ESPN College Football

So, yeah, this happened.

• Ohio State canceled its 2016 game with Central Michigan to make room for a nine-game Big Ten season. A closer look at incoming Buckeyes linebacker Trey Johnson. E. Gordon Gee will be sticking around in a new role after his retirement.
• Brady Hoke says he and Urban Meyer are not on the same level as Bo and Woody. Some Michigan campers earned scholarship offers from the Wolverines. Denard Robinson is tying his shoes with the Jaguars.
• What's right and what's wrong with Penn State in the aftermath of scandal. O.J. McDuffie defends Joe Paterno. Remembering the 1979 Alabama-Penn State game.
• An Ohio defensive back committed to Michigan State. Incoming Spartans offensive lineman Dennis Finley is likely headed for a redshirt season.
• Bo Pelini laid the groundwork for quarterback Zack Darlington's commitment. Johnny Rodgers enjoyed the attention his Heisman brought.
• Darrell Hazell is reshaping Purdue football. Hazell and other Boilers coaches made a stop in Fort Wayne. A discussion about the 2013 Boilermakers.
• Want to take your wedding photos at Camp Randall Stadium? Now you can.
• Norwood Teague says Minnesota would love to play North Dakota State, but he's not going to war with the Big Ten over it.
• A Kansas linebacker committed to Illinois.
• Some Iowa players made watch lists. An open records request revealed the Hawkeyes' self-reported minor NCAA violations.
• Wes Martin's commitment to Indiana is part of a very good year for him.
• Jayme Taylor should make a smooth transition to superback for Northwestern.
• Ranking the Big Ten nonconference schedules. The National Football Post offers its Big Ten power rankings.

Quarterback competitions took center stage around the Big Ten this spring and will continue to do so when preseason camps kick off in August. As camp approaches, we're examining each of the unsettled signal-caller races in the league, where they stand and what needs to be done in the all important summer months.

Up next, Indiana.

The candidates: Tre Roberson, 6-foot, 200, redshirt sophomore; Cameron Coffman, 6-2, 203, junior; Nate Sudfeld, 6-5, 234, sophomore

Statistics: Roberson was Indiana's opening-day starter in 2012 and completed 33 of 50 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, to go along with 133 rush yards and three touchdowns, before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 2. He started for the Hoosiers as a freshman in 2011 and had 937 pass yards, 426 rush yards and five touchdowns (3 pass, 2 rush). Coffman completed 247 of 407 attempts for 2,734 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in relief of Roberson in 2012. Sudfeld completed 51 of 82 passes for 632 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception last season.

Where things stand: It's a true dead heat after the spring, as all three quarterbacks worked with the first-team offense. Coffman and Sudfeld both stood out during the spring game, as Coffman completed 17 of 23 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns, while Sudfeld completed 14 of 16 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown.

Summer buzz: Hoosiers offensive coordinator Seth Littrell knows decision day is coming. Indiana eventually will have to reduce its candidate pool from three to two and, eventually, to a starter for the Aug. 29 season opener against Indiana State.

But there's not a huge rush, and Littrell doesn't sound anxious at all about the group.

"All three of those guys have repped so much with our core group," Littrell recently told ESPN.com. "Some offenses have to replace a bunch of guys, and it’s a little bit more important to build that continuity earlier than maybe with our group. It's a little bit more important [to make a decision] when you have a bunch of different guys coming back and you don’t have that continuity."

The coaches charted every competitive drill the quarterbacks went through in spring practice, and according to Littrell, "it's not hard to tell who's winning the day." Each quarterback got a taste of victory this spring.

"All three of those guys competed at a high level," Littrell said. "Someone's obviously going to set themselves apart. Someone's going to win the job. But we don't have a date set. We're just feeling it out, seeing how it goes. Our offense believes in all three of those guys. They've all helped us."

The intrigue at Indiana surrounds Roberson, who won the quarterback competition last summer and looked good, albeit against weak competition, in the first two games of the season before breaking his leg against Massachusetts. Roberson made a speedy recovery but admittedly was a bit rusty with his passing rhythm this spring, a sentiment Littrell echoed.

The coaches know what Roberson can do as a runner, but they've encouraged him to fight the natural instinct to take off and stand tall in the pocket and make throws. Indiana led the Big Ten in passing last season and returns arguably the league's best group of receivers and tight ends. Although the quarterback run will be a bigger part of the offense if Roberson again wins the job, Indiana also wants to protect the sophomore.

"When he's on point, he's good," Littrell said. "He throws the ball as well as any of them, but he's been out of it a little bit [longer]. Growing up, he was a spread-quarterback-run-game guy, so he didn’t throw it as much. So especially early on, he hasn't been as comfortable. Some of those habits revert back. Early last fall when we went with him as the starting quarterback for Game 1, he really got pretty comfortable with that role. He just needs to relax in the pocket and again, get the timing back down.

"I think he's ahead of where he was last fall right now."

The difference is that both Coffman and Sudfeld also are much better after logging significant field time, especially Coffman, against Big Ten defenses in 2012. Both Coffman and Sudfeld are pass-first quarterbacks who can effectively run Indiana's up-tempo, high-percentage-pass driven offense, but each has his unique style.

"Nate's a bigger, taller, rangier guy," Littrell said. "It's not hard for him to see over the line because he's a big 6-5 kid. He can stand back in the pocket. He's pretty good at throwing on a rhythm, and he's not going to flee as fast. And Cam's one of those baller guys. The thing about Cam is he just goes out and makes plays. He can do a little bit of both. He slings it around pretty good, but at the same time, he can hurt you with some quarterback run."

All three quarterback are familiar with the scheme, the other personnel on offense and the challenges the Big Ten poses. Although each has areas to improve, leadership is the unifying focus for the summer. Head coach Kevin Wilson is looking for a winner at quarterback, and Littrell has encouraged the signal-callers to experiment with plays and formations during summer workouts and then report back to the coaches what worked.

"After the spring, it doesn't stop," Littrell said. "It's all year round. We can't be with 'em, we can't coach 'em, we can't tell 'em what to do. But that's where leadership comes in."

More summer QB checkup:

• Iowa
• Purdue

Earlier today, Adam and I debated who will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards in 2013. Now, it's your turn to choose.

Here are five candidates:

• Allen Robinson, Penn State: The obvious choice, as Robinson led the league by a wide margin last year with 77 catches and 1,013 yards as a sophomore. Can he maintain or improve upon those numbers, especially with an inexperienced quarterback at the controls for the Nittany Lions?
• Cody Latimer, Indiana: My dark horse pick to unseat Robinson, Latimer has impressive size and hands and is coming off a year in which he caught 51 balls for 805 yards. The Hoosiers will throw the ball a whole lot, and Latimer could be ready to post some huge numbers as a result.
• Kenny Bell, Nebraska: Adam's pick to dethrone Robinson, Bell had 863 yards receiving in 14 games last year. He was on pace to become the Huskers' first-ever 1,000-yard receiver before slowing down a bit toward the end of the season.
• Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin: The senior posted 933 receiving yards in 2011 and had 837 last year despite battling injuries and a below-average Badgers passing game. He's the unquestioned No. 1 receiver on the team.
• Jeremy Gallon, Michigan: He might only be 5-foot-8, but Gallon makes big plays for the Wolverines. He finished with 829 yards last season, and more than 500 of those came after Devin Gardner assumed the quarterback job. With a full year playing with Gardner, Gallon's stats could go way up.

Who do you think will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards? Vote now in our poll.

Former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is enjoying life in the wild, wild West.

• More on QB Wes Lunt's transfer to Illinois here and here and here and here.
• Check out the latest ESPN 300 recruiting rankings. Michigan still tops ESPN's class rankings . A closer look at the classes for Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan .
• Northwestern's recruiting momentum rolls on with its 12th pledge for the 2014 class.
• Minnesota adds a decorated high school center to its recruiting class. More on new recruit Connor Mayes.
• Indiana's QB competition is a dead heat entering preseason camp. The Hoosiers' recruiting efforts are picking up steam.
• Former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr doesn't like the trend of offering scholarships to younger and younger recruits. The Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is the top non-SEC storyline of 2013.
• Former Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins picks Andrew Maxwell to win the team's QB competition. Tight end Dylan Chmura begins his journey at Michigan State.
• Adolphus Washington has some big shoes to fill along Ohio State's defensive line.
• Tom Dienhart ranks the Big Ten stadiums. Dienhart also previews Week 6 in the Big Ten, highlighted by Ohio State at Northwestern.
• QB recruit David Blough took an interesting route to Purdue.
• Nebraska tears up the turf at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska recruiting coordinator Ross Els would like to see official visits allowed in June. Plenty of good Huskers recruiting nuggets from Sam McKewon.
• More than 300 former Penn State players signed a statement supporting the Paterno family's lawsuit against the NCAA. Bob Flounders examines some Penn State numbers. Former Lions assistant Tom Bradley is still coaching.
• Wisconsin student tickets sell out quickly.
• An update on the new video board/sound upgrades at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa players get to work in the weight room.

Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

We're in the process of projecting the Big Ten's statistical leaders for the 2013 season. We've already offered our choices for the league's top rusher and top passer. So naturally, today's Take Two topic is: Who will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards this year?

Take 1: Brian Bennett

Perhaps a better question might be, who will finish second in receiving yards to Penn State's Allen Robinson? The Nittany Lions junior was clearly the best wide receiver in a league that lacked stars at the position in 2013. Robinson's 1,013 yards were more than 200 yards better than the next closest competitor, and his 77 catches were nine more than any other Big Ten player. He should only improve in his second year as a full-time starter.

The only reasons to believe Robinson won't repeat as the receiving yards leader would include the inexperience at quarterback for Penn State this season, increased defensive attention after his breakout year and/or a major improvement by a fellow league wideout. Let's examine that last factor for some possibilities. There are several players who I think could make a leap up this year and post big numbers. Start with Wisconsin's Jared Abbrederis, who could easily surpass 1,000 yards receiving if he stays healthy and the Badgers' passing game shows more competency than a year ago. Nebraska's Kenny Bell has the talent and opportunity to become the Huskers' first 1,000-yard receiver ever. Ohio State's Corey Brown should thrive as Braxton Miller's No. 1 target, and Michigan's Jeremy Gallon will love being the go-to guy for Devin Gardner over a full season.

My choice to dethrone Robinson, though, is Indiana's Cody Latimer. He caught 51 passes for 805 yards a year ago and should benefit from working with more experienced quarterbacks in 2013. While he has competition for catches on his own team with Shane Wynn, Kofi Hughes and others, Latimer is the team's top big-play threat and has a great set of hands. If the pass-happy Hoosiers can get to a 13th game, he has a chance to finish with some eye-popping numbers.

I'm still picking Robinson as the receiving yards king. But should he falter, I say Latimer is the guy who picks up the crown.

Take 2: Adam Rittenberg

If this was about naming the Big Ten's best wide receiver, Robinson would get my vote. He also could repeat as receiving yards leader, but I'm hesitant to make that prediction without seeing Penn State quarterbacks Tyler Ferguson and Christian Hackenberg compete against FBS defenses. Robinson and Matt McGloin fed off of one another extremely well last season, particularly in the red zone, and Bill O'Brien's NFL-style offense provided the platform for both to flourish. O'Brien is still there and either Ferguson or Hackenberg could follow McGloin's path in Year 1 of running the system, but neither man has been in the fire like McGloin was before last season.

Latimer is a good pick as I love his size and big-play ability. Indiana isn't afraid to throw the football so Latimer should have plenty of chances to rack up yards. The thing working against him, as you outline, is the Hoosiers' overall depth at receiver, plus tight end Ted Bolser. Abbrederis likely would be my pick if Wisconsin's passing game hadn't struggled so much in 2012. He'll enter his senior season as Wisconsin's only legitimate threat at wide receiver, which might help his numbers (more opportunities) or limit him (more attention from opposing defensive backs). Ultimately, Wisconsin's run-first approach will prevent Abbrederis from leading the league in receiving yards.

I had Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez as the Big Ten's leading passer, and I'm sticking with Big Red for this pick and going with Kenny Bell. His production dropped off a bit toward the end of last season, but I really liked what I saw during the first seven games. Another offseason in the program should help Bell, who brings explosiveness to an offense that loves to stretch the field in the passing game. Although Nebraska has other weapons at wideout in Jamal Turner and Quincy Enunwa, the Huskers lose their top tight ends and should feature a guy like Bell more this fall as Martinez continues his evolution as a passer.

Several names could appear atop the Big Ten's receiving yards chart this fall and not surprise me. Let's also remember that no one pegged Robinson to lead the league in 2012, so a player could come out of relative obscurity to finish No. 1. But right now, Bell gets my vote.

Had a good weekend. Went bird hunting with Ken Cosgrove.

• Some reasons for optimism for Illinois, according to Howard Griffith.
• Indiana defensive line signee Darius Latham put his appetite on display (subscription required).
• Iowa's opener vs. Northern Illinois will set the tone for the season, Bryce Miller writes. A Texas safety became the Hawkeyes' sixth commitment. A walk-on linebacker was injured in a moped accident.
• Michigan no longer is looking for a transfer quarterback. The Wolverines' fate could depend on how quickly young players mature. Jake Ryan's recovery is going well.
• Damion Terry talks about his all-star game experience and getting ready for Michigan State. The Spartans got a commitment from an Ohio defensive back. Gerald Holmes' father is the rock in his life.
• Minnesota landed a tight end recruit. The heavy lifting remains for Gophers AD Norwood Teague.
• A motor that never stops helps set a Nebraska offensive line recruit apart. The Huskers saw strength where others didn't in a Texas cornerback.
• Studying the evolution of Northwestern's offense. The Wildcats' secondary is in pretty good shape.
• Urban Meyer must tweak his offense to stay ahead of defenses. Phil Steele ranks Ohio State No. 2, and here is his preview of the Buckeyes. An Ohio State all-decade team.
• Bill O'Brien is due for a raise in a couple of weeks. Fatherhood added perspective and drive for Penn State defensive back Malcolm Willis.
• Purdue added a Texas quarterback and an in-state lineman over the weekend.
• A preview of Wisconsin's passing game.

Earlier today, Adam and I debated who would lead the league in passing yards in 2013. Now, it's your turn to decide.

Here are five candidates to win the passing title:

• Taylor Martinez, Nebraska: Adam's choice to lead the league in passing yards, Martinez has improved greatly as a thrower and finished second in the Big Ten last season in total passing yards with 2,871. He's also got a deep group of receivers to work with in the Huskers' explosive offense.
• Devin Gardner, Michigan: My pick as the passing champion, Gardner averaged more than 240 yards passing per game last year after taking over for Denard Robinson. That projects to more than 3,000 yards over a 13-game season. Plus, the Wolverines should throw more as they move to a full-fledged pro-style attack.
• Braxton Miller, Ohio State: Miller threw for just 2,039 yards last year but has worked hard on his mechanics this offseason, and the Buckeyes want to throw the ball downfield more this season. The receiving corps is still a bit thin, but don't bet against Miller's talent.
• Indiana's starter: Cameron Coffman passed for 248.5 yards per game last year, tops among all returning Big Ten quarterbacks. And the Hoosiers led the league in passing yards. The complication is that there's a three-man QB race between Coffman, Nate Sudfeld and Tre Roberson. If one emerges as the clear-cut front-runner, he could put up some prolific numbers.
• Penn State's starter: If Bill O'Brien can turn Matt McGloin into a 3,000-yard passer, what can he do with Tyler Ferguson and Christian Hackenberg? If only we knew which one of those guys would take the majority of the snaps. One thing is for sure: Whoever starts will benefit greatly from throwing to the league's best receiver (Allen Robinson) and a deep and talented group of tight ends.

Who's your pick to lead the Big Ten in passing? Vote now in our poll.

During a football practice, kickers are usually in their own little worlds. They're often on another field or alone in a field house practicing their crafts -- part of the team, yes, but mostly apart from it.

Mitch Ewald doesn't like that. So this spring, as Indiana would begin warmups, you could find the Hoosiers' 5-foot-10, 174-pound kicker running routes and catching passes with the receiver group.

"When Coach [Kevin] Wilson sees me, he just points and laughs," Ewald told ESPN.com this spring. "But when I wear the gloves, my hands are all right."

Ewald isn't content to just do his own thing. He's a fifth-year senior who has handled Indiana's field goals and kickoffs for the past three seasons, so he feels some ownership of the team.

"I really wanted to step out of my comfort zone and be more vocal this year," he said. "Be more one of the guys rather than just the kicker specialist."

You rarely see kickers mentioned as team captains, but the Hoosiers will take leadership where they can get it. Wilson has thrown boatloads of freshmen into the fire the past two seasons, and last year's team had only three senior starters. Ewald is one of the lone true veterans who has played the past three seasons.

Wilson said that in a vote for captains this spring, Ewald finished in the top six.

"Our kids respect him a lot," he said. "Of course, that also tells you something about where our team is at right now."

Even if Ewald were to just focus on his kicking, he'd be a valuable member of the team. He has made 44 of 55 kicks during his career and was second in the Big Ten in touchbacks on kickoffs last year.

He needs just five more field goals to become Indiana's career leader and 13 to break the school's all-time extra points record. He will also likely pass Antwaan Randle El as the No. 2 scorer in Hoosiers history.

"I'd be lying if I told you I didn't know about it and wasn't looking forward to it," Ewald said. "But I'm not putting too much pressure on myself about it."

With so much experience, Ewald says he doesn't get nervous before kicks anymore, though he does have to make sure he doesn't get too hyped up and try to be too perfect with his form. He dreams of kicking another big game winner like he had to end his freshman year, when his 31-yarder in overtime sealed the victory at rival Purdue.

"He has the potential where he should be one of the upper kids in this league," Wilson said. "I think he's got the makeup of a kid who can be a kicker in the NFL."

Even if Wilson gets his wish and the Hoosiers are scoring too many more touchdowns to need the field goal unit this season, Ewald will do his best to be a leading voice on the team. And who knows? Maybe he'll help them out on a trick play, because he has been practicing his receiving skills.

The Derecho is gone, and the Blackhawks are three games from the Cup. Good times.

• Purdue loses incoming cornerback recruit TyVel Jemison but could gain another defensive back in the 2014 class.
• A Q&A with Nebraska recruiting coordinator Ross Els heading into the Big Red Weekend. Nebraska has high expectations for its Big Red Weekend.
• Indiana picks up a commitment from QB recruit Alexander Diamont. A full transcript of Kevin Wilson's recent comments at Lucas Oil Stadium.
• Michigan spent more than $1.7 million for its Outback Bowl trip. The Wolverines are in the top 3 for top recruit Da'Shawn Hand. Mott Children's Hospital is near and dear to Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon.
• Michigan State LB recruit Jon Reschke is willing to put in the work. A top 2015 RB recruit played in a 7-on-7 tournament at Michigan State.
• A great look at Tom Herman's path to the Ohio State offensive coordinator position. Examining Ohio State's potential impact freshmen in 2013.
• Tom Dienhart previews Week 3 in the Big Ten this fall.
• A decorated QB recruit visits Iowa on Wednesday. More than half of Iowa's kickoff times are set for this season.
• Penn State benefited when Danny O'Brien picked Wisconsin rather than the Lions, Dustin Hockensmith writes. Black Shoe Diaries checks in with Penn State recruit Jared Wangler.
• More on safety Reggie Mitchell's departure from Wisconsin to Pitt.
• Debating who will lead the Big Ten in interceptions. A look at the league's wide receivers.
• Half of Illinois' kickoff times in 2013 are now set.
• The NCAA's enforcement division is a complete mess under Mark Emmert's watch.

Hodor!

• A closer look at Illinois linebacker Mason Monheim.
• Incoming Indiana defensive lineman Darius Latham is making his presence known on the boys' state all-star basketball team (subscription required). The Hoosiers picked up a quarterback from Los Angeles.
• Iowa is keeping a steady course in APR scores. A look inside the Hawkeyes' Ladies Football Academy.
• A Northwestern summer camp preview.
• Brady Hoke has Michigan's APR scores on an upswing. The Wolverines are in on two more of the top recruits in the nation. Devin Gardner says the team is angry about the way 2012 finished.
• Gerald Holmes is getting ready to try to become the next Michigan State starting tailback. Max Bullough is on the NFL radar.
• Minnesota got some good news with the APR scores.
• Nebraska got a commitment from a strong offensive lineman. Summer camp could yield several prospects for the Huskers.
• A kicker who showed the ability to perform under pressure accepted a scholarship offer from Ohio State. The Buckeyes' APR scores continue to climb.
• Penn State and Bill O'Brien continue to draw top recruits. Chris Weinke says Michael O'Connor is a near mirror image to Christian Hackenberg. A PSU video shows off the team's top weight-room performers.
• Purdue's new assistants are using summer camps to get acclimated. The Boilers are pursuing Glenn Robinson's son as a recruit.
• Wisconsin has found the perfect fit in Gary Andersen.
• Checking in on the Big Ten quarterbacks.
• A Big Ten expansion Q&A. Andy Staples grades all the expansion moves from the past three years.
• The BTN guys debate who will lead the league in receiving touchdowns.

We talk a lot about returning starters when previewing the season, and we gave you the whole breakdown of returning starters and career starts in the Big Ten last month. But that doesn't tell the entire story of a team's experience level.

Phil Steele attempts to calculate that further by breaking down how many lettermen each FBS team returns in 2013. Steele uses percentages of returning lettermen since schools use different methods to determine how they give out letters. But for the most part, the number of lettermen who are back reflect how many players with some experience a team has.

Steele's numbers show that Wisconsin has the highest percentage of returning lettermen of any BCS AQ school, at 83.87 percent (Rice and Texas-San Antonio rank 1-2, respectively). The Badgers, who have 17 returning starters, lost only 10 lettermen off last year's Rose Bowl team. That experience should help Gary Andersen in his first year as coach.

Here's how the rest of the Big Ten looks in the national rankings:

9. Michigan State: 80 percent
30. Indiana: 74.65 percent
35. Minnesota: 74.32 percent
49. Northwestern: 71.05 percent
71. Ohio State: 68.92 percent
73. Purdue: 68.57 percent
88. Michigan: 66.67 percent
99. Iowa: 65 percent
122. Illinois: 57.89 percent
123. Nebraska: 57.33 percent
125. Penn State: 54.29 percent

Some of these numbers cast the returning starters figures in a new light. Penn State, for example, ties for sixth in the Big Ten in returning starters with 16 but has a lower percentage of returning lettermen than every FBS team except Louisiana Tech. Indiana has one of the highest returning starters numbers in the country (21) but lost more lettermen than you'd expect. Nebraska ranked 42nd nationally in career total starts returning but is among the lowest teams in the country in percentage of lettermen who are coming back.

Do these numbers mean much in the grand scheme of things? Consider that the three BCS AQ teams with the highest percentage of returning lettermen last year (Florida, Stanford and Oregon) all ended up in BCS games, while Orange Bowl champion Florida State ranked sixth among AQ teams and Sugar Bowl winner Louisville was eighth. On the flip side, Notre Dame ranked 121st out of 124 teams and played for the national title, while Alabama was 104th. Ohio State was 74th last year and ended up 12-0.

No number is perfect in predicting success, but this gives you another idea of which teams have the most experience.

Whatever you might think about the Big Ten's performance on the football field, you have to acknowledge this: the league is doing a great job in the classroom.

Or at least it is by the NCAA's main measuring stick. The NCAA released the latest Academic Progress Rate scores on Tuesday, and the Big Ten came out looking good. Every team beat the national average score for football (949) and is well out of range of any kind of penalties.

The APR measures eligibility, retention and graduation over a four-year period. The new scores go through the 2011-2012 school year. The NCAA gave out public recognition awards to three Big Ten schools last week, honoring Northwestern, Wisconsin and Ohio State for their APR scores. In fact, Northwestern ranked No. 1 among all FBS schools, while Wisconsin is No. 4 among BCS AQ schools and Ohio State is eighth. Future Big Ten member Rutgers is ninth.

Teams with scores below 925 can be hit with penalties such as scholarship losses and reduced practice time. Teams must achieve a 900 multi-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years to be eligible for postseason in the next academic year. To avoid a ban for the 2014-15 postseason, teams must post a multi-year score 930 or a two-year average of 940.

Minnesota was flirting with the danger line last year, as its four-year score was 932. But the Gophers have made good progress since, and so have Michigan and Michigan State. Here are the Big Ten's current four-year scores:

1. Northwestern: 996

2. Wisconsin: 985

3. Ohio State: 982

4. Nebraska: 972

5. Indiana: 963

T-6. Iowa: 961

T-6. Penn State: 961

8. Illinois: 960

T-9. Michigan State: 955

T-9. Minnesota: 955

11. Purdue: 953

12. Michigan: 951

Three years ago, this happened.

• More on Danny O'Brien's departure from Wisconsin here and here and here.
• Zayd Issah's status with Penn State is up in the air as he'll likely play for a prep school this fall. Lineman Andrew Nelson looks forward to his future in Happy Valley. Hockey at Beaver Stadium? Yes, please.
• Joe Tiller returns to Purdue to talk Boiler football. Head coach Darrell Hazell settles in at Purdue.
• Michigan AD Dave Brandon says the Big Ten is moving forward.
• Ohio State players have bought in to strength coach Mickey Marotti and the Urban Meyer way, Bruce Feldman writes. Former Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett will speak to NFL rookies about his story of wasted opportunities.
• Former Michigan State star Julian Peterson says Mark Dantonio and Nick Saban were like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde when they coached together in East Lansing. Spartans recruit Delton Williams will play safety one final time in the Big 33 game before moving to running back.
• Las Vegas might like Northwestern in 2013, but the gamblers don't.
• Renderings of Minnesota's proposed indoor practice facility have surfaced.
• A summer preview of Nebraska in 2013. Nebraska's new recruits have arrived on campus.
• Eleven Warriors ranks the Big Ten recruiting classes to date.
• The BTN.com guys debate who will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards this fall.
• Crimson Quarry breaks down Illinois heading into 2013.
• The future is bright for Indiana football.
• So much for the Big Ten going D-III if pay-for-play comes to pass.

A raven arrived this morning carrying your questions. As you wish:

J. Young from A city in that state up north: Greetings from enemy territory. With Ohio State in its last BCS chance before the playoff, how many eggs do you think the Big Ten has in the Urban Meyer basket for national success and some good PR this season?

Brian Bennett: The Big Ten shouldn't really care whether Ohio State gets it done, or if Michigan or Nebraska or Wisconsin or somebody else makes a run at the national title. But here's what the league should be happy about: the Buckeyes are going to start the season ranked somewhere in the top three, most likely, and will be No. 1 on some ballots. That means the Big Ten will be in the national title discussions at least early on in the season, and that's something that really hasn't happened since the middle of 2010. Remember that no Big Ten teams were in the top eight of either poll to start last year, and then Michigan got blasted by Alabama in the opener. The league didn't have a team in the top nine of either poll to start 2011 and was out of the BCS title chase by late October.

It's sad but true: when a conference doesn't have a national title contender, it becomes irrelevant in many ways. Ohio State should keep the Big Ten in the spotlight as long as it takes care of its very manageable early schedule. Hopefully, other league teams can join the Buckeyes in that quest.

---

MJ from Ocean, N.J., writes: Hey Brian, interesting piece from the EPA numbers that Brad Edwards put together placing the Buckeyes in the top 5 overvalued teams of 2012. Doubtful that these numbers can go back as far as '02, but I'd bet the national champion Buckeyes could be in that overvalued section as well with the several close victories to teams that had were thought to have no business competing with that team. But that's why they play the game and as long as we keep a 0 in the loss column, I'm good with that. Not that it's groundbreaking news, but do those numbers affect your opinion of the season that was for Ohio State?

Brian Bennett: Here's my basic opinion of all that: Those 2002 Buckeyes might have squeaked by in a lot of close games, and, heck, they might have even gotten very lucky on a shaky pass-interference call in the title game against Miami. Yet there's still a crystal football in their trophy case, and they're not giving it back. It really doesn't matter how you win, as long as you win. I didn't need advanced stats to tell me that Ohio State was not a dominant team most of the time in 2012; heck, I covered four of the Buckeyes' games in person and obviously watched them all very closely. They were just a team that knew how to make winning plays when they needed them. My lasting image of last season's team is probably watching from field level as they simply willed their way toward a couple of first downs against a terrific Michigan State team on the road to close out that victory. I still don't think Ohio State could have beaten Alabama last season, but no one can ever take 12-0 away from them.

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Matt from Farmington Hills, Mich., writes: Brian, you recently posted Athlon's predictions for the 2013 B1G season. In it, OSU was picked to go undefeated by beating UM in the league championship game. First of all, can someone please slow down the Buckeye hype-train? I simply don't understand how a team that had to out-score Indiana last year and evaded multiple near-loss games can be picked to go undefeated AGAIN. Not to mention having to replace the majority of a front-seven on defense. Talent is great and they have it in (largely unproven) guys like Washington and Spence, but what about depth? Additionally, call me a homer, but I am confident that Michigan's talent rivals OSU's, and if Athlon is correct in that the two teams meet in consecutive games, I believe Michigan has too much pride to lose twice in a row to a HATED rival. Thoughts?

Brian Bennett: Does Ohio State have some question marks? For sure. But as we have pointed out, Urban Meyer's teams tend to improve a whole lot in Year 2, and I believe the Buckeyes are still the most talented team in the Big Ten from top to bottom. You make an interesting point about depth. That's still a major concern on the offensive line and at linebacker, and a few key injuries could also wreck the defensive line and wide receiver positions. Ohio State managed to stay relatively healthy, especially on offense, in 2012. We should never discount how difficult it is to go undefeated in one year, let alone two straight. Again, though, the schedule is very favorable.

The idea of playing Michigan twice in a row is fascinating. If that were to happen, the Buckeyes would have to play the Wolverines away from home both times. The revenge factor for the second meeting would be incredibly high. If Ohio State could pull that off, it would mean a long and painful offseason for Brady Hoke and the Maize and Blue.

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Tyler from Chicago writes: Northwestern is looking to be a good program for a long time and they are just starting to upgrade their football facilities. Since, their moving all their football activities except for games to the main campus, what will they do with Ryan Field? Any chance they build a new stadium on Lake Michigan? I think it would be amazing and they would get more fans and recruits if there as an open end of the stadium looking out to the lake. Or will they upgrade the worst stadium in the Big Ten?

Brian Bennett: Building a stadium on Lake Michigan seems like a pipe dream. There's not exactly a ton of land there, and construction prices could be astronomical. We could definitely see some upgrades to Ryan Field in the future, including the addition of more club seating and luxury boxes. But first, Wildcats fans need to prove that they can consistently fill the stadium and make it an intimidating environment for visitors.

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Nick from Indiana writes: Which true freshmen do you expect to have the biggest impact on defense this year for the Hoosiers?

Brian Bennett: Nick, I know the coaches are excited about the potential of Darius Latham, the kind of athletic defensive lineman that Indiana has had trouble landing in recent years. Safety Antonio Allen also has a great shot at contributing right away, as well as defensive end David Kenney III. Rashard Fant will get a long look in the secondary. Kevin Wilson has shown that he's not afraid of throwing freshmen into the mix right away, so anyone who's ready will have an excellent chance of playing early on. It's just a matter of which ones adjust to the college level the best and the quickest.

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Matt from Ann Arbor writes: With the B1G looking to strengthen the non conference schedule, what would the "dream matchup" home and home series be -- that is a realistic option -- for each team (or just a few) in the conference? A few that I would love to see would be Michigan vs. Stanford, Nebraska vs. Oklahoma, Ohio St vs. Oregon and even Illinois vs. Missouri.

Brian Bennett: Interesting that you would ask that today, Matt, as we're inviting fans to let us know what nonconference series they would like to see their teams play. Nebraska-Oklahoma and Ohio State-Oregon are already on the books for future series, and those are absolute dream matchups. I'd love to see Michigan-LSU because of the Les Miles factor, but Wisconsin-LSU is going to be pretty darn good in its own right. Some other potential dream matchups, in my opinion: Ohio State-Florida, Nebraska-Texas, Penn State-Miami (which is very close to happening), Wisconsin-Arkansas (duh), Michigan-USC and Wisconsin-Notre Dame.

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Greg from Philadelphia writes: Alright, Brian, I found this on a random fact generator: In Kentucky, it is illegal to carry ice cream in your back pocket... so knock it off, jerk, or I'm calling the cops!I am curious, however, as to what flavor of ice cream you tend to keep in your back pocket? I take you for a rocky road kind of guy.

Brian Bennett: Well, yeah, the law makes perfect sense. It seems like a good idea to carry ice cream in your back pocket until the first time you forget it's there and try to sit down. I'm actually not a big ice cream guy -- cookies and pie are more my thing -- but when the urge strikes, I tend to go cookies and cream.