But for all the talk of the Scarlet and Grey having an easy road in the Big 10, one just needs to take a closer look at the talent level in the conference to know it’s now a sure thing.
The big news for OSU is former starting quarterback Braxton Miller is now playing wide receiver, a move that will allow the explosive play-maker to see the field now that Cardale Jones took over the team and led them to a College Football Championship.
If your looking for a dark horse in 2015, Michigan State has plenty of talent and one of the nations best signal callers in Connor Cook. The Spartans are ranked fifth in the opening AP Top-25 poll and are just one big win away from taking as the top team in the conference.
The East Division is loaded with Penn St. and Michigan also in the fold, but don’t look past Wisconsin in the West Division as the Badgers are one of the most solid programs in college football.
Christian Hackenburg is projected as a NFL first round draft pick, but the Nittany Lions quarterback is looking to take his team into the top-10 and possibly better if the offensive line can jell into a solid unit. Penn St. has one of the best defenses in the Big 10 and if the team can score a few more points in 2015, it could be the year of the Lions.
Wisconsin has perhaps the best group of running backs in the conference, but lack experience on both the offensive and defensive lines. New head coach Paul Chryst will have plenty of work ahead and while it might not pay off this season, this year could be the step forward this program needs to become a force in the coming years.
