Which teams will meet in the Big Ten football title game in 2022? Here is a capsule look at all 14 teams
Journal Sentinel Wisconsin Badgers beat reporter Jeff Potrykus breaks down the Big Ten divisions, with teams listed in his predicted order of finish.
WEST DIVISION
Iowa
Coach: Kirk Ferentz (178-110, 24th season; 190-131, 27th season overall).
Last year: 7-2 in the Big Ten, 10-4 overall.
Key game: Nov. 12 vs. Wisconsin.
Impact players: LB Jack Campbell, TE Sam LaPorta, DL Lukas Van Ness, CB Riley Moss.
The good: The Hawkeyes defense allowed just 19.2 points per game last season and they return several key players from that unit. Campbell led the team in tackles (143), Van Ness led in sacks (seven) and Moss led in interceptions (four) despite missing three games because of injury. Three key divisional games – UW, Nebraska and Minnesota – are at home.
The bad: Iowa was fortunate to win the West Division last season despite an offense that generated just 3.4 yards per carry and 303.3 total yards per game. Iowa scored a combined 14 points in losses to Purdue and UW and managed just three points in the Big Ten title game against Michigan. The unit lost tailback Tyler Goodson (1,151 rushing yards, six TDs) and wide receiver Charlie Jones (15.4-yard average, three TDs). Jones, who transferred to Purdue, handled punt returns and kickoff returns for the Hawkeyes.
Wisconsin
Coach: Paul Chryst (65-23, eighth season; 84-42, 11th overall).
Last year: 6-3 in the Big Ten, 9-4 overall.
Key game: Nov. 12 at Iowa.
Impact players: TB Braelon Allen, WR Chimere Dike, OLB Nick Herbig, NT Keeanu Benton.
The good: Jim Leonhard is back for his sixth season as defensive coordinator and UW could again field a stingy unit, if inexperienced players at inside linebacker and safety develop. The Badgers limited foes to 16.2 points per game and 239.1 yards per game last season, both No. 1 in the Big Ten.
The bad: UW’s offense was mediocre last season and the Badgers averaged just 25.4 points, No. 8 in the league. Chryst hired Bobby Engram away from the Baltimore Ravens to coordinate the offense and moved Bob Bostad to the offensive line to replace Joe Rudolph, who left for Virginia Tech. Tight ends coach Mickey Turner moved up to head of the recruiting department and Chris Haering was shifted from special teams to tight ends. The last move was bringing in Al Johnson to coach the running backs after health issues left Gary Brown unable to coach because of illness and he eventually passed away. Will the moves spark the offense or have the issues been more because of personnel/lack of execution?
Minnesota
Coach: P.J. Fleck (35-23, sixth season; 65-45, 10th overall).
Last year: 6-3 in the Big Ten, 9-4 overall.
Key game: Nov. 26 at Wisconsin.
Impact players: QB Tanner Morgan, C John Michael Schmitz, WR Chris Autman-Bell, CB Justin Walley.
The good: Fleck fired offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr. after the season and brought back Kirk Ciarrocca. Morgan and the passing game flourished in 2019 under the guidance of Ciarrocca, who was at Penn State in 2020 and at West Virginia last season.
The bad: Minnesota faces two major questions – tailback and special teams. Tailbacks Mohamed Ibrahim, Trey Potts and Bryce Williams are coming back from season-ending injuries. Can they stay healthy? Kicker Matthew Trickett made just 17 of 25 field-goal attempts and the Gophers were 119th nationally in kickoff returns and 60th nationally in punt returns.
Nebraska
Coach: Scott Frost (15-29, fifth season; 34-36, seventh overall).
Last year: 1-8 in the Big Ten, 3-9 overall.
Key game: Nov. 19 vs. Wisconsin.
Impact players: QB Casey Thompson, LB Luke Reimer, DL Ochaun Mathis, WR Trey Palmer.
The good: No Big Ten team used the transfer portal more liberally than Nebraska, which brought in more than a dozen new players. That group includes Thompson, who started Texas’ final 10 games last season. Thompson completed 165 of 261 attempts (63.2%) for 2,113 yards and 24 touchdowns and is expected to give the Cornhuskers a more consistent passing threat than they had with Adrian Martinez.
The bad: Will the new faces mesh quickly with the returning players and help establish a winning culture that has been lacking under Frost? All nine of Nebraska's losses last season came by single digits, a combined 56 points. That left Frost’s record in games decided by eight points or fewer at 5-20.
Purdue
Coach: Jeff Brohm (28-29, sixth season; 58-39, ninth overall).
Last year: 6-3 in the Big Ten, 9-4 overall.
Key game: Oct. 1 at Minnesota.
Impact players: QB Aidan O’Connell, TE Payne Durham, PR/KR Charlie Jones.
The good: The offense appears to be clicking again with O’Connell entering is third season as the starting quarterback. Brohm is considered a talented offensive schemer/play-caller, though he acknowledged he was outcoached by UW defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard in UW’s 30-13 victory last season.
The bad: Purdue lost its top two wide receivers (David Bell and Milton Wright) and best defensive player (end George Karlaftis). Bell turned pro after recording 232 receptions for 2,946 yards in three seasons. Wright was declared academically ineligible and left the program. Karlaftis turned pro after his junior season.
Northwestern
Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (109-90, 17th season).
Last year: 1-8 in the Big Ten, 3-9 overall.
Key game: Nov. 29 at Iowa
Impact players: OT Peter Skoronski, RB Evan Hull, DE Adetomiwa Adebawore.
The good: Led by Skoronski, the Wildcats return four starters on the offensive line. Hull rushed for 1,009 yards last season and filled in admirably after projected starter Cam Porter suffered a season-ending, lower-body injury in camp. If Porter is healthy, the Wildcats will have two solid options to lead the running game and take pressure off the quarterbacks.
The bad: Can the offense improve enough to take the pressure off a defense that missed the guidance of veteran coordinator Mike Hankwitz, who retired after the 2020 season? Northwestern couldn’t generate big plays and finished last in the Big Ten in scoring at 16.6 points per game. Whether the Wildcats have playmakers at quarterback and wide receiver remains to be seen.
Illinois
Coach: Bret Bielema (5-7, second season; 102-65, 14th overall).
Last year: 4-5 in the Big Ten, 5-7 overall.
Key game: Nov. 26 at Northwestern.
Impact players: RB Chase Brown, WR Isaiah Williams, S Sydney Brown.
The good: Bielema and his staff instilled toughness and a physical attitude and the Illini won three of their final five games, with the victories at Penn State, at Minnesota and at home against rival Northwestern. Williams, who switched to wide receiver from quarterback, showed promise last season by leading the team in catches with 47.
The bad: Quarterbacks Brandon Peters (1,170 yards) and Artur Sitkowski (704 yards) both struggled last season, including combining to complete only 11 of 34 attempts for 67 yards in a 24-0 loss to UW. Senior Tommy DeVito, a transfer from Syracuse, is projected to beat out Sitkowski for the starting job. DeVito started 15 games and played in 24 in three seasons at Syracuse. He passed for 3,478 yards with 27 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.
EAST DIVISION
Ohio State
Coach: Ryan Day (34-4, fourth season).
Last year: 8-1 in the Big Ten, 11-2 overall.
Key game: Nov. 26 vs. Michigan.
Impact players: QB C.J. Stroud, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, RB TreVeyon Henderson, DE Zach Harrison.
The good: With Stroud, Smith-Njigba and Henderson back, scoring points shouldn’t be an issue. Stroud averaged 369.6 yards per game last season and finished with 44 touchdowns and six interceptions. Smith-Njigba – not teammates Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson – led the Big Ten in receiving yards per game at 132.8. He capped the season with 15 catches for 347 yards and three scores in the 48-45 victory over Utah in the Rose Bowl. Henderson averaged 6.8 yards per carry and finished third in the league in rushing touchdowns with 15.
The bad: Dissatisfied after seeing the Buckeyes finish ninth in the Big Ten in points allowed (22.8), lose to rival Michigan and miss the College Football Playoff, Day hired Jim Knowles away from Oklahoma State to run the defense. Knowles built a defense that finished fifth nationally in yards allowed (298.0) and ninth in points allowed (18.1). Can he do the same this season in Columbus?
Michigan
Coach: Jim Harbaugh (61-24, eighth season; 119-51, 15th overall).
Last year: 8-1 in the Big Ten, 12-2 overall.
Key game: Nov. 26 at Ohio State.
Impact players: QB Cade McNamara, RB Blake Corum, TE Erick All, WR Cornelius Johnson.
The good: Michigan snapped an eight-game losing streak to rival Ohio State with an impressive 42-27 victory and then embarrassed Iowa, 42-3, to give Harbaugh his first Big Ten title. The season ended with an ugly 34-11 loss to Georgia in the College Football playoff semifinals, but the breakthrough season was critical for Harbaugh and the program.
The bad: Jesse Minter is set to run the defense, the team’s third defensive coordinator in three seasons. He replaces Mike Macdonald, who joined the staff of the Baltimore Ravens. The defense got exposed in the playoff by Georgia and Minter must replace ends Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo and three starters in the secondary.
Michigan State
Coach: Mel Tucker (13-7, third season; 18-14, fourth overall).
Last year: 7-2 in the Big Ten, 11-2 overall.
Key game: Oct. 8 vs. Ohio State.
Impact players: QB Payton Thorne, WR Jayden Reed, S Xavier Henderson, LB Cal Haladay, P Bryce Baringer.
The good: Tucker and his staff used the transfer portal to help the Spartans rebound from a 2-5 mark in 2020 and make a run at the Big Ten East Division title. Thorne (3,233 passing yards, with 27 TD passes and only 10 interceptions) made timely big plays throughout the season, and the special teams, led by Reed on punt and kickoff returns, contributed.
The bad: The defense allowed too many big plays and finished 111th nationally in yards allowed (441.9 per game). Tailback Kenneth Walker III, who was the team's only legitimate running threat at 6.2 yards per carry and 136.3 per game, is gone. He gained 71.7% of the team’s rushing yards in his one season with the team. His departure for the NFL leaves a void.
Penn State
Coach: James Franklin (67-34, ninth season; 91-49, 13th overall).
Last year: 4-5 in the Big Ten, 7-6 overall.
Key game: Oct. 15 at Michigan.
Impact players: QB Sean Clifford, WR Parker Washington, DT PJ Mustipher.
The good: Clifford is back for his fifth season and has played in 37 games. He has passed for 7,644 yards with 61 touchdowns and only 22 interceptions. Parker Washington, who had 64 catches for 820 yards last season, should replace Jahan Dotson as the team’s No. 1 receiver.
The bad: At some point the Nittany Lions will have to get better play from the offensive line and a more consistent ground game. Keyvone Lee led the team in rushing last season with just 530 yards and two touchdowns. The Nittany Lions averaged just 107.8 rushing yards, ahead of only Purdue at 84.2.
Maryland
Coach: Mike Locksley (13-23, fifth season; 15-49, eighth overall).
Last year: 3-6 in the Big Ten, 7-6 overall.
Key game: Nov. 26 vs. Rutgers.
Impact players: QB Taulia Tagovailoa, WR Rakim Jarrett, WR Dontay Demus Jr., CB Deonte Banks.
The good: Last season, Locksley guided the Terrapins to their first winning record since 2014 and first bowl appearance since 2016. Tagovailoa passed for 3,860 yards and 26 touchdowns and has several talented targets. He also had 11 interceptions, but five of those came in a loss to Iowa.
The bad: Maryland’s defense continues to struggle stopping quality foes. The Terrapins allowed at least 30 points in seven Big Ten games last season. Their record in those games was 1-6.
Indiana
Coach: Tom Allen (26-32, seventh season).
Last year: 0-9 in the Big Ten 2-10 overall.
Key game: Oct. 8 vs. Michigan.
Impact players: CB Tiawan Mullen, OLB Cam Jones, TE AJ Barner.
The good: Allen and the Hoosiers get a fresh start after a disastrous 2021. Allen has two new coordinators and will have new starters at quarterback and tailback. The crossover games – home against Illinois, at Nebraska and home against Purdue – are at least manageable.
The bad: Was the collapse last season after a 6-2 finish in 2020 an outlier or the beginning of a decline? Indiana finished next to last in the Big Ten in scoring (17.3) and last in points allowed (33.3). The Hoosiers failed to score in double figures in six league games. The points allowed was an increase of 12.9 from 2020. Allen has brought in five new assistants and 12 transfers. Will the new faces make a difference in the division?
Rutgers
Coach: Greg Schiano (76-81, 14th season).
Last year: 2-7 in the Big Ten, 5-8 overall.
Key game: Oct. 22 vs. Indiana.
Impact players: QB Gavin Wimsatt, WR/PR/KR Aron Cruickshank, P Adam Korsak.
The good: Schiano enters the third season of his second stint at Rutgers with 16 projected starters signed by the current staff. The players should know the system and what the staff expects.
The bad: The play of Rutgers’ offensive linemen and quarterbacks was below average in 2021 and the Scarlet Knights finished 120th nationally in scoring (19.7). Is the dynamic Wimsatt, who appeared in four games last season, ready to be the full-time starter?
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Team-by-team look at Big Ten football for the 2022 season
