Big Ten Preview: Ohio State looming as the best

Ohio State's impending run at a league-record-tying sixth Big Ten championship in a row took a backseat to scuttlebutt about league expansion during the offseason.

Big Ten leaders officially announced that the league was exploring the possibility of expanding, saying they would explore options during the next 12 to 18 months. The Big Ten added Nebraska, which officially will enter the conference in 2011. But the league might not stop there.

And why not think big? The conference is coming off one of its best seasons in years. The Big Ten acquitted itself well in the postseason, forging a 4-3 record that included wins in the Rose (Ohio State over Oregon), Orange (Iowa over Georgia Tech), Capital One (Penn State over LSU) and Champs Sports Bowls (Wisconsin over Miami). That's a far cry from the year before, when the league went 1-6, with Iowa's win over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl the only positive.

The Big Ten has three teams that merit a preseason top-10 ranking: Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin. And the Buckeyes look like the best, which is why Ohio State may play for the national championship for the third time in the past five seasons.

PROJECTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Ohio State

2. Iowa

3. Wisconsin

4. Penn State

5. Michigan

6. Michigan State

7. Purdue

8. Northwestern

9. Minnesota

10. Illinois

11. Indiana

THE PLAYERS

BEST OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi. The league has some high-caliber skill-position players, such as Badgers TB John Clay, Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor and WR DeVier Posey and Penn State TB Evan Royster, to name a few. But Carimi might be the best offensive lineman in the nation and seems like a sure-first first-rounder in next April's NFL draft. He is big, strong, physical and pushes people around and what else do you want from a tackle?

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Iowa E Adrian Clayborn. He was the MVP of the Orange Bowl victory over Georgia Tech after making nine solo tackles and two sacks in helping limit the Yellow Jackets to 143 rushing yards. Clayborn is a dynamic force off the edge who had 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss last season.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Michigan QB Tate Forcier. Forcier started all 12 games in 2009 and showed flashes last season as a true freshman of being an ideal triggerman for the Wolverines' spread-option attack. But some teammates have questioned his commitment during the offseason, and it's not a given that he will beat out Denard Robinson for the starting job. It's vital for whoever wins the job to evolve to the point that this becomes an explosive offense that's capable of winning games while the defense rounds into form.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER ON THE SPOT: Wisconsin E J.J. Watt. Who will be the Badgers' pass-rushing force with E O'Brien Schofield gone? Watt has to play like a star. He also has to anchor a rehabbed line that has seen three of the team's top four tackles depart, making the middle of this defense potentially vulnerable.

BREAKOUT OFFENSIVE STAR: Penn State QB Kevin Newsome. He enrolled in January 2009 and redshirted last season. Now, he is ready to assume Daryll Clark's throne. He will have good running backs behind him, a good line in front of him and solid receivers to his left and right. That means for the Nittany Lions to reach their potential, Newsome must play well and avoid mistakes.

BREAKOUT DEFENSIVE STAR: Michigan LB Craig Roh. He earned Freshman All-American accolades from several outlets and is primed to become a playmaker for a defense that needs to replace the skills of departed star Brandon Graham. Roh, an Arizona native, can be a force off the edge because of his power and quickness.

BEST OFFENSIVE NEWCOMER: Purdue QB Robert Marve. He sat out last season after transferring from Miami. Marve, a former Florida "Mr. Football" who led Tampa Plant to a state title in 2006, is a dual-threat quarterback who started 11 games for the Hurricanes in 2008. He has shown the maturity that was lacking in Coral Gables and looks poised for big things for a program that needs a big season.

BEST DEFENSIVE NEWCOMER: Michigan State E William Gholston. The touted true freshman could make an impact at a hybrid linebacker/end position. He was a five-star recruit from Detroit Southeastern whom some are comparing to former Spartans icon Bubba Smith. Gholston (6-7/237) could be a terror off the edge who helps give Michigan State the dominating defense it has been yearning for since the days of George Perles.

MOST OVERRATED PLAYER: Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi. He's good, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten from the media in 2009. But he isn't the reason the Hawkeyes

are soaring. Iowa won 11 games despite Stanzi being only the fourth-rated Big Ten passer, hitting just 56.3 percent of his passes with a league-high 15 interceptions. Even without him, Iowa still almost won at Ohio State last season (27-24 overtime loss).

THE COACHES

COACH ON THE HOTTEST SEAT: Illinois' Ron Zook. There could be as many as four, with Minnesota's Tim Brewster, Indiana's Bill Lynch and Michigan's Rich Rodriguez also feeling the heat. But we'll go with Zook for being most on the spot. Each coach is allowed one staff shakeup. Zook used his after last season's 3-9 clunker, bringing in six new assistants, including both coordinators. Now, the next head to roll would be his. It appears to be bowl or bust for Zook, who has had just one winning season and is 21-39 overall and 12-28 in the Big Ten in five seasons with the Illini.

BEST COACHING STAFF: Iowa. Kirk Ferentz's staff has benefitted from continuity. Defensive coordinator Norm Parker and offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe have been with Ferentz since he was hired before the 1999 season. So have recruiting coordinator/tight ends coach Eric Johnson and secondary coach Phil Parker. Two other assistants (running backs coach Lester Erb and offensive line coach Reese Morgan) have been with Ferentz since 2000. This is a well-oiled machine.

BEST OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Wisconsin's Paul Chryst. He has stayed true to the program's black-and-blue roots while also sprucing up the attack with myriad formations and an advanced passing game. Last season was one of Chryst's best yet, as Wisconsin had the No. 1 offense (416.9 ypg) and No. 1 scoring attack (31.8 ppg) in the Big Ten.

BEST DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Penn State's Tom Bradley. An alum who joined JoePa's staff in 1979 as a graduate assistant and hasn't left, Bradley is considered by some to be the top defensive coordinator in the nation. He runs a varied 4-3 scheme that is built around an active linebacking corps. Bradley's defense has been a constant in State College. His unit last season ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation (274.5 ypg).

THE OTHER STUFF

TEAM THAT WILL SURPRISE: Purdue. The Boilermakers should have a high-powered offense fueled by QB Robert Marve, a transfer from Miami. Headed by E Ryan Kerrigan, the front seven on defense looks strong, making the Boilermakers primed to return to the postseason for the first time since 2007. That would make for a nice second season for coach Danny Hope.

TEAM THAT WILL DISAPPOINT: Minnesota. Even with back-to-back bowl appearances (both losses), it's difficult to detect much momentum for a program that has gone 14-24 in three seasons under Tim Brewster with no signature victories. The defense must replace nine starters, and the offense is a mess as it welcomes its third coordinator in three seasons. What's it mean? A third consecutive bowl trip is unlikely.

GAME OF THE YEAR: Ohio State at Iowa, Nov. 20. This looks as if it could be a de facto Big Ten championship game. The Buckeyes hung on in Columbus to beat the Hawkeyes

27-24 in overtime last season, even though Iowa was playing with backup QB James Vandenberg. This season's contest figures to be another classic pitting the conference's preeminent coaches in Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Ohio State's Jim Tressel. Both teams figure to have offenses that rate among the best in the Big Ten, meaning this key contest likely will come down to which defense makes the most plays.

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE: Minnesota. The schedule is full of obstacles, including underrated non-league games at Middle Tennessee State (the Sun Belt favorite) and at home against Northern Illinois (the MAC West favorite). USC also visits Minneapolis. Want more? The Gophers play what figures to be the Big Ten's top four teams in Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Penn State.

EASIEST SCHEDULE: Purdue. The schedule is user-friendly, as Iowa and Penn State aren't on the to-do list. But there are trips to Notre Dame and Ohio State as well as a visit from Wisconsin. Still, there are plenty of winnable games (FCS member Western Illinois, Ball State, Toledo, Minnesota and Indiana all at home plus a game at Illinois), meaning Purdue should reach the postseason.

THE 10 BEST GAMES

(listed chronologically)

Miami at Ohio State, Sept. 11

Penn State at Alabama, Sept. 11

Michigan at Notre Dame, Sept. 11

Iowa at Arizona, Sept. 18

Penn State at Iowa, Oct. 2

Ohio State at Wisconsin, Oct. 16

Wisconsin at Iowa, Oct. 23

Penn State at Ohio State, Nov. 13

Ohio State at Iowa, Nov. 20

Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 27

- By Tom Dienhart, Rivals.com