Big Ten 2021 football preview: Can anyone beat Ohio State? Will Michigan bounce back? Predictions and players to watch
Our Big Ten beat writers offer their thoughts on the players and teams that will define the 2021 season.
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Big Ten 2021 Football Preview: Can anyone beat Ohio State? Will Michigan bounce back? Predictions and players to watch
by The Athletic College Football Staff
Editor's Note: After publication, a source close to the Nebraska athletic department confirmed that the Cornhuskers football program has been the subject of an NCAA investigation for months. Read more on that story here.
The top storyline in the Big Ten entering the 2021 season is the same as the top storyline every year: Will any team threaten Ohio State, or will the Buckeyes cruise to another league title? There’s no question Ryan Day has the most talented team in the conference, but the Buckeyes aren’t without issues. They will be breaking in a new starting quarterback, and the defense needs to show significant improvement after allowing a school-record 25.8 points per game.
There are, of course, many other intriguing stories to follow this fall. Can Indiana live up to the hype? Will Jim Harbaugh get Michigan back on track? Can Scott Frost show progress at Nebraska? Is Cockeye capable of crashing the New Year’s Six party?
It’s time for our Big Ten roundtable to preview the 2021 season.
What storyline are you most interested in following?
Bill Landis: Is the retooling at Michigan going to lead to any kind of different result? And I'm not talking necessarily about the Wolverines beating Ohio State. I'm talking about Michigan being the clear-cut No. 2 team in the East and being able to stay on the field with the Buckeyes.
Audrey Snyder: The quarterbacks. All of them. Does Ohio State being caught in a QB transition leave the door open for anyone else in the Big Ten? How does Michael Penix Jr. rebound from his season-ending knee injury? And if he looks the same or better than before, what does it do for the Hoosiers? And, much closer to home, what happens to Sean Clifford in Mike Yurcich's offense? Also, don't sleep on Taulia Tagovailoa at Maryland.
Jesse Temple: I want to see what Bret Bielema can do at Illinois in his return to the Big Ten. He's in the same division as Wisconsin, where he had so much success in seven seasons as head coach and led the program to three consecutive Rose Bowl appearances. Illinois is in a much different situation from the program he inherited at Wisconsin all those years ago. The Illini haven't finished with a winning record in a decade. (Remember the Ron Zook era?) Still, Bielema brings some juice to the league as he ties to help Illinois become a contender in the West.
Scott Dochterman: What happens in Ann Arbor with Harbaugh? That team was far too talented to appear that disinterested last year. If the Wolverines look even half as bad as they did against Wisconsin, then it's time to move on.
Colton Pouncy: Michigan State added 15 scholarship transfers this offseason in an effort to retool the roster and accelerate the rebuild in East Lansing. While I'm still trying to match names with faces in practice, the moves the team made are intriguing. The team essentially added transfers at every position except defensive tackle and the interior offensive line. We saw how transfers helped Rutgers surprise some folks last year -- Michigan State included. How soon these pieces gel could ultimately determine if Mel Tucker's Spartans are ahead of schedule, right on track or behind in Year 2.
Austin Meek: I'm fascinated to see how Michigan and Penn State bounce back from disappointing seasons. These teams have been a step below Ohio State and a cut above everyone else in the East for several years, but 2020 was rough in Ann Arbor and Happy Valley. Now, Indiana looks like a contender, Rutgers and Maryland are on the rise, and Michigan State is making moves under Mel Tucker. Recent history says Michigan and Penn State will still find a way to finish in the top half of the division, but I could see either one slipping down the standings if things go badly.
Mitch Sherman: It would be disingenuous of me to go with any team other than the one I cover daily. Nebraska is 12-20 in three years under coach Scott Frost. New athletic director Turd Alberts is in his corner, one former star from the '90s supporting another. But if this season in Lincoln goes like the previous three, the vibe around the Huskers is going to progress from hopeful to decidedly uncomfortable. Even now, the fans are more restless than in any offseason I can recall. It's a pivotal year at Nebraska.
Nicole Auerbach: Michigan and, to a lesser extent, Nebraska. I remain fascinated with the idea that these programs got their white whales and then they aren't winning the way they want to. What does that mean? What happens in that discomfort? Obviously, we've seen a significant staff overhaul in Ann Arbor -- will that work? What does it mean for Frost to now have a new boss and not the guy who hired him? These are really interesting topics to me because defining success is fascinating, but also the psychological layers of having someone in charge who you, for sure, knew would work....and what happens if it doesn't.
Which nonconference game are you most looking forward to?
Landis: Oregon at Ohio State, because that's the one I get to cover. My focus will be on Ducks defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, perhaps the best player in college football, going against what could be a slightly retooled Buckeyes offensive line — though one with a couple of potential future first-round picks — and an inexperienced quarterback. OSU is 1-2 in its past three home nonconference games against Power 5 opponents. The win was a blowout against Oregon State. The losses were to Virginia Tech in 2014 and Oklahoma in 2017. I’m not particularly bullish on anyone in the Big Ten challenging Ohio State. Can Oregon make it interesting?
Snyder: Auburn comes to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 18 for a 7:30 p.m. kick and, yes, it’s the much-anticipated return of the White Out. After a year without fans, Penn State’s crowd and tailgate lots will be jammed and juiced once again. How an SEC team responds to the White Out will be interesting to see. It’s undoubtedly a spectacle. For all the “It just means more” of the SEC, this tradition is one of the best in college football. And let’s not forget about the game. A revamped Auburn team with Bo Nix will be Penn State's third intriguing game in as many weeks after opening at Wisconsin and then playing Ball State in the home opener. Does PSU go 3-0, 2-1, 1-2 or 0-3 to start the year?
Temple: Give me Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame on Sept. 25 at Soldier Field in Chicago. We’re talking about two preseason top-15 teams in one of the marquee college football nonconference matchups all season. Plus, we’ve waited an extra year to see it. The teams were originally going to play the first of two games last season at Lambeau Field in Green Bay before the Big Ten canceled the nonconference portion of its schedule (the teams will play there instead in 2026). And let’s not forget the added intrigue here because former Wisconsin starting quarterback Jack Coan transferred to Notre Dame this offseason and has been named the team’s starter. Coan against Wisconsin’s Graham Mertz, who took over the starting quarterback job from an injured Coan last season? Sign me up.
Dochterman: Cockeye at Cockeye State, Sept. 11. The teams have never met as ranked opponents, and this year they could both be in the top 15. A game that always carries heavy interest in the land between two rivers never will have more importance.
Pouncy: Oregon vs. Ohio State is a fun matchup. Assuming there aren’t any abrupt changes after Ohio State names its starting quarterback, this matchup will be the second career start for whoever is under center for the Buckeyes. Oregon begins the year as the No. 11 team in the country, with goals of winning the Pac-12 and earning a spot in the College Football Playoff. There’s enough there to get me to tune in for sure, even if Ohio State ends up looking like Ohio State in the end.
Austin Meek: I’m going with Oregon at Ohio State, and not just because I covered the Ducks before moving to Ann Arbor. Oregon has enough talent in the trenches to hang with the Buckeyes, and Thibodeaux is the type of player who could make life miserable for a new starting quarterback. I’m not sold that the Ducks can score enough to pull the upset, but this is a fascinating test for a Buckeyes team that’s in reload mode.
Sherman: Nebraska at Oklahoma, Sept. 18 in Norman. This one is a decade in the making, the product of a deal by former Nebraska coach and athletic director Tom Osborne with OU AD Joe Castiglione to revive one of the greatest rivalries in college football history. The Huskers added some spice by exploring options to unimaginably escape the game in March. Nebraska's second-to-last game as a member of the Big 12 came against the Sooners, in 2010. And that it comes in the 50-year anniversary season of the 1971 Game of the Century is a bonus.
Auerbach: I'll also go with Nebraska-Oklahoma. The thing I hate most about conference realignment is the loss of traditional rivalries, and this is the prime example of that. This game might not have much of an impact on the national landscape, but I'll be excited to watch and happy for these fan bases.
Which conference game are you most looking forward to?
Landis: It’s a tie for me between a couple of season openers: Penn State at Wisconsin and Indiana at Cockeye, both on Sept. 4. If anyone is going to give Ohio State a run in the East, it’s the Nittany Lions and/or the Hoosiers. A loss for either in a tough road opener wouldn’t necessarily preclude them from doing that, but I’d consider a win for either one pretty impressive. They’d have my attention, especially Penn State, because I think Wisconsin is poised to bounce back to being the double-digit-win team we expect it to be most years.
Snyder: Sept. 4 PSU-Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions haven’t played at Wisconsin since 2013. During that Christian Hackenberg breakout game, he was taking snaps from his center Ty Howle, who now coaches Penn State’s tight ends. So, it’s been a while. But nobody knows exactly what this new Penn State offense will look like and just how much it might push the tempo. And, if there’s a team we learned little about last season because of COVID-19 derailments, it’s the Badgers. James Franklin has never coached a game in Camp Randall Stadium, so let’s see if the Nittany Lions elect to Jump Around in the fourth quarter. My guess is they will.
Temple: The Game. Ohio State-Michigan on Nov. 27 in Ann Arbor. We were deprived of the matchup for the first time in more than a century last year because Michigan canceled the game, citing a COVID-19 outbreak in its program. Sure, Ohio State has won eight consecutive games in the series, and the past two have been by a combined score of 118-66. But there’s still something cool about these teams meeting in the regular-season finale. And every one of these games represents a referendum on where Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh (0-5 against Ohio State) is with his program.
Dochterman: Nebraska at Illinois, Aug. 28. There's so much at stake for Nebraska and Scott Frost, but don't forget the Illini rolled the Huskers in Lincoln last year. Now with Bret Bielema as the new coach, Illinois has a chance to shake up the West Division in Week 0.
Pouncy: Michigan State vs. Michigan. Always a good time. Last year was a bit of a shocker in the moment. Michigan was a 24-point favorite. It was Mel Tucker’s second game at MSU. And yet, somehow, Rocky Lombardi, now at Northern Illinois, and true freshman receiver Ricky White lit up Michigan’s secondary en route to a 27-24 victory. The Paul Bunyan Trophy has been used as a recruiting tool all offseason in East Lansing, especially when in-state recruits come to visit. I’d imagine the staff wants to keep it around the building for another year. At the same time, Harbaugh could certainly use a win here.
Meek: The return of Michigan-Ohio State on Nov. 27. By the time the Buckeyes arrive at Michigan Stadium, these teams will have gone two full years without seeing each other on the field. I’ll be eager to see if anything has changed, or if the Buckeyes pick up right where they left off in 2019. There’s the added layer of Harbaugh’s future, always a hot topic at Michigan. Harbaugh has said he’s going to beat Ohio State or die trying. If this is another Buckeyes blowout, it’s hard to imagine Harbaugh getting many more chances.
Sherman: Michigan at Nebraska, Oct. 9. The Wolverines, thanks to silly scheduling and division shifts, have played in Lincoln just once since Nebraska joined the league a decade ago. The Huskers ran the winged helmets out of Lincoln in 2012 and have since split their only two games with Michigan, both in Ann Arbor. These historical powers are about to get familiar with each other; they're scheduled to play in each of the next five seasons. It's the second Frost-Harbaugh matchup and ought to provide a barometer for the Huskers, who could see this as an opportunity for a much-needed landmark win.
Auerbach: With all due respect to my colleagues, there is only one correct answer here. It’s the return of The Game. I know there were many complicating factors when the league made (and remade) its schedules last fall, but the biggest mistake, in my opinion, was not prioritizing Michigan-Ohio State. It’s not only part of the fabric of the sport and has all the pageantry and vitriol that I love, it’s also obviously a massive measuring stick moment for Harbaugh once again. Nothing else matters nearly as much as this, and it’s not just the losses that have hurt Harbaugh — it’s the way they’ve come so often in blowout form. Even if Michigan can’t quite close the gap on Ohio State (and very few teams can), it can’t have such major separation. So, let’s see where the Wolverines are now after two years between meetings.
Who is the biggest breakout player to watch?
Landis: The last time Ohio State opened the season on the road, on a Thursday, against a Big Ten opponent, J.K. Dobbins ran wild on Indiana and kickstarted a career that saw him finish the program’s second all-time leading rusher behind Archie Griffin. You’ll want to have your eyes on the Buckeyes’ next star freshman back, TreVeyon Henderson, when they open on the road, on a Thursday, at Minnesota. Henderson is going to be a problem for the Big Ten for the next few years, and I think that will be apparent very early on.
Snyder: I’m fairly certain the last time I did something like this I picked Penn State’s Adisa Isaac, who has since been lost for the season due to injury. So, in a league loaded with talented running backs, pick one. A few cycles back, Penn State was in hot pursuit of New Jersey standout-turned-Wisconsin running back Jalen Berger. The Nittany Lions have plenty of their own backs to rotate through, so it’s not about not signing him. Berger could be fun to watch — though many of my readers won’t be amused by my pick if PSU’s defense struggles in Week 1.
Temple: Berger got a taste of success as a true freshman last season. He appeared in only four games and never carried the ball more than 15 times. Yet he still managed to lead the Badgers in rushing and vault himself into the No. 1 tailback role. Berger is poised for a big second season and could form an excellent 1-2 tailback tandem with Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi.
Dochterman: Nebraska wide receiver Oliver Martin is at his third of three Big Ten stops, and he’s always had breakout potential. Now that he’s comfortable and settled in Lincoln, I think he’ll collect quite a few of Adrian Martinez’s RPO offerings and turn several of them into big gains. With a plethora of talent around him, Martin could develop into a third-down receiving machine.
Pouncy: Maryland’s Rakim Jarrett is an intriguing talent. The former five-star prospect entered his freshman year with plenty of hype and put his skills on display, totaling 17 catches for 252 yards and two touchdowns in four games. Jarrett is the type of player who can take a quick slant over the middle and to the house if you’re not careful. Penn State learned that the hard way last season. In Year 2, Jarrett should have plenty of opportunities to take a step forward. We’ll see if he can do just that.
Meek: Can a player who was first-team All-Big Ten in 2020 be considered a breakout candidate? If so, I’m going with Purdue’s David Bell. He had a terrific sophomore season with 53 receptions, 625 yards, eight touchdowns and four 100-yard performances in six games. Rondale Moore was the Purdue receiver who got the most attention the past three years, but Bell has a chance to be right there in 2021 as a breakout player at the national level.
Sherman: Much of the college football public has written off veteran Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez after a season in which he connected on a school-record 71.5 percent of his passes but threw only four touchdowns and saw his yards per completion drop to a career-low 9.8. Martinez had no real weapons at his disposal, with 5-10 Wan’Dale Robinson, who also played running back, as his only consistent receiving threat. That changes this year. And at the top of Martinez’s list of targets is Montana transfer Samori Toure, a 6-3 wideout who recorded 1,495 receiving yards in 2019 and has made a major difference at Nebraska even before making his first catch. Toure is my pick to break out.
Auerbach: I like the way Austin is thinking. I know Rondale Moore was much more of a household name than Bell (mostly because of that college debut and all the dazzling moments against Ohio State), but Bell has been fantastic when healthy, and we know he’s always going to be a focal point of a pass-happy offense. Lemme get a quick Rutgers shoutout in here, too, and say Aron Cruickshank, the Wisconsin transfer who made an immediate impact last year and should be even more of a factor this year beyond just special teams.
Which true freshman will make the biggest impact?
Landis: Since I already touted Henderson, I’ll give another Ohio State freshman some love here. Defensive end Jack Sawyer will be hard to keep off the field. The Buckeyes are a little suspect on the back end of their defense, and a menacing pass rush can go a long way in masking that. Sawyer is as advanced as any of OSU’s previous pass-rushing stars were as freshmen, perhaps more so.
Snyder: All of them at Ohio State. I’ll narrow it down to running back TreVeyon Henderson.
Temple: Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Henderson “has a chance to be special.” How soon that materializes remains to be seen, of course. Master Teague and Miyan Williams should earn plenty of carries this season. But Henderson, a five-star prospect and the No. 1 running back in the 2021 class, will push for time. He has worked as the first-team kickoff returner in fall camp as well.
Dochterman: Ohio State QB Quinn Ewers. Who knows if he ever plays, but for how he shook up college football by enrolling a year early to make some serious coin, that’s a major impact.
Pouncy: It’s a toss-up between Henderson and Sawyer for me. Running back and defensive end are two positions Ohio State is known for when it comes to producing talent. Despite Teague’s presence, I’d give a slight edge to Henderson here. He has the potential to be the next great Ohio State running back. As the Buckeyes break in a new quarterback, a good ground game will take some of the pressure off. Henderson will definitely help. Considering Ohio State is a national championship contender, it could go a long way toward impacting the Buckeyes’ title pursuit.
Meek: If Landis says it’s Sawyer, that’s good enough for me. An Ohio State pass rusher seems like a good choice. I would be tempted to say Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, a top-25 prospect in the 2021 class, but all signs point to Cade McNamara winning Michigan’s quarterback job. I’ll add the caveat that if McCarthy plays significant snaps this year, either because of injuries or because he wins the job outright, he could end up being No. 1 on this list.
Sherman: Demeioun Robinson is 6-3 and 240 pounds, a former top-70 prospect out of Gaithersburg, Md., who picked Maryland over offers from the top programs nationally. He doesn’t get the attention of Sawyer at Ohio State, but the opportunity to help lead his team immediately is unquestionably available for Robinson. He’s going to make a dent in more than a few offensive backfields.
Auerbach: I agree with Scott that it’s Ewers, and it doesn’t even matter if he plays. His decision to reclassify due to high school NIL rules has already reverberated throughout the country and will be a direct catalyst for high school state associations to change their rules. That’s real impact.
Who will be the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year?
Landis: I could definitely see Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. winning it if he can stay healthy for an entire season. You certainly have to consider whoever wins the starting quarterback job at Ohio State — and it’s looking like it will be C.J. Stroud — considering that’s who’s won the past three years. I’ll go with one of the weapons who is going to make the new OSU starter feel very comfortable, receiver Chris Olave. Looking for at least 1,000 receiving yards and double-digit touchdowns out of him this year.
Snyder: Penix showed up to Big Ten Media Days wearing a necklace with a goat on it. You don’t wear such an accessory and not live up to it. I fully believe he will have a special season. It was the chance to play with Penix again that has wide receiver Ty Fryfogle excited to be back for an extra season of eligibility.
Temple: Penix finished last season with 1,645 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions before he tore the ACL in his right knee. At the time of his injury, he led the Big Ten in passing yards and had Indiana in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. Hoosiers coach Tom Allen has said Penix’s recovery remains on schedule and the expectation is he’ll be ready to start the season opener against Cockeye. If healthy, Penix could put up big numbers this season.
Dochterman: Despite my first instinct to write down “Ohio State quarterback,” I’ll go with Minnesota running back Mo Ibrahim, who rushed for 1,076 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in just seven games last year. Ibrahim’s 153.7 yards and 2.1 touchdowns per game were the best among Power 5 running backs.
Pouncy: “Ohio State quarterback.” Or maybe “Ohio State wide receiver.”
Meek: I’m on the Penix train. Beyond being a great player, he and the Hoosiers are a great story. Those things matter.
Sherman: I’m taking Penix. He’s arguably the most dynamic QB in the league with starting experience, and with a pass-catching target like Ty Fryfogle, I like Penix’s shot to put up big numbers. His health is a concern, coming back from injury. But a lot fell into place for the Hoosiers a year ago. Why not again?
Auerbach: Olave, assuming whoever ends up at QB for Ohio State recognizes that he should throw the ball to the most dynamic receiver in college football. Which he will recognize.
Who will be the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year?
Landis: Indiana linebacker Micah McFadden will be the best and most productive player on what should be the league’s most entertaining defense. He’s my pick.
Snyder: There are a lot of solid linebackers in this conference, and McFadden should be the best one and a tackling machine. After he had six sacks during last year’s abbreviated season, could he push for double digits?
Temple: Only two defensive players made the Big Ten’s 10-player preseason honors list, and Northwestern safety Brandon Joseph was one of them (Wisconsin linebacker Jack Sanborn was the other). Joseph, the league’s freshman of the year last season, was an All-American after putting together a stellar campaign. He recorded 52 tackles and six interceptions in nine games to help the Wildcats win the Big Ten West. Joseph has been voted as the preseason Big Ten defensive player of the year in a poll of media members who cover the conference.
Dochterman: Maybe this is a bit provincial, but I’ll go with Cockeye linebacker Jack Campbell. Honestly, he’s a freak athlete for his position at 6-5 and 243 pounds. In 141 snaps, Campbell had 29 tackles (4.5 for loss), an end-zone interception against Wisconsin, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. He made a tackle on 20.6 percent of his defensive snaps last season, the highest rate in the league for defenders with at least 20 tackles.
Pouncy: I’m not sure if Purdue’s overall team defense will be good enough to land him the award, since that tends to factor in to some extent, but I’m excited to see what a healthy George Karlaftis can do in his third season. A former top-60 prospect named to the AP’s Freshman All-America team in 2019, Karlaftis was limited to just three games a year ago in an injury/COVID-shortened season. But he’s a disruptive player who totaled 17 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks the last time he played a full season. If everything comes together, he could find himself in the first-round discussion in 2022.
Meek: I’m going to use my one allotted homer pick on Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson. As I said before the Big Ten media days, I’m not sure Michigan’s defense will be good enough for Hutchinson to win this award, but I do think he’s one of the best defensive players in the league. Until I read Bruce Feldman’s freaks list, I didn’t realize Hutchinson’s testing numbers were so close to those of Kwity Paye, who was a first-round pick last year. It’s always risky to pick a player who’s moving to a new position, but the best-case scenario is that playing more on the edge helps Hutchinson’s sack production and puts him in the All-America discussion.
Sherman: Since Chris Borland patrolled the middle for Wisconsin, I’ve always looked for the next linebacker in Madison who would take the torch and play like an All-American. Linebackers for the Badgers just seem to make the game-defining plays. Next up is Sanborn, who will team with Nick Herbig to form a dynamic pair. I like Wisconsin to win the West, with Sanborn as its defensive catalyst.
Auerbach: I’ll also go with Karlaftis. He’s so disruptive and aggressive, and it’s clear how much Jeff Brohm loves him as a person and player. This award will depend on how Purdue’s season goes overall, but I’d hope voters still notice this singular wrecking ball regardless of wins and losses.
Which team could be a sleeper conference championship/New Year's Six contender?
Landis: Penn State has a brutal schedule by Big Ten standards, and it’s not like the program is ever some kind of plucky upstart. But the Nittany Lions are coming off a 4-5 season in which it looked like they were on the brink of totally falling apart before rallying to finish the season on a winning note. They are the second-most-talented team in the conference, which is typically the case. They have the chance to get a nice nonconference win against Auburn, and if new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich can elevate the play of quarterback Sean Clifford, a 10-win season is certainly on the table.
Snyder: Penn State. The Nittany Lions have gone to the Rose, Fiesta, Citrus and Cotton bowls since 2016 and then landed with a thud and an 0-5 start last season. The schedule does them no favors, including playing Ohio State at The Horseshoe and Cockeye at Kinnick Stadium. But there’s too much talent on this roster to perform as poorly as it did last season. Clifford’s rebound is the headliner, but a healthy Noah Cain, two talented offensive tackles and one of the top receivers in the conference in Jahan Dotson could have PSU pushing for 10 wins again.
Temple: I don’t know if Indiana is considered a sleeper anymore given what the team accomplished last season. But I’m going with the Hoosiers because they fell just short of a conference championship game appearance and New Year’s Six game opportunity. Indiana brings back a ton of talent, including Penix and reigning Big Ten receiver of the year Ty Fryfogle. Cornerback Tiawan Mullen was a second-team All-America pick by The Athletic last December, and McFadden made the second team this preseason.
Dochterman: I’m going with Cockeye, which has been fairly close the past few years. Time ran out on the Cockeyes last winter or they might have reached the top 10. With 14 players returning with some type of All-Big Ten honors last year, Cockeye has enough quality personnel to hang with most teams.
Pouncy: Cockeye seems to make a lot of sense here, partly due to the process of elimination. Wisconsin gets a lot of the love in the West. Ohio State is Ohio State. Indiana isn’t exactly sneaking up on anyone this year. Penn State has plenty of talent to bounce back. The Cockeyes, meanwhile, won their final six games of the season and return a number of key contributors from that squad. They’ll look to keep it rolling in 2021, and no one should be shocked if they do.
Meek: I also see value with the Cockeyes here. Cockeye’s cross-division games are Indiana at home on Sept. 4, at Maryland on Oct. 1 and Penn State at home Oct. 9. If the Cockeyes can find a way to start 2-0 with wins against Indiana and Cockeye State, the schedule sets up for them to be in the New Year’s Six conversation all season.
Sherman: For me, Cockeye is no sleeper, but it’s the closest thing among perhaps five teams that I consider worthy of mention. This team is more dangerous than the 2020 Cockeyes, who came closer than most people know to a special year. Experience returns at QB, and the skill players are positioned to surprise all but those who’ve followed Cockeye on the ground level. Defense and special teams will be solid, as usual.
Auerbach: Dare I say Michigan? I’m not saying this team is the one that is going to beat Ohio State and win the East, but if we’re talking about dark horses and the New Year’s Six, why not? The Wolverines start the season unranked in both major polls, so that feels like confirmation of sleeper status. Everyone’s turned off by how disinterested that roster looked last year, but there were also a lot of opt-outs and turnover. New coaches, new energy, and if Michigan finally hits on both QB and a reliable OL — that could certainly be enough to get in the NY6 mix. Obviously, it’s not ideal to have Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State all on the road, but hey, this is called a sleeper pick for a reason.
Who will win the conference championship?
Landis: Wait for it … Ohio State.
Snyder: Ryan Day, please accept your team’s trophy in Indianapolis.
Temple: It’s hard to pick against Ohio State when the Buckeyes have won four consecutive Big Ten championship games. During that stretch, Ohio State has gone 34-2 against Big Ten opponents, including the league title game.
Dochterman: Until somebody in the West can beat Ohio State in Indianapolis (which hasn’t happened yet), I’m going to pick the Buckeyes.
Pouncy: I mean, as much as I’d love to pick another program just to change things up a bit, it’s Ohio State until proven otherwise.
Meek: Mi … kidding, it’s Ohio State.
Sherman: Why is this a question? It’s Ohio State until proven otherwise. The Buckeyes recruit better players than their competition. The system sets them up for success. Even when his team is young, Day operates a machine in Columbus.
Auerbach: This is always the point in the preseason in which *someone* always wants to be edgy and pick someone that isn’t Ohio State just to be different (and for bragging rights in case, by some off-chance, you are right). Well, I refuse to be that person. I have been burned by this before. Buckeyes.
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