2013 Big Ten Preview

The Big Ten is a conference that was one of the toughest conferences to be in. Some argue that it still is. With the SEC running wild down South, many don't believe that the Big Ten is a power conference anymore. But teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines and Wisconsin Badgers have something to say about that. Granted, the SEC has won the National Championship seven of the last nine times. And the Big Ten hasn't won the National Title since the Buckeyes defeated the Miami Hurricanes in 2002. But the Big Ten have a couple of contenders this year, that very well could find themselves battling for the National Championship this winter.

We all know that Maryland and Rutgers will be joining the Big Ten next season, and with that change in 2014 we will see the Leaders and Legends Division go away for a more common East and West division. We will see Michigan and Ohio State playing in the same division, along side Maryland and Rutgers as well as Indiana, Michigan State and Penn State. They will obviously make up the East Division while the West Division will consist of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin. But we will save the 2014 Big Ten for 2014. Let's see how the Big Ten very well could play out in this final season of the Leaders and Legends Division.
This is a preview and my own predictions for the Big Ten conference in 2013.

Leaders Division

1. Ohio State Buckeyes
After a 12-0 season last season, Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes will look to not only recreate the magic of an undefeated season. They will not only look to win a Big Ten Championship. They will look to go on to win the first National Championship that the Big Ten has won since 2002 (when Jim Tressel led the Bucks to an undefeated season and National Championship). Junior quarterback Braxton Miller will lead the Buckeyes on offense. Last year he threw for 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. He also scored a total of 28 touchdowns. Depending on if Carlos Hyde plays for the team this year (he found himself a person of interest in an incident in a bar about a week ago) he will be a reliable back for Miller on offense. Hyde ran for 970 yards last season and 16 touchdowns. Braxton will also have a couple of reliable wide receivers such as senior Philly Brown and Jordan Hall. Junior linebacker Ryan Shazier is coming off of a 115 tackle season and will be a big leader on defense.

2. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers lost Bret Bielema but gained Gary Andersen as their new head coach. The quarterback spot will either go to junior college transfer Tanner McEvoy or sophomore Joel Stave. The running backs will consist of senior James White and sophomore Melvin Gordon. White rushed for a little over 800 yards last season behind Montee Ball and hit paydirt 12 times. Senior receiver Jared Abbrederis returns after an 837 yard and 5 touchdown season in 2012. All of Wisconsin's defensive stats ranked fifth or higher in the Big Ten. Attacking the QB with blitz packages is what their defense will look to consistently do this year. Their defensive coordinator Dave Aranda was quoted saying, "I'm a big advocate of attacking protections."

3. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Nittany Lions come back for head coach Bill O'Brien's second season as head coach. O'Brien started the season rocky as Penn State's coach, but came back leading the team to an 8-4 season. O'Brien won the Project CFB Coach of the Year last year. This year he will look to true freshman Christian Hackenberg to lead his team to victory. Tyler Ferguson, a junior college transfer will be Christian's backup just in case. Running back Zach Zwinak lead the team in rushing with 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2012. He will look to have another year like last year if not better. Five wideouts return from last season, led by junior Allen Robinson. Penn State's offensive line is solid. Their defense returns quite a few starters as well. Sophomore defensive end Deion Barnes and senior DaQuan Jones will look to disrupt the pocket while cornerback Adrian Amos and safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong will look to defend the pass.

4. Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana sophomore quarterback Tre Robinson will return this season after suffering a broken leg in the second game of the season last year. Robinson is a dual-threat quarterback who is an impressive QB and will look to prove it on the field. He will have wide receivers Shane Wynn, Cody Latimer and Kofi Hughes as great options. Indiana also has two reliable running backs in Stephen Houston, who rushed for 749 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, and Tevin Coleman, who is a full sized back with power. Indiana gave up a ton of points in their last three games last year. And their top two defensive tackles are gone. Linebacker David Cooper and safety Greg Heban are the returning lead tacklers. Also lineback Zack Shaw is moving to defensive end to assist in pass rush.

5. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois went 2-10 last season without a win in the Big Ten. Senior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase returns after a 1,300 passing yard season. He only threw four touchdowns, and threw eight interceptions. He also rushed for four touchdowns. Illinois running back Donovonn Young returns. He rushed for 571 yards and three touchdowns last season and also was the Fighting Illini's leading receiver with 38 receptions, 172 yards and one receiving touchdown. Defense is young, but they welcomed 10 mid-year enrollees including five junior college transfers in an attempt to stack the defense.

6. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue looks to new head coach Darrell Hazell who is going to get rid of the spread style offense Purdue fans are used to seeing for a pro-style type offense. Senior Rob Henry should be the Boilermaker's quarterback this season. He has the most experience and can make plays with his feet. Hazell has two other options at QB if he needs it. "We've got three capable guys at that position," he said. Running back Hakeem Hunt returns after rushing for 134 yards in the spring game. He had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Ohio State last season. Purdue's defense returns eight starters.

Legends Division

1. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan looks to junior quarterback Devin Gardner to lead the team this year in the post-Denard Robinson era. Offensive coordinator Al Borges will finally get to run his pro-style offense that he had a hard time running with the playmaker Denard Robinson on the field. Behind Gardner is a pool of running backs. Thomas Rawls, Derrick Green and Justice Hayes are just a few names you may see at running back, as well as Fitzgerald Toussaint who suffered a broken leg last season playing against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Gardner will have reliable receivers such as Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo to throw to. Michigan suffered a blow on defense when Jake Ryan tore his ACL in practice. He likely will not play in 2013, but that doesn't mean he won't work his butt off trying to return. Michigan will look for Brennen Byer, Jibreel Black, Taco Charlton, Desmond Morgan and Courtney Avery to step up on defense and make plays.

2. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Bo Pelini and the Cornhuskers are coming off of a couple of tough losses in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Capital One Bowl. Nebraska has returning quarterback senior Taylor Martinez who threw for 2,871 yards, 1,000 rushing yards and a total of 23 touchdowns. Behind him is junior running back Ameer Abdullah who is a playmaker himself. He rushed for over 1,000 yards last season and eight touchdowns. Junior receiver Kenny Bell will be Martinez's go-to guy on offense. Bell reeled in 50 receptions last season for 863 yards and eight touchdowns. Nebraska ranked first in the Big Ten for rushing yards per game and also ranked first in the Big Ten for passing defense (fourth Nationally). All their cornerbacks return. However their linebackers are all new, and their defensive line only returns two with experience.

3. Northwestern Wildcats
Pat Fitzgerald has done good things in Northwestern. He will has two quarterbacks this season just like last. Senior Kain Colter, who is a dual-threat quarterback able to make plays returns as well as junior Trevor Siemian. Northwestern has Venric Mark at running back this season, who rushed for 1,366 yards last year. The Wildcats also have three reliable receivers for their QB duo to pass to. Juniors Christian Jones and Tony Jones, as well as senior Rashad Lawrence. Northwestern has all three level of defense. Tyler Scott anchors the d-line. They will also have two linebackers in Damien Proby and Chi Chi Ariguzo who will make plays. Northwestern ranked first in the Big Ten in turnovers. A trend that Pat Fitzgerald will look to continue.

4. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State has senior quarterback Andrew Maxwell returning under center this season. He will have a trio of wide receivers to toss the ball to. One being senior Bennie Fowler, junior Keith Murphy and sophomore Aaron Burbridge. Michigan State's new running back is freshman Riley Bullough, who is a former linebacker. The Spartan's defense looks to have potential, but they will have to step up and play hard against the big offensive lines from the Big Ten and the playmakers they'll face against Notre Dame.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa will look to quarterback Jake Rudock to lead the offense this year. Rudock threw for over 5,000 yards at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Iowa also has two junior running backs in Mark Weisman and Damen Bullock returns after combining for 1,300 yards last season. The offensive line looks solid and will be able to open holes for the running back duo. Receivers struggled to get yards after catch last season. Junior Kevonte Martin-Manley had 52 receptions but only two touchdowns. Iowa was lowest in the Big Ten for sacks last season. They have to replace cornerback Micah Hyde and looks to do so with sophomore Jordan Lomax. Their defense will struggle against the schedule this season.

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota’s quarterback Philip Nelson had his red-shirt taken off in the middle of last season. He threw for over 800 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2012. The Golden Gophers have question marks at wide receivers. Issac Fruechte and Devin Crawford-Tufts look to assist in the passing game. Junior running back Donnell Kirkwood rushed for 926 yards last season. Sophomore running back Rodrick Williams is available too. Minnesota gave up an average of 197.1 rushing yards per game in Big Ten play last season. They will struggle this season as well unfortunately. Minnesota hasn’t won a Big Ten Title in 46 years. It looks as if they’ll at least go one more.

- Matt Lytle
@mattlytle
matt.projectcfb@gmail.com

Project CFB Top Ten: #2 Ohio State Buckeyes

Could I simply wrap this article up in just two words, Braxton Miller? It would be easier. It would make reading this article and writing this article a lot faster. However, I don't think Braxton Miller will be able to get it done all by himself. I mean he's got an all-star coach in UrbanMeyer on his sideline. He has not only some playmakers on his side of the ball, but on defense as well.

Miller's offensive line looks as strong as it has been in years. And Miller has a reliable 1,000 yard rusher in the backfield in Carlos Hyde.

Speaking of rushing, Miller ran for over 1,200 yards and hit pay dirt 13 times with his legs. Braxton definitely deserves to be in the Heisman conversation this season, and will look to stay in that conversation throughout the year.

Miller has a couple of reliable receivers in junior Devin Smith and senior Philly Brown. Brown reeled in 60 receptions for 669 yards and three touchdowns last season.

But enough of this very talented, speedy offense. Lets discuss the Buckeyes defense.

Linebacker Ryan Shazier is coming off of a season where he accumulated 115 tackles, including five sacks. He will be lining up with fellow playmakers Curtis Grant and Joshua Perry.

The cornerbacks are led by junior Bradley Roby who reeled in two interceptions last season. And the safeties are strong with seniors CJ Barnett and Christian Bryant taking the field.

Last season the Buckeyes unfortunately had a post-season bowl ban, however that ban is out the window.
The Buckeyes went 12-0 last season with their closest game being a one-point victory over Michigan State in Spartan Stadium. Can the Buckeyes go undefeated again in 2013?

A few key games that they will need to be ready for include two away games, and a handful of games being played in Columbus.

The Bucks first test comes on September 28th against the Wisconsin Badgers, who have a brand new head coach, but still a few playmakers on the roster.
The next week OSU will travel to Ryan Field to take on main Colter and the Northwestern Wildcats. I believe that this is the type of game that if the Buckeyes go into too confident, it could prove deadly for their undefeated hopes.

On October 26 the Buckeyes will take in Penn State, who is coached by last year's Project CFB Coach of the Year Bill O'Brien.

The month f November doesn't seem to bring too many road blocks, OSU will face off against Purdue and Illinois at their respective stadiums, followed by a game against Indiana at Ohio Stadium.

Then, November 30th we will be treated to THE Game. Ohio State will travel to Ann Arbor to take on their most hated rival, the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines have improved vastly since the Rich Rodriguez era, and the Wolverines will look to stop any kind of momentum the Buckeyes have stirred up in weeks prior. But Braxton Miller and company will be looking to not only go undefeated and play in the Big Ten Title game, but they will be looking for their first National Championship since 2002. As long as Braxton Miller can stay healthy, and he gets the right support from his pool of running backs, wide receivers and offensive line, the Buckeyes should be able to at least wind up 12-1, with the hopes of going 13-0. Even if their defense has trouble with a couple of the high offense teams on their schedule, no one in the Big Ten ranked higher in scoring than the Buckeyes. I'm not sure if there is anyone in the country that can top OSU when it comes to putting points on the board.

The Buckeyes have a very impressive team this season. 2013 could very well be the year of the Ohio State Buckeyes, but we will just have to wait and see if they can do what they need to do to make it to the National Title.

- Matt Lytle
@mattlytle
matt.projectcfb@gmail.com

Jackson's Top Five Big Ten Quarterbacks

I can honestly say that coming up with this list was actually a little tougher than I anticipated. The Big Ten has a few quarterbacks who are solid at their position and can not only make a play, but lead their team to victory.

1. Braxton Miller, OSU

2. Devin Gardner, MICH

3. Taylor Martinez, NEB

4. Kain Colter, NU

5. Tre Roberson, IND

I honestly think that there are quite a few ways you could rank the top five quarterbacks in the Big Ten. In my opinion I wouldn't be surprised to see anyone put Braxton Miller, Devin Gardner or Taylor Martinez as the number one QB, and honestly, I wouldn't argue with them. Miller and Martinez are proven to be solid QBs, and Devin Gardner proved he has great abilities at the position as well.

Kain Colter has been an impressive QB at Northwestern, and although Northwestern had a tough schedule this year, I could see him making a difference in a few games.

I have had high hopes for Tre Roberson the past couple of years. He was the first true freshman to start at QB for the Hoosiers. Unfortunately last season in Indiana's game vs UMass, Roberson broke his leg. Indiana fans will be looking for him to make a big difference in their offense this season.

- Jackson McNamara

@jacksonmcnamara

jackson.projectcfb@gmail.com

Can Brady Hoke Lead the Wolverines to the Big Ten Title in 2013?

After three abismal years as Rich Rodriguez as their head coach, the Michigan Wolverines were delighted to announce Brady Hoke as their new head coach back in 2011. In said year, Hoke lead the Wolverines to a 11-2 record and a Sugar Bowl victory against Frank Beamer and the Virginia Tech Hokies. In Hoke's first year as Michigan head coach, he not only accomplished these things, but also led Michigan to it's first victory over Ohio State since 2003.

Can Brady Hoke lead the Wolverines to a B1G Title?

After a very successful first year, Hoke led Michigan to an 8-5 record in 2012, and a close Outback Bowl loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. Unfortunately for Michigan fans, Michigan yet again lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes, and also the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. But Hoke's record in the Big House is still perfect.

In 2013 Michigan will be looking for Brady Hoke to lead the Wolverines to their first Big Ten Title since 2004 when they split the title with the Iowa Hawkeyes. However, Michigan not only lost one of their most electric players in Michigan history, Denard Robinson, but lost quite a few key players as well. Wide receiver Roy Roundtree, defensive end Craig Roh, center Elliott Mealer, defensive tackle Will Campbell, linebacker Kenny Demens, and strong safety Jordan Kovacs are just a few of the key players Michigan will be without in 2013.

There is quiet a few positives to look at however for the Michigan Wolverines. Devin Gardner has seemed to prove that he not only can scramble with the best of them, but also has an arm that any quarterback would be lucky to have. Although Denard Robinson was a huge playmaker, Gardner seems to have the arm to be able to put the ball exactly where the receiver needs it, unlike Denard. And to assist Gardner will be senior Jeremy Gallon, Jerald Robinson and sophomore tight end Devin Funchess, who came down with some great catches last season.

Fitzgerald Toussaint will look to come back this year after breaking his leg in a game against Iowa last season. He will lead the stable of running backs that Michigan is equipt with, such as Thomas Rawls, Dennis Norfleet and Justice Hayes.

Monster linebacker Jake Ryan tore his ACL in sprint practice.

On defense Michigan has seemed to play quite well, being led by Greg Mattison, who many believe is a defensive genius. Demond Morgan, Courtney Avery and Thomas Gordon will be a few of the names that you'll see wreak a little havoc on the other side of the ball for the Wolverines. Michigan will look for Joe Bolden and Cam Gordon to step up in the linebacker roles since Jake Ryan tore his ACL during spring practice.

Michigan's schedule does have a few speed bumps in it. On September 7th Michigan will host Notre Dame, and look to defeat their rival who beat them last season in South Bend. On October 12th Michigan will travel to Happy Valley to face Penn State (lead by 2012 Project CFB Coach of the Year Bill O'Brien). Michigan also plays rival Michigan State in East Lansing, immediately followed by hosting the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big House. Michigan will go on the road to take on Northwestern and Iowa following that, then wrap the regular season up on November 30th to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big House, for what everyone knows as "The Game".

Michigan's chances of an undefeated season are very small. However, having a few key players really step up in these big games, could make all the difference between a 6-6 season, and a 8-4 or 9-3 season! Could Brady Hoke lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten Title in his third year as head coach in Ann Arbor? He very well could. But he needs to have his boys play the best they play against the likes of Notre Dame, Michigan State, Nebraska and of course their bitter rival Ohio State Buckeyes.

- Matt Lytle

@mattlytle

matt.projectcfb@gmail.com

Can Anyone Stop Ohio State from Winning the Big Ten Championship?

After an undefeated 2012 campaign under new heard coach Urban Meyer, expectations are sky high in Columbus. No longer held back by NCAA post season sanctions, Ohio State sets their eyes on the Big Ten championship and are hopeful they can at the very least be in the discussion for the BCS Championship as well.

Braxton Miller scored 28 total touchdowns last season.

Leading the charge offensively for the Buckeyes is Heisman hopeful quarterback Braxton Miller. Miller was nothing short of dynamic last season accounting for over 3,300 yards of total offense and 28 total touchdowns (15 passing, 13 rushing) in 2012. The Buckeyes also have running back Carlos Hyde returning for his senior season. Hyde had a very solid season in 2012 rushing for close to 1,000 yards and scored 16 touchdowns on the ground. Miller and Hyde should prove to be a very scary 1-2 punch on the ground this season. But that does not mean they do not return talent at the wide receiver position either. They return both of their returning receivers in Philly Brown and Devin Smith. They both caught over 60 passes in 2012 and combined for 9 touchdown catches, Brown also chipped in two more scores on special teams. The Buckeyes have to be very happy that they return the nucleus of an offense that scored close to 40 points a game last season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes are losing a few key contributors along the defensive line to the NFL draft and graduation, most prominently  Johnathan Hankins who amassed 55 total tackles in 2012, including 4 tackles for loss, defensive end John Simon and his 9 sacks in 2012 are also going to need to be replaced. Linebackers Etienne Sabino and Nathan Williams who combined for over 80 tackles are also leaving for the NFL draft. Fortunately, the Buckeyes still return their leading tackler in senior linebacker Ryan Shazier. Shazier had over 100 tackles in 2012 with 17 tackles for loss, including 5 sacks, and he also had an interception to boot. The secondary will be lead by senior cornerback Christian Bryant and safety CJ Barnett.

From a personnel standpoint, Buckeyes fans have to be excited to have not only the core of the offense but also their two leading tacklers in Shazier and Bryant. Despite losing two key contributors on the defensive line in Hankins and John Simon, the Buckeyes still have tons of depth and young players ready to step up along the defensive line. However, you can have all the talent in the world but if you cant put it together on Saturdays you have no shot to contend for a Big Ten Championship.

Urban Meyer began his coaching career at Ohio State
with an undefeated season.

Looking at their schedule, the Buckeyes are set up very nicely for a run at not only a Leaders division championship, but the Big Ten crown as well. The Buckeyes open with two non conference home games in Buffalo and San Diego State before heading to the west coast to take on the California Golden Bears before heading home to take on Florida A&M before the first real test in my eyes on the schedule and that is a September 28th showdown in Columbus with the Wisconsin Badgers. If Ohio State can survive the Badgers they are set up for a very nice October home slate with the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions after a trip to Ryan Field to take on the Northwestern Wildcats.The Buckeyes will then start November with back to back road trips to Purdue and Illinois before hosting the Indiana Hooisers in the final home game of the season before finishing the regular season in the Big House to take on the hated Michigan Wolverines on November 30th.

In college football, a favorable schedule is at times the most important aspect to a successful season. I think that a 10+ win season is very possible, and may be expected by the Buckeye faithful in Columbus. With the biggest obstacles coming in Wisconsin and Michigan and both teams graduating their most dangerous offensive weapons in running back Montee Ball and quarterback Denard Robinson respectively. I do not see any team in the Big Ten that can match the offensive firepower of Braxton Miller and the Buckeyes. It should be an exciting season for you if you are Buckeye fan in 2013 and beyond.

- Josh Gamez

@itsjoshgamez

josh.projectcfb@gmail.com

What I Believe We Will See in 2013

So the college football season is over. Now we are stuck with the NFL, MLB, NBA, college basketball and the return of hockey until next CFB season.

A bummer, but some of the other previously mentioned sports aren't all bad. Nowhere near as good as college football, but we won't go there.

I have decided that I would make a post about some things I feel will go down in 2013. I did pretty well at our weekly picks. I figure I will do pretty well at this. You can call me McNamarus (like Nostradamus...you know?)

In 2013, this is what I see happening in the college football world:

- The Ohio State Buckeyes will not go undefeated. They will not play in the National Championship. They will not win the B1G.

- Penn State will win the B1G.

- An SEC team will win the National Championship AGAIN.

- Johnny Manziel will win the Heisman for the second straight year. Watch out Archie Griffin!

- Chip Kelly will not fair well with the Philadelphia Eagles (not CFB, but still)

- The Ohio Bobcats will go undefeated.

- Nick Saban's Crimson Tide will be upset by two lesser opponents.

That's all for now. I hope you guys enjoyed these predictions and I hope I get a few right! Lol

- Jackson McNamara

Capital One Bowl: #7 Georgia Bulldogs vs #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers Preview

On January 1st the #7 ranked Georgia Bulldogs match up against the #16 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. Georgia’s previous meeting with a Big Ten opponent resulted in a 33-30 loss in last year’s Outback Bowl against Michigan St. This year Georgia goes up against a completely different team lead by the dual threat quarterback in Taylor Martinez.

In past years, Taylor Martinez was heavily criticized on his throwing ability, it was rumored that in the
off season he flew to California to work with a quarterback guru. It must have worked because the first
two games of the 2012 season Martinez threw for over 300 yards. Flashes of Martinez’s old throwing habits started to show once entering Big Ten play. Martinez threw for less than 150 yards and had a completion rate below 50% against some of the better defenses in Big Ten including Northwestern, Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, and of course Michigan.

The Georgia defense lead by USC transfer Jarvis Jones will be eager to prove the rumors false. Georgia’s secondary is one of the best in the nation, only allowing two teams to pass for more than 250 yards. It seems as if they will be able to handle the passing attack from Nebraska; but unfortunately for Georgia, Martinez is a dual threat quarterback – meaning he can hurt you with his feet as well. In the 2012 season Georgia hasn’t encountered quarterback like Martinez. The closest comparison Georgia has seen is from their in-state rival Georgia Tech, whose offense consists of mainly options and involving very little throwing.

Even though Georgia’s defense has yet to see a quarterback like Martinez, their defense is ranked 17th overall in the nation. The Bulldog defense has the upper hand and in order for Nebraska to assert an offensive presence they must establish the run. The most important player for Cornhuskers in this game is not Martinez, instead it’s Ameer Abdullah. Nebraska is ranked 8th in the nation in rushing, and Ameer is the main contributor with 1089 yards in the season. If Ameer is able to effectively move the ball, then it will force the Georgia defense to cheat the safety into the box, allowing for other players like Kenny Bell and Quincy Enunwa to make some key plays in the passing game.

The Nebraska defense will have their hand full with Aaron Murray and the Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia’s offense is ranked 19th in the nation and scores on average 37.2 points in a game. Luckily for Nebraska, their pass defense isn’t their weak spot. Only three teams have passed for over 200 yards. The problem with the Cornhusker defense is they cannot stop anybody from running the ball. In the 2012 season the defense gave up over 200 yards in 9 out of the 12 teams they played. Wisconsin truly exposed the soft spot in Nebraska’s defense by rushing for an astonishing 524 yards in the Big Ten Championship game. If I was the coach I would not even bring receivers on the field. Instead I’d beef up on extra lineman and pound the ball every play. The simple key to success for the Georgia Bulldog offense can be summed up in three words – Run the Ball.

- Troy Woolfolk

@twoolf29

Big Ten Championship: #12 Nebraska vs Wisconsin Preview

In its 2^nd ever championship game, the Big Ten conference hosts the #12 Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers in a rematch on neutral turf at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. On September 29^th both teams opened their in-conference play against each other at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. At this point in the season both teams were 3-1. Though the Badgers led the Huskers 27-10 all the way into the 3^rd quarter, Nebraska came back in a big way in the 4^th to a 30-27 victory. Nebraska went on to finish 7-1 in conference play, Wisconsin ended up 4-4.

Taylor Martinez looks to lead Nebraska to the B1G Title.

Nebraska is coming off a 6-game winning streak to finish off the regular season, including their last win at Iowa. The Huskers cinched that win in the 2^nd half after senior running back, Rex Burkhead, who had been out with a left knee sprain, started the 3^rd quarter, scored the go-ahead touchdown and finished the game with 69 yards in 16 carries. Coach Pelini has said that Burkhead will be good to go in the starting line up of the game this Saturday. Even without Burkhead, the Huskers boasted the most powerful running game in the Big Ten with players like Ameer Abdullah and his 1000+ rushing yards. 

That being said, the Huskers’ will be without their starting Center as well as their starting defensive tackle. The Huskers offense is really going to have to make up for that loss on the defense and an inexperienced Center, but that shouldn’t be as big of a concern with a strong, well-rounded quarterback in Taylor Martinez. 

As far as quarterbacks’ go for Wisconsin, they’ll be starting a not as experienced Curt Phillips, the Badgers 3^rd quarterback of the season due to injuries. Phillips has started the past 3 games. The Badgers offense does catch a break getting back All-Big Ten wide receiver Jared Abbrederis AND the Badgers still have 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist, Montee Ball. The senior running back has accumulated over 1,500 yards rushing and scored 39 touchdowns this season, scoring his 79^th career touchdown in last week’s loss to Penn State to set an NCAA record. Ball will be a MAJOR KEY to the Badgers having a chance at a victory. 

Montee Ball plans on adding onto his NCAA record
of rushing TDs in a career this Saturday.

Wisconsin also has a lot to prove coming into this game considering that if Ohio State and/or Penn State had been eligible for post-season play the Badgers wouldn’t have had a chance at representing the Leaders division. The Cornhuskers are also playing for their 3^rd conference title in a row, which would be the longest streak in their school history. Not to mention the fact that the Badgers lost to the Huskers already this season at Nebraska’s homecoming game, which makes me wonder whether that outcome may have been different if the game had been played in Wisconsin.

Based on statistic alone, Nebraska seems to be pretty comfortably stronger than the Badgers even considering injuries. But with Wisconsin in the same situation as last years conference championship game, losing to Michigan State in the regular season 37-31 and then beating them 42-39, and their 3^rd conference title in a row on the line, I could definitely see Wisconsin coming out with a win. Though based on my picks last week it seems I have a thing for picking underdogs - mainly because I do really believe home turf advantage is one of THE biggest factors. So I guess we’ll see how that works out for me statistically…

Kick-off is set for 8:17pm ET and will be shown on FOX.

- Kelsey Billings

@kelseybillings

#19 Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes Preview

I have always said that one of the things that makes college football better than the National Football League is the rivalry games, and I will stand by that statement until I'm long gone. This game, "The Game" is one of those rivalry games.

Growing up about an hour from Columbus, I got to experience the rivalry. I've seen die-hard Ohio State fans. I've seen die-hard Michigan fans. I've seen the competition and the hatred.



Since before Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes, these two teams have hated each other, although Bo and Woody faced off in the 10 Year War, and really took this rivalry to a whole new level.



Bo went 5-4-1 against Woody in the 10 Year War.

Both teams have had off-seasons. Both teams have had their fair share of struggling against the other. Ohio State fans had to live through the John Cooper era, while Michigan fans had to endure the Rich Rodriguez era.

Michigan leads the rivalry with an overall record of 58-43-6. This is the 109th meeting between these two teams, and I have to say, this is one of the toughest to pick a winner. Both teams seem very much similar, despite what any Michigan or OSU fan would say.

Both teams have struggled this year throwing the ball. Michigan is ranked 97th in the NCAA averaging about 200 yards per game, while OSU is ranked 103rd, with an average of 180.8 passing yards per game.

Ohio State has the lead in rushing, being ranked 9th and averaging 245.5 yards per game. Michigan is only ranked 36th in the nation, and is averaging 194.5 yards per game.

Both teams average close to the same amount of points per game, Michigan averaging 30.8 (ranking 48th in the nation for points scored), while Ohio State scores an average of 38.2 (ranking 18th in the nation).

Defense could very well be the key here. Michigan's defense is allowing only 18.1 points per game, while OSU is giving up 23.0. That's a ranking of 17th for points allowed for Michigan, and a ranking of 34 for Ohio State.

Let's dig deeper shall we?

Michigan used to be led by quarterback Denard Robinson, and in some ways, they still are. Denard was injured earlier this season, and just stepped back onto the field last Saturday in Michigan's victory against Iowa. And although he did take some snaps at QB, Robinson's role was very much a running back and wide receiver, something that some Michigan fans have been asking Brady Hoke and Al Borges for for some time.



Devin Gardner has proven to be quite the QB for Michigan.



Michigan's man under center now is junior Devin Gardner, who has been quite impressive as QB. In his only three starts for Michigan as a QB, Gardner has thrown for over 800 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. He has also punched the ball into the endzone six times in those three starts.

Denard also looks to be a huge weapon as a running back/wide receiver. He has rushed for over 1,000 yards this season and hit pay dirt six times as well.

Michigan running back Fitzgerald Toussaint was unfortunately injured last Saturday and doesn't look to play for the rest of this season, but since he is a junior, he'll be back next year. It's still sad that he'll miss a game as important as this.

Gardner also has two reliable receivers in Jeremy Gallon and Roy Roundtree, who have combined for over 1,000 yards and four receiving touchdowns. Gardner definitely has a lot more accuracy than Denard, and is just as much a threat to be able to tuck the ball and run. With his 6'4" frame, he can stretch for those yards a little easier than Denard could.

Does this seem like it'll be the battle of two quarterbacks yet?!



Braxton Miller has been an impressive QB for OSU.

Braxton Miller will look to lead the Buckeyes to victory. The Buckeyes should somewhat be used to beating the Wolverines, having only lost two games in the last 10 years to their rival (that's if you count Ohio State's vacated 2010 victory over Michigan.

Miller has had quite the year, gaining Heisman talk with stats of 134/236, 1,850 yards, 14 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Miller has also scored 13 rushing touchdowns.

Miller's running back, junior Carlos Hyde will look to ad on to his 824 total rushing yards for this season. He also has 15 rushing touchdowns to his name as well.

Braxton also finds help in his wide receivers. Two of which, Devin Smith and Philly Brown, have combined for a total of over 1,000 yards rushing and eight touchdowns.

Their offenses have been rather impressive this season, but have also had their struggles. The same story is with their defenses. Both teams have defenses that can shut out teams, but also give up many points, and put their team in jeopardy of losing.

Michigan's defensive coordinator is none other than Ravens' former defensive coordinator Greg Mattison. With a defensive coach of that magnitude, you'd have to think that he'll have them ready and willing to flatten that Ohio State offense come Saturday in Columbus, Ohio. But obviously Luke Fickell will look to have his defense ready as well.



Urban Meyer looks to beat Michigan in his 1st year as OSU coach.



And let's not forget the coaches! Jim Tressel resigned as Ohio State's head football coach on May 30, 2011 due to NCAA trouble. Luke Fickell was named interim-head coach for the 2011 season, and since then, Urban Meyer was hired as the head coach of the Buckeyes. Meyer has ties to Ohio State and obviously the state of Ohio, and will be looking to gain a victory over Michigan in his first season as Buckeyes head coach.

Michigan head coach Brady Hoke has ties to Michigan as well, being a defensive coach for the Wolverines when they won the National Championship in 1997. Hoke dislikes Ohio State so much, he won't even say "Ohio State". He will only refer to their team as "Ohio". Just as well, many OSU fans and coaches refer to Michigan as "that team up north".

  

Brady Hoke is 1-0 against the Buckeyes as Michigan head coach.

Brady Hoke gained a victory over Ohio State in his first year as head coach of the Wolverines (last year - 2011), and like I said before, Urban Meyer will look to do the same thing this season.



I have followed this rivalry since I was a kid, and I can say that with Brady Hoke at Michigan and Urban Meyer at Ohio State, I really could see this being the start of the "new" 10 Year War. Woody and Bo did it in the late 60's and 70's. Will Brady and Urban do it in the 2010's and 2020's? Only time will tell.

"The Game" will start at noon ET and air on ABC. It'll take place at Ohio Stadium, "The Horseshoe" in Columbus, Ohio. Pick who you think will win if you must (or if you can), but it is lined up to be quite an entertaining game!

- Matt Lytle

@mattlytle

Maryland and Rutgers to join the Big Ten

In an announcement that seemed to somewhat shock, and confuse Big Ten fans, the Maryland Terrapins and Rutgers Scarlet Knights are going to join the Big Ten Conference.

Maryland will be leaving the ACC and join the Big Ten for the 2014-2015 season. The Terrapins will bring an overall record of 611-535-43 with them. Meanwhile, Rutgers will leave the Big East and join the Big Ten at a date we will not know just yet. Rutgers will bring with them an overall record of 626-605-42.

Many feel the biggest reason for these two teams to be brought in to the Big Ten, is so the B1G can reach out to the Washington DC and New York markets.

We are curious to know what you our readers think about this move. Will it hurt the Big Ten? Will it hurt Maryland or Rutgers? Please comment and let us know what you think.

Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers Preview

One of this week’s “must-see” games features the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes traveling to meet the Wisconsin Badgers. Over the last several years this game has turned into a heated rivalry as both teams are usually competing for the B1G conference title. Although this year, the implications are slightly different with Ohio State not being in contention for any BCS spot (due to bans by the NCAA), it will more than likely place more pressure on the Badgers. Wisconsin comes into this game riding high after last week’s massacre of the Indiana Hoosiers and will hope for more of the same against the Buckeyes.

Ohio State travels to Madison, WI as the underdogs Saturday.

The Buckeyes on the other hand will be well rested after the bye week and will have had plenty of time to review game tape of the Badgers. As history has shown us, Urban Meyer never fails to have his team ready to play…give him an extra week, and they will be even more ready to play. The Buckeyes are 10-0 this season and have lacked the motivation of the BCS or any other postseason accolades so it only causes my mind to wonder, just how good this team really could be with a little extra motivation.

What I’ll be looking for in this game, is how well the Badgers can run the football. The Ohio State defense is tough up front and will challenge the Badger offensive line to create holes for the tailbacks. If Wisconsin cannot find a way to effectively run the football, then this game will only be close for a few minutes. On the other hand, although the Buckeyes are 10-0, the road has not been as easy as it may look. Having escaped several contests with narrow victories, I don’t expect this game to be a blowout by any stretch of the imagination. With an extra week to prepare, I just don’t see the Buckeyes laying down against the Badgers unless they are simply looking forward to next week vs. Michigan which could be a possibility. Vegas currently has Wisconsin as the favorite at -3, which I think is a little generous. If Wisconsin is to win this game, it will be by a field goal or less so this game looks to be an easy bet for those interested.

The Sports Messiah’s Pick: Ohio State +3

- The Sports Messiah

Penn State Nittany Lions at #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers Preview

This Saturday at 3:30, the #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers will host the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions come into Lincoln, Nebraska with a 6-3 record (with a 4-1 record in the B1G). Nebraska is sporting a 7-2 overall record (with the same 4-1 record in the B1G).

Penn State didn't start the season off the way they had hoped. After all the drama and change of the offseason, Penn State began their season 0-2, losing to the Ohio Bobcats and the Virginia Cavaliers. However, since then, they've lost one more, against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Matt McGloin will look to air it out against the Cornhusker defense.

A big reason Penn State has been doing so well is their senior quarterback Matt McGloin. McGloin has went 211/340 for 2,436 yards and 18 touchdowns. And he's only thrown three picks. Quite impressive. One of his favorite targets is sophomore wide receiver Allen Robinson, who has caught 57 pass for 689 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Another factor on the Nittany Lion offense is sophomore running back Zach Zwinak, who has carried the ball this season 117 time for 545 yards and three touchdowns.

But if we get into the running game of this matchup Saturday, we can't ignore what the Nebraska Cornhuskers can do on the ground. Nebraska is ranked sixth in the nation for rushing yards in a game. That is thanks to two players. Junior quarterback Taylor Martinez, and sophomore running back Ameer Abdullah. Martinez, who has thrown for 1,941 yards and 18 touchdowns, has also rushed for 666 yards, and rushing in 8 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Abdullah has scored 8 rushing touchdowns as well, and carried the ball 151 times for 826 yards. This duo is incredible.

Taylor Martinez is a threat in the air, and on the ground.

Martinez will not only be looking to run over the Nittany Lion defense on Saturday, but he will also look to air it out against them. Most likely he will toss the ball to Kenny Bell a bit in Memorial Stadium. Bell, who is a sophomore, has 33 receptions on the year for 622 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Cornhusker passing game however, isn't ranked anywhere near their rushing in the nation, as their passing yards per game is averaging about 217 yards (making them ranked 80 in the nation).

Another big stat that we can't forget, is points scored on the teams. Although Penn State has lost one more game than Nebraska, their ranked 14th in the nation for points scored against them, with an average of only 17. Nebraska is ranked 54 in the same category, allowing an average of 25.

Keys to this game are simple. Penn State will be looking for Matt McGloin to have a big game, throwing the ball and spreading out that Nebraska defense. Meanwhile, they'll be keeping an eye on Taylor Martinez, and Ameer Abdullah. Penn State will need to shut down Nebraska's pass and rush, because Martinez is that dual-threat quarterback that can tire out a defense.

Nebraska is supposed to win this one by about eight points. I wouldn't be surprised if they did. However, I wouldn't be shocked if Penn State found a way to shut down the Cornhuskers, and pull this one out in Lincoln. Either way, I see this one being a good game. Make sure to tune in to ABC at 3:30 for this chess match!

- Matt Lytle

@mattlytle