Randy Johnson's predicted order of finish (preseason Associated Press rank included).
West Division
1. Wisconsin (No. 18) The Badgers hang their hats on the running game, and RB Braelon Allen has them covered. Stalwart ILB Leo Chenal is in the NFL, but OLB Nick Herbig leads a solid pass rush. The key: improvement from QB Graham Mertz.
2. Gophers How the offensive and defensive lines develop will determine the Gophers' success this season. RBs Mohamed Ibrahim and Trey Potts return, and QB Tanner Morgan is reunited with coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca. To win the West, they might need to beat both Wisconsin and Iowa.
3. Iowa The Hawkeyes feasted off turnovers last year, and with LB Jack Campbell and CB Riley Moss, they'll create some takeaways. Iowa gets Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska at home.
4. Purdue The Boilermakers will miss big-play receiver David Bell, but QB Aidan O'Connell is among the Big Ten's best. The schedule is manageable — no Ohio State, Michigan or Michigan State — but it opens with Penn State.
5. Northwestern The Wildcats went from West champs in 2020 to last place in 2021, but Saturday's win over Nebraska shows they've improved. Maple Grove's Evan Hull (1,273 total yards last year) supplies versatility in the backfield.
6. Nebraska Think Scott Frost is on the hot seat? Up 11 points on Northwestern midway through the third quarter, Frost calls onside kick that backfires. Huskers don't score again in 31-28 loss in Dublin.
7. Illinois The Fighting Illini weren't pushovers in Bret Bielema's first year in Champaign. Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito takes over at QB, and he'll need to improve an offense that ranked 11th in the conference in scoring.
East Division
1. Ohio State (No. 2) There's no question that the Buckeyes have skill — QB C.J. Stroud, RB TreVeyon Henderson and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba all are Heisman-caliber. What they lacked last year was grit, as Michigan showed by rushing for 297 yards in its win over OSU. If coach Ryan Day can fix that, the Buckeyes could return to the playoff.
2. Penn State The Nittany Lions are just 11-11 over the past two seasons, but coach James Franklin has reason to expect a rebound, and that starts with sixth-year senior QB Sean Clifford (7,644 career passing yards, 61 TD passes).
3. Michigan (No. 8) Was last year's Big Ten championship a sign of more to come? That depends on how effectively the defense rebuilds after losing heart-and-soul leader Aidan Hutchinson to the NFL.
4. Michigan State (No. 15) The Spartans won 11 games last season despite their defense giving up a nation's-worst 324.8 passing yards per game. That would suggest Michigan State is due for a regression against a tough schedule.
5. Maryland Mike Locksley guided the Terrapins to a 7-6 record and bowl win last year. QB Taulia Tagovailoa and a soft nonconference schedule should mean at least five wins. Can they get a sixth?
6. Rutgers The Scarlet Knights earned a bowl bid last year on the strength of their Academic Progress Rating after a 5-7 regular season. Coach Greg Schiano has the defense improving.
7. Indiana The Hoosiers were ranked No. 17 in last year's preseason AP poll, but injuries sank all hopes of contending in the East. Dynamic QB Michael Penix Jr., hurt last year, transferred to Washington.
Big Ten championship game Ohio State over Wisconsin
Bowl teams Wisconsin, Gophers, Iowa, Purdue, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State.
