The pre-spring version of the CFN 2021 rankings with a first look at all the Big Ten teams.
2021 Big Ten Rankings: Pre-Spring
Big Ten East
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Why To Be Happy: It’s still Ohio State and it’s still a loaded team with as much talent as anyone in college football. The return of WR Chris Olave for another year is massive, the O line should be almost as good as the 2020 version, and the return of DE Tyreke Smith helps an already great situation on the defensive front. However …
What To Work On: Again, it’s Ohio State – it’ll be more than fine – but the back seven is going to need some tuning up and key replacements. The offense will be deadly again, but the pressure is on CJ Stroud to be the next superstar quarterback and losing RB Trey Sermon hurts a bit.
Bottom Line: Ohio State gets framed differently than everyone in the Big Ten. It’s going to be the league’s best team, and it’s easily the favorite to win another Big Ten title, but – remember, this is January – this version needs a lot more tuning than the 2020 version, which wasn’t as strong as the 2019 team.
2. Michigan Wolverines
Why To Be Happy: Jim Harbaugh is still around … and yeah, that’s a reason to be happy, at least for this year. There might be a few high-profile transfers, but Hassan Haskins is a strong back to lead the way, there are plenty of QB options without Dylan McCaffrey, and the line and receiving corps are experienced. Kwity Paye might be gone on the end, but just about everyone else is back on D.
What To Work On: Quarterback, quarterback, quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. Really, Michigan has players. Really, the coaching staff is fine. None of it matters unless the Wolverines can finally get top-shelf quarterback play. Cade McNamara, Joe Milton and JJ McCarthy – one of them has to be great.
Bottom Line: Michigan won’t win the Big Ten, but it’ll bounce back to be solid again. Unlike 2020, the Wolverines will beat everyone they’re supposed to, lose one game against a strong team, and then … you know how this works with Ohio State.
3. Penn State Nittany Lions
Why To Be Happy: The run at the end of the season was more like the real Penn State than the one that got off to a historically disastrous start. Sean Clifford is a veteran now, getting RB John Lovett from Baylor helps, and there are just enough good players coming back – like CB Tariq Castro-Fields – to be okay, but …
What To Work On: There are a whole lot of important parts moving on. From OG Will Fries to DEs Shaka Toney and Jayson Oweh to S Lamont Wade and on and on. James Franklin has more strong recruits ready to step up, but in this year when so many teams are so experienced, there are a whole slew of key losses.
Bottom Line: Penn State will be one of the Big Ten’s most interesting calls as the offseason goes on. There are offensive playmakers, and – as always – defensive stars will emerge up front, but there are just enough lost starters to be annoying.
4. Indiana Hoosiers
Why To Be Happy: The Hoosiers get a slew of their guys back. Michael Penix Jr. is expected to return okay from his knee injury, star WR Ty Fryfogle is coming back, and with guard Mackenzie Nworah returning, four starters are expected to be around for the O line. S Jamar Johnson is leaving early for the NFL, but almost everyone else is expected back on the defensive side.
What To Work On: Is Penix really going to be ready? It’ll be less than a year for his knee to heal up. WR Whop Philyor is going to the NFL, and so is RB Stevie Scott from a running game that was among the worst in the nation.
Bottom Line: The expectations are a whole lot higher now, but Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State aren’t going to be that bad again. IU will still be good, but it’ll be a lot more of a fight.
5. Michigan State Spartans
Why To Be Happy: The transfer portal is providing some instant help to a team that already is full of veterans. RB Harold Joiner is coming in from Auburn, QB Anthony Russo is at least a veteran backup option from Temple, and again, there’s a ton of experience back helped by C Matt Allen anchoring the line. But …
What To Work On: After finishing last in the Big Ten in scoring and last in scoring D, there’s a little bit of work to do. The secondary lost a slew of key parts, the offense needs playmakers to emerge, and one of the quarterbacks has to step up and be great.
Bottom Line: Mel Tucker really didn’t get enough time to get things going in his first year, and it’s going to take another year to start to get everything to work. The team will be better, but so will the rest of the Big Ten East.
6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Why To Be Happy: Rutgers has experience, it has a few actual playmakers, and it has the coaching staff now to have … hope? The offensive backfield should be interesting with enough options to play around with, a little shuffling should lead to a decent O line, and the receiving corps has real, live explosion. The D gets back linebackers Tyshon Fogg and Olakunle Fatukasi to work around.
What To Work On: Even with all of the improvement, the the offense and defense were still the second-worst in the Big Ten, the passing game needs more downfield plays, this is still a building job. However …
Bottom Line: The Scarlet Knights should keep being more and more competitive under Greg Schiano, and they have enough experience to keep building on the 3-6 season that was a whole lot more fun than the final record.
7. Maryland Terrapins
Why To Be Happy: Head coach Mike Locksley is known for being a superstar recruiter, and his team showed glimpses of starting to do something right. Taulia Tagovailoa is the quarterback to work around, there’s a solid recruiting class coming in, and …
What To Work On: Uh oh. There are whole lot of players taking off with leading rusher Jake Funk off to the NFL, top linebacker Chance Campbell transferring out, key DB Antwaine Richardson off to Kent State, and on and on and on. As of right now, 12 Terps are expected to transfer and there’s still plenty of work to do.
Bottom Line: Things are hardly dire, even with the personnel losses. The lines still need working on, and consistency will be vital for a program that hasn’t had any, but there are enough playmakers to be interesting. However, few teams in the Big Ten need every practice more than Maryland.
– 2021 Pre-Spring Big Ten West
2021 Big Ten West Rankings: Pre-Spring 7-11
2021 Big Ten Rankings: Pre-Spring
Big Ten West
1. Wisconsin Badgers
Why To Be Happy: The passing game should work again. Graham Mertz got through his first season as the starter, and he did it without any receivers. Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor are back after missing most of last year. It didn’t always look like it, but Jalen Berger is a talented back who should be the next big Badger thing, and the O line should be fine even with some shuffling and losses.
What To Work On: The D line needs help with Isaiahh Loudermilk and Garrett Rand done. It’ll be okay with a little time, but the big issue is on the offensive side. Is Berger really that great? Can the running game start to work like it’s supposed to? It’s Wisconsin, to the offensive front will be great, but will it be the dominant force it needs to be?
Bottom Line: Last year was weird, and not just like it was for everyone else. The Badgers were never healthy after the early part of the year, there were too many changes, and a lack of offensive punch. This year’s version should look the part again.
2. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Why To Be Happy: The main men are back in the backfield. RB Mohamed Ibrahim is returning along with QB Tanner Morgan and most of the top receivers. Best of all, the offensive line is loaded with veterans. With corner Coney Durr returning and former Clemson super-recruit Nyles Pinkney and NC State’s Val Martin coming in for the defensive interior, the D has veterans. However …
What To Work On: The defense needs to be far better and far stronger. It was a disaster against the run, didn’t take the ball away enough, and struggled on third downs. There are enough veterans to be better, but the production has to follow.
Bottom Line: Minnesota has the experience to get back to the 2019 level as long as the defense is stronger. The offense might not have the explosion of two years ago, but it’ll be very, very good.
3. Iowa Hawkeyes
Why To Be Happy: Iowa had a solid season with an improving team that finished strong. However, it was a building job on the offensive side, and now there should be a payoff with QB Spencer Petras a decent veteran working behind another strong Iowa O line, but …
What To Work On: The defensive front is gutted. DT Daviyon Nixon is the big loss, but he’s not alone with three of the four starters – end Zach VanValenburg – done. The linebacking corps is going through some work, too.
Bottom Line: Iowa never has a big problem replacing parts, but from the receiving corps to the secondary to two starters on the offensive front, there’s just enough missing – at least compared to other Big Ten teams – to be annoying.
4. Northwestern Wildcats
Why To Be Happy: Pat Fitzgerald is still the head football coach. He could’ve very easily have been the man at Jacksonville, New York, or a few other spots, but he’s still around. Offensively, QB Peyton Ramsey is done, but in comes Ryan Hilinski, the former South Carolina starter. Throw in the additional Kansas WR transfer Stephon Robinson and the expected emergence of Cam Porter as a top running back, and there’s a lot to like.
What To Work On: The defense loses way too much. LB Chris Bergin is back, but star LB Paddy Fisher is moving on, the defensive line is all but starting over, and coordinator Mike Hankwitz has retired.
Bottom Line: The defending Big Ten West champs are still going to be good, but there’s way too much gone from the defensive front seven to expect the same production. The offensive side should be a bit more interesting, though.
5. Purdue Boilermakers
Why To Be Happy: The offense never really had star WR Rondale Moore, and the young receiving corps returns loaded for whatever QB takes over the job – there are several options. The offensive front is full of veterans – and adds a great get in WKU OG Tyler Witt – George Karlaftis is an All-Big Ten caliber end for the defensive line, and new defensive coordinator Brad Lambert should be an upgrade.
What To Work On: Yeah … the defense. The Boilermakers have pass rushers, but they were last in the Big Ten in sacks. The kicking game has to be stronger, a bit of a rushing attack would be nice, and Purdue has to do what it does, only better.
Bottom Line: It’s not really a pressure season for head coach Jeff Brohm, but it would be nice if it looked like the program was taking a step back to the positive. There’s talent and experience here to start to do more.
6. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Why To Be Happy: Adrian Martinez is back for what seems like his 14th year at quarterback, the O line should be fine, and bringing in USC transfer Markese Stepp should help the running back situation. Leading tackler JoJo Domann is expected to be back at linebacker along with Will Honas. Throw in the return of senior safeties Deontai Williams and Marquel Dismuke along with DE Ben Stille, and the top four tacklers return for a veteran D. However …
What To Work On: The Huskers lose leading receiver Wan’Dale Robinson to Kentucky – he caught 51 passes; the No. 2 target caught 18 – OT Brendan Jaimes is off to the NFL, and as a whole, the passing game has to be far more dangerous after finishing 113th in the nation in yards per completion.
Bottom Line: There’s no excuse whatsoever for this not to be the best defense yet in the Scott Frost era by a mile. The offense doesn’t have the sure-thing veteran playmakers the other side does, but this is the time when the Frost recruits have to come through.
7. Illinois Fighting Illini
Why To Be Happy: The Bret Bielema era is about to see plenty of changes, but there’s a decent nucleus returning. He’s getting back QB Brandon Peters along with a slew of other options, the offensive line should be okay with four starters back, and most of the defensive parts are back, but …
What To Work On: LB Jake Hansen is off to the NFL along with fellow LB Milo Eifler and DE Owen Carney. The O line might be back and experienced, but the best of the bunch – OG Kendrick Green – is leaving for the NFL.
Bottom Line: Lovie Smith didn’t exactly stock the shelves, but several years of rebuilding should pay off with a bunch of veterans for the new coaching staff to work with. There’s no need for a total redo.
