• 1. Ohio State (8-0): The reigning Big 10 Champs and winners of the Rose Bowl come into 2010 primed for a big season. QB Terrelle Pryor will be surrounded by the same skill players as last year, with Brandon Saine and Dan “Boom” Herron back to lead a rushing attack that averaged just under 200 yards per game last season. Each of the leading receivers return as well, and OSU is loaded with talent up front to plug the holes on an otherwise experienced offensive line. With all that returning and the potential of Pryor, the Buckeyes will have an offense that can put points up on anybody and could be one of the best in the nation. The scary thing for teams playing OSU is that the offense may not even need to score much, as the defense will be one of the best around. With Cameron Hayward returning to anchor the line, the top two tacklers on the team back at linebacker, and both starting corners back to lead the secondary, opposing teams will have a tough time moving the ball on a stingy Buckeye defense. Only four road games means the Buckeyes have a real good shot at running the table, but a slip up is possible and even likely either @ Wisconsin in mid October or @ Iowa in November in what could turn out to be the Big 10 Championship game – again.
• 2. Iowa (6-2): The Hawkeyes, who took OSU to overtime last year in Columbus without starting QB Rick Stanzi, may again have the best chance to knock the Buckeyes off the top of the conference. Stanzi is healthy this year, and has a ton of weapons at his disposal. WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has a chance to leave Iowa as the Hawks’ all-time leading receiver, and WR Marvin McNutt bust on the scene last year in his first full season at the position. In addition, the entire backfield is back from last year and a healthy Jewel Hampton will only add to that group; Hampton ran for 463 yards and 7 TD’s as a backup two years ago. The O-line will need to be rebuilt, but OT Riley Reiff is moving to LT and looks to be the next great Hawkeye lineman, and coach Kirk Ferentz is known for being a great offensive line coach. The real strength of the team will be defense, where all four lineman return and are led by pre-season All-American DE Adrian Clayborn. Clayborn’s 20 TFL and 11.5 sacks last season led the team, but each of the three other starters along the line have all-conference potential, making the Hawkeye D-line arguably the best in the country. LB’s Pat Angerer and AJ Edds and CB Amari Spievey, who are all in the NFL now, will be missed, but a great defensive line and two experienced safeties will again have this defense among the fiercest in the nation. Iowa gets OSU, Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan State all at home, but the schedule is still brutal. Eight bowl teams from last season litter the schedule and the Hawkeyes close with 3 of 4 on the road with Ohio State as the lone home game. They have the potential to make noise on a national level, but it is feasible to think that Iowa could actually be better than last year but finish with a worse record.
• 3. Wisconsin (6-2): Wisconsin will be home to the best offense in the conference. QB Scott Tolzien is a legitimate threat in the passing game, but the real star in Madison is RB John Clay. Clay led the Big 10 in rushing yards and TD’s last year and is set to have a huge year this year. Tolzien will have a solid group of receivers to throw to, led by WR Nick Toon and TE Lance Kendricks. The task of stopping Clay will be made even more difficult by perhaps the best offensive line in the entire nation. The line is anchored by tackle Gabe Carimi, who could be a high 1st round draft pick, and guard John Moffitt, one of the best in the nation. The thing that might prevent Wisconsin from winning the Big 10 is defense. Only average last year, the defense loses a lot up front including an excellent defensive end in O’Brien Schofield. DE JJ Watt is turning into one of the best lineman in the conference, but he doesn’t have much help to speak of. The schedules aligns so that it is almost a sure bet Wisconsin will start 6-0 before back-to-back games against Ohio State and at Iowa. We think the Badgers are a definite threat to win the conference, but the premier defenses of OSU and Iowa can neutralize that offense, while Wisconsin’s own defense might not be enough to contain the opposing offenses. We tab the Badgers for six conference wins, but they could just as easily win one or both of those big games (especially after man-handling OSU last year despite losing the game) and find themselves at the top of the Big 10.
• 4. Penn State (5-3): The Nittany Lions will be a bit down this year as they need to replace a lot of talent, especially on defense. On offense, the key will be finding a replacement for QB Darryl Clark. Kevin Newsome, Matt McGloin and even freshman Paul Jones are in the mix, but the good news is whoever wins the job will have a ton to work with. The skill positions are loaded and Penn State has the best RB tandem in the conference in senior Evan Royster and junior Stephfon Green. The WR’s are experienced and talented and will help ease in the new QB. The o-line has some experiences starters including one of the best interior linemen in the nation in Stefen Wisniewski. There has been a lot of shuffling of positions up front though, so it may take the line some time to hit their stride. The defense, which was great last year, will take a big hit. They lose last year’s Big 10 Defensive POY and all three LB’s. The secondary will be solid, but the front 7 will determine how good this unit is. Tough road games against OSU and Iowa will likely be losses, and we think the Nittany Lions slip up at least once more along the way. Another bowl is on the way, but don’t expect double digit wins again from Penn St.
• 5. Michigan State (4-4): The Spartans lose about half of their starters from last year, but this team is on the rise and could make some noise this season. QB Kirk Cousins shared some snaps with Keith Nichol, but Cousins should be the undisputed #1 this year and has some nice weapons to work with. RB’s Larry Caper and Edwin Baker both have bright futures and form a potent 1-2 punch. The key on offense will be the line, where only two players have much starting experience. The defense loses quite a few guys, but the guys that return can carry this unit. MLB Greg Jones is the favorite for this year’s Conference Defensive POY, and DT Jerrel Worthy will become a star. CB Chris L. Rucker leads what will be a solid secondary, but the depth behind the starters is paper-thin. Michigan State misses Ohio State, but road games at Michigan, Iowa and Penn State and a conference opener against Wisconsin means the Spartans will likely go .500 in the conference.
• 6. Michigan (4-4): Wolverine fans are dying to get back on top of the conference, but this year will only be a small step up from last year. The offense has some talent at the skill positions, with three QB’s capable of running the ball and a pair of deadly slot receivers in Roy Roundtree and Martavious Odoms. A steady ground game is key, and junior Micheal Shaw and sophomore Vincent Smith will step in to replace the departed Brandon Minor. The interior of the line will be boosted by a healthy David Molk, and there is a lot of competition for the tackle spots. Big 10 defenses haven’t seen Rich Rodriguez’s offense at its finest, and despite an expected improvement the offense isn’t going to wow anyone just yet. The defense returns seven, but it has been so bad the last couple years that that might not be a good thing, especially since the best three players have all moved on. No matter how good the offense becomes, Rodriguez will need at least an average defense to win consistently in the Big 10. With Iowa and Penn St back-to-back in the middle of the season and Wisconsin and Ohio State the final two games, Meeeechigan won’t be threatening the top of the conference this year.




• 7. Northwestern (3-5): The Wildcats have been over-achievers under coach Pat Fitzgerald, but Fitzgerald will have a monster job on his hands this year if NW wants to get to .500 in the conference. QB Mike Kafka carried the team often in 2009, but he is gone this year. Dan Persa will step in and has potential, but the Wildcats will need to find a running game to take the pressure of Persa. Persa will have a good set of receivers, but will need to find a true go-to guy. The good news is the line will be the strength of the offense and should be able to buy Persa time to break down defenses. The D loses some big time players in Corey Wootton and Sherrick McManis, but a strong LB corp returns and the Wildcats have some young talent ready to step in. Northwestern probably won’t win two straight conference games all season, but they have shown in the past that they can surprise (just ask Iowa).
• 8. Illinois (3-5): Ron Zook’s Illinois teams have been steady under-performers, which makes being picked near the bottom of the Big 10 even worse news. Nathan Scheelhaase won the QB job and looks like a future all-conference performer. RB’s Mikel LeShoure and Jason Ford form an outstanding duo in the backfield and can make Scheelhaase’s job much easier. The WR’s and line will not wow anyone, but they also won’t be liabilities. The defense won’t be at the top of the conference, but it is better than the bottom three. New coordinators on both sides of the ball will mean some new looks, so it is hard to place the Illini, but .500 would be a pleasant surprise.
• 9. Purdue (2-6): Miami transfer Robert Marve will lead the team this fall and though he doesn’t have a lot of experience, he oozes potential. RB Ralph Bolden will likely miss the season with an injury and the depth behind him is a question mark. WR Keith Smith is one of the top receivers in the conference and will give defenses fits all season. Marve could have a tough time keeping his jersey clean this fall, with only two starters back on the line and no real standouts. Purdue’s rush defense was dreadful last season, but should be improved with five of the front seven back. Unfortunately for the Boilermakers the secondary is a mess. The good news is DE Ryan Kerrigan can get to the quarterback quickly, and he will need to as the secondary is as inexperienced as you will ever find. Marve will need to be terrific to get this team to .500 in the conference, and unfortunately the loss of Bolden and some major question marks will likely prevent even that.
• 10. Indiana (2-6): The Hoosiers have an offense that can compete with any in the conference. QB Ben Chappel is the best pure passer in the Big 10, and he will have an outstanding trio of WR’s to throw to. RB Darius Willis has the potential to break-out this year if he can stay healthy, and the Hoosiers have a nice power back and speed back behind him. The offensive line loses star tackle Roger Saffold but will be good enough to keep the offense clicking. The defense will be what keeps Indiana down, with 8 starters gone. The DT’s will be a strength, but behind them is a load of question marks. The Hoosiers will fight with Purdue and Illinois to be the leader of the bottom tier of the conference, but don’t expect a big jump in the standings.
• 11. Minnesota (1-7): The good: the offense returns 9 starters and QB Adam Weber. The bad: that offense was the worst in the conference last year and loses its best player in WR Eric Decker. The ugly: at least 9 starters need replaced on defense. Finishing above last place in the conference will be a stretch for the Gophers, and you have to figure coach Tim Brewster’s seat is warming up. Minnesota should be able to ride Weber’s arm and five returning offensive lineman enough to steal a game somewhere, but they are more likely to go winless than win more than two games in the conference.

Let’s hear your predictions in the comments!

• 1. Oklahoma (7-1): Don’t get used to the Sooners finishing in the middle of the division; Coach Bob Stoops will have this team back at the top of the Big 12 as early as this season. QB Landry Jones showed last year that he is good enough to lead the team to big things. Super-talented RB DeMarco Murray and WR Ryan Broyles will help Jones carry the load. The only real question on offense is along the offensive line, which received some heat for Sam Bradford going down last year and loses first round pick Trent Williams. The defense loses star DT Gerald McCoy but returns a total of 7 starters and will again be stout. The Sooners avoid Nebraska but will have tough games against Texas and Texas A&M. Oklahoma could end up in the Big 12 Championship this year as long as they can win the close games they failed to win last year; the Sooners lost 4 games by a touchdown or less.
• 2. Texas (6-2): The Longhorns had an undefeated regular season last year and played for the National Championship, but we think they will take a step back this year, albeit a small one. QB Garrett Gilbert showed some toughness and moxie in the loss to Alabama, and was highly touted coming out of high school, but will likely struggle a bit as a first-time starter this fall. The running game hasn’t been very reliable for the Longhorns the last few years, but Colt McCoy was good enough to overcome that. Tre’ Newton, Fozzy Whittaker, Vondrell McGee and TD machine Cody Johnson will all be back in the backfield, so this may be the year the Longhorns can establish a reliable running game. WR Jordan Shipley was unquestionably the top target last year and will be missed, but Malcolm Williams and James Kirkendoll are capable of filling that lost production. The defense will again be the key for Texas, and Sam Acho will lead a unit that will again have the potential to be great under coordinator Will Muschamp. A great defense can take a team far, but a tough schedule and a QB that will no doubt take some lumps means Texas likely won’t repeat as Big 12 Champs.
• 3. Texas Tech (5-3): New Coach Tommy Tuberville has shown an early commitment to stick with Tech’s air-raid offensive style, so this offense should again be deadly. The team has been averaging about 8 wins per year for a long time now, and put a whooping on both Nebraska and Oklahoma last season. All the key skill guys are back, as are BOTH QB’s from last year: Taylor Potts and Steven Sheffield. Both showed last year that they can run the offense, but Sheffield was fantastic at times. If he is given the keys to the offense and plays like he did last year, look out. The D-line will have to patch itself up a bit, but the LB’s will be solid and the secondary could be great. Expect the Red Raiders to again put up 8-9 wins, with the potential to beat anyone at anytime and maybe even push for the South title.
• 4. Texas A&M (3-5): How’s this for a scary thought: the Aggies return stud QB Jerrod Johnson, both running backs, and the top 3 WR’s from a top 5 offense. Johnson alone accounted for over 4,000 yards of offense and 38 TD’s last season. This offense has the potential to be the best in the nation and will tear through Big 12 defenses. The bad news for A&M is that the defense was downright awful last year. DE Von Miller is a sack machine, but the D was last in the conference in yards allowed and points allowed. One would think the defense would get better from practicing against such a phenomenal offense each week, but the sad truth for Aggie fans is the D will hold A&M back yet again. The Aggies schedule sets up so that they could potentially start as good as 7-0, but the last 5 games will all be brutal and A&M will likely suffer through a rough second half of the season. We don’t think the defense will be good enough to get them more than 3 conference wins or 4 at most, but if there is one team that can shake up the entire conference, it’s Texas A&M.
• 5. Baylor (3-5): The Bears struggled to a 4-8 season last year, but that was without their electric QB, Robert Griffin. He will have some weapons around him with RB Jay Finley and WR Kendall Wright. A young offensive line gained some valuable experience last year and should be improved. The thing that will hold Baylor back is the defense. The D was bad last year and loses its two best players in LB Joe Pawelek and safety Jordan Lake. The good news is the Bears were 3-1 last season before Griffin went down, so there is potential for a possible bowl season. With the exception of the season finale against Oklahoma, the home schedule is very favorable and should get the Bears 3 conference wins.
• 6. Oklahoma State (2-6): This is the one team in the South that may take the biggest step back. Nearly the entire offensive line is gone, including star OT Russell Okung. Also graduated is QB Zac Robinson. The return of a healthy Kendall Hunter will make up for the loss RB Keith Tosten, though the addition of a new OC (former Houston OC Dana Holgerson) could make for some slip-ups as well. The defense loses a ton, returning just two starters. QB Brandon Weeden may be able to guide the offense well enough to make the team competitive, but it is hard to place the Cowboys with so many key guys needing replaced. The schedule is somewhat manageable, but facing the clear-cut top 3 teams in the conference is never a good thing.

North Division

• 1. Nebraska (7-1): The Huskers put together a nice 10-win season last year, and if not for a dud vs. Texas Tech and a fluke loss to ISU (8 NU turnovers and the Cyclone s still only mustered 9 points), they were playing like a top 15 team all season. Or at least the defense was. Star DT Ndamukong Suh moved on to the NFL, as did key starters LB Phillip Dillard and S Larry Asante. But there are big expectations in Lincoln for DT Jared Crick, and he and DE Pierre Allen will anchor another very good defense. CB Prince Amukamara is the best cornerback in the conference and K/P Alex Henery’s strong leg will continually put the D in good position. The only thing that could prevent the Huskers from a repeat trip to the Big 12 Championship game and a possible BCS birth is the quarterback position. With 10 total starters back on offense and multiple running backs that can carry the ball, Nebraska won’t need a game-breaker at QB, but they do need a steady leader. Zac Lee was inconsistent last year and has missed time this spring with injury. Sophomore Cody Green will likely see an increased role this year and could even win the job. The schedule is very favorable, with the only non-conference test coming @ Washington. If the Huskers can get a win there, things will set up very nicely for a potential title run. We think they slip up once, most likely against Texas or high-powered Texas A&M. Don’t sleep on Nebraska this year though, we may just be talking about them as National Championship Contenders.
• 2. Missouri (5-3): Gary Pinkel’s team is coming off a decent 8 win campaign, and return maybe the best passing QB in the conference in Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert threw for over 3,500 yards last year and had 24 TD’s to go with just 9 INT’s. In the team’s 8 wins Gabbert threw for 19 TD’s with just 2 INT’s, so it’s clear the team goes as he goes. With another big year this year he could position himself into the conversation for a Heisman in his senior season. Gabbert will have a good, experienced offensive line paving the way and the top rusher from last season to take some pressure off. He does lose his top two WR’s so he’ll need to find some new targets. Regardless, the offense should put up big numbers this season. The defense was downright awful at times last season, especially against the pass, so a big improvement will be needed to challenge Nebraska for the North. The schedule will do the Tigers no favors; they will be at home just once in their final 5 games. We still think Gabbert is good enough to get national recognition as an elite QB and get the Tigers 5 conference wins.
• 3. Kansas State (3-5): If there is one thing that Coach Bill Snyder has brought back to Kansas State it is hope. They overachieved in the eyes of many last year, going 6-6 and 4-4 in the Big 12. The Wildcats have a legitimate star RB in Daniel Thomas. The bad news for Thomas is that K-State was the worst passing team in the conference last year. They lose QB Grant Gregory, but there are several players that could see time or win the QB job, including Carson Coffman, who played part-time last year. The Wildcats also lose their top two WR’s, but when you factor in how terrible the passing game was and the fact that there will be a lot of new faces (both JUCO and transfers) and that might not be such a bad thing. The defense should improve on the 23 points per game they allowed last year, and the secondary will be a strength. The schedule isn’t overpowering; the Wildcats avoid Oklahoma and get Nebby and Texas at home. With so many new and moving pieces, especially on offense, it’s hard to place K-State this year, but we don’t think they will win fewer than 3 conference games.
• 4. Iowa State (3-5): Gene Chizik had the Cyclones as bottom-feeders in the North, but new coach Paul Rhoads brought this team back to life. The ‘Clones tied for the biggest turnaround in the nation last year, and beat Minnesota in their bowl game. The schedule is tough this year though, so the team may take a step back record-wise. QB Austin Arnaud hasn’t proved a reliable threat through the air, but coupled with RB Alexander Robinson he gives the Cyclones a potent rushing attack. The O-line will miss recently dismissed OT Scott Haughton, but should be serviceable. The defense was good last year, but loses a lot and will likely struggle a bit this year. The schedule is also troubling, with 8 games against bowl teams and conference road games at Oklahoma and Texas. They do close the season with four straight games against Big 12 North teams, so the potential is there to make some noise late in the year, and with the coaching job Rhoads and staff did last year, you can’t sleep on Iowa State.
• 5. Colorado (2-6): The offense was bad and the defense was worse last season, but what can you expect from a team that went just 3-9. Coach Dan Hawkins needs to get something going if he wants to keep his job, but the Buffaloes have regressed each of the last two years. The offense will return nearly everyone, and the whole front four is back on defense. With all the returning players Hawkins and Colorado will be running out of excuses if they fail to produce this year. RB Darrell Scott was one of the highest rated running backs in the nation in high school but hasn’t been productive in his two years in Colorado. The non-conference schedule is brutal and the conference road games are tough, so it’s hard to see the Buffs improving much, if at all, in 2010.
• 6. Kansas (2-6): Talk about a tough team to figure out. The Jayhawks started 5-0 last season before imploding and losing coach Mark Mangino. New coach Turner Gill may have what it takes to get the Jayhawks back on track, but this year might be too soon to expect a big turnaround. There is basically no quarterback experience at all on the roster, but the team will return the entire offensive line and a good running back in Toben Opurum. The defense struggled last year and lost three key players. The good news is Kansas missed both Texas and Oklahoma and should be able to be competitive in nearly all conference games.

Let’s hear your predictions in the comments!

• #1 Mark Ingram, Alabama: 98 Overall
• #2 Quizz Rodgers, Oregon State: 96 Overall
• #3 Noel Devine, West Virginia: 95 Overall
• #4 John Clay, Wisconsin: 94 Overall
• #5 Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh: 94 Overall

Top Five Quarterbacks

• #1 Jake Locker, Washington: 96 Overall
• #2 Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State: 95 Overall
• #3 Ryan Mallett, Arkansas: 95 Overall
• #4 Andrew Luck, Stanford: 94 Overall
• #5 Christian Ponder, Florida State: 93 Overall

Top Five Wide Receivers

• #1 Julio Jones, Alabama: 98 Overall
• #2 A.J. Green, Georgia: 97 Overall
• #3 Terrance Toliver, LSU: 96 Overall
• #4 Michael Floyd, Notre Dame: 96 Overall
• #5 DeVier Posey, Ohio State: 95 Overall

Top Five Tight Ends

• #1 Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame: 95 Overall
• #2 Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin: 94 Overall
• #3 D.J. Williams, Arkansas: 94 Overall
• #4 Weslye Saunders, South Carolina: 93 Overall
• #5 Mike McNeill, Nebraska: 93 Overall

Top Five Offensive Lineman

• #1 Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin, 97 Overall
• #2 Anthony Castonzo, : 97 Overall
• #3 Rodney Hudson, Florida State: 96 Overall
• #4 Matt Reynolds, BYU: 96 Overall
• #5 Stefan Wisniewski, Penn State: 95 Overall

Top Five Linebackers

• #1 Greg Jones: Michigan State: Overall 97
• #2 Bruce Carter, North Carolina: 97 Overall
• #3 Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina: 96 Overall
• #4 Mike Mohamed, California: 96 Overall
• #5 Mark Herzlich, Boston College: 95 Overall

Top Five Defensive Backs

• #1 Patrick Peterson, LSU: 97 Overall
• #2 DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson: 97 Overall
• #3 Mark Barron, Alabama: 96 Overall
• #4 Deunta Williams, North Carolina: 95 Overall
• #5 Prince Amakamura, Nebraska: 95 Overall

Top Five Defensive Lineman

• #1 Jerrell Powe, Ole Miss: 97 Overall
• #2 Robert Quinn, North Carolina, 96 Overall
• #3 Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson: 96 Overall
• #4 Marvin Austin, North Carolina: 96 Overall
• #5 Greg Romeus, Pittsburgh: 95 Overall

Do you like or dislike our NCAA Football 11 player ratings predictions and rankings? Let us know your thoughts below.

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Boise State
4. Texas
5. Florida
6. Virginia Tech
7. TCU
8. Iowa
9. Oregon
10. Oklahoma
11. Wisconsin



12. USC
13. Nebraska
14. Pittsburgh
15. LSU
16. Cincinnati
17. Miami
18. North Carolina
19. Georgia
20. Penn State
21. Georgia Tech
22. Arkansas
23. Florida State
24. Texas A&M
25. Michigan State

Just missing the cut: West Virginia, Utah, Oregon State, Stanford, Missouri, Auburn, California, South Carolina, Clemson, BYU, Houston, Arizona

Agree or disagree with our rankings predictions? Share your opinion in our comments section.

Just missing the NCAA 10 toughest places to play top 25 list: Oregon State, NC State, Michigan St., California, South Carolina, Utah, BYU