photo by steed media service

BIG TEN

Conference Overview: There's no debating it: The Big Ten's "Big Two" got folded up like lawn chairs in the BSC Bowl games last January. Ohio State and Michigan spent the off-season picking the remaining pieces of themselves out of the stadium turfs. This season, the Big Ten sport four teams in the Top 25, looking to wipe away the awful stench of the conferences' overall postseason performance last season.

Contenders - No. 5 Michigan, No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 10 Ohio State. The Buckeyes, who were partially devoured by the Florida Gators in the title game, probably won't repeat as Big Ten champs, and their three-year undefeated streak against their archrivals, Michigan, is in jeopardy. The loss of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith, All-America receiver Ted Ginn Jr., and WR Alex Gonzalez is too much to overcome. Michigan's Big Three, along with their vaunted receiving corp., gives them one of the most explosive offenses in the nation and automatic title contention. They will battle the defense-minded Wisconsin for the Big Ten title, followed by the Buckeyes and Iowa.

Pretenders: Northwestern, Purdue, Penn State and Indiana.

Stories to watch for: Michigan's returning seniors. All were probable first rounders, but passed up the NFL to do one thing [which is almost more important than contending for a title]: finally beating the hated Buckeyes whom the seniors have gone winless against. The lack of preseason accolades enables the Buckeyes to rebuild in relative obscurity. - terry shropshire

Share this article with a friend