Readily Rising: Iowa
Kirk Ferentz came to Iowa City in 1999 with quite a rebuilding job to do. Six years later, he's fixed the Hawkeyes as part of the upper echelon of the Big Ten as perennial contenders. He's a coach who knows how to recruit, and, at only 49 years old, he'll be bringing in winning athletes for quite some time to come.

Free Falling: Illinois
Ron Turner has produced four winning seasons in seven years at the Illini helm. However, with the recent insurgences of Minnesota and Iowa, there's no room for Illinois in the upper half anymore. Turner will need to pull off at least seven wins this year in order to keep the cynics and fire-pushers at bay.

Most to Prove: Minnesota
The Gophers are highly notorious as a team who starts hot, but cools in a hurry- and it has very little to do with that chilly Midwestern air. The Gophers are loaded with potential, largely due to their highly skilled backfield. They have the schedule to pile on the wins. Still, unless the Gophers wind up with a championship ring of some sort, any amount of victories they earn becomes irrelevant to Gopher fans.

Could Sneak Up: Northwestern
Don't look now, but the last time the Wildcats returned this many starters and balance on both sides of the ball, NU won eight games and finished as one of the top offensive teams in the country. Compare this year's squad with the 2000 and you'll find them eerily similar. That said, don't drop your jaw if the Wildcats end up in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.

Big Ten's Top Units

OFFENSE
Backfield Wisconsin
Starters QB John Stocco, RB Anthony Davis, FB Matt Bernstein
Backups RB Dwayne Smith, RB Booker Stanley, FB Greg Root, QB Tyler Donovan
Potential Help from Newcomers FB Chris Pressley, QB Sean Lewis, QB Marcus Randle El
Next Best Minnesota

Receivers Michigan
Starters WR Braylon Edwards, WR Jason Avant, TE Tyler Ecker
Backups WR Steve Breaston, WR Carl Tabb, TE Tim Massaquoi, WR Jermaine Gonzales
Potential Help from Newcomers WR Adrian Arrington, TE Mike Massey
Next Best Michigan State

Offensive Line Minnesota
Starters OT Rian Melander, OG Mark Setterstrom, C Greg Eslinger, OG Brandon Harston, OT Joe Ainslie
Backups OT Mike Nicholson, OG Brian Goblirsch, C Tyson Swaggert, OG Josh Brenny, OT Brian Moss
Potential Help from Newcomers None
Next Best Michigan

DEFENSE
Defensive Line Wisconsin
Starters DE Darius Jones, DT Anttaj Hawthorne, DT Jason Jefferson, DE Jonathan Welsh
Backups DE Erasmus James, DE Pete Monty, DT Justin Ostrowski, DT Kalvin Barrett, DE Jamal Cooper
Potential Help from Newcomers DT Gino Cruse, DE Nick Hayden,
Next Best (Tie) Indiana and Iowa

Linebackers Ohio State
Starters OLB A.J. Hawk, MLB Anthony Schlegel, OLB Bobby Carpenter
Backups ILB John Kerr, ILB Mike D'Andrea, OLB Thomas Matthews, OLB Joe Bradley
Potential Help from Newcomers ILB Marcus Freeman
Next Best Iowa

Defensive Backs Michigan
Starters CB Marlin Jackson, CB Markus Curry, SS Ernest Shazor, FS Ryan Mundy
Backups CB Leon Hall, FS Willis Barringer, CB Darnell Hood, SS Jacob Stewart
Potential Help from Newcomers CB Keston Cheathem
Next Best Penn State

Special Teams Michigan State
Starters K Dave Rayner, P Brandon Fields, KR DeAndra Cobb, PR Agim Shabaj
Backups K/P John Goss
Potential Help from Newcomers K/P John Goss
Next Best Wisconsin

Chappy's Nutshell
Ohio State has questions in their backfield, but new QB Justin Zwick has all the tools to work well with all around him. As long as he plays with the team, the way Craig Krenzel did, the Buckeyes will take the Big Ten. They get Wisconsin and Michigan at the 'Shoe, and those wins will earn them a trip to the Rose Bowl. It wouldn't surprise me to see any of those three win the title, though. Minnesota, again, will fall short, leaving Gopher fanatics wondering, "what the hell do we have to do?!". In a word, Gopher fans - recruiting. Northwestern and Indiana (yes, Indiana) are potential sleeper teams, and Purdue will see the effects of all those defensive losses. Overall, expect a relatively down year for the Big Ten.