Big Ten Preview: Success In The Legends Division
Nov 10, 2012; Champaign, IL, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive end Ra
Minnesota
2012: 6-7, 2-6 Big Ten; Lost Meineke Car Care Bowl
It’s difficult to figure out what to make of the 2012 Gophers. Yes, they reached a bowl game, but did so largely on the strength of sweeping a poor non-conference slate and beating underachieving Purdue and Illinois teams.
Part of last season was about turning to young talent. That allowed QB Philip Nelson to take the reins of the offense – an up-and-down experiment a year ago. The Gophers hope giving him the seasoning as a freshman will pay dividends in 2013. RB Donnell Kirkwood provided a steadying presence. He needs to do more for Minnesota to take a big step forward offensively.
The Gophers again loaded up their schedule with four should-be victories, meaning they would need to win just two conference games to make a bowl game. How much young talent can emerge into proven commodity will dictate Minnesota’s fate against Big Ten teams.
What constitutes a successful season?
Returning to a bowl game would certainly qualify as a success for Minnesota. The question will be is it time to start climbing up the Big Ten ranks? It robably is about time to start that conversation. A .500 record with losing records in conference won’t be good enough forever. Just accomplishing the feat last year gave Jerry Kill some goodwill. Continuing the assent this year would solidify optimism. For that reason, a 7-5 season with at least three wins in the Big Ten would dictate success for the Gophers in 2013.
Nebraska
2012: 10-4, 7-1 Big Ten; Lost Capital One Bowl
Everything seemed to point toward 2012 being the season for Nebraska to claim its first Big Ten title. The Cornhuskers went 7-1 in league play with their lone loss coming at Ohio State, which was ineligible for a conference championship game appearance. Then came the 70-31 trainwreck of a loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.
The Buckeyes are eligible for the league crown this year and Nebraska faces numerous challenges to its divisional crown. Still, the Huskers have a number of reasons to be optimistic about their chances to return to the Big Ten’s biggest stage. First and foremost, they return QB Taylor Martinez, a sleeper Heisman Trophy candidate who made dramatic improvements last season. Martinez’ backfield running mate, RB Ameer Abdullah also returns after a 1,000-yard season. While the offense seems rearing to make a run, a defense that lost six starters must tighten things up – specifically along the front seven. How well that group gels could determine just how far this team can go.
The non-conference schedule looks like three easy wins and an exciting Week 3 game against UCLA. That game is a rematch of a thrilling affair in 2012, when Bruins QB Brett Hundley first really made his presence felt. The blackshirts – assuming the defense has earned that distinction by Week 3 – will surely look to reverse Hundley’s fortunes this time around. If the Huskers win that one, they are looking at a 7-0 start headed into the Northwestern game, which starts a threeweek stretch that will likely determine Nebraska reaching the Big Ten Championship Game again.
What constitutes a successful season?
Expectations in Lincoln are high entering 2013. With all of the offensive firepower returning, they should be. The first month will tell a tale – will the defense dominate inferior talent and make the Cornhuskers a championship-caliber team or will it play just well enough to win and leave Nebraska with an uphill battle? Fans are certainly hoping for the former. The Huskers are favored in three of the five games posted early by Las Vegas and will almost certainly be favored in the other seven. If Nebraska goes 11-1 in the regular season, it has been a very good year for coach Bo Pelini.
Jan 1, 2013; Jacksonville FL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald celebrates in the final seconds of their Gator Bowl game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at EverBank Field. The Northwestern Wildcats beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs 34-20. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Northwestern
2012: 10-3, 5-3 Big Ten; Won Gator Bowl
Coach Pat Fitzgerald took the Wildcats to the next level in 2012, leading them to their first 10-win season since 1995. That was also the last time Northwestern reached the Rose Bowl – something it didn’t do last season. Still, the Wildcats are competing toward the top of the Big Ten, critics of the two-quarterback system be damned. Only a one-point loss to Nebraska and an overtime loss at Michigan separated the Wildcats from a Big Ten Championship Game appearance, meaning this is a team on the cusp of achieving more.
Returning 17 starters from last year’s team leaves Fitzgerald feeling good heading into the season. The biggest questions are along the lines, where Northwestern must name three offensive starters and replace two defensive starters. QB Kain Colter and RB Venric Mark give the Wildcats one of the most dynamic run games in the conference and QB Trevor Siemian possesses the ability to orchestrate an effective pass game.
Opening at California might present an unexpected challenge with the Bears’ new coaching staff wanting to make a strong first impression. Still, that game – as well as a home game against Syracuse – is winnable. Las Vegas has Northwestern favored by double digits in both games.
It won’t take long to figure out just how competitive the Wildcats will be in the Big Ten. They open against Ohio State and at Wisconsin. Luck of the inter-divisional draw presents a real challenge for Northwestern, which has to play the best two teams in the opposite division. (Yes, this writer is renewing his refusal to refer to said divisions with the absurdly arrogant names of “Leaders” and “Legends.”)
What constitutes a successful season?
While the Wisconsin and Ohio State games do not make a divisional title impossible, they certainly make the idea difficult. They certainly mean games like those against Michigan and Northwestern significantly more important. A nine-win regular season and another bowl game, under the circumstances, should be viewed as a strong season.
Overzealous fans might want to see the Wildcats win the division, but with the scheduling draw, it probably isn’t realistic.