Big 10 East:

1. Ohio State is a rather easy pick here. They return 8 on offense including their QB and 7 on defense. This is a very talented team. The schedule is rather soft. The two big games are at home, against Oklahoma and Penn State. It would be surprising not to see this team in the playoffs.

2. Penn State returns 9 starters on offense including their QB and 7 on defense. They appear to be a solid team, but they won 4 of their games last season by 7 or less points. Their schedule is the usual Big 10 soft, but they do go to Northwestern and Back to back against Ohio State and a very upset Michigan State.

Others: Michigan loses 7 starters on offense and 10 on defense. That is simply too many players to have to replace. They must open with Florida, and travel to Penn State and Wisconsin, the latter being the week before the Ohio State game. Indiana returns 7 starters including their QB on offense and 9 on defense. The big question is how will the team chemistry be with new HC Allen? The schedule is very soft, starting at Virginia, then home to FIU and Ga. Southern in weeks 2-3 and 4, and ending with at Illinois, Rutgers, and at Purdue. Those 6 games alone get them into a Bowl game.

Big 10 West:

1. Wisconsin returns 8 starters on offense including a QB who can throw the ball, and 7 on a defense that allowed 14 or less points in 7 of their games last season. They have a very easy schedule, with the toughest game being at Nebraska. 12-0 going into the CC game is certainly possible with that schedule.

2. Northwestern returns 8 starters on each side of the ball and their starting QB. HC Fitzgerald is, IMO, one of the Top 10 in the nation. The schedule has it's bumps along the way, with games at Wisconsin and Nebraska, and a home game against Penn State. Do not sell this team short.

Others: Iowa returns 7 starters on offense and 8 on defense, but must find a QB. Ferentz,s teams are unpredictable at best, and this year looks the same. The schedule is brutal, hosting Ohio State and Penn state, and going to Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Nebraska. Nebraska gets hit hard by graduation returning only 4 on offense and 6 on defense. They get Wisconsin, Northwestern and Iowa at home, but go to Oregon and Penn State.