With the season long over and spring practice ending prematurely, it is time to look back on each team’s 2019 season and give their outlook for 2020. In this article, I will do this with every Big 10 team. If you are looking for a specific team, they are listed in alphabetical order. I also did not bring up the ending of spring practice and lack of offseason workouts for each individual team because I think we all know this is an issue that will affect every team.

Illinois

Last Season

Illinois started off the season 2-0, but only by narrowly beating an abysmal Connecticut team was a bit worrying. The Fighting Illini were hit by an upset in their next game, falling to Eastern Michigan. A loss to Nebraska the next week had them at .500 and their losing streak ballooned to four games with losses to Minnesota and Michigan. Illinois looked to be falling into a full-on tailspin but somehow broke out of it by pulling off a big upset win over sixth ranked Wisconsin. They then beat Purdue and Rutgers, and secured bowl eligibility with an improbable comeback win over Michigan State. The Fighting Illini hung tough against Iowa, but ultimately fell short, then ended the regular season with an inexplicable loss to Northwestern. In their first bowl appearance since 2014, Illinois fell to Cal in the RedBox Bowl. While a bowl loss was disappointing, this was a crazy season that I think Illinois fans will remember for a while.

What to Look Forward to

Brandon Peters returns at quarterback for the Fighting Illini. Peters was solid in his first season at Illinois and I think fans should feel confident in him after he has had another season in Champaign. Peters is not the flashiest, but he gets the job done. Ra’Von Bonner has had a consistent role as a secondary back the last three seasons, and I think he should seamlessly transition into a bigger role. The Fighting Illini also get back Mike Epstein at running back who was a solid rotational back in 2017 and 2018 but went down for the season in 2019 in their opening game. Josh Imatorbhebhe returns at receiver after being the team’s primary target last season. The USC transfer is an insane athlete as he has size, speed, and explosiveness. I expect Imatorbhebhe to be an even bigger part of the passing game this season. Donny Navarro, Casey Washington, and Ricky Smalling also return at receiver after all three out up decent numbers but had their seasons cut short due to injury. At tight end, Daniel Barker returns after starting last season. The Fighting Illini will also add Luke Ford at tight end this season who transferred to Illinois before last season but had to sit out because the transfer rules are dumb. Ford is someone that I think will definitely see reps this season. Illinois also returns four starters on the offensive line, including tackles Vederian Lowe and Alex Palczewski who will both be impact players. Ayo Shogbonyo returns at defensive end, as does Jamal Woods who made an impact while on the field in an injury shortened season. Isaiah Gay is another player at defensive end who will definitely see time. Wisconsin transfer Christian Bell is someone that will also see time at defensive end or outside linebacker. Getting outside linebacker Jake Hansen back will be nice as he was third on the team in tackles last season and forced seven fumbles despite missing four games. Milo Eifler had a strong season in his first season for the Fighting Illini, and I think he will only get better. Khalan Tolson also returns in the linebacking corps and I expect him to be a key backup. Tony Adams and Nate Hobbs return as the starting cornerbacks. Also at cornerback, Marquez Beason was a top 100 recruit in the class of 2019 that missed all of last season with a knee injury. I am sure he will find his way into the field this season. Safety Sydney Brown finished second on the team in tackles and tied for first on the team in interceptions and will be another nice player to have back. Joseph Kerby saw a lot of reps last season at free safety and should transition seamlessly into a starter. In terms of scheduling, Illinois does not play a power five team in non-conference play, nor do they play an FBS team that had a winning record last season.

What to be Concerned About

While his production dropped a bit in 2019, Reggie Corbin has led the team in rushing yards the last two seasons and losing him will be difficult. Dre Brown took a step forward in 2019 and his loss coupled with losing Corbin will really hurt the depth at running back for the Fighting Illini as with Corbin and Brown gone, the top returning running back on this team had just 225 rushing yards last season. Illinois also loses Justice Williams at tight end, who did well in a rotational role after converting from linebacker before 2018. The offensive line loses Richie Petitbon who was a solid starter for the Fighting Illini after graduate transferring from Alabama before last season started. The signing of Oluwole Betiku at defensive end as a graduate transfer was a very nice get for the Fighting Illini last season. In 10 games, Betiku was one off of the lead on the team in tackles for loss and led the team in sacks with over double second place. He was a big contributor in 2019 and losing him to the draft will be disappointing. Illinois also loses both starting defensive tackles from last season as Tymir Oliver and Jamal Milan have both graduated. At middle linebacker, Dele Harding led the team with 149 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and three interceptions and will be gone. Harding was a do everything guy for this defense who made massive contributions and losing him will definitely be difficult. The Fighting Illini also lose Stanley Green at free safety, which will be a hit for the secondary. With recruiting, Illinois finished with the worst recruiting class in the Big 10 and among Power Five teams. This result is a bit concerning especially with a coaching staff that is not new.

Goals for 2020

Illinois had an honestly improbable run in 2019. The Fighting Illini got to six wins and even while looking at their scores, it is crazy that they pulled off their wins over Wisconsin and Michigan State. This season was a big step in the right direction for this program and probably saved Lovie Smith his job. For 2020, I think the expectation should be to return to bowl eligibility and hope to build upon last season.

Indiana

Last Season

Indiana started off 2019 with two wins but were blown out by Ohio State in their Big 10 opener. A loss to Michigan State had the Hoosiers at 3-2 and 0-2 in Big 10 play, but it was there were they made a run. It started off with wins over Rutgers and Maryland and the Hoosiers clinched bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016 with a 38-31 win over Nebraska. A win over Northwestern put Indiana at 7-2 and ranked in the top 25. Unfortunately, the win streak could not continue as the Hoosiers lost a close one to Penn State and fell to Michigan the next week. A win over Purdue in the Battle for the Old Oaken Bucket wrapped up their regular season at 8-4. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, they lost to Tennessee in the Gator Bowl but still finished the season with a solid 8-5 record, their highest win total since 1993.

What to Look Forward to

After an injury riddled 2019, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be back and healthy for the Hoosiers. Penix appeared in six games in 2019 and completed 68% of his passes on 8.8 yards per attempt and a touchdown to interception ratio of 10/4. He is a very solid athlete and while he could afford to sharpen his throwing mechanics, his arm talent is evident, and he poses a real threat as a runner and should be a solid player. At running back, Stevie Scott returns after leading the team in rushing yards for two straight seasons. While his numbers went down in 2019, I expect Scott to still be a solid backfield option, and the same goes for Sampson James as a secondary back. At receiver, Whop Philyor elected to return to school after going over 1,000 receiving yards last season and I expect him to take another step up this season playing out of the slot. Ty Fryfogle also returns at receiver and I think he will be a very good secondary target. Four-star freshman Rashawn Williams is someone that could work his way into the rotation at receiver. Caleb Jones and Matthew Bedford are both back as the starting offensive tackles. The Hoosiers also added Dylan Powell at guard via the transfer portal. Jerome Johnson was a key player on the defensive line for Indiana last season, leading the team in sacks. Getting him back at defensive tackle will pay dividends. Demarcus Elliott returns as the other starter at defensive tackle and Michael Ziemba and James Head Jr. return as the starters at defensive end. The Hoosiers also add Jovan Swann as a graduate transfer from Stanford via the transfer portal. Swann was a starter for Stanford and should be an impact player this season. Micah McFadden is back at linebacker after leading the team in tackles and tackles for loss last season. McFadden fills the linebacker role well in Indiana’s 4-2-5 defense and will definitely be an asset again in 2020. Thomas Allen, son of head coach Tom Allen, missed five games in 2019, but was a quality rotational player when he was on the field and I expect him to transition to a starting role at linebacker in 2020. Marcelino Ball returns at the husky position and should find more success in 2020. He is someone the Hoosiers can count on as he has been a playmaker since his freshman season. Tiawan Mullen had a very impressive freshman campaign at cornerback with 13 pass deflections and I only expect him to improve this season. Indiana also has a pretty easy non-conference schedule as they do not face a single power five opponent or team who had a winning record in 2019.

What to be Concerned About

While the return of Michael Penix Jr. at quarterback is definitely a good thing, his injury concerns are something to be concerned about as he missed time the last two seasons. Indiana also has been lucky to have Peyton Ramsey as a quality backup, but he now elected to transfer. To add insult to injury, Ramsey transferred to conference foe Northwestern. Not having that safety net there if an injury at quarterback happens can definitely be concerning. While none of them were major contributors last season, Indiana has three running backs in the transfer portal right now and that does not count Sampson James who entered and the chose to stay in Bloomington. At receiver, Indiana loses quite a bit of depth. Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale have both been solid contributors in the receiving corps the last few seasons and losing them will definitely hurt. While I think Whop Philyor is a good receiver, having your top target by a considerable margin be primarily a slot receiver is typically not ideal. Tight end Peyton Hendershot was second on the team in receiving yards last season and can play in 2020 but his status with the team is uncertain after an arrest for domestic battery and felony residential entry last month led to a suspension from the team. Guard Simon Stepaniak was the best player on the offensive line last season, and he will be gone. At linebacker, Raekwon Jones was second on the team in tackles last season and has graduated. There also is not a clear-cut answer at the position now that he is gone, which can be concerning. At safety, the Hoosiers lose Khalil Bryant who was one of the more consistent playmakers on the defense throughout last season. At cornerback, Andre Brown Jr. is gone after being a contributor in a rotational role. In the coaching staff, Kalen DeBoer had a good first season as offensive coordinator in 2019 but chose to leave to take the head coaching job at Fresno State.

Goals for 2020

Indiana had a season in 2019 that might not be immortalized but will definitely be a positive memory in the eyes of Hoosier fans. With some of their opponents having down years, it was a perfect time for Indiana to rattle off an eight-win season, and they did just that. Tom Allen looks to have hopefully given the program the lift he was hired on to bring. The Hoosiers have a slightly tougher conference schedule this season, but I still think that eight wins is something they can definitely pull off again. I think that should be a reasonable goal this season, and hopefully make #9Windiana a thing as well.

Iowa

Last Season

Iowa started off the 2019 season with a 2-0 record over two easier opponents. With College GameDay in Ames for Iowa’s matchup with rival Iowa State in the Cy-Hawk Classic, the Hawkeyes came out on top 18-17 in an ugly game that had a multiple hour lightning delay. Iowa suffered their first two losses in back to back games against Michigan and Penn State where the offense just could not get it done. Two wins over Purdue and Northwestern were nice but did little to raise confidence. In a game that could have kept the Hawkeyes right in the Big 10 West title hunt, they fell 24-22 to rival Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes did have a nice bounce back game though as they beat then undefeated Minnesota 23-19 and beat Illinois and rival Nebraska to round out the regular season with a 9-3 record. In the Holiday Bowl, Iowa laid waste to USC to finish the season at 10-3.

What to Look Forward to

The Hawkeyes return their top two running backs from last season. Tyler Goodson led the team in rushing yards as a true freshman and was also a reliable receiver out of the backfield. The same goes for Mekhi Sargent who has been a nice rotational back the last couple seasons. Receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette also returns and is the most dynamic player on the offense. Smith-Marsette led the team with 722 receiving yards and added another 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns to lead the team in yards from scrimmage. Smith-Marsette is a great athlete that is dynamic with the ball in his hands and is also a very good kick returner. Getting him back will be very helpful for Iowa’s offense. Tyrone Tracy Jr., Brandon Smith, and Nico Ragiani all return as well. Smith tied for first on the team in receiving yards, while Ragiani and Tracy both had strong showings in their redshirt freshman seasons in 2019. Iowa’s offensive line was hit with good news when tackle Alaric Jackson announced that he would return to school. Jackson was a quality starter that will be the anchor of the offensive front for the Hawkeyes in 2020 and should do it well. Chauncey Golston returns at defensive end after starting and being a big contributor the last couple seasons. Daviyon Nixon was a solid rotational player last season and should seamlessly transition into a starting role at defensive tackle. Djimon Colbert returns at linebacker after starting last season, and Nick Niemann looks to improve upon an injury shortened 2019 season. Matt Hankins returns at cornerback and should take the number one cornerback spot while Riley Moss should transition well into a starting role. Jack Koerner also returns as the starter at free safety. Keith Duncan was one of the top kickers in the country last season and getting him back will definitely be a help.

What to be Concerned About

Iowa will be without a three-year starter at quarterback as Nate Stanley has graduated. Stanley was an experienced player who led the offense well and was someone Iowa could rely upon the last few seasons. That sense of consistency will be gone without him and now the Hawkeyes will have to find a new starter. Peyton Mansell was expected to compete for the starting gig this season and he left via the transfer portal. Redshirt sophomore Spencer Petras is the likely starter for 2020, but he has just 11 career attempts. Redshirt freshman Alex Padilla and true freshman Deuce Hogan could also compete for the job. At running back, Toren Young made a surprising decision to leave early for the NFL Draft. Young was Iowa’s best power back last season and losing him will create less depth at the position. At tight end, the Hawkeyes lose Nate Wieting and lack proven talent at a position that has been a strength of this team in previous seasons. On the offensive line, Iowa loses Tristan Wirfs who was a first team all-Big 10 tackle last season and will likely hear his name called in the first 10-15 picks of the upcoming NFL Draft. Wirfs is powerful and punishing in pass protection and definitely will be missed. Landan Paulsen will also be gone at guard after starting last season. On the defensive line, the Hawkeyes loss AJ Epenesa who was an elite athlete and pass rusher who will be a first-round draft pick. Epenesa was a great athlete and created havoc in the backfield regularly, and that level of a pass rushing threat will be tough to replace. Both starting defensive tackles from 2019 will also be gone as Brady Reiff and Cedrick Lattimore have both graduated. Kristian Welch led the team in tackles last season despite missing three games and will also be gone. Safety Geno Stone was heavily involved in the defense last season and declared early for the draft. Michael Ojemudia also is gone after being the team’s top cornerback last season, leading the team in interceptions and pass deflections.

Goals for 2020

Iowa has been a solid program the last few seasons, but it they have yet to get that extra gear recently and rattle off a season like 2015 or 2009. While I am not sure that 2020 is the time for it, building toward that should be the main focus for this program for this upcoming season. I think some retooling on offense would be a big help as well as there is real uncertainty at quarterback. In terms of win goals, getting to 10 wins again, beating Wisconsin for the first time since 2015, or at least keeping in-state rival Iowa State at an arm’s reach are all things to shoot for.

Maryland

Last Season

Maryland started off last season red hot as they racked up 79 points in a win over FCS foe Howard and blew out then ranked Syracuse 63-20 in week two. After that 2-0 start, Maryland earned a spot in the top 25. Unfortunately, that ranking did not last long at the Terrapins lost to Temple in their next game, then lost 59-0 to Penn State the next week. A win over Rutgers was a sign of hope, but the blowout loss to Purdue erased that hope. Maryland played Indiana close but lost, then lost four consecutive games by at least 30 points. In their season finale, they hung with Michigan State before ultimately losing 19-16 to finish the regular season 3-9 after a 3-2 start.

What to Look Forward to

The Terrapins finally look to have some continuity at quarterback as Josh Jackson returns after starting in 2019. Jackson had a bit of a rough transition to Maryland, but I think he should get more acclimated with more experience. If he can be as good as he was at Virginia Tech, I think Maryland’s offense will take a big step forward. At running back, Maryland seemed to restock fairly well as they bring in Jordan Castleberry from Michigan via the transfer portal, have Tayon Fleet-Davis back, and bring in four-star freshman Penny Boone. At receiver, the Terrapins bring back Dontay Demus who has been their number one option the last two seasons. Brian Cobbs, Daryl Jones, and Carlos Carriere all were contributors and started at times last year and are back. Jeshaun Jones started at receiver as a true freshman in 2018 but missed all of 2019 after tearing his ACL in fall camp. Getting him back for 2020 will definitely add to the passing game. It was big news for the Maryland program as well when they managed to flip five-star receiver Rakim Jarrett from LSU late in the recruiting cycle. I expect Jarrett to be an immediate impact player. Chigziem Okonkwo also returns at tight end. On the offensive line, Maryland returns both starting offensive tackles from last season. On the defensive line, Sam Okuayinonu returns and should do well with a bigger role. Shaq Smith returns as the jack linebacker position after starting last season. Four-star freshman Ruben Hyppolite II will also look to make an immediate impact. Ayinde Eley and Chance Campbell return as the starters at inside linebacker. Nick Cross started at strong safety as a true freshman in 2019 and should improve with a year of starting under his belt. Jordan Mosley made an impact last season as a key backup at safety and I think he will make a push for a starting gig. Deonte Banks started at cornerback as a true freshman last season and I also expect him to improve.

What to be Concerned About

In the run game, Maryland loses their top two leading rushers from last season as both Javon Leake and Anthony McFarland elected to leave school early for the NFL Draft. Leake and McFarland were Maryland’s top two finishers in yards from scrimmage and will definitely be missed. In terms of the passing game, Jackson’s lack of production last season was a bit disappointing and I worry about how he will improve in that regard. Tyler Mabry is gone at tight end after starting last season. On the offensive line, guard Sean Christie and center McKinnie Ellis are gone after starting last season. The Terrapins also lose all three starters on the defensive line from 2019. Defensive end Brett Kulka and defensive tackle Keiron Howard finished in the top three on the team in sacks and will both be tough to replace as will nose guard Seun Oluwatimi. Outside linebacker Keandre Jones was a nice get in the transfer portal before last season. Jones led the team in sacks and tackles for loss and was third on the team in tackles. His ability to make big plays will definitely be missed. Safety Antoine Brooks made plays all over the field as he led the team in tackles and pass deflections and was second in tackles for loss. His absence will leave a big hole in the secondary. Marcus Lewis will also be gone at cornerback. Maryland was also hit hard with transfers as 18 players are now in the transfer portal. While 14 of those players have yet to sign somewhere else, I still think that is not very encouraging to see. This is especially concerning as it does not speak well on first year head coach Mike Locksley. Hopefully, this is just a product of Locksley wanting the right kind of players for his system, but it is very tough to make this seem like a good thing.

Goals for 2020

Maryland’s football program has been in a tough spot the last couple seasons. What happened with them in the summer of 2018 with the tragic death of Jordan McNair and the subsequent coach firings was something that is tough to bounce back from as a program and as an individual team. Last season was very much the first year of a rebuild but the Terrapins unfortunately still lose quite a bit of production from last season, so in terms of roster makeup, it was not a rebuild. I think this season will be challenging at first, but Maryland fans and staff should have the expectation that players will play hard and compete throughout the season and buy into Locksley’s system. The main goal should just be to get better as the season goes along.

Michigan

Last Season

Michigan started off last season with two wins, but neither of them did much to inspire confidence as they struggled early with Middle Tennessee and needed double overtime to beat Army. These concerns really came to light in their conference opener after they were blown out by Wisconsin. A few wins later, and Michigan again fell to Penn State, but their second half performance was inspiring. In their next matchup, Michigan seemed to get the monkey off their back as they blew out Notre Dame 45-14. They won their next three games in dominant fashion and headed into their rivalry game against Ohio State with a lot of momentum. Unfortunately, their woes against Ohio State continued as they fell 56-27 in Ann Arbor. They also failed to end the season on a high note as they lost to Alabama in the Citrus Bowl to finish the season 9-4.

What to Look Forward to

While the Wolverines lose Shea Patterson at quarterback, I think the staff and many fans are excited about what Dylan McCaffrey can bring to the table. McCaffrey, the younger brother of Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, has done well in spots and I think will find success as a full-time starter. Many Michigan fans clamored for him to get a shot as a starter the last couple years and I think he will do well when given the opportunity. The Wolverines had a bit of a tough time finding a go to guy at running back in 2019, but they return and add some people that should make an impact. Chris Evans was the secondary back for the team in 2018 but missed all of last season due to academic issues. Zach Charbonnet led the team in rushing yards as a true freshman last season, and Hassan Haskins was close behind him. Both will be back. The Wolverines also add four-star recruit Blake Corum who could challenge for some carries. I think the backfield will likely be split at first until someone distances themselves, but it will be nice to have some decent options available. Ronnie Bell and Nico Collins were the two leading receivers on the team last season and will both be back. Both of these two have been solid and I think Bell could be a potential breakout player in 2020 as he improved throughout last season. At tight end, Nick Eubanks returns after starting last season. At defensive end, the Wolverines return both starters from last season as Kwity Paye elected to hold off on entering the draft. Paye led the team in tackles for loss while Aidan Hutchinson was close behind him and led the team in forced fumbles last season while also knocking down six passes. The two of them should be a strong duo for this upcoming season. Carlo Kemp started at defensive tackle last season and also returns. Cameron McGrone and Michael Barrett are a couple of players to watch for as they take on a bigger role this upcoming season. Daxton Hill had a strong true freshman season playing some at safety and nickel back. I think Hill is a player to watch this season as I think he could be the next player in line in Michigan’s recent run of great defensive backs. Ambry Thomas and Brad Hawkins were also starters in the secondary in 2019 and should only improve this season.

What to be Concerned About

While he might not have quite lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he transferred to Michigan, losing Shea Patterson at quarterback leaves more uncertainty at a position where Michigan has struggled through the Jim Harbaugh era. Dylan McCaffrey seems fine as the next man up, but he is not going to magically solve the problems Michigan’s offense ran into at times last season. At receiver, Michigan loses Donovan Peoples-Jones who was a consistent part of the offense the last three seasons as well as a very good punt returner. When he was healthy, Tarik Black was a very impactful player at receiver and seeing him transfer to Boston College will definitely be disappointing. Sean McKeon was also an impact player in the passing game at tight end and it will hurt to lose him. The Wolverines also lose four starters on the offensive line, including quality starters like Jon Runyan and Cesar Ruiz. This will be a huge hit for the offense and something that will be tough for Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to overcome. On the defensive line, Michael Danna was a solid rotational player last season as a graduate transfer from Central Michigan and losing him will have a negative impact on depth. Michael Dwumfour saw a lot of action at defensive end last season, but elected to answer the transfer portal, which decreases depth even more. Jordan Glasgow was second on the team in tackles last season at inside linebacker and will be gone. Outside linebackers Josh Uche and Khaleke Hudson were two very fun players to watch and were tremendous playmakers, which makes losing both of them tough. Jordan Anthony likely would have filled in for one of them as a starter at outside linebacker, but he elected to transfer. Cornerback Lavert Hill led the team in interceptions and pass deflections last season while missing two games and will be a tough guy to lose. Josh Metellus will also be gone after starting at strong safety in 2019. The Wolverines also have a fairly tough schedule in 2020 as the game against Ohio State will be in Columbus, they have to go to East Lansing for their always heated rivalry with Michigan State, and they have to play what will likely be a good Minnesota team on the road the following week, and they also play at Washington on opening weekend.

Goals for 2020

Michigan’s 2019 started off very disappointingly, it improved quite a bit, then it crashed and burned at the end. Jim Harbaugh has been in Ann Arbor for five seasons, and with his sixth being this season, he needs to prove he is not plateauing. Michigan is a storied program with a history behind them that sets high expectations. While I think Harbaugh is a tremendous coach who should not be on the hot seat, many people probably disagree with me. The root of the dissatisfaction some Michigan fans have with Harbaugh is that he is 0-5 against Ohio State and have lost four straight bowl games. While I hate putting so much stock into one game, the Ohio State game is about as much of a must win as any game for a team this season. At the very least, Michigan should aim to hold down second place in the Big 10 East.

Michigan State

Last Season

Michigan State started off the 2019 season with a dominant defensive performance in their win over Tulsa and took care of business against Western Michigan the next week. Unfortunately, the Spartans had a penalty call back what would have been a game tying field goal and lost to Arizona State. Michigan State was able to bounce back with two more wins but ran into a brick wall when they were blown out by three top 10 teams in Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State. A loss to Illinois after holding a 28-3 lead and a blowout loss to rival Michigan put the Spartans at 4-6. With their backs against the wall, Michigan State was able to win their final two games over Rutgers and Maryland to get to six wins. In the Pinstripe Bowl against Wake Forest, the Spartans came out victorious to finish the season 7-6. A month after the season, longtime head coach Mark Dantonio resigned, and Colorado head coach Mel Tucker was hired.

What to Look Forward to

While Mark Dantonio was a very good coach for Michigan State and did a lot for their program, there was some dissatisfaction among Michigan State fans with his refusal to fire staff members that were clearly underperforming and his failure to improve or change up their offense in recent years. Bringing in someone new at head coach should help give a jolt to a program that has stagnated a bit recently. Mel Tucker looks to be someone that can really bring on a culture change and be a good new face to the program. Looking further onto the the staff, Scottie Hazelton was a great hire at defensive coordinator, as he has had success at both of his most recent stops at Wyoming and Kansas State. In terms of on the field, the Spartans return Elijah Collins at running back, who established himself well as the number one back during his redshirt freshman season in 2019 and was the only offensive player Michigan State had last season to be on any of the all-Big 10 teams. Tre Mosley and Julian Barnett saw some action at receiver as true freshmen and I think that will pay dividends for them as they take on a greater role this season. Injuries limited Jalen Nailor to four games last season, and getting him back and healthy this season will also be big for the receiving corps. On the offensive line, the Spartans return four starters. Jacub Panasiuk returns at defensive end after starting last season. Linebacker Antjuan Simmons led the team in tackles and tied for the lead in tackles for loss last season and will be back in 2020. Simmons should expect to be the leader of the defense this season and I think he will step into that role well. Noah Harvey started at the other outside linebacker role last season and returns. Xavier Henderson was second on the team behind Simmons in tackles and returns as the starter at strong safety. Shakur Brown saw a lot of reps at cornerback last season and will also be back.

What to be Concerned About

While injuries prevented from reaching his true potential, Brian Lewerke was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Spartans. Lewerke was a solid dual threat who did well with the hand he was dealt and losing him will be tough. I suspect redshirt junior Rocky Lombardi will win the job of starting quarterback this season, but Theo Day and Payton Thorne will be in contention. Regardless, I think the transition at quarterback will be a tough one for the Spartans, at least to start the season. A big reason for this is also the fact that the top three leading receivers from last season are gone. Cody White led the team in receiving yards and will be gone, as will Darrell Stewart Jr. who led them in yards per game, as well as tight end Matt Seybert. The Spartans return just one player who had more than 200 receiving yards last season. While there is some retention on the offensive line, the unit as a whole was something that definitely held back the offense last season and needs to improve. On the defensive line, the Spartans lose their best pass rusher in Kenny Willekes, who had at least 13 tackles for loss and five sacks in three consecutive seasons. Mike Panasiuk and Raequan Williams are also gone along the defensive line. While Michigan State was without him for their final five games, it will still hurt for them to lose Joe Bachie at linebacker as well as Tyriq Thompson. I felt like the front seven was definitely the team’s strength last season and unfortunately, they lose almost every impact player from that unit. Both starting cornerbacks from last season also depart as Josh Butler has graduated and Josiah Scott declared early for the draft. The secondary will also take another hit as they lose David Dowell at free safety. In terms of their schedule, the Spartans have a couple of tough out of conference games as they travel to BYU and play against Miami. Their cross division matchups in Big 10 play also include a game against Minnesota and a trip to Iowa City to face off with Iowa.

Goals for 2020

Michigan State has stagnated a bit as a program the last few years and I think they are likely in need of a retooling. I think Mel Tucker can give this program the remodeling they have needed, but it probably will not be immediate. For this season, I think the Spartans should aim to try and have a winning record in conference play and hopefully knock off in-State rival Michigan after losing their last two matchups. In terms of player performance, showing progress offensively will be very nice to see.

Minnesota

Last Season

Minnesota started off the 2019 season with some concern as they only beat FCS foe South Dakota State 28-21, then struggled to beat Fresno State and Georgia Southern after that. Their conference opener had more concern as they beat Purdue by seven points. After that, the Golden Gophers proved their worth with blowout wins over Illinois and Nebraska to start off 6-0. Minnesota shot into the top 25 after that win and racked up two more wins after that to be 8-0 and set up an undefeated matchup with Penn State. The Golden Gophers came to play in this game, upsetting eighth ranked Penn State 31-26 and shooting into the top 10. Unfortunately, the high of that win did not last long as they fell to Iowa in their next game, and with a Big 10 West title on the line, they also lost Paul Bunyan’s Axe to Wisconsin to finish the regular season 10-2. Thankfully, Minnesota ended their season on a high note by beating Auburn in the Outback Bowl to finish the season ranked tenth.

What to Look Forward to

Minnesota should expect to have one of the best quarterbacks in the country as Tanner Morgan returns. Morgan made a leap in 2019 as he completed 66% of his passes and threw for 3,253 yards with a touchdown to interception ratio of 30/7 while surpassing 10 yards per attempt. Morgan’s step up in play really opened up Minnesota’s offense and I think he could be one of the five to ten best quarterbacks in the country this season. Morgan will also have the luxury of throwing to Rashod Bateman again. Bateman had a tremendous sophomore season with 1,219 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Bateman is one of the best receivers in the country as he was first team all-Big 10 last season and will likely be a first round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. His simultaneous ability to be a consistent deep threat while having tremendous hands and an ability to make contested catches will be very valuable to Minnesota’s offense this season. Chris Autman-Bell and Demetrius Douglas are also back after being solid secondary options in 2019, and I think four-star freshman Daniel Jackson could see some early playing time as well. Mohamed Ibrahim returns at running back for the Golden Gophers. Ibrahim went for 1,160 rushing yards in 10 games in 2018 but gave up more carries when Rodney Smith was healthy in 2019. Still, Ibrahim saw little change in yards per carry (it dropped from 5.7 to 5.3 which I do not find to be too significant) and has shown an ability to be a lead back. Shannon Brooks will also be back as a secondary back. Minnesota returns all five starters on the offensive line from last season. Guard Blaise Andries and tackle Daniel Faalele look to be the two strong spots of that unit. On the defensive line, Boye Mafe and Esezi Otomewo return at defensive end. Both of them did well in rotational roles last season and should put up better numbers with increased reps in 2020. Four-star freshman Itayvion Brown was recruited as an outside linebacker but I think he could see some time at defensive end in Minnesota’s 4-2-5 defense. Mariano Sori-Marin will be back as a starter at linebacker. At cornerback, Coney Durr is back after leading the team in pass deflections in 2019. Jordan Howden returns at safety, and I expect him to be the best player on the defense this season. In terms of their schedule, I think the Golden Gophers should not have to sweat it out too much in non-conference play.

What to be Concerned About

Minnesota will take a hit in the passing game with the graduation of Tyler Johnson at receiver. Johnson went over 1,100 receiving yards for two seasons in a row and led the team with 1,318 receiving yards last season. With Johnson gone, there will be an added pressure on Rashod Bateman as he will be far and away the number one option for the Golden Gophers at receiver. Rodney Smith also departs at running back after leading the team with 1,163 rushing yards last season. Smith, like Johnson, also served as a veteran leader on the team and will be missed in that regard as well. The offense will also be hurt by the departure of offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. To add insult to injury, Ciarrocca left Minnesota for a job at Big 10 foe Penn State. I think Mike Sanford was a solid hire to be the new offensive coordinator, but the transition process could be tough. On the defensive line, Minnesota loses four key players from last season’s team. Carter Coughlin led the team in tackles for loss last season and has been a consistent pass rushing threat the last couple seasons and will be a tough guy to replace. Fellow starting defensive end Winston DeLattiboudere will also be gone. Sam Renner led the team in sacks at defensive tackle, a tough task to pull off. He will be gone, as will Micah Dew-Treadway who was a solid starter during his time as a graduate transfer for the Golden Gophers. Linebacker Thomas Barber was second on the team in tackles last season and will also be gone. The departure of Antoine Winfield Jr. at safety will be a very impactful one for the Golden Gophers. Winfield led the team in solo and total tackles last season and also picked off an astounding seven passes. Winfield made plays all over the field last season and will leave a big hole in Minnesota’s defense that will be tough to fill in. Safety Chris Williamson and cornerback Benjamin St. Juste also depart after starting last season. Kiondre Thomas was expected to replace St. Juste at cornerback but he is currently in the transfer portal. Minnesota will also have a tougher slate of conference games this season as they travel to East Lansing to play Michigan State and revive the battle for the Little Brown Jug with Michigan.

Goals for 2020

Minnesota’s breakout season was one of my favorite stories of 2019. The big question right now is whether or not this level of play can be sustainable or was 2019 just one of those seasons where everything broke right. Personally, I think they can have a repeat of their previous success, but it will not be easy this season. The defense will have to undergo a rebuild and find some new players to step up as quality starters. In terms of goals, I think winning their rivalry matchups, or at least coming out with a winning record against Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin is something to aim for. If they can pull that off, a Big 10 West title will definitely be in their grasp.

Nebraska

Last Season

Nebraska entered last season with quite a bit of hype surrounding them, but did little to live up to it in their first two games as their offense struggled against a weak South Alabama team, and they lost at Colorado the following week, going 0-2 in the home and home with their former Big 8 rival. Two more wins seemed to ease some concern and College GameDay came to town for their matchup with Ohio State. Unfortunately for the Cornhuskers, it probably would have been preferable for nobody to watch that game as they were absolutely dominated by Ohio State. A win over Northwestern kept the team at 4-2, but they fell into a losing streak with a blowout loss to Minnesota, narrow losses to Indiana and Purdue, and a loss to Wisconsin. At 4-6, the Cornhuskers needed to win their next two games to secure a bowl berth. They did their job in the first game, blowing out Maryland. Unfortunately, they could not complete the job against Iowa for the Heroes Trophy and lost 27-24 and finished the season 5-7, making it the first time in program history they have had three consecutive seasons with seven losses or more.

What to Look Forward to

While his performance dropped off a bit last season, I think getting Adrian Martinez back at quarterback will be a good thing for the Cornhuskers. Martinez is a strong dual threat at quarterback and does very well at extending plays, but his numbers dropped in 2019 after he battled a shoulder injury. While Martinez is the favorite and will likely win the job, backups Luke McCaffrey and Noah Vedral will be giving him a push. McCaffrey, brother of Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and Michigan quarterback Dylan McCaffrey, saw limited action during his true freshman season in 2019. He excelled as a runner, but his arm needs some development. There were rumors that he would switch to receiver but those have been shot down. Vedral, who recently made an appearance for Nebraska’s basketball team in the Big 10 tournament, stepped in when Martinez went down last season and put up better numbers than Martinez in terms of completion percentage and yards per attempt, he lacks the added depth as a runner that Martinez and McCaffrey have. I think if either Vedral or McCaffrey win the job, it will be a big surprise to me. Dedrick Mills led the team in rushing yards last season and also will be back. As a true freshman, Wan’Dale Robinson did quite well as a gadget player, racking up 340 rushing yards and 453 receiving yards to finish second and third in each state respectively. I think getting him in the system for another year will be beneficial. At receiver, the Cornhuskers recruited well with the signing of four-star recruit Zavier Betts and top junior college receiver Omar Manning. On the offensive line, all five starters will return, which should really improve this unit. They also add Nouredin Nouili at guard from Colorado State via the transfer portal. Nouili, a German native, started for Colorado State last season and while he likely will not receive immediate eligibility, he should be useful in the long term for the offensive line. The signing of four star and top 50 overall recruit Turner Corcoran will also help the long-term future of the offensive line. Defensive tackle Damion Daniels and defensive end Ben Stille were solid role players along the defensive front last season and should only get better with increased reps this season. Jojo Domann made his fair share of plays at outside linebacker last season and will be back for 2020. Adding to it at outside linebacker, four-star freshman Keyshawn Greene was a solid signing and could make an immediate impact. At inside linebacker, Collin Miller was second on the team in tackles in 2019 and will also return, as does Will Honas who was a solid player at the same spot last season. DiCaprio Bootle has racked up 21 pass deflections over the last two seasons at cornerback and should build upon that this season. Cam Taylor also returns at cornerback after leading the team with four forced fumbles last season and still playing a solid role in coverage. Safety Marquel Dismuke is also back after tying for second on the team in tackles.

What to be Concerned About

While I think they will be fine at the position, the fact that there is a bit of a quarterback battle going on right now does not speak well on how much the coaching staff believes in Adrian Martinez as the starter at quarterback and should lead to concern from fans. I think he should securely have the spot, but it seems like it will not be given to him. At receiver, the Cornhuskers will be without Kanawai Noa, who was a solid role player in the passing game after graduate transferring to the team. JD Spielman led the team in receiving yards last season and recently took a leave of absence from the team. It appears as though he will not be back with the team, but this is all speculation. Losing Spielman will take away any star power the Cornhuskers have at any skill position. Darien Chase, Jaron Woodyard, and Jaevon McQuitty were all expected to compete for a starting role at receiver for 2020, but all three of them are currently in the transfer portal. This leaves a pretty bare cupboard at the receiver position if all three of them go to another program. While there is continuity on the offensive line, they definitely struggled last season, which is especially concerning when you add the fact that Martinez has battled injuries in both of his seasons at Nebraska. A bad offensive line and an injury prone quarterback make a bad combination and the offensive line needs to be better in pass protection. The Cornhuskers lose all three starters on the defensive line as Darrion Daniels is gone at defensive tackle and Khalil and Carlos Davis are gone at defensive end. Khalil Davis led the team in sacks and tackles for loss last season while his twin brother Carlos was also solid at his spot. Mohamed Barry was an impact player on the defense for multiple seasons at middle linebacker and it will be disappointing to lose him as well. Lamar Jackson (unfortunately not the Ravens quarterback and reigning NFL MVP) led the team in interceptions and pass deflections last season at cornerback and is having his spot now be a position to worry about will be tough. Eric Lee Jr. is also gone at safety after seeing a lot of reps last season.

Goals for 2020

Nebraska’s program has really been in a rough spot since they fired Bo Pelini after the 2014 season. While I think that it will be tough for the program to reach the heights that they had in the 1990s any time soon, they definitely have the capabilities to consistently win seven or eight games. Scott Frost brought tremendous hype to the program when he was hired, but that new shine is wearing off, and the pressure will be on for him this season. I think in order to save his job, Frost needs to get this team to a bowl game for the first time since 2016. In order to instill confidence, Frost needs to try and work their way back up the Big 10 West ladder and beat rivals like Iowa or Minnesota.

Northwestern

Last Season

Northwestern started off last season with a loss to Stanford in a completely ugly game. A win over UNLV in their next game hoped to set things in the right path but failed to do so as their next two games were gritty losses to Michigan State and Wisconsin. After a loss to Nebraska, the Wildcats went three consecutive games without scoring a touchdown before keeping it close but eventually losing to Purdue. The losing streak of seven games was finally snapped with a win over Massachusetts. The season also ended on a high note with a win over in state rival Illinois in the season finale. Despite a win to close it out, this was a tough season for Northwestern as they finished 3-9 and had just about everything go wrong for them that possibly could have gone wrong.

What to Look Forward to

At the quarterback position, Northwestern landed a graduate transfer in Peyton Ramsey from Indiana. Ramsey could not win the starting job at Indiana, but his numbers are still quite good. Last season, Ramsey completed 68% of his passes for 2,454 yards and 13 touchdowns on 8.2 yards per attempt while adding another 252 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Ramsey will definitely elevate the level of play for this offense and I think he will be fun to watch this season. The Wildcats endured quite a few injuries at running back last season, but it allowed quite a few younger players to get experience. Isaiah Bowser seemed to be a breakout player after a strong freshman season in 2018, but he was riddled with injuries last season. Getting him back and healthy will be nice for their offense. Drake Anderson stepped in with Bowser out and led the team in rushing yards and is also returning. Evan Hull also was a contributor out of the backfield as a true freshman and should build upon last season. I expect Bowser to be the number one option at first, but Anderson and Hull will likely see some reps. Riley Lees was the clear number one option at receiver last season and will return as will fellow starters Ramaud Bowman and Berkeley Holman. On the offensive line, four starters from last season’s team return. Peter Skoronski was a big signing for the Wildcats at center and I expect the four-star recruit to also compete for early playing time. What will also benefit the offense is that Mick McCall was replaced at offensive coordinator. Mike Bajakian was brought in as his replacement and I think it was a solid hire. Bajakian has held multiple offensive coordinator spots at the college level before and should do well in terms of quarterback development. On the defensive line, Adetomiwa Adebawore looked solid during his limited reps as a true freshman. After playing three games in his redshirt season, I think he should do well this season in a starting role. Andrew Leota is another player that made an impact on the defensive line as a true freshman last season and I think he will only improve this season. Northwestern returns a very strong duo at linebacker in Blake Gallagher and Paddy Fisher. Gallagher and Fisher tied for first on the team in tackles last season. Gallagher also does well in coverage as he led the team with three interceptions in 2019. Fisher is an NFL hopeful that is on the bigger side for a linebacker at 6’4” and 246 pounds and does well at stuffing the run. Chris Bergin also will be back at linebacker after finishing two tackles behind Gallagher and Fisher for first on the team. With those three players back, the linebacking corps will definitely be the strength of this team. In the secondary, Greg Newsome returns after leading the team in pass deflections last season despite missing four games. Getting him back and healthy at cornerback will be nice, and the same goes for fellow starter Cameron Ruiz. Travis Willock and JR Pace return as the starters at safety. The Wildcats benefit from a fairly easy schedule in 2020 as they do not play a power five team in non-conference play.

What to be Concerned About

The Wildcats will take a hit in the passing game as receiver Bennett Skowronek elected to graduate transfer to Notre Dame. While Skowronek missed a lot of time in 2019 due to injury, and he was one of the few skill position players on the roster that could be an impact player. On the offensive line, Jared Thomas will be gone at center. While there is a lot of retention on offense, Northwestern’s offense as a whole last season was downright bad. They were 128th out of 130 FBS teams in yards per play, 124th in total yards, and 126th in scoring offense. While they were definitely bit by the injury bug at times, these numbers are alarming and are not going to be an easy fix. While I think Mike Bajakian will be an upgrade at offensive coordinator, he is definitely a retread and has been fired as an offensive coordinator before. I think the offense needs a total rebuild that is going to be tough to pull off in one season. On the defensive line, the Wildcats lose Joe Gaziano who led the team with nine sacks and 17 tackles for loss, doubling the second-place finisher in both categories. Gaziano was a disruptor defending the passing even when he did not get sack as he batted down five passes last season as well. Losing him will be tough, especially since fellow defensive linemen Trent Goens and Alex Miller will be gone as well after starting last season. Miller was also the second on the team in sacks and tackles for loss at defensive tackle. At cornerback, the Wildcats lose Trae Williams who started last season. The lack of depth in the secondary next season is definitely a bit concerning.

Goals for 2020

Last season for Northwestern seemed like one of those seasons where everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. There were numerous injuries and their division took a leap in terms of quality of play. I think having this offseason to hit the reset button and go over things will be good. I still have faith in the fact that Pat Fitzgerald is a very good coach and that 2019 will be an outlier and not the new norm. For this season, the Wildcats should aim to show improvement on offense and get back to a bowl game. Their non-conference schedule is as easy as it has been in a while and there will be some Big 10 games they can win. If they can get bowl eligible and improve throughout the season, I think it will be a success.

Ohio State

Last Season

Ohio State started off last season on an absolute tear, laying waste to weaker non-conference opponents and beating Indiana 51-10 in their Big 10 opener. After two more dominant wins and a 5-0 start, Ohio State had yet to really sweat it out in a regular season game. In their first game against a ranked opponent, they beat Michigan State 34-10. When they had another big test against Wisconsin two weeks later, they had a dominant 38-7 win. Two wins over Big 10 cellar dwellers Maryland and Rutgers set up matchup with Penn State as their first top 10 matchup. The Buckeyes struggled a bit but still ended up winning 28-17. The winning streak against rival Michigan was extended another year with a 56-27 win. At 12-0, the Buckeyes had a rematch against Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship. After falling behind in the first half, Ohio State pulled off the win by a score of 34-21. Come playoff time, the Buckeyes were seeded second (they should have been first) and had a matchup with Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl in the Playoff Semifinal. The Buckeyes jumped ahead in the first half, but ultimately were bit by turnover problems and lost 29-23 (they lost because Clemson outplayed and outcoached them, not because of officiating). The Buckeyes finished the season 13-1, but definitely had a sour taste in their mouths after the loss to Clemson.

What to Look Forward to

Ohio State will return one of the top two quarterbacks in the country as Justin Fields will be back for his junior season. After transferring to Ohio State after the 2018 season, Fields instantly showed all of the reasons why he was ranked ahead of Trevor Lawrence on some recruiting boards. On the season, Fields completed 67% of his passes for 3,273 yards and an astoundingly good touchdown to interception ratio of 41/3. Fields also added 484 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Fields is a terrific dual threat and has taken significant strides as a passer. He was a Heisman finalist last season and I expect that he will at least hit that mark again in 2020. They also built up their long-term future at quarterback by signing four-star and top 50 overall recruit CJ Stroud who was ranked as the second best pro style quarterback in the class of 2020. The Buckeyes also beefed up their backfield by signing Trey Sermon from Oklahoma via the transfer portal. In 2018, Sermon ran for 947 yards and 13 touchdowns. Injuries cut short his 2019 campaign and he fell behind in their running back hierarchy, but I think he can be solid as a lead back with Ohio State. Master Teague is also back at running back and should get some carries his way as well. At receiver, Chris Olave returns after leading the team in receiving yards last season. Olave has become a consistent deep target for the Buckeyes and should do well as the top receiver option in 2020. Garrett Wilson came along strong toward the end of his freshman season in 2019 and should take another step forward this season. Ohio State also signed an absolutely stacked recruiting class of receivers. Julian Fleming out of Pennsylvania was the top receiver in the class of 2020 and the third ranked recruit overall in the country. They brought in another five-star receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba out of Texas who played out of his mind in the playoffs during his senior season and was the fifth ranked receiver. Gee Scott Jr. and Mookie Cooper were both four-stars themselves and were ranked in the top 100 overall recruits. All of these recruits have the talent to be impact players in the upcoming years and surely some of them will be seeing serious action this season. Tackle Thayer Munford, center Josh Myers, and guard Wyatt Davis all return on the offensive line after being on the all-Big 10 team last season. The Buckeyes also signed five-star offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. who was a top 10 overall recruit. Haskell Garrett and Tyreke Smith return on the defensive line after playing rotational roles last season. Zach Harrison also returns at defensive end after a strong showing in his true freshman season. Tuf Borland returns as a starter at middle linebacker, and Pete Werner returns at outside linebacker after finishing second on the team in tackles last season. Baron Browning is a tremendous athlete at linebacker and seems to always make a play when he is on the field. Getting him back will be very nice for this defense and I am excited to see how he will do in a full-time starting role. Cornerback Shaun Wade elected to return to school for 2020 and should be the best player on the secondary and probably the best player on the defense as well after being a consistent playmaker the last couple seasons. Wade has been solid in pass coverage, but last season he improved as a tackler, making more plays at the line. Drue Chrisman returns at punter after averaging 44.3 yards per punt last season.

What to be Concerned About

In the backfield, the Buckeyes lose JK Dobbins. Dobbins ran for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, surpassed 1,000 yards three seasons in a row and led the team in rushing yards for three straight seasons. Dobbins was a very physical back who did well at fighting through tacklers and has been an integral part of Ohio State’s offense since arriving on campus in 2017. His absence will be tough to fill in. At receiver, KJ Hill and Binjimen Victor will be gone after finishing second and third respectively in receiving yards last season. Hill led the team in catches last season and has been a starter at receiver the last couple seasons. Victor has run into injuries during his career but has been a solid player. Austin Mack will also be gone after finishing fifth in receiving yards in 2019. Jonah Jackson did quite well at guard during his one season with the Buckeyes and Brandon Bowen was a solid starter at tackle last season. Losing the both of them on the offensive line will be tough. On the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes lose Chase Young at defensive end, who was the first defensive player to be a Heisman finalist since 2012. In 12 games, Young had an astounding 21 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles. Young commanded significant attention from opposing offenses and drew double teams regularly and even triple teams on occasion. Later opponents started to avoid running the ball on his side of the field. That sort of game altering player rarely comes around and losing him takes away a lot of what made their defense last season so impressive. Robert Landers started opposite Young at the other defensive end spot last season and is also gone. Davon Hamilton and Jashon Cornell also depart at defensive tackle, meaning that every starter on the defensive line last season will be gone. Malik Harrison led the team in tackles last season and added 16.5 tackles for loss and has elected to leave school early for the draft. The Buckeyes also lose both starting cornerbacks from last season. Jeffery Okudah was a lockdown cornerback last season and will definitely hear his name called in the first ten picks of the NFL Draft. Damon Arnette was also a solid starter at the other cornerback spot and is going to be a second or third round pick himself. Losing the two of them together really means the secondary will have a tough rebuild. Jordan Fuller also will be gone at free safety. Ohio State will also face a challenge in non-conference play that they have not seen the last few years. In the second week of the season, the Buckeyes will travel to Eugene to take on Oregon. While I think they should win, it will be tough.

Goals for 2020

Since winning the National Championship in the 2014 season, Ohio State has consistently put out teams that are National Championship caliber in terms of talent but have just shot themselves in the foot at the wrong time. One horrible game ruined their seasons in 2017 and 2018, and 2019 seemed like their year, but they shot themselves in the foot again in the playoff. This team loses a lot of star power from last season, but I have now learned that Ohio State does not rebuild, they reload. For this season, a National Championship is an attainable goal. They can not slip up like they have in recent years, but this team has the talent to do so.

Penn State

Last Season

Penn State mowed down two lesser opponents in their first two games but ran into some offensive issues when they struggled to beat rival Pittsburgh in a 17-10 win that they gutted out. The Nittany Lions got back on the right foot by blowing out Maryland in a hyped up matchup and beat Purdue 35-7 in their next game. In a trip to Kinnick Stadium to face Iowa, The Nittany Lions won a defensive slugfest 17-12 to remain undefeated and held on to beat Michigan in their next game. A win over Michigan State for the Land Grant Trophy set up a matchup of unbeaten teams with Minnesota. Penn State unfortunately fell short in that game but held off Indiana the next week. With College GameDay watching, the Nittany Lions fell again to Ohio State. A win over Rutgers ended their regular season at 10-2 and set up a matchup with Memphis in the Cotton Bowl. In a rare shootout, Penn State came out with a 53-39 win to finish the season 11-2.

What to Look Forward to

At quarterback, the Nittany Lions get Sean Clifford, their starter from last season, back after having a solid first year as a starter. Clifford is a good athlete who might not have the most developed arm and mechanics, but he can challenge teams deep and plays he makes with his legs allow the passing game to develop. I think he could make strides this season, and I still think he could be about as good as Trace McSorley was before him. At running back, the Nittany Lions have multiple solid options. Journey Brown came along strong last season and had an outstanding performance in the Cotton Bowl. Noah Cain looked strong to start off his true freshman season in 2019 but was riddled with injuries later on. Devyn Ford also saw action last season. I think Brown will be the main back, but Cain and Ford should end up getting their fair share of carries as well. Regardless, they have a solid group of players at the position. Jahan Dotson returns at receiver after a solid showing last season. I was shocked to hear that tight end Pat Freiermuth elected to return to school, but it will definitely help Penn State’s offense this upcoming season. Freiermuth is a very good all-around tight end and in my opinion is the best tight end in college football right now. Penn State is also looking to reload at the position as they signed four-star recruit Theo Johnson at tight end as well. Four starters return on the offensive line for the Nittany Lions including tackles Rasheed Walker and Will Fries. For the offensive staff, offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne took the head coaching job at Old Dominion, but I think many Penn State fans are excited to see Kirk Ciarrocca brought in at the spot. On defense, Shaka Toney returns at defensive end after finishing second on the team in sacks last season. Jayson Oweh and Shane Simmons return and should both see time at the other defensive end spot. Micah Parsons returns at strong side linebacker after leading the team in tackles for two consecutive seasons. Parsons will be one of the top guys at his position in the country and showed his big play ability last season with 14 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. Ellis Brooks and Brandon Smith were rotational players last season and should do well with a bigger role in 2020. Four-star freshman Curtis Jacobs could also see time at outside linebacker. Tariq Castro-Fields returns at cornerback after leading the team in pass deflections last season. Keaton Ellis and Marquis Wilson saw action during their true freshman seasons in 2019 and should also see time at the spot and improve with a season under their belt. Lamont Wade and Jonathan Southerland return at safety and should add to a strong secondary.

What to be Concerned About

While I still think he can be a good starter and has potential, Sean Clifford definitely saw a drop in his play last season. While I think that probably has a lot to do with them playing a tougher schedule later on in the season, it can be a cause for concern. While he was not a major contributor last season, losing Ricky Slade at running back via the transfer portal is disappointing considering he was a five-star recruit that has yet to reach his potential. KJ Hamler led the Nittany Lions in receiving yards the last two seasons and losing him to the draft means there needs to be a new face of the receiving corps and there is nobody that immediately seems to fit that bill. Hamler is a smaller receiver but played with a physicality and scrappiness not often seen in receivers his size. The Nittany Lions also lose Justin Shorter via the transfer portal. Shorter was a five-star recruit who never quite lived up to the hype so far, but his potential is still evident and losing him will be tough. Tight end Nick Bowers was a solid utility player last season and is also a tough loss. Steven Gonzalez was the only offensive lineman on last year’s team to be anywhere on the all-Big 10 team and is gone. On the defensive side of the ball, Penn State loses Yetur Gross-Matos who was their top defensive lineman and pass rusher last season. Gross-Matos led the team in sacks and tackles for loss and had the rare skill combination of strength, speed, and hand quickness that made him a tough matchup for any offensive tackle. The defensive line becomes a lot less daunting without him. Robert Windsor is also gone after starting at defensive tackle last season. Jan Johnson and Cam Brown also depart at linebacker after being starters in 2019. There is a lot of unproven talent behind them and I think will be tougher to replace than most people think. Garrett Taylor finished second on the team in tackles last season at free safety and is gone as well, and John Reid departs at cornerback.

Goals for 2020

Penn State is in a tough position with their football team at the current moment. The Nittany Lions are in the upper echelon of the Big 10 and a top 10-15 program nationally. While that is great, I think that there is a concern about plateauing at their current spot. I think sooner or later, there will be a desire to be a Big 10 Championship level team on the level of Ohio State. While I think this team loses a lot, James Franklin knows how to recruit and there is some blue-chip talent waiting to see the field. If the Nittany Lions can find something offensively to build around and minimize the regression in their run defense, they could push Ohio State this season. Beating Ohio State in Happy Valley on what will be a likely Whiteout game is a definite goal to set and would be a huge win. At the very least, keeping hold of their spot of second in the Big 10 East and getting 10 wins seem like something they should at least be content with.

Purdue

Last Season

Purdue started off last season on a bad foot, losing on a game winning field goal to Nevada in their season opener. The Boilermakers split their next two games against Vanderbilt and TCU. A narrow loss to Minnesota in their Big 10 opener was disappointing but expected as was a loss to Penn State the next week. A win over Maryland was a positive sign, but losses to Iowa and Illinois were not. At 2-6, the Boilermakers had extremely slim chances of making a bowl game but held on for a bit with tight wins over Nebraska and Northwestern. A loss to Wisconsin ended their bowl hopes, but they still had their rivalry game with Indiana. In a double overtime game, the Boilermakers fell just short in a 44-41 loss in double overtime to finish the season 4-8.

What to Look Forward to

Purdue used multiple quarterbacks last season due to injuries, which means they do get back multiple players who saw significant snaps last season. Jack Plummer stepped in as the backup, and Aidan O’Connell also saw time when Plummer went down. It is uncertain as to who will be the starter, but it is at least someone with game experience. King Doerue led the team in rushing yards last season as a true freshman and returns, as does Alexander Horvath who saw time as the secondary back. Probably the biggest piece of good news for Purdue is that Rondale Moore will be healthy. Moore (who was once committed to my Texas Longhorns and I definitely am not still upset about it) had 1,258 receiving yards on a nation leading 114 catches while adding 213 rushing yards and 744 return yards as a true freshman in 2018. His 2019 season was cut short at four games due to injuries, but I think he should be just as dynamic in 2020 and will definitely add another gear to this offense as he can impact the game in multiple different ways. If there is one thing that can be looked at as a benefit to losing Moore for two-thirds of the season, it could be that it gave David Bell a chance to shine at receiver as well. As a true freshman, Bell had 1,035 receiving yards and 86 catches, leading the team in both categories. Bell and Moore together should be a dynamic duo at receiver and will be a problem for opposing defenses. Amad Anderson Jr. and Jackson Anthrop also started at receiver for most of the season and are returning. The Boilermakers also return three starters on the offensive line, including their center and both tackles. On the defensive line, Purdue has a strong duo back at defensive end. Derrick Barnes will be back for what will be his third season as a starter after finishing second on the team in tackles and tackles for loss while tying for the lead in sacks. George Karlaftis started at the opposite defensive end position as a true freshman and racked up a team leading 17 sacks and tied Barnes for the lead in sacks. Having both of them back will be huge for the defensive line. Jaylan Alexander and Jalen Graham also return at outside linebacker after starting last season. Cornerbacks Dedrick Mackey and Cory Trice each picked off three passes and return. Brennan Thieneman also returns as a starter at safety. The Boilermakers also made what I consider to be a solid hire at defensive coordinator in Bob Diaco. Diaco has head coaching experience and has done well in multiple stops as a defensive coordinator before.

What to be Concerned About

While the Boilermakers return quarterbacks who have game experience, neither of them is as talented as Elijah Sindelar who was the original starter last season before getting hurt. Jack Plummer and Aidan O’Connell both have worse numbers than Sindelar and struggled at times last season. Hopefully, a healthy Rondale Moore can cure some of those issues. Whoever ends up the starting quarterback will also be without one of their top targets last season as tight end Brycen Hopkins is gone. Hopkins finished second on the team with 830 receiving yards last season. Hopkins is ranked by some as the top tight end in the NFL Draft and his tremendous athleticism and route running made him a nice target for Purdue’s revolving door of quarterbacks. He will be a tough guy to replace. Guards Alex Criddle and Matt McCann are also departing. The Boilermakers also lose Kai Higgins at defensive end. Linebacker Ben Holt led the team in tackles by a significant margin (he had 114 and second place had 63) and is also gone. While his 2019 season was cut short, Markus Bailey has been another significant contributor to the defense in his time at Purdue and was a leader on the defense. It will be tough to lose him as well. Cornel Jones looked to take on a bigger role at inside linebacker this season but transferred out. Navon Mosley is also gone at free safety after starting last season.

Goals for 2020

When Jeff Brohm signed a contract extension worth 14 million dollars after the 2018 season and a 13-13 record in his two seasons with Purdue, many people questioned if it was a bit premature. Brohm has definitely improved the on field performance above what it was with Darrell Hazell before him and recruited well, but his teams were just hovering around .500 for two seasons. Last season did not do a lot to help Brohm’s cause. What I will say is that the Boilermakers were hit hard by injuries and had many inexperienced players playing, but I still think most people were not expecting a regression in 2019. This season will be important for Brohm and this program as they have a lot of talent back and healthy. A return to a bowl game is going to be expected but their division is as tough as it has been in recent years. I think in terms of goals, getting to a bowl game and beating Indiana are good things to shoot for while continuing to build for the future.

Rutgers

Last Season

Rutgers started off last season with a win over Massachusetts, but things soon turned bad. The Scarlet Knights went nowhere offensively in a loss to Iowa, competed well but lost to Boston College, and lost 52-0 to Michigan. It was after this loss that head coach Chris Ash was fired and running backs coach Nunzio Campanile was brought on as the interim. Things did not change much as they lost their next three games by at least 35 points. A win over Liberty temporarily stopped the bleeding, but they returned to their losing ways with four straight losses to close the season with a 2-10 record.

What to Look Forward to

To start things off, Rutgers made a very nice hire at head coach when they decided to bring Greg Schiano back. Schiano coached Rutgers from 2001-2011 in their most successful time as a program. Schiano had the team in the upper echelon of the Big East at the time, had them ranked on numerous occasions, and did very well recruiting in state kids out of New Jersey. Bringing him back was a very good hire in my opinion and I think he will elevate the program. I also think the hiring of Sean Gleeson as offensive coordinator was also a very good hire. Gleeson was massively successful at Princeton in his time there as the offensive coordinator and did well in the same position at Oklahoma State last season before many of their key players went down. Gleeson has shown a very good ability to change things on a dime and make many different philosophies work. I think this will be very useful at Rutgers. While the passing game left a lot to be desired last season, there are definitely options there. Artur Sitkowski redshirted last season and saw his numbers improve in the few games he played. I was surprised to see him return to the program and I think more improvement is likely. Johnny Langan also returns after taking a majority of reps last season. Rutgers fans and coaches are hopeful though that Peyton Powell can get immediate eligibility. Powell, a Baylor transfer, is a very good athlete and was a four-star recruit. He will at least compete for the starting job if he is ruled eligible to play in 2020. Isaih Pacheco returns as the lead back after leading the team in rushing yards by a considerable margin last season. Kay’ron Adams and Aaron Young will likely also see some carries as secondary backs lien they did last season. Bo Melton led the team in receiving yards last season and is also back. The Scarlet Knights also landed Aaron Cruickshank from Wisconsin via the transfer portal. Cruickshank was a very good kick and punt returner for Wisconsin last season and will likely get some looks at receiver as well. Isaiah Washington also returns at receiver after starting as a true freshman. On the defensive line, Julius Turner returns after finishing fourth on the team in tackles, an impressive feat for a nose tackle. Mike Tverdov returns as a starter at defensive end. The Scarlet Knights also add Michael Dwumfour at defensive tackle as a graduate transfer from Michigan. Dwumfour was a rotational player at Michigan but could never quite crack the starting lineup but should do just that for Rutgers. Tyshon Fogg is back at middle linebacker after leading the team in tackles last season. Olakunle Fatukasi and Tyreek Maddox-Williams also started last season and are returning as well. Fatukasi was second on the team in tackles and Maddox-Williams was second in tackles for loss. Rashawn Battle led the team in sacks and also returns as a rotational player. In the secondary, Rutgers made a huge signing in the transfer portal by getting Brendon White out of Ohio State. White was recruited by Schiano when he was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State and did well in Schiano’s system. After Schiano left, White’s safety/linebacker hybrid position was schemed out and he saw his playing time dip. In Schiano’s scheme again, I think White will be an immediate impact player. Tre Avery also returns at cornerback and Christian Izien returns as a starter at safety. The Scarlet Knights also will get Adam Korsak back at punter after he averaged 43.8 yards per punt last season.

What to be Concerned About

While they have retention at quarterback, Rutgers had a pretty awful passing game last season. They ranked 121 out of 130 FBS teams in terms of passing yards. Overall, they had the second worst offense in the country in terms of scoring, averaging just 13.3 points per game and just 5.6 points per game in Big 10 play and were shut out four times. Most of this was without Artur Sitkowski at quarterback, but his passing numbers are not much better and what I saw of him last year does not make me feel confident he overcame his tendency to throw bad interceptions. At running back, Rutgers loses Rakeem Blackshear who led the team in rushing in 2018 and elected to redshirt and then transfer after four games in 2019. Blackshear was a solid running back that did quite well catching passes out of the backfield and was a known leader on the team. It will be disappointing to see him play somewhere else. The Scarlet Knights lose Mohamed Jabbie at receiver via the transfer portal as well after he started in 2019. Four starting offensive linemen also depart from last season’s team and finding starting caliber players to fill their spots will be tough. Elorm Lumor was one of if not the best pass rusher on the team last season playing the jack linebacker position and has graduated. Willington Previlon is also gone after starting at defensive tackle last season. Cornerback Damon Hayes led the team in interceptions and pass deflections last season and is also gone, as is safety Malik Dixon.

Goals for 2020

Rutgers football is not in a very good place. The Scarlet Knights have lost 21 consecutive Big 10 games and 23 consecutive games against power five opponents. They have not won a road game since October 2017. That being said, I think things are looking up. Greg Schiano was a very good hire and he has some solid assistants under him. That being said, this rebuild will not be done immediately. improvement throughout the season, getting a Big 10 win, and competing well.

Wisconsin

Last Season

After two dominant wins over G5 opponents, Wisconsin kept that train rolling with a 35-14 win over Michigan in their Big 10 opener to vault them into the top 10. After a couple more wins and a blowout win over Michigan State, the Badgers were 6-0. Unfortunately, their undefeated season ended at the hands of Illinois in a 24-23 loss where Illinois knocked in a field goal as time expired. Things did not get better in their next game as they were completely blown out by Ohio State. After a bye week to regroup, the Badgers righted the ship with a 24-22 win over rival Iowa. Wins over Nebraska and Purdue made it that their rivalry game with Minnesota would decide the Big 10 West. The Badgers took back Paul Bunyan’s Axe and won 38-17 to win the division and set up a rematch with Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship. Wisconsin played a lot better this time around and even led at halftime but eventually caved and lost 34-21 but had a date with Oregon in the Rose Bowl. In an exciting game, the Badgers fell just short and finished the season 10-4.

What to Look Forward to

At the quarterback position, the Badgers have Jack Coan back who had a solid first season as a full-time starter. Coan might not wow people with his arm, but he makes smart decisions with the ball, and is tough as nails. Coan completed 69.6% of his passes last season on eight yards per attempt. There is a slight chance redshirt freshman Graham Mertz could give him a run for his money, but I think Coan will keep the job. The Badgers obviously lose Jonathan Taylor at running back, but they do return a host of options who were utility backs last season. Garrett Groshek, the former walk-on quarterback, returns as does Nakia Watson who was second on the team in rushing yards last season. Mason Stokke is also back at fullback. I expect Watson to take a lot of the carries, but Groshek will definitely get his fair share of carries as well as chances to be a receiver out of the backfield as he did quite well in that role last season. Kendric Pryor is back at receiver after starting last season and can also make plays running the ball as proven by his 180 rushing yards last season. Pryor is an interesting gadget player that I will be excited to see this season. Danny Davis also returns at receiver. Jake Ferguson is back at tight end. Ferguson did well last season both as a run blocker and as a receiver and is definitely nice to have back. On the defensive line, Garrett Rand returns at defensive end after shifting out from nose tackles last season. Isaiahh Loudermilk also is back at defensive end and will probably be the best player on the defensive line this season if he stays healthy. Jack Sanborn is back at inside linebacker. Sanborn will definitely be the most versatile player on the defense as he led the team in tackles and interceptions last season and finished third in tackles for loss and sacks. Noah Burks returns as a starter at outside linebacker. Faion Hicks and Rachad Wildgoose return as the starters at cornerback and Caesar Williams is also back as a rotational cornerback. Reggie Pearson and Eric Burrell are back as the starters at safety, meaning basically every significant player in the secondary from last season returns. In terms of their Big 10 schedule, the Badgers avoid Penn State and Ohio State, which should help them out.

What to be Concerned About

Wisconsin loses the heart and soul of their offense the last two seasons as Jonathan Taylor declared for the draft. Taylor ran for 6,174 yards in his three years with the Badgers and has been the best running back in the country the last two seasons. His combination of power, speed, and vision made him very tough to slow down. He was given a lion’s share of the carries the last few years and still averaged 6.3 yards per carry in 2019. His ability also made things tremendously easier on the passing game as opponents often loaded the box against him. Losing him is going to be difficult to say the least. In addition to losing Taylor, four of the five starting offensive linemen from last season are also gone. Center Tyler Biadasz was a multi-year starter and was first team all-Big 10 last season. Tackle Cole Van Lannen was also a major impact player and was second team all-Big 10. The Badgers also lose Quintez Cephus at receiver. Cephus led the team in receiving yards last season, doubling second place. Cephus was a game changer for Wisconsin’s offense last season and is going to be tough to replace. At linebacker, the Badgers lose a very strong duo in Chris Orr and Zack Baun. Orr finished second on the team in tackles, tackles for loss, and sacks. Baun was a tremendous playmaker at outside linebacker, putting up a team leading 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. Baun and Orr were a major part of a tremendous defense and both wreaked havoc on opposing offenses. Losing the two of them definitely takes away their best two sources of making big plays behind the line. In terms of their non-conference schedule, the Badgers will definitely have a tougher go of it in 2020. To start things off, they play Notre Dame at Lambeau Field one week after playing at Michigan and a week before playing Minnesota. They also have to play Appalachian State who is a G5 program but took Penn State to overtime in 2018 and has gone 24-3 the last two seasons.

Goals for 2020

Wisconsin’s program under Paul Chryst has done well but has stagnated a bit. While they have had many successful seasons, they have just one NY6 Bowl win and no conference championships under Chryst. Wisconsin might not have the resources that a program like Ohio State or Michigan does, but it is hard not to grow restless with continually coming up short in those big games. While I do not know if this is the year, they are going to need to slay the dragon at some point. The Badgers return a lot of players but lose many key contributors. For this season, winning the Big 10 West, beating Notre Dame, and hopefully winning the Big 10 are some goals to set.

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