BC Tailgate, your official home for college Blogcritics’ football news, rants, and riffs. Every conference is covered — we don't play favorites to the big boys.
ACC by Ben Miraski
Big East by Dan McGowan
Big Ten by Geeves
Big XII by Ben Miraski
Conference USA by Dan McGowan
MAC by Brian Szabelski
Pac 10 by Geeves
SEC by Josh Hathaway
WAC by Brian Szabelski
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Welcome to the first BC Sports Tailgate College Football Preview, starting with the Big Ten. Wh the Big Ten? Well, first of all, because the tailgate is my baby, and the Big Ten is my conference. Ok, that's really the only reason, but what more do I need?
Ohio State
Coach: Jim Tressel
2007: 11-2 overall, 7-1 in Big Ten (1st).
Head of the Class – The deck is indeed stacked in the Buckeyes’ favor. They return last year’s starters at all but three positions (fullback, right tackle, weak side linebacker), and they have seven home games, including non-conference patsies Ohio, Troy, and Youngstown State, and rivals Penn State and Michigan. Anything less than a Big Ten title will be a failure.
Underachievers – What could go either way for Ohio State this year? A hot young talent named Terrelle Pryor. He’s an insane athlete, but fitting him in will require sharing time at quarterback and a gradual but visible shift in offensive scheme. Florida pulled it off with Tebow, but we won’t know until it happens with Pryor.
Academic Suspension – Not too much bad to say about this team. They have guys like Laurinaitis returning for one last hurrah, but that’s no guarantee that they’ll do anything but go to the national championship and get their butts kicked all over again.
Illinois
Coach: Ron Zook
2007: 9-4 overall, 6-2 in the Big Ten (T-2nd)
Head of the Class – The Illini’s defensive line is scary good. They play a four man front, and have a rotation of seven guys who could all play for any Division-I school they want. If you plan to pass, you better do it with purpose, or you may be scrubbing grass out of your ear holes.
Underachievers – Lots of transition on the team could mean lots of ups and downs. They have talent at their open spots – replacing both RB Rashard Mendenhall and their #1 and #2 tackling linebackers. The question is whether that talent develops quick enough, or even reaches its potential, enough for Illinois to not feel those losses on the field.
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