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Big Ten Power Rankings: How things look heading into the season

By Alec Whitaker

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 21: James Franklin head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions congratulates Jim Harbaugh head coach of the Michigan Wolverines after the game at Beaver Stadium on November 21, 2015 in State College, Pennsylvania. The Wolverines won 28-16. (Photo by Evan Habeeb/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 21: James Franklin head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions congratulates Jim Harbaugh head coach of the Michigan Wolverines after the game at Beaver Stadium on November 21, 2015 in State College, Pennsylvania. The Wolverines won 28-16. (Photo by Evan Habeeb/Getty Images) /
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Sep 4, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema enters the field with his team before the start of Saturday’s game with the UTSA Roadrunners at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 4, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema enters the field with his team before the start of Saturday’s game with the UTSA Roadrunners at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

14-10

14. Northwestern 

The Northwestern Wildcats went just 3-9 overall and 1-8 in conference play last season. They were arguably the worst offensive team in the country, averaging just 16.6 points per game. Quarterback Ryan Hilinski will look for a breakout season after completing just 54% of his passes for 978 yards and three touchdowns compared to four interceptions in 2021. Running back Evan Hull seemed like the only player on this side of the ball with a pulse, rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2021. They do have offensive tackle Peter Skoronski though, arguably the best tackle in college football. On defense, the defensive line is remade with three transfers coming in. Safety Brandon Joseph, arguably the team’s best player last year, now plays for Notre Dame. Northwestern looks poised for another rough season.

13. Indiana

After starting the season ranked, the Indiana Hoosiers finished the season 2-10 with an 0-9 Big Ten record. The offense was just as bad as Northwestern’s, as they averaged just 17.2 points per game. Michael Penix Jr. is now the starting quarterback at Washington, so it looks like Jack Tuttle will be the man under center. Tuttle did not impress last year, but an off-season of preparation may help him. The Hoosiers will need to find a run game, as they averaged just 3.3 yards per attempt last season.  On defense, the loss of do-it-all linebacker Micah McFadden will not be easy to replace. The Hoosiers only had 14 sacks last year, and the guys responsible for nine of them are gone. Considering the offenses that Indiana faces in the East, this could be a long season.

12. Illinois

The first season for Bret Bielema at Illinois was not a bad one. The Fighting Illini went 5-7 last year with a 4-5 record in the Big Ten, including a win at Penn State. The offense still leaves a lot to be desired, but Tommy DeVito transferred in from Syracuse to man the quarterback position. Talented running back Chase Brown is also back. The big thing for the Illini offense is to get more production from the pass catchers. Isaiah Williams led the team with 47 catches for 525 yards and four touchdowns, but no one else did much of anything. The defense was No. 20 in the country in terms of scoring defense and many key contributors do return. They must replace top sack producer Owen Carney Jr. though. Next step for Illinois is to make a bowl game.

11. Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights showed vast improvement in year two under Greg Schiano, going 5-8 and making a bowl game (kind of). Neither side of the ball was particularly strong for Rutgers, but they still managed five wins, with two in conference play. Quarterback Noah Vedral wasn’t fantastic last year, but if he struggles, former 4-star Gavin Wimsatt will be there to take his place. The offensive line is remade with three transfers being brought in. The big question on offense is how Rutgers will replace top playmaker Bo Melton, who is now in the NFL. The defense is nothing special, but they allowed just 25.6 points per game, which is an improvement for Rutgers. Two key contributors in defensive back Avery Young and linebacker Mohamed Toure return for this group. Schiano will enter 2022 with the goal of winning a bowl game.

10. Nebraska

Was Nebraska really as bad as its 3-9 record showed? Absolutely not. The Cornhuskers lost nine games but eight were by one possession or less; they had a positive score differential of 66. Scott Frost may be on the hot seat, but he will rely on Texas transfer quarterback Casey Thompson and new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple to save him. Joining Thompson are two talented transfer receivers in Trey Palmer and Marcus Washington. The Huskers do need to find a run game though as former starting quarterback Adrian Martinez led the team in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns last year. Losing talented center Cam Jurgens to the NFL won’t help the run game either. The defense ranked 36th in scoring last year and they will only improve as the productive duo of Luke Reimer and Garrett Nelson are back. A strong 2021 secondary will deal with some turnover this year, but they have the talent to overcome it. A lot of new faces may be what the Cornhuskers needed, look for them to battle to six or seven wins.

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