Indiana

Big Ten Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:36:59 -0500

With six teams in CHN's preseason Top 25, and 3 more teams with NCAA Tournament hopes, no league has more depth than the Big Ten. And an improving Indiana into the mix, and this should be quite a season for Big Ten fans.

Conference Rank: 1st

10 year average: 4th

Big Ten Page

All-BIG TEN Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Kalin Lucas	Michigan St	Jr
G	Manny Harris	Michigan	Jr
G	Talor Battle	Penn St	Jr
G/F	Evan Turner	Ohio St	Jr
F	Robbie Hummel	Purdue	Jr
Second Team
G	William Buford	Ohio St	So
G	Trevon Hughes	Wisconsin	Jr
F	Kevin Coble	Northwestern	Sr
F	Mike Davis	Illinois	Jr
C	JaJuan Johnson	Purdue	Sr

Player of the Year - Kalin Lucas Freshman of the Year - Maurice Creek (Indiana)
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Kalin Lucas (1st Team) Evan Turner (1st) Manny Harris (3rd) Talor Battle Robbie Hummel JaJuan Johnson All-Freshman Team Maurice Creek (3rd)		Points: Evan Turner 17.3 Rebounds: Mike Davis 8.1 Assists: Talor Battle 5.0 Team: Michigan State 72.0

Big Ten Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

3	Michigan State	Big Ten	1	NCAA
10	Purdue	Big Ten	2	NCAA
13	Ohio State	Big Ten	3	NCAA
14	Michigan	Big Ten	4	NCAA
18	Minnesota	Big Ten	5	NCAA
21	Illinois	Big Ten	6	NCAA
36	Wisconsin	Big Ten	7	NCAA
54	Penn State	Big Ten	8	NIT
71	Northwestern	Big Ten	9	NIT
109	Indiana	Big Ten	10	CBI/CIT
123	Iowa	Big Ten	11	CBI/CIT

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Big Ten?

Other Big Ten Content

Other

Big Ten 5-Year Ranking

Big Ten Top 25 Players

Big Ten: Fantasy Stats Preview

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Victor Oladipo Signs With Indiana

Press Release — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:12:05 -0500

Bloomington, Indiana - Indiana University men's basketball coach Tom Crean has announced the signing of Victor Oladipo, a 6-5, 185 guard from DeMatha Catholic High School in Washington D.C., to a national letter of intent to attends the University and play basketball for the Hoosiers.

A resident of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Oladipo is entering his senior year at DeMatha for head coach Mike Jones. He is currently ranked No. 133 in the 2010 recruiting class by Rivals.com and No. 36 among shooting guards. Scout.com lists the 6'5" guard as the No. 49 shooting guard in his class while ESPN.com has him listed at No. 53. He led DeMatha to a 29-3 record last year and a conference and city league title in the Washington, D.C. area. He had 14 points and 7 boards in the city championship game. He played AAU basketball for Team Takeover this past summer under the guidance of head coach Keith Stephens.

Born on May 14, 1991, he is the son of Chris and Joan Oladipo and has three siblings, Kritine, Kendra and Victoria.

Indiana Head Coach Tom Crean on Oladipo
"We targeted Victor as a young man that we wanted to pursue as a part of our restoration of the Indiana program. He comes from two great programs in DeMatha Catholic High School and Team Takeover, and has been well-coached and more importantly well-raised. We feel Victor will provide athleticism and skill, but most importantly a toughness and will to compete that enhances our program from the moment he steps on campus."

"He made a name for himself with his ability to defend other elite players in the country and we feel that defensive mindset, along with his ever-improving offensive skills, will help him have a very strong career at Indiana. That toughness and will also applies academically, and we feel he will be an asset to IU as well."

- iuhoosiers.com

Preseason All-Freshman Team: 2009-10

CHN — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:12:32 -0500

CollegeHoops.net's Preseason All-Freshman Team is led by Kentucky uber-prospect John Wall. Wall's teammates DeMarcus Cousins & Eric Bledsoe also make the 2nd and 3rd team respectively. The list is dominated by power-conference players, but 3 make it from non-BCS leagues: La Salle's Aaric Murray, San Diego St's Kawhi Leonard, and Greg Smith of Fresno State. Besides Kentucky, other teams with multiple players include Arizona, Duke, Georgia Tech, UNC, Oklahoma, and Texas.

CollegeHoops.net Preseason Co-Freshman of the Year: John Wall (Kentucky)

CollegeHoops.net First Team All-Freshman

John Wall	Kentucky	G
Avery Bradley	Texas	G
Kenny Boynton	Florida	G
Xavier Henry	Kansas	G
Derrick Favors	Georgia Tech	F/C

CollegeHoops.net Second Team All-Freshman

Abdul Gaddy	Washington	G
Lance Stephenson	Cincinnati	G
Keith Gallon	Oklahoma	F
DeMarcus Cousins	Kentucky	C
Mouphtaou Yarou	Villanova	F/C

CollegeHoops.net Third Team All-Freshman

Eric Bledsoe	Kentucky	G
Maurice Creek	Indiana	G
Tommy Mason-Griffin	Oklahoma	G
Jordan Hamilton	Texas	F
Dante Taylor	Pittsburgh	F

CollegeHoops.net Honorable Mention All-Freshman

John Henson	UNC	F
Tyler Honeycutt	UCLA	F
John Jenkins	Vanderbilt	G
Wally Judge	Kansas State	F
Ryan Kelly	Duke	F
Kawhi Leonard	San Diego St	F
Aaric Murray	La Salle	F
Kyryl Natyazhko	Arizona	F
Alex Oriakhi	UCONN	C
Mason Plumlee	Duke	F/C
Durand Scott	Miami	G
Greg Smith	Fresno State	F
Peyton Siva	Louisville	G
Michael Snaer	Florida State	G
Dexter Strickland	UNC	G
Hollis Thompson	Georgetown	F
Mfon Udofia	Georgia Tech	G
Derrick Williams	Arizona	G

Other CollegeHoops.net Preseason Awards

Big Ten Basketball: Top 25 Players

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:33:46 -0500

Ranking players is more art then science. How do you compare the potential of freshmen with seniors who have already peaked? How much does physical talent come into play versus intangibles and experience? How big a role do numbers play?

In some situations, the bigger challenge is deciding what position to list a player. College basketball is filled with combo guards, wings who can play from the 2 to 4, centers who are really power forwards, and so on.

All of these questions make lists like this fun and debatable.. if you disagree with CHN's rankings, post what you think below.

BIG TEN

PG
1. Kalin Lucas - Michigan State
2. Talor Battle - Penn State
3. Demetri McCamey - Illinois
4. Lewis Jackson - Purdue
5. Michael Thompson - Northwestern

SG
1. Evan Turner - Ohio State
2. Manny Harris - Michigan
3. Trevon Hughes - Wisconsin
4. E'Twaun Moore - Purdue
5. William Buford - Ohio State

- The SG position is particularly deep in the Big Ten. Iowa's Matt Gatens, MSU's Chris Allen & Durrell Summers, are also quality players. The Big Ten's crop of freshmen guards is rather weak this year. Indiana's Maurice Creek might be the best in the league.

SF
1. Kevin Coble - Northwestern
2. Raymar Morgan - Michigan State
3. David Lighty - Ohio State
4. Jon Leuer - Wisconsin
5. Royce White - Minnesota

PF
1. DeShawn Sims - Michigan
2. Robbie Hummel - Purdue
3. Mike Davis - Illinois
4. Delvon Roe - Michigan State
5. Derek Elston - Indiana

C
1. JaJuan Johnson - Purdue
2. Mike Tisdale - Illinois
3. Andrew Jones - Penn State
4. Ralph Sampson III - Minnesota
5. Tom Pritchard - Indiana

- You don't see too many future NBA stars here, but there's a lot of depth. Minnesota's White was recently suspended, but I'm leaving him on the list, until his future is decided. The center position is filled with a lot of workman-like players, but nothing terribly exciting beyond Johnson and the improving Tisdale.

-- SEC Top 25 Players

-- Pac-10 Top 25 Players

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Big Ten Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:14:09 -0500

BIG TEN 5-YEAR STANDINGS

CHN's annual 5-year ranking answers a simple question is in a simple manner: Who has been the best team in the Big Ten over the last five years?

Teams get points for league wins, making the postseason (NIT or NCAA) and winning games in the Big Dance. NIT wins are meaningless here, as are non-conference wins. Also, league tournaments wins are not taken into account. (An original trial-scoring system included points for conference tourney wins. But the flukish nature of these tourney's did more harm than hurt: ie, 2008 Georgia, 2006 Syracuse, and 2004 Maryland ended up getting too much credit despite the reality that they were mediocre to sub-par teams.)

100 total points is set up to be the equivalent of batting .300 in baseball.. anything above and beyond is all-world stuff. 50 points is mediocre and you only start to get bad below 40 points.

Pos.	Was	Team	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	Wins	Gms.	Points

1	2	Michigan St	13	8	8	12	15	56	84	67	Win %
			Final Four	1st Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16	Finals			33	Post Pts.
										100

2	1	Wisconsin	11	9	13	16	10	59	84	70	Win %
			Elite 8	1st Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16	2nd Round			24	Post Pts.
										94

3	4	Ohio State	8	12	15	10	10	55	84	65	Win %
			X	2nd Round	Finals	NIT	1st Round			18	Post Pts.
										83

4	3	Illinois	15	11	9	5	11	51	84	61	Win %
			Finals	2nd Round	1st Round	X	1st Round			19	Post Pts.
										80

5	5	Indiana	10	9	10	14	1	44	84	52	Win %
			NIT	2nd Round	2nd Round	1st Round	X			11	Post Pts.
										63

6	7	Purdue	3	3	9	15	11	41	84	49	Win %
			X	X	2nd Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16			14	Post Pts.
										63

7	6	Iowa	7	11	9	6	5	38	84	45	Win %
			1st Round	1st Round	X	X	X			4	Post Pts.
										49

8	9	Minnesota	10	5	3	8	9	35	84	42	Win %
			1st Round	NIT	X	NIT	1st Round			6	Post Pts.
										48

9	8	Michigan	4	8	8	5	9	34	84	40	Win %
			X	NIT	NIT	X	2nd Round			8	Post Pts.
										48

10	11	Penn State	1	6	2	7	10	26	84	31	Win %
			X	NIT	X	X	NIT			2	Post Pts.
										33

11	10	N'Western	6	6	2	1	8	23	84	27	Win %
			X	X	X	X	NIT			1	Post Pts.
										28

-Ties are broken by favoring conference winning %

Big Ten Thoughts

- Michigan St retakes the top spot after an impressive Final Four run.

- Wisconsin is the only other team besides MSU to make 5 straight NCAA Tourneys.

- Purdue and Iowa are heading in opposite directions.

- Penn State moves up from the cellar after a surprise 10-win season.

Postseason Points

NIT = 1

NCAA 1st Round = 2

NCAA 2nd Round = 4

Sweet = 6

Elite 8 = 8

Final Four = 10

Final = 11

Champs = 12

Other 5-Year Rankings

ACC

Big 12

Big East

Pac-10

SEC

.. All

Big Ten Basketball: Fantasy Preview

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:02:57 -0400

This is the 3rd of six fantasy stats projections for BCS conference starters. One of my favorite series of the year, and a helpful guide when drafting for fantasy college basketball leagues. For an idea of whether I know what I'm talking about, check out last year's Big Ten Stats Projection. As always, some teams were nailed better then others.. Wisconsin was solid, Purdue rather weak.. and I strongly overrated BJ Mullens.

Keep in mind stats are highly dependent on minutes, and freshmen are obviously the hardest to predict. I try to note places below where other starters not listed may emerge or where competition for major minutes exist. Stats are listed by ppg, rpg, and then apg.

BIG TEN

ILLINOIS

G Demetri McCamey - 14, 4, 5
G Alex Legion - 8, 2, 2

G DJ Richardson - 9, 3, 3
F Mike Davis - 12, 10, 2
F Mike Tisdale - 12, 6, 1

Notes: Richardson is a freshman. Along with Brandon Paul, the two could eat up minutes from Alex Legion who was a major bust last year. Paul is a big-time scoter who should average 8-12 ppg even if he comes off the bench.

INDIANA

G Jeremiah Rivers - 5, 3, 3
G Devan Dumes - 14, 4, 2
G Verdell Jones - 11, 4, 3
F Derek Elston - 9, 5, 1

C Tom Pritchard - 10, 7, 1

Notes: Jones had the best numbers out of Indiana's returning players, but he could lose minutes to freshman Maurice Cheek. Matt Roth is a streaky shooting guard off the bench capable of putting up points.

IOWA
G Cully Payne - 5, 3, 3
G Matt Gatens - 14, 4, 3
G Anthony Tucker - 13, 3, 2
F Aaron Fuller - 7, 5, 1
F Jarryd Cole - 7, 7, 0

Notes: Gatens & Tucker are capable scorers, but don't expect any exiciting stat-stuffing numbers from anyone here.

MICHIGAN

G Manny Harris - 20, 6, 5
G Laval Lucas-Perry - 10, 3, 2

G Stu Douglass - 8, 2, 3
F DeShawn Sims - 17, 9, 1
C Zack Gibson - 6, 5, 1

Notes: Zack Novak saw starter minutes last year, and should contribute between 8 and 10 ppg. If Harris gets his fg% up from 41.5 to 45 or above, he can score 20 ppg easy.

MICHIGAN STATE

G Kalin Lucas - 14, 4, 7
G Durrell Summers - 12, 4, 2
F Raymar Morgan - 14, 7, 2
F Delvon Roe - 9, 8, 1
F Draymond Green - 6, 6, 1

Notes: With a healthy Morgan and an improving surrounding cast of scorers, don't expect a further jump in Lucas' production, though his assists could jump. Chris Allen will also approach double-digit scoring off the bench.

MINNESOTA

G Al Nolen - 6, 4, 5
G Lawrence Westbrook - 12, 3, 2
F Royce White - 10, 5, 2
F Damian Johnson - 12, 6, 2
C Ralph Sampson - 10, 7, 1

Notes: White, a freshman, could crack the starting rotation. But I also expected big things out of Devan Bostick last year and he never really panned out. He's still an option off the bench, as is Blake Hoffarber who has 10 ppg potential if given the minutes.

NORTHWESTERN

G Michael Thompson - 14, 3, 4
G Jeremy Nash - 8, 3, 2
F John Shurna - 10, 5, 2
F Kevin Coble - 16, 6, 3
C Kyle Rowley - 7, 3, 1

Notes: Thompson's scoring output was only 9.9 ppg, but I expect a bounce back season on the scoring end. Shurna has the potential to score 15 ppg by the time he's a senior.

OHIO STATE
G William Buford - 13, 4, 2

G Jon Diebler - 13, 4, 4
G Evan Turner - 18, 7, 6
F David Lighty - 10, 7, 2
C Dallas Lauderdale - 6, 5, 1

Notes: Evans is a legit stud, and could see a boost in apg if he plays more point. PJ Hill & Jeremie Simmons see decent minutes off the bench, but neither offers much in terms of fantasy.

PENN STATE

G Talor Battle - 18, 5, 6
G Chris Babb - 9, 2, 1
F Jeff Brooks - 6, 5, 1
F David Jackson - 7, 5 1
F Andrew Jones - 10, 8, 1

Notes: Battle contributes solidly in the 3 main categories. Jones averaged 6 & 5 last year but should see the biggest bump. Freshman Tim Frazier is good enough to see 15-20 mpg as the 1st guard off the bench.

PURDUE

G Chris Kramer - 7, 3, 3
G Lewis Jackson - 8, 3, 5
G E'Twaun Moore - 16, 5, 4
F Robbie Hummel - 12, 9, 2
6 JaJuan Johnson - 15, 7, 1

Notes: Last year, I underrated Johnson's output and overrated Moore's. Keaton Grant will also see big-time minutes, and should score 7-8 ppg.

WISCONSIN

G Trevon Hughes - 15, 4, 4
G Jason Bohanon - 13, 3, 3
G/F Tim Jarmusz - 6, 5, 1
F Jon Leuer - 12, 5, 1
F Keaton Nankivil - 8, 5, 1

Notes: Wisconsin usually features a well-balanced attack, so don't expect a 20 ppg scorer. Wisconsin welcomes 5 freshmen, and big man Jared Berggren probably has the best chance to contribute immediately.

Projected Big Ten Leaders

Top PPG
1) Manny Harris (20)
2) Talor Battle (18)
3) Evan Turner (18)

Top RPG
1) Mike Davis (10)
2) DeShawn Sims (9)

3) Robbie Hummel (9)

Top APG
1) Kalin Lucas (7)
2) Talor Battle (6)

3) Harris/Jackson/McCamey/Nolen (5)

Fantasy Stats Preview Archive

- ACC

- Big 12

Big Ten

Poll: Who Will Win the Big Ten?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:04:24 -0400

Big Ten Basketball: High-Low Preview

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:04:38 -0400

Everybody loves a prediction. It's a fact. People that claim to hate sports predictions are just jealous that no one cares what they have to say (or their predictions are never right). But sometimes when making predictions, certain teams or groups of teams are truly to close to call. On CHN or in preview mags, we do our best to slot teams into specific spots, but sometimes you just want to say honestly, teams A, B, and C are virtually the same and luck will determine how they finish. You can't say that in a Top 144 ranking, but I'm saying it here in a series of High-Low predictions, which includes a range for each team's finish and a few reasons why.

(How about the high production values with that picture?..)

BIG TEN HIGH-LOW

Arguably the top conference in the country, the Big Ten features 9 teams that could conceivably make the NCAA Tournament, and 7 that could finish as high as 2nd in the league.

* my projected finish in yellow

ILLINOIS
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Last year, Bruce Weber proved that you can't count out one of his teams. So long as they continue to play stellar D (57 ppg against last year), the Illini have a chance to finish as high as 2nd in the league.

INDIANA
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
The Hoosiers are making progress, but simply don't have the talent to compete with the conference elite. Unlike last year, they'll at least be highly competitive.

IOWA
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Iowa's backcourt has promise, while the frontcourt is mostly a mess. Iowa will certainly win a few games here and there, but it's hard to imagine them finishing much higher then 10th.

MICHIGAN
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Harris and Sims form the league's best inside-outside combo, and there's loads of young depth. Still, the Wolverines haven't finished higher than .500 in league play in over 5 years, so expectations may be a bit high.

MICHIGAN STATE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
The hole in the middle left by Goran Suton will be hard to fill, but there's more then enough pieces remaining for Michigan State to advance deep into the NCAA Tournament.

MINNESOTA
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Tubby Smith has loads of depth at his disposal, but perhaps lacks that one player willing to push the program to new heights. Everyone expects a giant leap forward this year, but that might be another year away.

NORTHWESTERN
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Yes, Northwestern is more talented then usual and last year's NIT trip was nice.. but they still finished 8-10 in league play, a record which they probably won't match in 2010. Will battle Indiana and Penn State in the 8-10 race.

OHIO STATE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Evan Turner is a stud, William Buford is ready to breakout, David Lighty is healthy, and Jon Diebler finally found his range. OSU is right there with Purdue in the battle for 2nd place.

PENN STATE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Talor Battle is the big name, but look out for junior forward Andrew Jones. Ed DeChellis' Lions have never made the Big Dance, a streak which will likely continue in 2010 (but which may very well end in 2011).

PURDUE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
Purdue is the team with the best shot of knocking MSU out of the top spot. With everyone but Calasan back, another 11-7 finish in conference play would be highly disappointing.

WISCONSIN
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
It pains me to put Wisconsin 7th, because you know Bo Ryan has more tricks up his sleeve then any other coach in the league. While other teams look better on paper, you know the Badgers will push for a +.500 record in conference play.

>> ACC: High-Low Preview

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

Indiana Basketball Preview: #109

Joel Welser — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:21:46 -0400

Overall Rank: #109

Conference Rank: #10 Big Ten

2008-09: 6-25, 1-17

2008-09 postseason: none

Coach: Tom Crean (6-25 at Indiana, 196-121 overall)

Nobody can blame Indiana for winning just six games last year and Coach Tom Crean deserves some credit for getting anything out of his ragtag group of Hoosiers. Last year’s recruiting class was pretty good and they did a solid job and will continue to improve, but every one of the returning players will be pushed by this year’s recruiting class that is one of the best in the nation.

Key Losses: G Malik Story, F Kyle Taber

Key Newcomers:

When there are so many starting jobs up for grabs, every newcomer is key. Jordan Hulls could immediately start running the point and Maurice Creek is one of the top shooting guards in this class. Those two alone would make any class look good, but it gets better. Forwards Christian Watford and Derek Elston could both be starting from day one, or will at least need to contribute some major minutes. Fellow big men Bobby Capobianco and Bawa Muniru are not quite as highly regarded as the other four players, but they would be the highlight of most other classes.

Backcourt:

The odd thing is the fact that the Hoosiers return most of their players so it will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out when it comes down to who plays how many minutes. Devan Dumes turned into a quality shooter and scorer and led the team with 12.7 points per game. It is even possible that the senior will eventually lose his starting gig. But starting or not, Dumes has been around the block a few times and is one of the few seniors on this team and that will make him a valuable asset. Matt Roth could be a decent sharp shooter off the bench, much like he was last year, but again the newcomers could drastically cut into his playing time.

Frontcourt:

The incoming players will dominate the frontcourt, but Tom Pritchard will not give up his starting job without a fight. The 6-9 sophomore tallied 9.7 points and a team high 6.4 rebounds last season and got noticeably better as the season progressed. He was even the team’s best shot blocker, although that will almost certainly not be the case again in 2009-2010. Some players like senior Tijan Jobe might play a role this year as well. Jobe averaged less than five minutes per game last year, but if the newcomers need more time than expected to adjust to life in the Big Ten, players like Jobe will play a role early in the campaign.

Who to Watch:

There will be interesting battles for playing time all over the floor for IU, but perhaps none are more intriguing than at the point. Jeremiah Rivers is eligible after transferring in from Georgetown and his experience is a huge plus for this young team. Verdell Jones III started last year and dished out 3.6 assists per game and added 11.0 points, so he is a viable candidate for minutes. And then arguably the team’s best recruit is a point guard.

Final Projection:

Indiana will be better this year, much better, but expectations still need to be kept under control. The Hoosiers will not suddenly be the Hoosiers of old because of one good recruiting class. Coach Crean is doing all the right things, but it will take time before IU is back on the national radar and ready to compete for an NCAA berth. For now, any postseason berth should be considered a success.

Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

Jeremiah Rivers, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Devan Dumes, Senior, Guard, 12.7 points per game

Maurice Creek, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Derek Elston, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Tom Pritchard, Sophomore, Forward, 9.7 points per game

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

The Ultimate Schedule: Big Ten

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:19:40 -0400

There are many articles out there on the best games this season, on a national level as well as by conference. But how would each conference’s (or in some cases division) schedule look if you had to follow the actual rules when doing so? This is just one person’s opinion, so feel free to add your input/suggestions. Today: the Big Ten, a league with two clear favorites and some intriguing matchups on the schedule.

Big Ten Schedule “Rules”:

- Four non-conference games

- Eight conference games

Week 1: Illinois vs. Missouri (in St. Louis) September 5^th

Be it basketball or football this is one of the more enjoyable rivalries in college sports. Unfortunately, this series will be coming to an end following this season, which is a crying shame. Missouri won last year’s meeting thanks in large part to the duo of Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin; they’re both gone now so the Illini’s chances improve substantially. But what happens should Illinois encounter some early struggles? They’ve shown the ability to fight back in previous meetings, but it will be a true test of whether or not there was an improvement in team chemistry in the offseason.

Other Games Considered: Minnesota @ Syracuse (9/5), Navy @ Ohio State (9/5)

Week 2: USC @ Ohio State (September 12^th)

There are some appealing matchups on the schedule for the second Saturday of the season, but those are mere appetizers when compared to this showcase. Aaron Corp takes over as the starter at USC, and this trip to the Horseshoe will be his first start in hostile territory. Freshman Matt Barkley could get some playing time as well, but that’s the only question mark for a Trojan offense that returns ten starters. USC thoroughly dominated last year’s meeting, but don’t expect the same this time around. At the least the Buckeyes need to be competitive throughout, if not win the game.

Other Games Considered: Notre Dame @ Michigan (9/12), Iowa @ Iowa State (9/12), Air Force @ Minnesota (9/12), Central Michigan @ Michigan State (9/12), Fresno State @ Wisconsin (9/12)

Week 3: Michigan State @ Notre Dame (September 19^th)

This series has been a wild one in recent years; before Michigan State’s win in South Bend last season the home team had lost seven straight. This series has had thrilling comebacks, flag plantings and entertaining football so don’t expect much of a change. Either Kirk Cousins or Keith Nichol will be the man under center for the Spartans, and given the strength of the defense they won’t be required to pull off any Superman-like heroics. Notre Dame gets a year older, and some expect the Irish to be part of the BCS at-large conversation. Overall, a very good litmus test for both teams in mid-September.

Other Games Considered: California @ Minnesota (9/19), Arizona @ Iowa (9/19)

Week 4: Illinois @ Ohio State (September 26^th)

Two years ago the Illini won in Columbus, getting the ball rolling towards an eventual trip to the Rose Bowl. This meeting comes a lot earlier in the season, but it will be a solid test for an Illinois team that could make some noise within the league. The Buckeyes won in Champaign 30-20 last November despite throwing for just forty-nine yards and being outgained by just over one hundred yards. But with Terrelle Pryor and Beanie Wells both rushing for more than 100 yards Ohio State was able to hold the ball for more than thirty-three minutes. With the Buckeyes having a solid rushing game again this season, Illinois’ defense needs to get off the field when the opportunity presents itself.

Other Games Considered: Iowa @ Penn State (9/26), Michigan State @ Wisconsin (9/26), Minnesota @ Northwestern (9/26)

Week 5: Michigan @ Michigan State (October 3^rd)

Last season’s game didn’t go too well for the maize and blue, who turned the ball over four times and was outgained by more than two hundred yards in the 35-21 defeat. The Wolverines, by the time of the battle for the Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan trophy, will hope that Tate Forcier is comfortable as the starter. The Spartans have one of the best defensive units in the Big Ten, and rest assured that this rivalry game means an awful lot to Coach Dantonio (thanks to Mike Hart’s “little brother” comments a couple of seasons ago). It’s the first meeting in East Lansing since those infamous comments; look for Sparty to be more than ready to welcome Michigan to town.

Other Games Considered: Penn State @ Illinois (10/3), Wisconsin @ Minnesota (10/3)

Week 6: Michigan State @ Illinois (October 10^th)

Back with the Spartans, this time to see how well the defense can perform against an Illinois offense that doesn’t lack for playmaking options. The two schools haven’t played since 2006, when the then-struggling Illini picked up their lone conference win of the season with a 23-20 triumph in East Lansing. Juice Williams and Pierre Thomas ran for more than one hundred yards apiece in the win, and it may be a safe bet to say that Greg Jones and company won’t allow that to happen again. The winner leaves with a chance to crack the top two at season’s end, while the loser may be in a dogfight to finish in the top half of the Big Ten.

Other Games Considered: Wisconsin @ Ohio State (10/10), Michigan @ Iowa (10/10)

Week 7: Bye Week (October 17^th)

Seems like a good time to take an off week, with the best games looking to be Northwestern/Michigan State and Iowa/Wisconsin. Ohio State (Purdue) and Penn State (Minnesota) will both be favored by a couple of scores to take care of business.

Week 8: Penn State @ Michigan (October 24^th)

This game has lost a little of its luster with the recent struggles of the Wolverines, but they could be a trendy upset pick when the Nittany Lions visit Ann Arbor. Penn State has a very good shot at going into this one undefeated, with revenge being the theme for Michigan following last season’s 46-17 beating in Happy Valley. The Wolverines actually led that game 10-0 in the first quarter…and things went downhill from there. No one thought that Iowa would beat Penn State last season, and in front of a frenzied crowd in Iowa City that’s exactly what happened. Maybe Michigan can do the same.

Other Games Considered: Iowa @ Michigan State (10/24), Illinois @ Purdue (10/24)

Week 9: Michigan State @ Minnesota (October 31^st)

With the Golden Gophers visiting both Penn State and Ohio State this is the biggest league game to be played in the new TCF Bank Stadium this season. Minnesota won the last meeting (31-18 in 2006) thanks to a +3 turnover margin, holding Javon Ringer to just twenty-five yards rushing and harassing Brian Hoyer all afternoon. Similar pressure could yield similar results with the quarterback situation unsettled and Ringer off to the NFL, but the Spartan defense will bring some things to the table as well. Not expecting this game to garner too much national attention, but it will be an entertaining affair.

Other Games Considered: Michigan @ Illinois (10/31), Purdue @ Wisconsin (10/31)

Week 10: Ohio State @ Penn State (November 7^th)

The Big Ten Game of the Year, with the winner most likely punching their ticket to the BCS. The Nittany Lions won last season’s meeting in Columbus, but since 1997 the road team is just 3-9 in this series (even with visitors winning the last two; stat courtesy of philsteele.com). Ohio State could get nothing done on the ground last season, rushing for just sixty-one yards on thirty-one carries, so it will be on the offensive line and backs such as Dan Herron, Brandon Saine and QB Terrelle Pryor to make an impact in that area. A hard-fought game is to be expected; don’t look for either team to light up the scoreboard since the defenses are solid.

Other Games Considered: Illinois @ Minnesota (11/7), Northwestern @ Iowa (11/7)

Week 11: Bye Week (November 14^th)

Outside of Northwestern/Illinois and Michigan/Wisconsin it’s a lean week on the schedule…or at the least nothing to match up with Ohio State/Michigan looming on the horizon.

Week 12: Ohio State @ Michigan (November 21^st)

No need for cute nicknames or trophies, this rivalry stands up to any in all of sports. With there being a history of underdogs rising up to derail a favorite possibly headed to Pasadena, the Wolverines put up a disappointing effort in Columbus a season ago. There could be a lot riding on this one for the Buckeyes: anywhere from a share of the Big Ten to a possible national title game berth should they go undefeated. Expect Michigan to come out with a lot more fight than a season ago; both teams seemed resigned to the end result before the game even began.

Other Games Considered: Penn State @ Michigan State (11/21), Minnesota @ Iowa (11/21), and Purdue @ Indiana (11/21)

Week 13: Illinois @ Cincinnati (November 27^th)

A solid non-conference game to end the slate with the Illini actually having another game to play the following weekend (Fresno State). The Bearcats, reigning Big East champions, will have found a solution to the question of how you go about replacing ten defensive starters. By the time this game rolls around just about all the questions for both teams will have been answered; it will be more about improving how attractive you are to bowl executives than anything else.

From an individual standpoint, Arrelious Benn will have the opportunity to watch one of the better wide receiving corps in the country. Cincinnati’s stable or wideouts are so good that Marcus Barnett, who was a Second-Team All-Big East selection as a redshirt freshman in 2007, may have a hard time cracking the starting rotation this year. Expect a high-scoring affair at Nippert Stadium.

Week 14: Bye Week (December 5^th)

Fresno State/Illinois and Wisconsin/Hawaii both have the potential to be solid games, but the schedule is complete.