Bowlers
Welcome
Twelve Big Ten
teams will square off against at least one non-conference team that
participated in a bowl game last season, with 21 of all 42 non-conference games
featuring opponents coming off bowl trips. Michigan and Purdue will each face
bowl teams in all three of their 2019 non-conference contests, while Maryland,
Michigan State, and Penn State will each play two bowl opponents outside the
conference schedule.
Counting
conference and non-conference contests, every Big Ten team will face at least
six teams that played in a bowl game last season. Illinois, Maryland, Michigan,
Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin lead the way with eight such contests,
followed by Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern and Rutgers with
seven.
Welcome Aboard
The Big Ten
will welcome a pair of new head coaches to the sidelines for the 2019 campaign
in Maryland's Michael Locksley and Ohio State's Ryan Day. Locksley brings over
20 years of coaching experience, including two separate stints at Maryland,
totaling 10 years with the Terps. The winner of the 2018 Broyles Award, given
to the nation's top assistant coach, Locksley has spent the last three years
working under Nick Saban at Alabama. Day, the Ohio State offensive coordinator
and quarterbacks coach who led the team to a 3-0 record at the start of the
2018 season, took over as head coach of the program on January 2, following
Urban Meyer's retirement.
Note: Team
write-ups are excerpts from the 2019 PLAYBOOK Football Preview Guide magazine -
on sale at newsstands nationwide. The numbers following each team name represent
the amount of returning starters on offense and defense, along with the number
of returning linemen, with an asterisk (*) designating a returning quarterback.
The RPR represents each team's overall, offensive and defensive rankings in
overall returning production experience.
2019 BIG TEN
CONFERENCE PREVIEW
BIG 10
EAST -
INDIANA
Off - *7/2 Def - 7/2
RPR: 12/25/23
TEAM THEME: FINE
TUNING
With the
Hoosiers stuck in neutral the past two seasons, head coach Tom Allen tweaked
his coaching staff with the addition of OC Kalen DeBoer, who comes over from
Fresno State where the Bulldogs posted a school record 12 victories. DeBoer
also assumes associate head coach and quarterbacks coach duties. In addition,
Kane Womack was named IU's DC. The former LB coach inherits a suddenly wobbly
stop-unit. Before last season, since Allen's arrival, Indiana was the most
improved team nationally in total defense (169.4 YPG). Behind a deeply
experienced squad, the Hoosiers will need to get back to that standard in 2019
in order to achieve their first winning season since 2007.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Over the last 23 years, the teams for which Allen has been a
member of the coaching staff have posted a combined 232-83 record (.737).
PLAY ON: at Penn
State (11/16) - *KEY
MARYLAND
Off - 4/2 Def - 5/1
RPR: 70/47/92
TEAM THEME: BANG THE
DRUM SLOWLY
New Terrapin
head coach Mike Locksley marks the arrival of Maryland's fourth mentor in as
many years. A promising 5-3 start to the season last year cratered out with
four season-ending losses, including a gut-wrenching 52-51 OT defeat to Ohio
State. Locksley enters from Alabama where he was the offensive coordinator and
wide receivers coach when the Tide won the national title in 2017 - and pounding
the ball on the ground was his cup of tea. New defensive coordinator Jon Hoke
brings 40 years of experience, including most recently with Tampa Bay in the
NFL. The rebuild will take time, especially knowing that 52.1 % of starts last
season were made by seniors - the 13th most in the nation.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: The Terps are 0-11 SUATS following a win from Game Seven out
the last five years.
PLAY ON: vs.
Indiana (10/19)
MICHIGAN
Off - *8/4
Def - 5/1 RPR: 68/30/106
TEAM THEME: HOWLING
AT THE MOON II
The good news
for the Wolverines in 2019 is that QB Shea Patterson decided to return for his
senior season. He'll be working under his sixth offensive coordinator in the
last six years (dating back to high school) in Josh Gattis, former Alabama
OC. And this one, he feels, fits his skill set the best. Michigan's new
up-tempo, no-huddle shotgun offense is called RPO, or run-pass-option, and with
an array of talented wide receivers, it could prove potent. Still seething over
season-ending blowout losses to Ohio State and Florida, the Maize-and-Blue face
a salty schedule in 2019, with non-conference tilts against three bowl teams.
Expect them to be up for the challenge.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: The SU winner 'In The Stats' is 47-5 in UM games with
Harbaugh as its head coach.
PLAY ON: vs. Ohio State
(11/30) - *KEY as a dog
MICHIGAN STATE
Off - *8/3 Def - 8/3
RPR: 48/24/99
TEAM THEME: LOCKED
AND LOADED
The Spartans
return five seniors on defense who have earned All-Big Ten honors in their
careers, including first-team All-American and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the
Year Kenny Willekes, who led the conference with 20.5 tackles for loss in 2018.
In addition, first-team All-Big Ten middle linebacker Joe Bachie has led the team
in tackles the past two seasons (100 in 2017, 102 in 2018) and returns for his
third year. After fielding one of the youngest teams in the nation in 2017, the
rush defense ranked No. 1 in the land last season. Should fifth-year SR QB
Brian Lewerke rebound from last season's shoulder injury, that groundwork
should pay big dividends in 2019.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Mark Dantonio became the first coach in Big Ten history to
record five 11-win seasons in a six-year span. Prior to Dantonio's arrival, MSU
had not recorded an 11-win season in its history.
PLAY ON: at
Northwestern (9/21)
OHIO
STATE Off - 4/1
Def - 9/3 RPR: 62/117/8
TEAM THEME: A NEW
DAY DAWNING
Changes abound
for the Buckeyes in 2019 as former assistant Ryan Day takes over the reins from
Urban Meyer while Georgia transfer QB Justin Fields steps in for Dwayne
Haskins. Fields was a five-star prospect rated No. 1 overall by ESPN in 2018. A
soft non-conference schedule finds Brutus taking on the likes of FAU,
Cincinnati and Miami Ohio. Plus they will host three of their biggest foes at
the Horseshoe in Michigan State, Penn State, and Wisconsin. Last year's dynamic
duo of running backs is down to just one in J.K Dobbins n 2019. Expect him to
have a breakout season while Day relies heavily on an ultra-experienced
defense.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Ohio State has played only 3 back-to-back road games in five
years.
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Penn
State (11/23)
PENN
STATE Off - 6/3
Def - 6/2 RPR: 100/116/55
TEAM THEME: DEAD
LIKE ME
The Grim
Reaper appears to have paid a visit to Happy Valley during the offseason and it
wasn't pretty. The team witnessed a mass exodus of underclassmen to the NFL
Draft. As a result, they rank near the bottom of the barrel in returning
starter production. Fifth-year senior QB Tommy Stevens is expected to replace
Trace McSorley, the school's all-time passing leader and winningest
quarterback. With it, James Franklin's coaching abilities will be put under the
microscope in 2019 - and we're not necessarily sure that is a good thing,
especially considering our 'Stat You Will Like' below. Not when they tackle 8
bowl foes, including each of their final four treks.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Franklin is 2-11 SU and 1-12 ATS away in his career against
greater than .666 conference opponents.
PLAY AGAINST: at Iowa
(10/12)
RUTGERS
Off - *8/3
Def - 5/2 RPR: 87/32/116
TEAM THEME: ASHES TO
ASHES
Perhaps the
most eyebrow-raising statement made by head coach Chris Ash at the conclusion
of the season last year was when he said, "We're going to have the
same offensive coordinator coming back." It was news given the
fact that Rutgers has used 9 different offensive coordinators in the last nine
years. Strange also given the fact that the Knights are coming off their worst
season in a decade and a half following last year's 1-11 debacle. Meanwhile,
returning starting QB Artur Sitkowski was one of 21 underclassmen making starts
last year, which should help. But if Ash fails to deliver this season, he could
be residing inside a coaches urn in 2020.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Rutgers has outgained 4 foes in 36 games under Ash: Kansas,
Morgan State, Norfolk State, and Texas State.
PASS
BIG 10
WEST -
ILLINOIS
Off - 7/4 Def - 10/3
RPR: 16/45/15
TEAM THEME: STUCK IN
LOVE
Lovie Smith
signed a small but impressive recruiting class in the offseason, including six
3-star prospects and two elite 4-star players in QB Isaiah Williams and DB
Marquez Beason. But like a die-hard mentor staying true to his school, Lovie
stuck with a youth movement last season when 25 underclassmen accounted for
55.3% of all starts - the 4th most in the land. While Smith's overall record
with the Illini is only 9-27, last year's 4-8 record was his best thus far. Meanwhile,
the offense improved a whopping 130 yards per game, but the defense slipped 90
yards per game while allowing 508 yards per contest. With it, Lovie will take
over DC duties in 2019.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Illinois is 4-42 SU and 16-30 ATS in its last forty-six Big
Ten games versus .500 or greater opponents.
PLAY ON: vs.
Northwestern (11/30)
IOWA
Off
- *6/3 Def - 4/0 RPR: 49/39/84
TEAM THEME: GOING BOLDLY
WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE
Kirk Ferentz
heads into his third decade as the Hawkeyes head coach - and the winningest
coach in the University of Iowa history. Senior quarterback Nate Stanley led
the Hawkeye offense to an average of 31.2 points per game and has tossed 26
touchdown passes in each of the last two seasons. However, Stanley loses stud
TE's T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, both first-round picks in this year's NFL
draft. Iowa was seventh in the nation in total defense and has led the nation
with 41 interceptions over the past two seasons. However, four key players on the
defensive line from a year ago are no longer around. Thus, September becomes a
critical month for Captain Kirk's starship.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Ferentz is the longest-tenured FBS head football coach in
the nation.
PLAY ON: at
Northwestern (10/26)
MINNESOTA
Off - *9/3 Def -
7/2 RPR: 10/4/61
TEAM THEME: FIRST
RESPONDERS
No team in the
land featured more starts by freshmen (32.9%) than the Gophers when
underclassmen combined to make 22 starts overall. That works in tandem with the
fact that 37 of 44 players from last season's two-deep are back. Hence,
Minnesota will be highly experienced, if nothing at all, this football season.
It starts with sophomore QB Zack Annexstad, who along with Cleveland Browns QB
Baker Mayfield, are the only two true freshmen walk-on quarterbacks to start a
Division-1 game in Week One. With three RBs as lethal as any in the country
operating out of the backfield, and super safety Antoine Winfield now healthy,
head coach P.J. Fleck should be rowing up a storm this season.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Fleck's teams are 33-1 SU in their L34 games in which
they've won the stats, including 22-0 the last 22.
PLAY AGAINST: at
Fresno State (9/7)
NEBRASKA
Off - *7/3 Def -
6/2 RPR: 93/79/94
TEAM THEME: BEND THE
KNEE FOR HIS ICENESS
It was an
excruciating yet rewarding first season for Scott Frost as coach of his alma
mater. The Cornhuskers lost their first six games by an average 15 PPG, but
they won four of their last six by 12.5 PPG while nearly beating Northwestern,
Ohio State and Iowa on the road. QB Adrian Martinez, electric as a
freshman despite lingering knee problems, appears on the verge of a breakout
season in 2019. Still, despite taking on four opponents with new coaches, Frost
has his work cut out for him this season after losing four of his top five
tacklers. With Frost setting a Nebraska season record for total offensive YPG
last year, football is king in Lincoln once again.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: 2019 marked the first time since 1962 that no player from Nebraska
was selected in the NFL draft.
PLAY ON: at Colorado
(9/7) - *KEY
NORTHWESTERN
Off - 5/2 Def - 6/2
RPR: 72/97/42
TEAM THEME: PURPLE REIGN
Despite their
first winless non-conference season since 1992, the Wildcats rebounded nicely
to win 9 games in 2018, including an impressive 31-20 bowl win over Utah -
marking the first time in school history that NU won three straight bowl
games. "Now it's become a consistent theme of our program, becoming
champions," insists head coach Pat Fitzgerald. With it, they begin defense of
their Big West title minus the services of four-year starting QB Clayton
Thorson, selected in the 5th round by the Philadelphia Eagles in this year's
draft. Lest we forget, this from our database: Fitzgerald is a 'good dog'
(59-37-2 ATS) and a 'bad favorite' (27-41-1 ATS). In these two roles last
season he went 10-2-2 ATS. Play accordingly.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Pat Fitzgerald has never had a player selected in the first
three rounds since taking over the program 13 years ago.
PLAY ON: as a dog
vs. Ohio State (10/18)
PURDUEOff -
3/2 Def - 9/4 RPR: 103/124/35
TEAM THEME: THE
PERFECT BROHMIDE
Not only did
head coach Jeff Brohm say no to Louisville, his alma mater, his electrifying
star WR Rondale Moore also returns after leading the nation with 114
receptions, good for 1,258 yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman last year.
Moore also returned kicks for 744 yards while setting a school record with 313
yards... in his first career game! Through it all, the offense averaged 30 PPG
last season for the first time since 2007 under Joe Tiller. QB Elijah Sindelar
returns after opening the 2018 season as the starter before giving way to
since-departed David Blough. Meanwhile, just 32 players started a game last
season - only three teams in the land started fewer.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Brohm is 15-2 SU and 14-3 ATS from Game Eleven
out.
PLAY ON: at
Northwestern (11/9)
WISCONSIN
Off - 5/1 Def - 6/2RPR: 29/7/78
TEAM THEME: BOWL ME
OVER
A five-game
home stand from September till mid-October practically insures an 18th straight
bowl game for the Badgers. For what it's worth, with its 35-3 win over Miami in
the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Wisconsin won its 5th-consecutive bowl game -
becoming the first team to win 5 straight bowls as a member of the Big Ten
Conference. UW's run of 5 straight bowl victories is tied for the nation's
longest active streak, along with Louisiana Tech. Badgers' freshmen made 21.3%
starts in 2018, the 5th most of any team in the nation, while underclassmen
totaled 24 overall starts. QB Alex Hornibrook transferred to Florida State but
Doak Walker Award-winning RB Jonathan Taylor returns.
STAT YOU WILL
LIKE: Wisconsin and Penn State are the only Big Ten teams that have
posted a winning season the last 14 consecutive years.
PLAY ON: at
Minnesota (11/30)
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