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By ÉRIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
Tom Allen went on four words that aren’t typically associated with his Indiana football schedule.
“Lots of expectations” he said.
The Hoosier hype is well founded this year, though it’s hard to imagine anyone dethroning Ohio State’s preseason No.4 as King of the Big Ten. The Buckeyes won four straight conference titles, played in the National Championship game last season and are expected to continue riding even with an inexperienced quarterback.
But whether anyone is ready to challenge Ohio State in the Big Ten East, Indiana, No. 17, is a fashionable choice with the return of quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The Hoosiers were a revelation last season, going 6-1 before their Outback Bowl loss to Mississippi and placing in the top 10 for six weeks. That regular-season loss was at home to Ohio State, 42-35, after Indiana lost 35-7 in the third quarter.
Indiana brings back the core of a defense that led the Big Ten with 25 sacks and 17 interceptions. The key to offense is to keep the Penix vibrant and injury prone healthy. He missed the last two games with a ripped ACL. He’s one of eight returning offensive starters, a group that includes Big Ten receiver of the year Ty Fryfogle.
Allen said he hopes success can breed success. Keep in mind that this is a program that hasn’t seen three straight winning seasons – overall or in conference – since the mid-1940s.
“It has been the challenge, to go from believing – and I think we have a team that believes in it – to expecting a certain result on match day. he said.
The biggest question for Ohio State is at quarterback, where rookie CJ Stroud won the job to replace Justin Fields. Stroud, who has never thrown a pass in a college game, will be surrounded by the nation’s top talent at the receiver and line level. The defense will have new starters at the linebacker but is experienced up front and in the secondary.
No.19 Penn State and Michigan are looking to bounce back from disappointing seasons, Maryland and Rutgers appear to be on the rise and Michigan State is looking to find some momentum under second-year coach Mel Tucker.
Wisconsin are the favorites in the West after going 4-3 and finishing third in the division last year. The No.12 Badgers had two games called off due to COVID-19 issues and were plagued with injuries. They are returning quarterback Graham Mertz and a lot of experience in other positions.
The Iowa No.18 starts the season on a six-game winning streak, has a second-year starting quarterback at Spencer Petras and should have another solid defense if he can rebuild his line.
Northwestern, which had a surprise run in the Big Ten Championship Game last year, had two players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft and ranks near the bottom of the FBS in the return from production.
Minnesota and Nebraska have fourth-year starting quarterbacks at Tanner Morgan and Adrian Martinez, respectively, and are looking to advance.
Purdue and Illinois will fight to stay out of the western basement. Jeff Brohm’s Boilermakers have shown promise in their first two years and not so much the last two. Illinois is looking for a fresh start with Bret Bielema.
BEST PLAYERS
Offense: Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim averaged an academic record of 153.7 yards per game and is the nation’s top returning forward. Indiana QB Penix had 274.2 yards per game leading the Big Ten. Purdue WR David Bell and Ohio State WR Chris Olave each averaged 104 yards per game.
Defense: Northwestern S Brandon Joseph intercepted five assists and was an All-American first team AP. Indiana LB Micah McFadden led the Big Ten with six sacks. Rutgers LB Olakunle Fatukasi’s 11.2 tackles per game led the conference and was most by a Scarlet Knight since 1999.
THE RETURN OF BIELEMA
Bret Bielema is back in the Big Ten after eight years of absence. He resumes a program from Illinois which has had nine consecutive losing seasons under three coaches.
“I just want to fill this stage” he said. “I know people aren’t investing money and support in something they don’t believe in, and I want to show them what they can believe in.”
Bielema was 68-24 in Wisconsin from 2006 to 2012. He coached five seasons in Arkansas and was an NFL assistant for three years before replacing Lovie Smith in Illinois.
Bielema said he and athletic director Josh Whitman had not discussed specific goals for this season.
“He brought me here to build lasting success for a long time”, said Bielema.
MAKE OR CUT SEASONS
The pressure mounted a notch on Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and Nebraska’s Scott Frost.
Harbaugh signed a contract extension until 2025, but the new deal cuts his base salary and only promises if he hits milestones like the Big Ten Championship game. He’s 49-22 in six years at Michigan, but he’s yet to win the East and has lost four games each of the past two seasons.
Frost is 12-20 years old in three years and is on contract until 2026. He is entering this season under the guise of an NCAA investigation into an allegation he used analysts as coaches in the field. He is also believed to have performed improper workouts last year at a time when they were not permitted due to the pandemic.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Ohio State, Minnesota, September 2; Indiana to Iowa, September 4; Penn State in Wisconsin, September 4; Iowa in the state of Iowa on September 11; Oregon in the state of Ohio, September 11; Washington, Michigan, September 11; Nebraska to Oklahoma, September 18; Cincinnati to Indiana, September 18; Auburn at Penn State, September 18; Wisconsin v Notre Dame, at Soldier Field, Chicago, September 25; Wisconsin to Illinois, October 9; Ohio State, Indiana, October 23; Iowa, Wisconsin, October 30; Iowa, Nebraska, November 26; Ohio State, Michigan, November 27; Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nov. 27.
CHOICE
East: Ohio State, Indiana, Penn State, Michigan, Rutgers, Maryland, Michigan State.
West: Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Nebraska, Illinois, Purdue.
Champion: State of Ohio.
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Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.
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