Well Stocked
Athlon Sports reports the 2020 All-Big Ten is led by 15 selections
from Ohio State, with Michigan at 12 and Iowa and Penn State with 11 each.
Meanwhile, seven other programs had at least seven selections on
the 2020 All-Big Ten squad.
Bowlers Welcome
Like last season, twelve Big Ten teams will square off against at
least one non-conference team that participated in a bowl game last season,
with 22 of all 42 non-conference games featuring opponents coming off bowl
trips. And like last year, Purdue will face bowl teams in all three of their
2020 non-conference contests, while Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin will
each face a pair of non-conference foes that won bowl games.
Counting conference and non-conference contests, every Big Ten
team will face at least six teams that played in a bowl game last season.
Purdue leads the way facing nine such opponents, followed by Michigan, Michigan
State, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Ohio State each with eight such contests.
Welcome Aboard
Like last season, the Big Ten will welcome a pair of new head
coaches to the sidelines for the 2020 campaign in Michigan State's Mel Tucker
and Rutgers' Greg Schiano.
Tucker brings a wealth of coaching experience to MSU. He began his
coaching career in 1997 as a graduate assistant at Michigan State under Nick
Saban in 1997. Along the way back to the Spartans, Tucker followed Saban
to LSU before becoming a DB coach at Ohio State under Jim Tressel when the
Buckeyes won the National Championship is 2002. Tucker moved on to the NFL as a
DC and DB coach with the Cleveland Browns from 2005-07. He served as DC and
interim head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars between 2009-11 before moving
on to the Chicago Bears in 2013. In 2016 he became the Georgia Bulldogs DC
before becoming the head coach at Colorado last season.
Meanwhile, Schiano returns for a second-stint as head coach with
the Scarlet Knights where he first served from 2001-2011. Prior to that,
Schiano started his college coaching career as a graduate assistant at Rutgers
in 1989 before moving on to Penn State from 1990-95. From there he moved over
to the NFL as an assistant coach with the Chicago Bears from 1996-98. After
serving two seasons as DC with Miami Florida, Schiano accepted the head
coaching position at Rutgers. From there he became head coach of the Tampa Bay
Bucs in the NFL for two seasons before becoming the DC at Ohio State from
2016-2018.
Safe to say both "newbies" bring plenty of coaching experience.
Note: Team write-ups are excerpts from the 2020 PLAYBOOK Football
Preview Guide magazine - on sale at newsstands nationwide or at Playbook.com.
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.
2020 BIG TEN CONFERENCE PREVIEW
BIG 10 EAST -
INDIANA
TEAM THEME: HOOSIER
MANEUVER
2020 Recruit Rank: 58 • Ret Starters:
Off - *8 / Def - 9 • RPR: Total: 11 (37 O / 13 D)
The Hoosiers posted both a winning conference record and 8 wins
for the first time since 1993 last season. With the bar raised, uncertainty
looms: OC Kalen DeBoer is now Fresno State's new head coach, and QB Peyton
Ramsey enrolled at Northwestern as a graduate transfer, meaning the Hoosiers
must rely heavily on a unit that was 11th in the country in terms of returning
production prior to Ramsey's departure. With it, IU will be favored in five of
its first six games, and will not face back-to-back road games this campaign
for the first time since 2016, when last they earned a nod to the Foster Farms
Bowl. Meanwhile, sophomore QB Michael Penix Jr. is a star in the making.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Over the last 24 years, the teams for which Allen has been a
member of the coaching staff have posted a combined 240-88 record (.732).
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: vs. Penn State (10/31)
MARYLAND
TEAM THEME: TURTLE
SOUP
2020 Recruit Rank: 31 • Ret Starters:
Off - *7 / Def - 4 • RPR: Total: 90 (73 O / 100 D)
It's now been five years since Maryland last enjoyed a winning
season. In that span they've gone through three head coaches and stand 5-10 in
close-call games. Hopefully, a solid recruiting class this offseason will come
to its aid. Perhaps the best handicap of the Terps is backing them in games in
which they figure to outgain an opponent, and fading them in games in which
they don't. That's because they're 8-1 SU and 7-1 ATS when they win the stats,
and 0-16 SU and 3-13 ATS when they lose the stats the past two seasons. And for
what it's worth, Maryland was ranked No. 129 in Red Zone Offense and No. 129 in
Time Of Possession last season. Ugh.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Terrapins are 0-11 SUATS following a win from Game Seven out
the last seven years.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PASS
MICHIGAN
TEAM THEME: MASTADONICITIS
2020 Recruit Rank: 14 • Ret Starters:
Off - 5 / Def - 6 • RPR: Total: 125 (119 O / 110 D)
Second year OC Josh Gattis' offense was hit hard by losses this
offseason. He loses two-year starting QB Shea Patterson and four starters on
the OL, including first round center Cesar Ruiz. In fact, only LSU had more
players lopped off their roster in the 2020 draft than did the Wolverines (10).
That figures to keep Jim Harbaugh up late at night. The elephant in the room,
though, is the fact that Michigan has lost 8 straight games against hated rival
Ohio State. Another loss this season will tie the record for the longest losing
skein in this series. If you like their chances to snap the streak, you won't
like our 'Stat You Will Like' below, that's for sure.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Wolverines are 1-15 SU in their final two games of the season
since 2012.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: vs. Penn State (10/3)
MICHIGAN STATE
TEAM THEME: TOUGH
TIMES IN EAST LANSING
2020 Recruit Rank: 43 • Ret Starters:
Off - 7 / Def - 3 • RPR: Total: 117 (112 O / 111 D)
Mark Dantonio collected a $4.3 million dollar bonus at the end of
last season in a one-time payout. It's a good thing the check cleared as he
resigned less than three weeks later. Dantonio was replaced by Mel Tucker, who
inherits a tough situation as the Spartans football team has gone 14-12 the
past two seasons behind one of the worst offenses in the Big Ten. MSU lost a
quarterback, two main receivers, a tight end, an All-Big Ten linebacker, a
former All-Big Ten safety and two starting cornerbacks - not to mention the
entire defensive line. FYI: Tucker, a one-and-done head coach at Colorado last
season, was also an interim head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars for five
games in 2011.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Dantonio was the first Big Ten coach to record five 11-win seasons
in a six-year span. Prior to his arrival, MSU had never won 11 games in a
season.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PASS
OHIO STATE
TEAM THEME: JUSTIN
TIME
2020 Recruit Rank: 5 • Ret Starters:
Off - *5 / Def - 4 • RPR: Total: 93 (66 O / 114 D)
When Ryan Day accepted the keys to the machine from Urban Meyer,
he inherited a team that ranked No. 2 overall in recruit wars the previous five
years. Safe to say the cupboard was well stocked, and it culminated in the
Buckeyes' 3rd College Football Playoff appearance. The task at hand this year
will be replacing 10 players from last year's squad that were drafted by the
NFL. They managed to land Oklahoma RB Trey Sermon (1691 yards and 18 TDs) as a
grad transfer in the offseason. Last year was QB Justin Fields' first year in
the offense and his first full healthy year as a starter since 2016. Color him
a Heisman finalist and the Buckeyes lethal again in 2020.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Buckeyes have been double-digit favorites in 52 of their last
63 regular season games the past five years.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY AGAINST: as a favorite at Oregon (9/12)
PENN STATE
TEAM THEME: PORTAL
POWER
2020 Recruit Rank: 15 • Ret Starters:
Off - *8 / Def - 5 • RPR: Total: 47 (38 O / 66 D)
Like him or not, James Franklin is having a huge impact on
recruiting classes coming to Happy Valley. Keeping them, however, is another
story. It appears Franklin had shaken off the Penn State portal party as over
16 Nittany Lions transferred last season. And while the Penn State portal class
of 2020 is much smaller, the quality - based on both prized WRs Justin
Shorter and Ricky Slade leaving - was even higher. With it, Franklin is
bringing in five freshmen wide receivers to be tutored by his fourth WR coach
is as many seasons. Coupled with an abundance of coaching staff changes,
including new OC Kirk Cairrocca from Minnesota, it means everything old is new
again at Penn State these days.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Head coach Franklin is 3-13 SUATS away in his career versus
greater than .666 conference opponents.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Iowa (10/17)
RUTGERS
TEAM THEME: A NEW
MEANING OF 'R' RATED
2020 Recruit Rank: 64 • Ret Starters:
Off - *9 / Def - 8 • RPR: Total: 15 (29 O / 25 D)
Greg Schiano is back for another tour of duty where he last roamed
the Rutgers sidelines from 2001-11. Rest assured, Schiano is thankful for the
opportunity, especially after the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State (where
he was a coach on the PSU staff) and when the University of Tennessee backed
out of a deal to name him the Vols' head coach after being pressured by social
media, alumni and state representatives. Remember: in Schiano's most recent
three seasons as defensive coordinator with Ohio State, 18 defensive players
were drafted by the NFL, including 8 first round picks. Still, Rutgers was
129th in the country in scoring offense and 123rd in the country in scoring
defense last fall.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Schiano is 16-3-1 ATS as a non-conference pick or dog with Rutgers.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: vs. Penn State (11/28)
2020 BIG TEN CONFERENCE PREVIEW
BIG 10 WEST -
ILLINOIS
TEAM THEME: RANCH FOR
SALE
2020 Recruit Rank: 87 • Ret Starters:
Off - *9 / Def - 5 • RPR: Total: 12 (11 O / 46 D)
Lovie Smith earned his stripes last year, leading the Fighting
Illini to their first bowl game since 2014. Now he needs to summon a winning
season, something Illinois has not enjoyed since 2011 - which was also the last
time the Illini appeared in consecutive bowl games. Smith will lean heavily on
an experienced squad in 2020, one that ranks No. 12 in the nation in overall
Returning Production, and one that ranked No. 1 in Defensive TDs and No. 2 in
Fumbles Recovered last season. But before you bet the ranch on Illinois this
year, you'd better have a backup ranch. After winning 6-plus games the previous
season, the Illini have won more than 5 games only one time since 1993.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Illinois is 6-46 SU in its last 52 Big Ten games against .500 or
greater opponents.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY AGAINST: at Wisconsin (10/31) - *KEY
IOWA
TEAM THEME: KIRK
PERKS
2020 Recruit Rank: 35 • Ret Starters:
Off - 7 / Def - 5 • RPR: Total: 101 (97 O / 91 D)
Leave it to Kirk Ferentz. The winningest coach in Iowa football
history welcomed just 10 starters back last season, yet led his troops to their
sixth double-digit winning campaign since 2002. It happened with a team that
finished No. 4 in the nation in Red Zone Offense and No. 4 in 4th Down
Conversion Defense last season. New QB Spencer Petras, the Hawkeyes' latest
plug-and-play signal caller, will have the luxury of tossing to Iowa's top four
wide receivers from last season, all of who caught 37 or more passes in 2019.
While the Hawkeyes are exceptionally light in returning production (No. 101
nationally), a recruiting class that has improved annually each of the last
four seasons lends hope.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Hawkeyes Kirk Ferentz is the longest-tenured FBS head coach in
the nation.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY AGAINST: as a favorite vs. Northwestern (10/24)
MINNESOTA
TEAM THEME: FLECKSING
THEIR MUSCLE
2020 Recruit Rank: 38 • Ret Starters:
Off - *9 / Def - 4 • RPR: Total: 86 (13 O / 125 D)
What does a 10-win season, including a bowl victory over Auburn,
get you these days? If you're Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck, it meant a
7-year contract extension for almost $5 million per year. Better yet, Fleck returns
second-team All Big Ten QB Tanner Morgan, who completed 66% of his passes for
10.2% yards per attempt while scoring on 30 TD passes with just 7 INTs.
Meanwhile, the Gophers had 6 OL that started games last season and all 6 are
back in 2020. Unfortunately, news on the defensive front is grim as they rank
125th in defensive Returning Production, including all 4 DL gone. However, they
dodge Ohio State and Penn State and get Iowa and Michigan at home.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
The Golden Gophers won double-digit games last season for the
first time since 2003.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: vs. Iowa (9/18)
NEBRASKA
TEAM THEME: FROSTING
ON THE CAKE
2020 Recruit Rank: 20 • Ret Starters:
Off - *10 / Def - 5 • RPR: Total: 17 (2 O / 83 D)
247 Sports put it best about the Cornhuskers' chances this season
saying, "The 2020 season will be another incremental step forward. Nebraska
will get to a bowl game and improve on its 5-7 2019 season but some sort of
eight-or-nine win breakthrough will come in 2021." That's certainly a positive
statement for a team that has had a losing record each of the last three
seasons. In fact, Nebraska's 2020 season win total opened at 6.5, showing that,
despite the continuing Huskers woes under expected savior Scott Frost, there is
still plenty of love for the program. The frosting on the cake: the last time
the Cornhuskers endured three consecutive losing seasons was 1959-61. They then
went 9-2 in 1962.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE: The
Huskers have sold out 375 consecutive home games. When full, Memorial Stadium
holds more people than all but two Nebraska cities (Omaha and Lincoln).
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Wisconsin (11/21)
NORTHWESTERN
TEAM THEME: REVERSAL
OF FORTUNE
2020 Recruit Rank: 47 • Ret Starters:
Off - *10 / Def - 9 • RPR: Total: 1 (6 O / 23 D)
Look out below! That was undeniably the theme surrounding the
Wildcats last year. As defending Big Ten West champions, they entered the 2019
season riding as much momentum as the program arguably has had since the Rose
Bowl days of the mid 1990's. Then in one fell swoop, it was gone as prized
QB recruit Hunter Johnson failed miserably. That figures to change in 2020,
though, behind the No. 1 ranked unit in the land in Returning Production, plus
new blood in graduate transfer QB Peyton Ramsey arriving from Indiana. He'll
work with new OC Mike Bajakian, formerly of Boston College and QB coach for
four years with the Tampa Bay Bucs, to breathe some life into the offense.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Ramsey started 23 games at Indiana, completing 65.6% of his passes
for 6,581 yards and 42 TDs, along with 832 rushing yards and 14 TDs.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Purdue (10/31)
PURDUE
TEAM THEME: CHANGING
FACES, CHANGING PLACES
2020 Recruit Rank: 33 • Ret Starters:
Off - *9 / Def - 8 • RPR: Total: 20 (32 O / 40 D)
After two steps forward under Jeff Brohm, it was back to their
losing ways for Purdue last season as an influx of injuries led to the
Boilermakers using three different quarterbacks. Coupled with future NFL star
WR Rondale Moore suffering a season-ending injury on the same play that
quarterback Elijah Sindelar suffered a broken clavicle, Purdue's hopes
immediately went down the drain. Moore returns, but with Sindelar opting not to
return, the QB battle will be between Jack Plummer, who led the team with 1,603
passing yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games as a redshirt freshman, and Aidan
O'Connell, who started the final three games. FYI: New DC Bob Diaco, former
head coach at UConn and DC at Notre Dame, replaces Nick Holt.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
53.2% of starts made by the Boilermakers last year were by
underclassmen, including a nation-leading 32.3% by freshmen.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY ON: at Illinois (10/17)
WISCONSIN
TEAM THEME: NEAR
TEARS
2020 Recruit Rank: 25 • Ret Starters:
Off - *6 / Def - 9 • RPR: Total: 34 (72 O / 17 D)
Bet you didn't know the Badgers have played in the Big Ten title
game 6 of the last 9 years. The bad news is they've come up empty four straight
times in those games, and they must replace multi 2,000-yard rusher Jonathan
Taylor. But don't feel sorry for Paul Chryst's crew. The Badgers are bringing
back a successful quarterback in Jack Coan, who finished eighth in Total QBR
last season. They also rank No. 17 in overall defensive Returning Production
from a second best unit that allowed 2.1 points per game in the first quarter
of games last season. Plus, they also avoid Ohio State during the regular
season (see more on that below). No tears needed for the Badgers.
STAT YOU WILL LIKE:
Wisconsin is 27-1 SU since 1997 versus losing opponents in seasons
in which they do not face Ohio State.
POINTSPREAD POWER PLAY:
PLAY AGAINST: vs. Nebraska (11/21)
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