini’s defense. Illinois currently has seven players in the transfer portal. While they have not signed anywhere else yet and none of them leaving would be too detrimental, it is still concerning to have that many people considering leaving a program.

Goals for the 2019 Season

2019 will be Lovie Smith’s fourth season with Illinois. This will also be the season where he needs to make something happen. Illinois went 4-8 in 2018, and it was Smith’s best season there. Illinois has not made a bowl game since the 2014 season. There is a strong feeling of desperation in Champaign, and a bowl game will be the one thing that can end it. That is what Illinois needs to do in 2019.

Indiana

Last Season in Review

Indiana opened up their 2018 season with three wins over FIU, Virginia, and Ball State. With a 3-0 non-conference record, Indiana just needed three wins to earn a bowl berth. The Hoosiers lost to Michigan State 35-21, but followed that with a win over Rutgers go up their record to 4-1. Unfortunately, Indiana was then blown out by Ohio State and Iowa. Those losses were followed up by narrow losses to Penn State and Minnesota to make the Hoosiers 4-5. They had a bye week after and came off of it strong with a tight win over Maryland. Indiana needed to win one of their last two games to make a bowl. They lost to Michigan, making their rivalry game with Purdue a matchup of 5-6 teams vying for a bowl berth for the second straight season. Indiana unfortunately lost that game for the second straight season to finish 5-7, losing seven of their last eight games.

Indiana’s offense last season was led by 1,137 rushing yards and ten touchdowns from true freshman running back Stevie Scott. Peyton Ramsey competed 66% of his passes, but his 19/13 touchdown to interception ratio was not the best. Tall receivers Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale headlined the receiving corps. On defense, cornerback Jonathan Crawford led the team in tackles, and had to make many plays on his own as 70% of his tackles were unassisted. Free safety Bryant Fitzgerald did well in pass coverage with three interceptions.

What to Look Forward to

Stevie Scott will be back at running back after a very good freshman season, and should be building upon that. Peyton Ramsey is back again at quarterback and will also have trusted receiver Nick Westbrook back as well, which will make things easier for him. On defense, Gavin Everett will be back after a strong season at defensive end despite being limited to just seven games. Also back is free safety Bryant Fitzgerald, who has a tendency to force turnovers as he had three interceptions and two forced fumbles last season. Marcelino Ball will be back as well after finishing third on the team in tackles at Indiana’s husky position in the secondary. In the transfer portal, the Hoosiers landed quarterback Jack Tuttle from Utah, who will compete with Ramsey for the starting gig if he is ruled eligible immediately. Indiana also improved upon last season’s recruiting class. Indiana’s non-conference schedule is quite easy as it consists of two G5 teams who did not make a bowl in Ball State and Connecticut, and FCS opponent Eastern Illinois.

What to be Concerned About

Indiana’s defense does not have numbers that will wow anyone. With the graduation of Damion Willis and Jonathan Crawford, Indiana will have just one player returning on their defense who had more than 40 tackles last season. Crawford was a great player for the Hoosiers and will be tough to replace. Nobody on their team last season had more than 3.5 sacks or 7.5 tackles for loss. On offense, the Hoosiers lose three starters on the offensive line. Indiana has to play on the road in what I consider three of their toss up games as they will have to travel to Maryland, Nebraska, and Purdue. All of those games are winnable, but will be much harder on the road.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Indiana has missed a bowl game in the last two season. They also missed a bowl game by losing to rival Purdue both times, which makes it sting much worse. This team needs to buck that trend. Their schedule might not be the easiest, but that is just the brakes when they play in what is probably the toughest division in college football. Tom Allen will need at least a bowl berth, if not Indiana’s first winning season since 2007 if he wants to keep his job. It is time for the Hoosiers to deliver.

Iowa

Last Season in Review

2018 started off pretty well for Iowa as the they won their first three games, including the Cy-Hawk Classic against rival Iowa State. Unfortunately, Kinnick Stadium could not muster up any magic for the Hawkeyes as they lost to Wisconsin in their Big 10 opener. Iowa was able to bounce back though and won their next three games, all in pretty one sided affairs. Iowa was 6-1 and looked in control of the Big 10 West. The Hawkeyes could not maintain control because they lost their next three games to Penn State, Purdue, and Northwestern. What made it all sting more was that they were all losses by one score. Iowa rebounded to win their final two regular season games to finish 8-4, but lost the division crown to Northwestern. Iowa put a cap on their 2018 campaign with a 27-22 win over Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl, putting a nice end to a solid, but a bit disappointing season.

Iowa’s offense looked a bit different than it usually does this season. With a talented quarterback in Nate Stanley, and two outstanding tight ends in Noah Fant and TJ Hockenson, Iowa threw the ball much more than a typical Kirk Ferentz coached Iowa team would. With much of the focus on Fant, Hockenson was able to have a strong season with 760 receiving yards and was solid in the run blocking game. Fant drew a lot of attention from opposing defenses in the passing game, but still had 519 receiving yards and improved as a blocker. Mekhi Sargent came along strong at the end of the season to help boost the run game. The defense was led by standout defensive end AJ Epenesa who had 16.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Safety Amani Hooker was solid as well, being named first team all Big 10.

What to Look Forward to

Nate Stanley will be back at quarterback after being the starter the last three seasons. Mekhi Sargent became a mainstay at running back later on in the season, and will be back again in 2019. Ivory Kelly-Martin and Toren Young will also return, bringing depth to the backfield. Alaric Jackson was solid at offensive tackle, and should improve after being the starter all of last season. AJ Epenesa should be one of the top choices Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 after a great season at defensive end. Safety Geno Stone had four interceptions last season, and should be able to build upon those numbers.

What to be Concerned About

The elite tight end duo of TJ Hockenson and Noah Fant are both gone. These two made things quite a bit easier for Nate Stanley, and were able to help mask a run game for Iowa that was pretty lacking. Iowa also loses receiver Nick Easley meaning their three leading receivers from 2018 are all gone. On defense, Anthony Nelson will be gone at defensive end, which means opponents can focus almost entirely on AJ Epenesa up front. Amani Hooker will also be missed, as he was a major impact player at safety. Free safety Jake Gervase will also be tough to replace after leading the Hawkeyes in tackles last season. Iowa does not have a super favorable schedule this season, as they have to play on the road against Iowa State, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Iowa loses some talent from last season, but still is not devoid of it. 2019 should be a return to a more ground heavy approach like most Kirk Ferentz coached teams have been. For next season, Iowa needs to win their rivalry game against Iowa State, and aim to win the Big 10 West. Both of those things will be very good for their program.

Maryland

Last Season in Review

Maryland entered this season with much more than just football on their minds. The tragic death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair was tough to swallow, but it turned worse for the program when it was uncovered that it was preventable if not for coaches forcing the players into extreme workouts and shaming those who quit. All of this led to the firing of head coach DJ Durkin. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada was named interim head coach.

Despite all that was going on off the field, Maryland started off strong with a win over Texas. After coasting past Bowling Green, the Terrapins were blown out by Temple. Maryland then split their next four games, defeating Minnesota and Rutgers handily while losing big to Michigan and Iowa. Maryland had a 63-33 win over Illinois to put them at 5-3 on the season. Unfortunately for the Terrapins, they fell short against Michigan State and then suffered two crushing losses to Indiana and Ohio State by a combined three points. Their last game to try and get bowl eligibility was not successful either as they were blown out by Penn State and finished 5-7. While the season was rough, it is hard to blame Maryland based off what went on off the field.

Offensively, Maryland relied heavily on the run game. Their go to guy on the ground was redshirt freshman Anthony McFarland, who put up 1,034 rushing yards. Ty Johnson helped out as well. Jeshaun Jones had a great freshman season as a multifaceted threat on the ground and through the air. The defense was led by the duo of Antoine Brooks and Darnell Savage Jr. in the secondary. Also contributing on defense was linebacker Tre Watson, who amassed 108 total tackles and five interceptions. RaVon Davis was solid at cornerback with three interceptions.

What to Look Forward to

Anthony McFarland will be back at running back, and will continue to be the focal point of Maryland’s offense. Jeshaun Jones is a player that I expect to break out in 2019 as he looked good in flashes during the 2018 season. To improve their offense even more, Maryland signed Virginia Tech transfer Josh Jackson at quarterback through the transfer portal. Jackson was a two-year starter at Virginia Tech and can play immediately. On defense, Antoine Brooks returns and should be near the top when it comes to best defensive backs in the Big 10. Linebacker Isaiah Davis will look to emerge as a defensive leader, after finishing second on the team in tackles last season. While the Terrapins did not have a great recruiting class, the signing of four-star safety Nick Cross, the top player in the state of Maryland, was huge.

What to be Concerned About

Darnell Savage Jr. was a very good player at safety, who was sound in pass coverage. His ability will be difficult to replace. Another impact player on the defense that will be lost to graduation is linebacker Tre Watson. Watson led the team in both tackles and interceptions. That versatility is not very easy to replicate. Running back Ty Johnson has also graduated, which takes depth away from the backfield. Maryland also loses Taivon Jacobs, last season’s leader in receiving yards. The Terrapins also lose three starters on the offensive line. It should also be noted that they play in what is possibly the toughest division in college football, that should be just about the same this season.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Maryland will be entering the first year of the Mike Locksley era in 2019. There is a tough road ahead, but the path to success is not as difficult as one would think. Maryland is located in an area ripe with talent, making things easier on the recruiting trail. Maryland just needs to find some on-field success after two disappointing seasons. Making a bowl game this season would go a long way.

Michigan

Last Season in Review

This Michigan team came into 2018 with significant hype behind them. That hype was all gone by the the time Michigan dropped their season opener against Notre Dame. The Wolverines took out their frustrations from that loss on G5 opponents Western Michigan and SMU, and in their conference opener against Nebraska. Michigan had a scare against Northwestern, but were able to rally to a 20-17 win. Michigan solidified themselves as a strong team after pounding Wisconsin and Michigan State, which surged the Wolverines into the top 10 of the AP poll. They were in the top five after their next game, beating Penn State 42-7. Wins over Indiana and Rutgers set up a vastly important game against Ohio State. Unfortunately, Michigan lost this game and blew their chances at a playoff spot. This season had another damper put on it after the Wolverines were blown out by Florida in the Peach Bowl.

This Michigan team was led by a very strong defensive front. Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich were the best defensive end combination in the country (Clemson was too good to count). The two made a great combination. While the extra attention opposing offenses gave Gary might have lowered his stats, it allowed Winovich to thrive. Devin Bush was one of the nation’s top linebackers, and was a great playmaker. David Long and Lavert Hill were a strong duo at cornerback, while Josh Metellus and Khaleke Hudson were the same at safety. Quarterback Shea Patterson improved quite a bit as his first season under center for the Wolverines went on. Karan Higdon became a workhorse back, and had 1,178 rushing yards on the season. Jon Runyan and Ben Bredeson led an improved offensive line.

What to Look Forward to

Shea Patterson elected to return for his senior season, which will be a huge help for Michigan’s offense as Patterson looked very good once he was acclimated to their offensive scheme. Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones will make up an amazing combination at receiver. Tarik Black will be back, and can be a star receiver if he can stay healthy. Ben Bredeson, Cesar Ruiz, and Michael Onwenu will be back and make up a solid interior offensive line. On defense, Khaleke Hudson elected to return to school and should be a standout in the secondary. Lavert Hill should be the same at cornerback. Those two, along with Josh Metellus, should make up one of the best secondary units in the country. Michigan will bring the best recruiting class in the Big 10 in 2019. That class is headlined by Daxton Hill, a five-star recruit, and the best safety in the class, as well as five-star defensive tackle Chris Hinton. Four-star running back Zach Charbonnet will also likely crack the rotation in the backfield.

What to be Concerned About

Michigan loses the entirety of their starters from last season on the defensive line with Rashan Gary declaring for the draft, Chase Winovich and Lawrence Marshall graduating, and Aubrey Solomon transferring to Tennessee. Devin Bush will also be gone, which will be a big hit to Michigan’s defense. David Long was a solid corner that will be tough to replace. Tyree Kinnel led the Wolverines in tackles last season and is also gone. On offense, running back Karan Higdon graduated and backup Chris Evans is no longer with the team, leaving depth concerns at the position. Jon Runyan was the best player on Michigan’s offensive line and the most important at left tackle. Replacing him will be tough. Michigan has a tough schedule this season, playing Ohio State and Notre Dame as well as traveling to Penn State and Wisconsin.

Goals for the 2019 Season

It is tough to pin their entire season on one game, but Michigan absolutely has to beat Ohio State as soon as possible. Ohio State is currently more vulnerable than they have been in recent years, and Michigan must capitalize. Ohio State’s recent dominance of this rivalry is driving Michigan fans up a wall, and a win over them will be a major relief. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan will have much more breathing room if they can pull that off. Additionally, a Big 10 East division title will do a lot as well.

Michigan State

Last Season in Review

Michigan State was another team to enter the 2018 season with plenty of hype surrounding them. Like their in state counterpart, it went away fast. Michigan State struggled out the gate by narrowly getting past Utah State (based off the season Utah State had, it is a solid win, but was not thought of as one at the time). Following that, they fell 16-13 at Arizona State in a tight game. The Spartans added two more ugly wins before losing to Northwestern. Things looked to be back on the right track after Michigan State secured an upset win over Penn State, but fell to in state rival Michigan in their following game. Wins over Purdue and Maryland set the Spartans back on course for a bit, before they suffered losses to Ohio State and Nebraska. Their win over Rutgers in the final week of the regular season set up a bowl game matchup with Oregon. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they fell short in an ugly game to finish 7-6. This season was a bit of a disappointment for Michigan State as they were thought of as a darkhorse playoff contender going into the season.

Michigan State was as successful as they were because of their defense. Defensive end Kenny Willekes had 20.5 tackles for loss on the season, and was a major problem for opposing offenses. Defensive tackle Raequan Williams had a great season on the defensive line as well with 10.5 tackles for loss. Khari Willis had a great all around season at safety. Cornerback Justin Layne was a solid player as well with 15 pass deflections. Linebacker Joe Bachie led the team with 102 total tackles. While Michigan State has a stout defense, their offense was a train wreck by the end of the season. A lot of that was due to just poor injury luck. Quarterback Brian Lewerke missed just two games, but played through a shoulder injury for a good part of the season. Running back LJ Scott was injured early on in the season. Felton Davis looked like a star at receiver, but went out for the season with injury after just six games. Connor Heyward stepped in for an injured Scott at running back and did well, but just did not have the help around him to reach his full potential.

What to Look Forward to

Kenny Willekes will be back at defensive end, and will wreak havoc yet again this season. I think he could be an under the radar pick for Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year. Raequan Williams will also be back meaning Michigan State will be very strong up front on defense. The Spartans will also see Tyriq Thompson return at linebacker, who showed flashes of great play in 2018. Joe Bachie will also be back at linebacker and should emerge as a leader of the defense. Offensively, Brian Lewerke should be fully healthy going into 2019, which will elevate his play from the 2018 season he had that seemed quite disappointing. Connor Heyward and La’Darius Jefferson will be back at running back and should be better after being the two main guys for the last half of 2018. Receiver Cody White did well in limited action, and should make strides before this season. The Spartans also return every starter on the offensive line. Kicker Matt Coughlin helped out Michigan State’s offense quite a bit last season and will also be back for 2019.

What to be Concerned About

The duo of Khari Willis at safety and Justin Layne at cornerback made for a very good secondary for the Spartans. Both of them are now gone, and leave quite a hole at the position with them. Andrew Dowell was second on the team in tackles in 2018, and will also be gone. LJ Scott (who I am pretty sure was recruited when Nick Sabin coached the Spartans) was gone for most of last season, but there is no longer the hope of getting him back. Felton Davis is also gone, eliminating Lewerke’s top threat in the passing game. Tight end Matt Sokol is also gone, further diluting their group of pass catchers.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Michigan State finished the regular season with a 7-5 record in 2018. That mark is definitely doable, and 8-4 honestly is too. If Michigan State can hit that, it will be a solid season. With the competition in their division, it can be hard to expect much more, especially since they travel to Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan. If one thing is for sure, head coach Mark Dantonio will find a way to get the most out of this team.

Minnesota

Last Season in Review

Minnesota started last season by tearing through non-conference play with three wins. Unfortunately for the Golden Gophers, they started Big 10 play on a four game losing streak with losses to Maryland, Iowa, Ohio State, and Nebraska. Their streak of tough losses was put to an end with a win over Indiana. They then fell to Illinois in embarrassing fashion in their next game, putting them at 4-5 and needing to win two of their last three games to make a bowl game. Minnesota looked back on track after blowing out Purdue 41-10, but then lost to Northwestern. This made their rivalry game against Wisconsin a game they needed to win to secure bowl eligibility, a game that Minnesota had not won since 2003. Well the Golden Gophers were in luck, as they won the game 37-15. Their QuickLane Bowl matchup with Georgia Tech turned out to be more of the same as they won 34-10. This season saw Minnesota deal with a lot of injuries, and have to overcome quite a bit. Things should be looking up for this team under head coach PJ Fleck.

Minnesota’s offense actually had a pretty good amount of talent at skill positions. Receiver Tyler Johnson had 1,169 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite only playing in 10 games, redshirt freshman running back Mohamed Ibrahim put up 1,160 rushing yards. Those two, along with offensive tackle Donnell Greene, made things a lot easier for the quarterbacks. Walk-on true freshman Zack Annexstad started off the season, but after battling injuries, was held out and redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan took over. On defense, linebacker Blake Cashman led the show with 104 total tackles and 15 tackles for loss. Fellow linebacker Carter Coughlin also became a defensive playmaker with 15 tackles for loss of his own along with 9.5 sacks.

What to Look Forward to

Minnesota returns nine starters on offense. If he can stay healthy, Mohamed Ibrahim should be one of the best running backs in the Big 10 after averaging over 100 rushing yards per game last season. Tyler Johnson will also be another player that can be expected to make a leap. Rashod Bateman has a good freshman season at receiver and should only improve. Another player to watch for is offensive lineman Daniel Faalele. Faalele stands 6’9 and weighs 400 pounds, but the Australian native had little football experience before going to Minnesota. Nonetheless, he stepped into a starting role at offensive tackle and did quite well as a true freshman earning honorable mention all Big 10 honors. On defense, cornerback Antoine Winfield Jr. got approved for a medical redshirt and will be back in 2019. Winfield Jr. was one of the key players on defense for the Golden Gophers before he went down four games into the season. Carter Coughlin is back at linebacker, and will expect to have another strong season. Minnesota will have experience on defense as well with eight starters returning. Minnesota will also have a fairly easy schedule next season, as they do not play any P5 program in non-conference play and also avoid Michigan and Ohio State in cross-division games.

What to be Concerned About

Minnesota lost a lot of talent up front offensively with the graduation of Donnell Greene. Greene was the starter at left tackle last season and when healthy was quite the aide in the run game as well as giving Minnesota’s inexperienced quarterbacks time. Center Jared Weyler is another player up front that will be missed. Defensively, Blake Cashman was a major impact player at linebacker as he fulfilled his duties there while also being able to make big plays. Jacob Huff was Minnesota’s second leading tackler last season and will also be gone in 2019. The Golden Gophers will be having a quarterback battle between Tanner Morgan and Zack Annexstad in 2019, and I think that a quarterback battle is rarely a good thing for a team to have, especially when neither option was dazzling in 2018 (they were both inexperienced so it is understandable that they were not great).

Goals for the 2019 Season

Minnesota returns a lot of talent from their 7-6 campaign in 2018. While 7-6 is fine, PJ Fleck was not hired by Minnesota to do fine, and needs to make a leap soon. Minnesota has the firepower to improve upon 2018, and is in the midst of a wide open division. Matching seven wins should be the expectation, while the goal should be to go 8-4 in the regular and beat Wisconsin for the second year in a row.

Nebraska

Last Season in Review

Scott Frost’s first season at Nebraska got off to a pretty rough start. They lose close games to Colorado and Troy, were blown out by Michigan, lost to Purdue, were blown out by Wisconsin, and then blew a lead against Northwestern en route to an 0-6 start. The Cornhuskers finally snapped the losing streak when they took down Minnesota for the first win of the Scott Frost era. They beat FCS for Bethune-Cookman the following week to improve to 2-6. Nebraska was competitive at Ohio State, but ultimately fell 36-31. Victory was found again when Nebraska blew out Illinois, and then won a low scoring affair against Michigan State in their following game. Their loss to Iowa rounded out their season at 4-8. Winning four games will always be a disappointment at Nebraska, but with how they finished the season, and with the cupboard left bare for Scott Frost, it is easy to have excitement going into 2019.

Nebraska’s offense was led by the standout receiver duo of Stanley Morgan and Jr. and JD Spielman. Morgan Jr. had more catches and yards, but Spielman had more receiving touchdowns. Running back Devine Ozigbo surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground. True freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez had a very good season as well as he became a great dual threat. Defensively, linebacker Mohamed Barry led the Cornhuskers with 105 total tackles. Fellow linebacker Luke Gifford led the team with 12.5 tackles for loss. Cornerback Dicaprio Bootle (I promise that is his name) did well in pass coverage with 15 pass deflections.

What to Look Forward to

Adrian Martinez will be one of the best quarterbacks in the Big 10 in 2019, after having a very strong freshman season. Martinez threw for 2,617 yards and ran for another 629 in 2018 while also battling injuries early on. JD Spielman will return in 2019 after being one of Martinez’s favorite targets. Linebacker Mohamed Barry will be back for his senior season after putting up solid numbers in 2018. Dicaprio Bootle should be one of the best cornerbacks in the Big 10 after having a strong campaign in 2018. Also back for their senior season is cornerback Lamar Jackson who should be one of the leaders of the defense. Nebraska did well on the recruiting trail with a strong class, highlighted by Wandale Robinson, the nation’s top all-purpose back.

What to be Concerned About

Nebraska will lose a 1,000 yard rusher in Devine Ozigbo, who was a staple in the backfield in 2018. Stanley Morgan Jr. surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 2018, and was a standout for the Cornhuskers. Morgan Jr. and Ozigbo’s absence will mean Adrian Martinez will have to shoulder a heavy load on offense if the Cornhuskers want to have a successful season. Tanner Farmer has also graduated, who was a solid player on the offensive line. Defensively, Luke Gifford is gone after leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss. Dedrick Young was second on the team in total tackles for the 2018 and will also be gone.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Nebraska had a rough season in 2018, but still will have some expectations attached to them for 2019. Year two of the Scott Frost era will be the year where people will expect a turnaround, just like Frost had in his second year coaching UCF. While I think they will improve, I am not fully sold on Nebraska quite yet. I think another year might be needed before they can truly become a Big 10 contender. That being said, they should still expect a return to a bowl game, and not a bottom level one either. Eight wins is probably the expectation, or at least I think it should be, while anything beyond that should be considered a pleasant surprise.

Northwestern

Last Season in Review

Things looked good for Northwestern at the start of 2018 as they brought home a big conference win over Purdue in their opener. Unfortunately, that was followed by losses to Duke and Akron (who had not beaten a Big 10 team since the 19th century). Their blown lead to Michigan made it three losses in a row. Thankfully for the Wildcats, something clicked as they went on a four game win streak, starting with an upset win at Michigan State. Northwestern stormed back to beat Nebraska, took down Rutgers, (it was a very ugly game) and then beat Wisconsin in a game that was huge in determining the winner of the division. Northwestern came back down to earth when they lost to Notre Dame, but they did keep it close. They bounced back after that with a win over Iowa that clinched a division title. On their victory lap, they also beat Minnesota and Illinois. The Wildcats unfortunately lost the Big 10 Championship game to Ohio State, but salvaged a victory in the Holiday Bowl over Utah to finish 9-5. While there were some questionable losses early, and some unnecessarily ugly wins, this is a season that Northwestern fans should always be happy with.

On offense, Northwestern had a seasoned veteran at quarterback in Clayton Thorson, who was a four-year starter. While he was not as mobile as he was before he tore his ACL in the 2017 Music City Bowl, Thorson still had a solid season. True freshman Isaiah Bowser’s emergence at running back was one of the main reasons for Northwestern’s turnaround as he put up 866 rushing yards in just 10 games. Linebackers Blake Gallagher and Paddy Fisher were a strong duo for Northwestern’s defense, as they had 127 and 116 total tackles respectively. JR Pace was third on the team with 82 total tackles and had four interceptions. Joe Gaziano led the team with 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

What to Look Forward to

Running back Isaiah Bowser should step up as the anchor of the offense after coming along nicely during his freshman season. The Wildcats also return four of their five leading receivers from last season. Northwestern also landed Hunter Johnson, a five-star quarterback from the class of 2017, in the transfer portal. Johnson spent two years at Clemson before transferring when he was unable to beat out Trevor Lawrence for the starting job. While he has not taken any meaningful snaps before, he looks good from his limited action at Clemson and was a five-star recruit, so it is easy to see how he could do well with the Wildcats. Defensively, Blake Gaziano and Paddy Fisher return at linebacker. Gallagher can be relied upon to make tackles all over the field, while Fisher is a hard hitter who had four forced fumbles in 2018. JR Pace will be back at safety after a strong showing in 2019. Defensive end Joe Gaziano is also back, and will be a problem for any opposing offensive tackle to block.

What to be Concerned About

Clayton Thorson was a four-year starter for Northwestern and has now graduated. Thorson might not have been amazing, but he was a staple in Northwestern’s offense, and was a leader on the team. Hunter Johnson could very well be better, but he is not a proven commodity. Flynn Nagel, last year’s leading receiver, is lost to graduation. Montre Hartage was a very good in pass coverage as a cornerback for the Wildcats, and will be missed. Nate Hall was another strong player in the secondary who picked off three passes in 2018, and will leave a hole.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Northwestern capitalized on a down year for the Big 10 West and were able to take the division crown. While that should not be expected again this season, an 8-4 regular season record is doable. They should expect to contend for a division crown again, and hope for some magic to happen and go back to back. I already will say that their opening game at Stanford has the potential to be an upset win for the Wildcats.

Ohio State

Last Season in Review

With many distractions surrounding the job security of Urban Meyer, and with the talent they lost from 2017, Ohio State’s expectations were a bit lower going into the 2018 season. The Buckeyes put a quick end to those questions after dominating Oregon State and Rutgers in their first two games. Their matchup with TCU at AT&T Stadium (AKA Jerryworld) had a lot of hype surrounding it, as it was a big non-conference test for Ohio State. The Buckeyes were able to battle back and win 40-28. Their game at Penn State had a similar feel going into it, and yet again Ohio State cane out on top after a slow start. Wins over Indiana and Minnesota put them at 7-0. What followed was something that is far worse than a black mark. Playing a mediocre Purdue team, Ohio State fell completely flat. Despite being a heavy favorite, the Buckeyes fell 49-20.

In their next three games, Ohio State also had very uninspiring wins over Maryland and Nebraska that they were lucky to win. This set up their rivalry game against Michigan, where Ohio State finally kicked it in gear and won 62-39. A win in the Big 10 Championship left Ohio State with a hope of being in the playoff. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, they were left out (and rightfully so). They took out their frustrations on Washington as they won the Rose Bowl to finish 13-1. This season was a good one for Ohio State, but the Purdue loss should leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

A big reason for Ohio State’s success was the play of quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Haskins threw for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns this season while completing 70% of his passes. His ability provided a spark for the offense, and was a big reason I believe Ohio State had the best skill position talent in the country last season. The duo of JK Dobbins and Mike Weber in the backfield was lethal as the two combined for over 2,000 rushing yards. Parris Campbell led all receivers with 1,063 receiving yards with KJ Hill and Terry McLaurin close behind him. On defense, Chase Young and Dre’Mont Jones led a strong defensive line as they combined for 27.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks. Malik Harrison had a strong season at linebacker and Jeffrey Okudah looked like a star in the making at cornerback.

What to Look Forward to

Ohio State has some success with the transfer portal this offseason as they brought in quarterback Justin Fields. Fields was a five-star recruit in 2018, but transferred out of Georgia, and was granted immediate eligibility for Ohio State. Fields will have plenty of weapons around him on offense as well. JK Dobbins will be back and should be one of the best running backs in the country in 2019. KJ Hill elected to return to Columbus and will be a playmaker at receiver. Freshman receiver Chris Olave broke out in the game against Michigan, and had a very strong end to his 2018 campaign. I think he will be a great player at receiver if he continues to improve. Defensively, Chase Young had a great season at defensive end in 2018, and should be even better this season. Malik Harrison will be back at linebacker and will look to be a leader on the defense. Jeffrey Okudah is primed for a breakout season at cornerback, and along with Damon Arnette should make up a great secondary. Ohio State’s recruiting class in 2019 had some standouts in it including a pair of five stars in defensive end Zach Harrison and receiver Garrett Wilson, who were both top 20 recruits.

What to be Concerned About

Dwayne Haskins was a great quarterback who was the main reason behind Ohio State’s offensive success. While Justin Fields has the potential to be on the level of Haskins in terms of ability, he is not there yet, nor would I expect him to be in 2019. Mike Weber declared for the draft, who was great with providing depth to the backfield. Ohio State loses three of their four leading receivers from 2018. Three starters on the offensive line are now gone. Dre’Mont Jones had a great season at defensive end, and with him gone, teams can now focus more of their attention on Chase Young. While he made some questionable off the field decisions, Urban Meyer was one of the best coaches in college football and his retirement nearly guarantees a step down at head coach. Ohio State lost another good coach as Greg Schiano is no longer defensive coordinator after accepting the same position with the New England Patriots. The Buckeyes still brought in some good recruits, but their class is far down from last year’s.

Goals for the 2019 Season

This coming season for Ohio State brings a changing of the guard with former offensive coordinator Ryan Day stepping in as head coach. While he has no head coaching experience, expectations are still high as this is a very talented team. The Buckeyes have narrowly missed out on the playoffs the last two seasons, and should be starving to get back in. This season will be a success if they can do that, or at the very least win the Big 10 while not losing by 30 points to a middle of the road team.

Penn State

Last Season in Review

Penn State started off 2018 with a bit of concern as they needed overtime to beat G5 opponent Appalachian State in their season opener. Penn State soon put those worries to bed though as they reeled off three straight 35+ point victories over Pittsburgh, Kent State, and Illinois. This made their game against Ohio State a game with tons of hype surrounding it. Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, they just fell short, and lost 27-26 (and James Franklin thought a read option was the best play call on 4th and 5 with the game on the line). Penn State did not rebound well from the loss either as they dropped their next game against Michigan State. Things finally were straightened out for the Nittany Lions as they beat Iowa and Maryland to give themselves a 6-2 record, giving them momentum for their matchup against Michigan. Unfortunately, that momentum did little as Penn State fell to Michigan 42-7. Things got back on track quickly as Penn State won their final three regular season games against Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Maryland. What was unfortunate was that they could not end their season on a high note as they fell to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl. This season was pretty much exactly what was expected for Penn State. There were opportunities to make more of it, but it is hard to scoff at a 9-4 record with what they had lost from 2017.

The heart and soul of this Penn State team was quarterback Trace McSorley. McSorley was an outstanding dual threat, who could always be relied upon to make things happen, or salvage a broken play. With big shoes to fill at running back, Miles Sanders had a good season with 1,274 rushing yards. One surprise on the offense was redshirt freshman receiver KJ Hamler leading the team with 754 receiving yards. On defense, there were quite a few playmakers as four players had over 10 tackles for loss. The leader of that group was defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos who had 20 tackles for loss and eight sacks. True freshman linebacker Micah Parsons had a good season as he led the team in tackles. Another standout on the defense was cornerback Amani Oruwariye, who was great in pass coverage.

What to Look Forward to

Penn State returns a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball. Micah Parsons seems to be living up to his five-star potential after a strong freshman season at linebacker. Yetur Gross-Matos was a dominant force at defensive end, and will be back in 2019. Gross-Matos will be someone opposing offenses have to completely game-plan around. Robert Windsor had a good season at defensive tackle that was a bit hampered by injury and will look to build upon it in his senior season in 2019. Safety Garrett Taylor emerged as a player who could step up and make tackles while also excelling in pass coverage with three interceptions and seven pass deflections, and should take more steps this season. Offensively, KJ Hamler was a pleasant surprise at receiver, and should go nowhere but up in 2019. Justin Shorter was a highly touted recruit in 2018, and should improve after looking good in spots while redshirting during the 2018 season. Penn State brought in another solid recruiting class headlined by Brandon Smith, a five-star recruit who was the nation’s top inside linebacker.

What to be Concerned About

It can not be overstated how much of an impact Trace McSorley had on Penn State both as a player and as a leader in the locker room. His ability and overall presence will be tough to replace. While many Penn State fans feel confident about Tommy Stevens, the likely starter in 2019, he will have a hard time playing close to McSorley’s level. Miles Sanders also will be gone after he declared early for the draft, leaving a home at running back. While Ricky Slade should be fine at the number one running back spot, he will be a step below what Penn State fans have been used to with Sanders, and especially with Saquon Barkley before him. Receiver Juwan Johnson transferred to Oregon, and while injuries limited him in 2018, it would have been nice to have him help along a new quarterback. Offensive linemen Ryan Bates and Connor McGovern both will be gone, and will be missed as they provided a lot of support for Penn State’s offense. Defensive end Shareef Miller had a great 2018 season, and will also be gone. The Nittany Lions will also miss cornerback Amani Oruwariye, who became someone that could be relied upon to shut down whoever he had to cover.

Goals for the 2019 Season

While there is a bit of change in personnel going on in State College, Penn State should not dip too far. Despite facing questions about his in game coaching, James Franklin has built a program that is loaded with talent at Penn State. There should be players ready to step up to the challenge. Another 9-3 regular season would be something to expect, while another trip to a NY6 Bowl would be nice. Penn State gets Michigan at home this season, and a win there would do a lot to help their standing in the arms race that is the Big 10 East.

Purdue

Last Season in Review

So allow me to tell you the story of probably the craziest season a team in college football had in 2018, that I still can not really comprehend. Purdue started off things in 2018 very poorly. An opening week loss to Northwestern was disappointing, but not fully unexpected. What was unexpected was a loss to Eastern Michigan the following week. Purdue dug themselves deeper into a hole by blowing a lead and losing to Missouri to fall to 0-3. While their record did not look good, they lost their first three games by a combined eight points. The Boilermakers snapped out of their slump and rattled off three straight wins over a ranked Boston College, at Nebraska, and at Illinois. This set up a home game against undefeated and second ranked Ohio State that Purdue just outright dominated as they won 49-20. Purdue fell back down to earth when they lost to Michigan State, but bounced back by winning a back and forth game against Iowa, but then were blown out by Minnesota and lost in triple overtime to Wisconsin. This set up their rivalry game against Indiana as a winner take all for bowl eligibility. Purdue came out on top (literally the exact same chain of events happened with this rivalry in 2017) in a 28-21 victory, slotting them to play Auburn in the Music City Bowl. Purdue seemed to have spent up all of their good luck early as they lost that game 70-14, finishing off the season at 6-7. This season for Purdue, while memorable, is hard to truly call a success. They won some great games over Ohio State, Iowa, and Boston College, but also had some bad losses against Eastern Michigan, Minnesota, and Auburn. It was a genuine challenge to figure out what to make of this team.

One very pleasant surprise for Purdue in 2018 was the outstanding play of true freshman receiver Rondale Moore. Moore has a hot start, strong Purdue’s all-purpose yards in game record in their season opener. Moore also led the nation with 114 catches, and had 1,258 receiving yards. Quarterback David Blough came out on top in a quarterback battle, and more than earned the job with a strong season. DJ Knox led the run game with 883 rushing yards. Linebacker Markus Bailey led the defense with 115 total tackles and 6.5 sacks. Cornel Jones also made some big plays, leading the team with 12.5 tackles for loss.

What to Look Forward to

Rondale Moore will be back after having the rare accomplishment of being named an All-American as a true freshman. Moore was an outstanding receiver who could also run the ball well and was a game-breaker in the return game. Tight end Brycen Hopkins will also be returning, and will look to be even more of a pass catching threat. On defense, The Boilermakers return four of their five leading tacklers from 2018. Markus Bailey will be back, and should continue to be a playmaker at linebacker. Also back is fellow linebacker Cornel Jones, who should contribute to a very strong linebacker unit. Navon Mosely was second on the team in total tackles and should have another strong season at safety in 2019. Jeff Brohm hit the recruiting trails hard this season as Purdue vastly improved upon their 2018 recruiting class. Defensive end George Karlaftis was a huge get for Purdue as he is the 59th ranked player in the country, a four-star recruit, and a native of West Lafayette.

What to be Concerned About

Purdue will have to replace running back DJ Knox who led the ground game last season. His backup, Markell Jones is also gone meaning Purdue does not return a running back who had over 50 rushing yards last season. Quarterback David Blough has a surprisingly good season in 2018, and will also be gone. Elijah Sindelar, the likely starter in 2019, did not look too great in the times he was in last season. Isaac Zico was Purdue’s second leading receiver in 2018, and without him opponents can focus more of their energy on Rondale Moore. Purdue will also be replacing four starters on the offensive line. Defensively, Antonio Blackmon was a solid cornerback, and will be tough to replace. Purdue has a tough non-conference schedule in 2019. They travel to Nevada, who is a good G5 program, and play TCU and Vanderbilt who will not be easy to beat.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Jeff Brohm is a head coach who will be under some pressure in 2019. He spurned the head coaching job at Louisville, his alma mater, and was given a very well paying contract by Purdue after two strong seasons. This means that expectations will be high. Getting to 7-5 in the regular season will be a nice goal to have, and to make a nice bowl game. This should be an expectation for someone paid as highly as Jeff Brohm.

Rutgers

Last Season in Review

Things looked good for Rutgers at the start of 2018, as they blew out Texas State in their opener. That was sadly the only time things looked good. The Scarlet Knights were blown out in their next three games against Ohio State, Kansas, and Buffalo. Rutgers was competitive in a 24-17 loss against Indiana, but moral victories only go so far. Two more blowouts followed before nearly pulling off the upset over Northwestern, and playing Wisconsin close. Any hope gained from that was dashed as Rutgers was blown out by Michigan, and lost to Penn State and Michigan State to finish the season 1-11, the lowest win total of any P5 program this season.

A big reason for a rough season was that Rutgers really struggled on offense. True freshman quarterback Artur Sitkowski struggled, completing less than half of his passes and throwing for just four touchdowns all season to 18 interceptions. Isaih Pacheco and Raheem Blackshear were a decent enough combo in the backfield, as they each surpassed 550 rushing yards. On defense, linebacker Trevor Morris led the Scarlet Knights with 105 total tackles. Avery Young and Saquon Hampton combined for 23 pass deflections in a better than expected secondary.

What to Look Forward to

Rutgers returns nine starters on the offensive side of the ball, including every skill position starter. Raheem Blackshear and Isaih Pacheco should turn into a good duo at running back, and they often times had to carry the offense in 2018. Blackshear can also be a good receiving threat as he led the team in receiving yards in 2018. Rutgers will bring in quarterback Johnny Langan from Boston College via the transfer portal who will compete for the starting gig, and has promise as a dual threat. Also back is cornerback Avery Young who had a strong freshman season, finishing third on the team in tackles.

What to be Concerned About

Rutgers loses quite a bit of production on defense. Trevor Morris led the team in tackles last season by a considerable margin and will be gone. Also gone is Saquon Hamilton at safety, who was probably the best player on defense for Rutgers. Morris and Hamilton have been contributors for multiple seasons and will be tough to replace. Offensive guard Jonah Jackson was the best player up front for the Scarlet Knights, and elected to transfer to Ohio State. Cornerback Isaiah Wharton is another player who has been consistently producing for Rutgers, and will be gone.

Goals for the 2019 Season

When Chris Ash first took the head coaching job at Rutgers, it was expected to be a tough rebuild. But with a 7-29 record after three seasons, fans can only be so patient. It looked like strides were made in 2017, but they all fell flat this past season. It looks like Ash could be coaching for his job, and while he does not need anything extreme, Rutgers needs to at least be competitive. They were not competitive in 2018. Winning a couple of Big 10 games while taking advantage of a weak non-conference schedule will go a long way for the Scarlet Knights and Ash’s job security.

Wisconsin

Last Season in Review

Wisconsin rolled through two G5 opponents in their first two games, but ran into some trouble against BYU. All around poor play and a missed field goal late led to a 24-21 loss which was the first home loss since 2016 for the Badgers. Wisconsin bounced back quickly with a win at Iowa and another win over Nebraska. This set up some hype around their matchup with Michigan. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, Michigan’s defense ripped them to complete shreds. A win over Illinois in their next game looked to have patched up things, but they fell at Northwestern the following week. That loss essentially dashed their hopes for a Big 10 Wes title, and Wisconsin seemed a bit depleted afterwards as they struggled to beat Rutgers and then fell to Penn State. A triple overtime victory over Purdue was nice, but losing to Minnesota for the first time since 2003 was not. Wisconsin was able to salvage things a bit after trouncing Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl, making their record 8-5. This season had some good moments, but overall will be seen as a disappointment for the Badgers.

On offense, Wisconsin almost entirely ran through running back Jonathan Taylor. Taylor ran for 2,194 yards on the season, and it was not due to an overwhelming amount of carries as he put up 7.1 yards per carry. Wisconsin also had a very strong and physical offensive line as per usual. This line was led by David Edwards, (who was an option quarterback in high school) Beau Benzschawel, and Michael Deiter. Defensively, linebacker TJ Edwards led the team with 112 total tackles. Andrew Van Ginkel and Ryan Connelly rounded out a strong group of linebackers. Another solid player on the defense was safety D’Cota Dixon who had a solid season that was unfortunately cut a bit shirt because of injury.

What to Look Forward to

Jonathan Taylor is back and barring injury will be the best running back in the country. Taylor carried Wisconsin’s offense in 2018, and can be relied upon yet again in 2019. Receivers AJ Taylor and Danny Davis will be back as well as tight end Jake Ferguson, meaning the Badgers will see their three leading receivers from 2018 returning. Tyler Biadasz is back at offensive line, and will look to have a strong season. Defensively, linebacker Zack Baun is a good candidate to have a breakout season after doing well in 2018, which was his first full season. There is a lot of buzz about four-star quarterback recruit Graham Mertz. Mertz was the third ranked pro-style quarterback in this class, and should be the starter going into 2019. Mertz, along with five star offensive tackle Logan Brown, are a big reason that Wisconsin’s recruiting class improved upon 2018.

What to be Concerned About

Wisconsin loses the three stars of their offensive line. David Edwards, Beau Benzschawel, and Michael Deiter were anchors on a very talented offensive line, and they will be tough to replace even at a offensive lineman factory like Wisconsin. Taiwan Deal has graduated, decreasing the depth in the backfield. Alex Hornibrook, last year’s starting quarterback, has elected to transfer. While he was not too great at quarterback, it does mean that Wisconsin is placing all of their bets on Graham Mertz, who is talented, but it is a bit risky to have so much faith in a four-star freshman. TJ Edwards is gone at linebacker, as is the rest of the starting linebacker unit. This will be tough for a team who had some struggles defensively last season. Olive Sagapolu was a very good defensive tackle who will be missed. Wisconsin’s schedule during Big 10 play will be pretty tough. In cross-division games, they will have to travel to Ohio State and also play Michigan and an improved Michigan State.

Goals for the 2019 Season

Wisconsin took a bit of a step back in 2018 after winning their division in 2016 and 2017. This team has the potential to take back the division, and should expect to do that. Winning against either Ohio State or Michigan in the regular season would be big for the Badgers as well. Wisconsin also needs to actually win the Big 10 Championship at some point, and that should be their goal for this season. It might be tough, but it is doable.

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Twitter: @BlogBoyBeathard

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