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2010 Big 10 Football Predictions


Written June 17, 2010 by Jason Lowry

A lot of the news surrounding the Big 10 this offseason has to do with Nebraska accepting an invitation to join the conference in 2011, and while that will definitely make this a more competitive conference, none of that matters this season. Ohio State won the Big 10 title for the fifth straight year in 2009, and while the Buckeyes could be even better in 2010, teams like Iowa, Penn State, and Wisconsin all have the talent to put an end to the streak.

The Big 10 finished 2009 with three teams in the top 10 (Ohio State, Iowa, and Penn State), and there is a good chance this conference could be just as good if not better in 2010, with improvements from Michigan State and Michigan. The top teams have a ton of talent coming back, and the winner of this conference could very well end up playing for the BCS National Championship Game. Here is a look at how I see the conference shaping up in 2010. If you are interested in betting the Big 10 college football lines this season, I strongly recommend getting an account up and running at BetUS. Sign up for a new account and deposit at least $500, and BetUS will match you with an additional $500!

1. Iowa Hawkeyes - I know everyone thinks that Ohio State is the team to beat in 2010, but a lot of people are forgetting about the Hawkeyes. Iowa nearly beat the Buckeyes on their home turf in 2009 with a backup quarterback, and get the Buckeyes at home this season. The offense returns 6 starters, including starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi and three quality running backs. The offensive line lost three starters, but head coach Kirk Ferentz is one of the best offensive line coaches in the country. I believe the Hawkeyes will have the best defense in the Big 10 this season.  A big reason for that is the Hawkeyes return all four starters on the defensive line, and have one of the best defensive players in the country in defensive end Adrian Clayborn. The Hawkeye’s main advantage this season is they get Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State at home.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes - The Buckeyes have a ton of talent coming back in 2010, led by junior quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who figures to be a legit contender to win the Heisman Trophy. The Buckeyes offense returns 9 starters, but it is all going to come down to how well Pryor plays. The defense only has 6 starters back, but figures to be right there with the Hawkeyes as one of the best defenses the conference has to offer, led by their own star defensive end Cameron Heyward. The Buckeyes also have to travel to Wisconsin this season, giving them two very difficult road games.

3. Wisconsin Badgers - The Badgers put together a strong 10-3 season in 2009, and with 16 starters back in 2010 this team is thinking they have what it takes to win the Big 10 this season. The Badgers will count on the running to carry the load again this season, as they are led by junior stud John Clay, who ran for 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2009. The Badgers also bring back all five starters on the offensive line that should be one of the best the Big 10 has to offer. My concern comes on the defensive side of the ball, the Badgers gave up 28 points or more six times last year.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions - The Nittany Lions wave goodbye to quarterback Daryll Clark, but bring back one of the best running backs in the conference in senior Evan Royster. The quarterback spot is still up for grabs, but it would appear that sophomore Kevin Newsome has the early edge. Like always the defense will be what carries the Nittany Lions in 2010, but it’s a young group, as just five starters are back and only two seniors are expected to start on opening day. The Nittany Lions avoid playing Wisconsin, but have to play both Iowa and Ohio State on the road. We should get a real good idea of how good this team is when it travels to Alabama early in the season.

5. Michigan Wolverines - It is likely do or die for head coach Rich Rodriguez after the Wolverines turned a 5-2 start into a 5-7 finish and a tie for last place in the Big 10 in 2009. They have 15 starters back and should be one of the more improved teams in the entire conference in 2010. If the Wolverines are going to make some serious noise in the Big 10 they need a big season out of sophomore quarterback Tate Forcier. The defense gave up at least 20 points in each conference game last season, but with 8 starters back they are hoping for some big improvements on this side of the ball.

6. Michigan State Spartans - Don’t be surprised if the Spartans finish much better than where I have them, but this team will have to manage around a tough road schedule.  The Spartans have to play at Michigan, Iowa, and Penn State, but luck out by not having to play Ohio State this season. The Spartans will be led by junior quarterback Kirk Cousins and sophomore running back Larry Caper on the offensive side of the ball, but here is another team that will be hoping for improvement on the defensive side of the ball if they really want to compete for a Big 10 title.

7. Northwestern Wildcats - The Wildcats bring back 13 starters to a team that went an impressive 5-3 in conference play last season, but they lose a lot of production on the offensive side of the ball with the departure of quarterback Mike Kafka and receivers Andrew Brewer and Zeke Markshausen. The Wildcats avoid the Buckeyes and get the Hawkeyes at home, but still have tough road games against Penn State and Wisconsin.

8. Purdue Boilermakers - The Boilermakers suffered a big blow to their season when they lost running back Ralph Bolden to an ACL injury, but they figure to be the best of the bottom feeders in the Big 10. They have 11 starters back, but welcome Miami transfer Robert Marve, who will likely step right in at the open quarterback spot. Marve should form an instant connection with star wide out Keith Smith. The defense was up and down in 2009, but it was good enough to hold the Buckeyes to just 18 points in a thrilling upset. Purdue avoids both Iowa and Penn State in conference play, but don’t expect a ton from this team in 2010.

9. Illinois Fighting Illini - It was a disappointing 2009 for the Fighting Illini, as they managed to win just two conference games, but there is a chance this team could be much improved in 2010. They will likely count on red shirt freshman Nathan Scheelhaase to lead the offense, but expect running backs Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford to get a heavy work load. The defense has to improve dramatically if this team is going to post a winning record in 2010.

10. Indiana Hoosiers - The offense should be very capable of putting some points on the board in 2010 with 9 starters back. There is talent all over the field on this side of the ball led by senior quarterback Ben Chappell, sophomore running back Darius Willis, and junior wide outs Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher. The problem is the defense doesn’t figure to be very good at all with just 4 starters back. The Hoosiers don’t get lucky in the schedule department either, as they don’t miss out on any of my top five teams in the Big 10.

11. Minnesota Golden Gophers - The offense will need a big season from senior quarterback Adam Weber, but it won’t be easy with the losses of his top two wideouts in 2009. The defense has just two starters back, and both come at the safety position. Look for teams to run all over the inexperienced Gopher defense. The Gophers get Iowa, Ohio State, and Penn State at home, but those are games they were likely going to lose regardless of where it’s played, meaning many of their winnable games are on the road.

If you are interested in making some money betting on college football this season, check out our expert college football picks from some of the top handicappers in the business. See who Jack Jones has picked to win it all in his 2010 college football predictions.

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4 Responses to “2010 Big 10 Football Predictions”

  1. Chris20906 on June 17th, 2010 11:17 PM

    It’s always been hard to predict the Lions. Quarterback Clark graduated but he choked in the big games. Royster and some highly rated lineman should take the pressure off the new QB. Defensively we lost Odrick and two dinged up starting linebackers. Bowman disappeared for a game and Sean Lee was coming back from the knee injury. Bottom line, this team could actually be better by subtraction.

  2. Anthony on June 23rd, 2010 8:41 PM

    Michigan State at 6? This team has the deepest offense in the conference. The defense only needs to improve in the secondary, nowhere else. Greg Jones is one of the best defensive players in the country and Eric Gordon is definitely one of the top 8 linebackers in the conference.

  3. tc16 on June 29th, 2010 8:42 PM

    I second that, Michigan at 5? MSU at 6? Not a chance, MSU takes 5 and Michigan take 7, NU will beat out Michigan.

  4. tim on July 29th, 2010 2:47 PM

    Tc16, your half right, Michigan will not be 5….. they will be third! MSU???? 6th is about right.

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