ESPN College Football

You know the season is getting closer and closer as more publications come out with their official previews and preseason all-conference teams.

Phil Steele offered his All-Big Ten selections earlier this month, and now Athlon has come out with its picks for all-conference performers. You can view the publication's first-, second- and third-team choices here.

Some notes on the picks:

Athlon differs with Steele on a few key choices, including Penn State's Kyle Carter over Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen as first-team tight end. I heartily endorse Athlon's call there. Athlon also has Ohio State's Corey Linsley as the first team center instead of Steele's pick of Northwestern's Brandon Vitabile.

On defense, Athlon shows love to the youngsters, picking Ohio State sophomore Noah Spence and Penn State sophomore Deion Barnes on its first-team defensive line. I agree with the Barnes pick and think Spence can get there, though teammate Adolphus Washington might beat him out for the honors. Wisconsin's Beau Allen also makes the first team at defensive tackle, along with Minnesota's Ra'Shede Hageman -- the one D-lineman that Steele and Athlon agree upon for the first team.

There are no surprises at linebacker or cornerback, but Athlon picks Northwestern's Ibraheim Campbell at safety instead of Steele's choice of Ohio State's Christian Bryant. Tough call between the two there.

Athlon is also high on Wisconsin sophomore running back Melvin Gordon, who makes the second team just as he did for Steele, while Nebraska's Kenny Bell is a second-team wide receiver (Steele had three receivers on the first team, compared to just two for Athlon).

Ohio State led the way with 13 selections on Athlon's three teams, including a whopping seven on the first team. The Buckeyes were followed by Wisconsin with 10 overall selections (three on the first team) and Michigan State with nine (four on the first team). Illinois and Minnesota tied for the fewest picks with two apiece.

Tireless football previewer/prognosticator Phil Steele has come out with his preseason All-Big Ten teams, and when Steele gives predictions we usually lean forward in our chairs a little.

His eponymous preseason magazine claims to be the most accurate guide in the marketplace, and to his credit Steele did correctly forecast Nebraska and Wisconsin to make the Big Ten title game last season. You can find his preseason all-conference teams -- which go four deep on offense and defense -- on his blog here.

There are the obvious first-team choices, like Ohio State's Braxton Miller at quarterback, Northwestern running back Venric Mark, Penn State receiver Allen Robinson, Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and Nebraska guard Spencer Long on offense. (Steele goes with 12-man units on both offense and defense, with three receivers and two running backs on offense and four linebackers on defense). He chose Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah for the first team, with Ohio State's Carlos Hyde and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon as his second-team backs. Incoming Michigan true freshman Derrick Green makes an appearance on the fourth team.

Steele has Taylor Martinez as his second-team quarterback, followed by Michigan's Devin Gardner on the third team. I'm surprised to see Ohio State's Devin Smith at second-team receiver, ahead of teammate Corey Brown, who only made the third team but was more productive than Smith last year and much better this spring. Steele also puts Wisconsin's Jacob Pedersen and Iowa's C.J. Fiedorowicz as his first- and second-team tight ends, ahead of Penn State's Kyle Carter. I question that choice.

On defense, there are the no-brainer first-team selections you'd expect: Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier, Michigan State linebacker Max Bullough, Wisconsin linebacker Chris Borland, Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby and Michigan State corner Darqueze Dennard. Steele's first-team defensive line is Michigan State's Marcus Rush, Northwestern's Tyler Scott, Minnesota's Ra'Shede Hageman and Purdue's Bruce Gaston, while Illinois' Jonathan Brown rounds out the four-man linebacker crew. The first-team defense includes four Michigan State players (safety Isaiah Lewis is the other) and three Buckeyes (safety Christian Bryant joins Shazier and Roby).

Penn State's Deion Barnes -- the reigning Big Ten freshman of the year -- only makes the second team at defensive end. I think I'd rather have him than the steady Rush. Steele also chooses Ohio State defensive end Adolphus Washington for the second team and fellow Buckeyes sophomore Noah Spence for the fourth team, though both have the potential to do more than that. Surprisingly, Steele also has Ohio State's Curtis Grant -- a guy with a lot to prove -- as a second-team linebacker.

Ohio State leads the way with six selections on the first-team offense and defense, followed by Michigan State with those four defenders. Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin have three first-team picks each. Michigan has only two total players on Steele's first two teams, with Jeremy Gallon a second-teamer at receiver. Iowa and Indiana do not have any first-team selections on offense or defense, though the Hawkeyes' Jordan Cotton was named first-team kick returner.

2012 record: 12-0

2012 conference record: 8-0 (first, Leaders Division)

Returning starters: Offense: 9; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners: QB Braxton Miller, RB Carlos Hyde, WR Philly Brown, LT Jack Mewhort, C Corey Linsley, CB Bradley Roby, SAF Christian Bryant, SAF C.J. Barnett, LB Ryan Shazier

Key losses: RT Reid Fragel, WR Jake Stoneburner, DE John Simon, DE Nathan Williams, DT Johnathan Hankins, DT Garrett Goebel, FB/LB Zach Boren, LB Etienne Sabino, CB Travis Howard

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Miller* (1,271 yards, 13 TDs)

Passing: Miller* (2,039 yards, 15 TDs, 6 INTs)

Receiving: Brown* (60 catches, 669 yards, 3 TDs)

Tackles: Shazier* (115)

Sacks: Simon (9)

Interceptions: Howard (4)

Spring answers:

1. End game: The Buckeyes have to replace all four starters up front, and while the defensive line isn't quite as deep and is far from a finished product, the future looks pretty bright on the edge. Sophomores Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington were among the top prizes in Urban Meyer's first recruiting class with the Buckeyes, and that talent is already starting to shine through as they slide into first-team roles heading into the fall. Spence is a dynamic force with his ability to use speed to get to the quarterback, and Washington isn't exactly sluggish despite all the strength in his 293-pound frame. The two combined for seven sacks in the spring game, and the Buckeyes are expecting similar performances when it actually counts.

2. Air it out: Miller has proven what he can do with his legs, and Ohio State didn't really need to see him show them off in the spring. The emphasis was on continuing to develop the junior quarterback as a passer, which meant a heavy dose of play calls forcing him to put the ball in the air and a quick whistle if he tried to scramble. The results for Meyer were encouraging. His efficient, 16-for-25, 217-yard performance in the spring game showed a much more accurate delivery and better decision-making that hints at bigger things from the fifth-place finisher in last year's Heisman Trophy race.

3. Backfield stable: One thing that might keep Hyde from giving Meyer a 1,000-yard running back this season is all the teammates fighting to snag a few of his carries. The rising senior is the clear cut No. 1 to partner with Miller in the backfield, and Hyde didn't have to earn that job in the spring after piling up touchdowns last fall and finally tapping into his enormous potential as a rusher. But while he was watching some reps, Rod Smith, Bri'onte Dunn and Warren Ball all showed their upside this spring, which has the Buckeyes even toying with a diamond formation that gets three tailbacks on the field at the same time.

Fall questions

1. Filling out the front seven: Shazier is certainly a fine place for any defense to start, but the Buckeyes would obviously prefer if there were at least one other returning starter joining him in the front seven. There are high hopes again for junior Curtis Grant at middle linebacker, but he's been tabbed as a first-team guy before coming out of spring only to fizzle in the fall. Ohio State will need Grant and sophomore Joshua Perry to help lead the charge as it tries to add depth and talent at linebacker to stabilize a defense that will feature a lot of new faces.

2. Fresh blood: There wasn't a great option to fill Meyer's vaunted H-back position last fall, so the Buckeyes effectively had to put the hybrid spot, made famous by Percy Harvin at Florida, on the shelf. Jordan Hall's return from injury makes him a candidate to diversify the offense, but a handful of recruits the Buckeyes landed in Meyer's second class would could really take the spread to another level. Speed-burners such as Dontre Wilson or Jalin Marshall will be watched closely in August as they could become factors for the Buckeyes as early as September.

3. Something special: If the Buckeyes score as easily and often as it appears they might, maybe it won't matter who handles the kicking game. But Meyer has always taken pride in his special teams, and at this point there is still some uncertainty as Drew Basil is pressed into action as both a kicker and a punter. In the big picture, the changes on defense are far more critical -- but close games usually pop up along the way for teams trying to win a championship, and Basil might need to pass some tests for the Buckeyes.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Just about every preseason story on Ohio State will mention the youth of the defense. Head coach Urban Meyer has said on more than one occasion that the Buckeyes have "a leadership void" they must fill.

Well, it makes sense to look first to the back end of the defense for those answers. One place where Ohio State has plenty of experience is at safety, where seniors Christian Bryant and C.J. Barnett are both third-year starters. The secondary also boasts an All-American in Bradley Roby, who's never been afraid to speak his mind.

"I think it's important that me, Christian and Roby take ownership of the defense," Barnett told ESPN.com. "We've got a lot of young guys who look up to us."

Defensive leaders more often are found closer to the line of scrimmage, as those guys are involved in more plays and gain respect for their physicality. But Ohio State is replacing all four defensive linemen from last year and has only one holdover starter -- Ryan Shazier -- at linebacker.

"It's probably a little harder to lead at that [safety] position," said Everett Withers, who coaches the Buckeyes' safeties in addition to serving as assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator. "But C.J. and Christian have played a lot of snaps, and the front guys and the linebackers all respect those guys for what they've done here. When you have respect from your peers, that makes it a little bit easier."

That's not to say that Bryant and Barnett are satisfied with their accomplishments.

Though they've both played a lot for the Buckeyes -- and Bryant was a second-team All-Big Ten performer last year -- Barnett said the safeties have "underachieved" thus far during their careers. That's a message that seems filtered down from their coaches, who are demanding more.

"He's right on point; I think they have underachieved," Withers said. "No disrespect to what's been done in the past, but when you play safety at a place like Ohio State, you've got a great tradition of safety play. And when guys don't have a ton of production going into their senior year you wonder why. And I've wondered why since I've gotten here. So there's been a big push for us to see how we can be more productive on the field, and in turn, that will allow us to be better leaders off the field."

Though Bryant finished second on the team with 70 tackles, he has only one career interception. Barnett has four career picks in 32 games. Ohio State led the Big Ten last year in interceptions with 14 in 12 games, but Withers called that "a low number" and said the Buckeyes dropped another 14 potential interceptions.

That's why, during spring practice, every Buckeyes defensive back had to drop and do pushups if a ball hit their hands and they didn't make the interception, no matter how tough the catch would have been.

"Myself, I had about six or seven drops last year," Barnett said. "That's unacceptable. Coach said that PBU's [pass break-ups] are not acceptable here. We need interceptions.

"That's huge for field position, and when you've got an offense like we do and you can get the ball back in Braxton [Miller]'s hands, that's leading to points for us. Missing those opportunities are huge and could possibly cost us a game."

Production wasn't really an issue in 2012 for Roby, although he'd like to grab more than two interceptions this season. But Roby didn't view himself as a leader last season. This year, Meyer said, "he's got to be" one.

"I was kind of a selfish player last year, only worrying about me," Roby said. "At cornerback, you really are out there on an island, and so you start thinking the game is only you and the receiver. I was taking that viewpoint. But I'm opening it up now, and I know I've got to talk to the D-linemen, the linebackers and everybody and make sure they know what they're doing, because they might not be as far advanced as I am."

The best players often make the best leaders. And with their experience and talent, the Buckeyes' secondary has a chance to be both of those things.

"It's just a matter of us going out there and making the plays we need to make," Barnett said. "If we handle our business, we'll definitely be in the conversation of being the best secondary in the nation."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Braxton Miller collected his Big Ten offensive player of the year trophy in Indianapolis on the day of the league championship game last December. Since he took part in a halftime ceremony, Miller stuck around to watch Wisconsin whip Nebraska, 70-31, to clinch a Rose Bowl berth.

Of course, the Ohio State quarterback couldn't help but think about how his team had beaten both Big Ten title game participants.

"I got kind of upset watching it, because it was a different type of game than what I was expecting," Miller told ESPN.com. "I thought it would have been a different type of story if we were there."

Linebacker Ryan Shazier, like a lot of other Buckeyes, had similar feelings as he watched the BCS championship game between Notre Dame and Alabama about a month later.

"To be honest, I was feeling sick," Shazier said. "Because I felt like we had a great team and we should have been in the game. I feel like if everybody who had to watch that game can keep that in their head this year, it's going to push us to another level."

Ohio State completed just the sixth undefeated season in school history in 2012, and there are reminders all around the team's football complex about the achievement. There's a huge "Undefeated" sign in the main entrance, a banner for the 2012 season hanging in the indoor practice facility next to ones celebrating national championships, and signs proclaiming Lane Avenue near campus as "12-0" row. Players and coaches from last year's team received rings fit for a champion last week.

Of course, the Buckeyes couldn't play for a Big Ten championship or go to a bowl because of NCAA probation. And they say that's a big reason why they're not dwelling on their accomplishments but rather looking forward this offseason.

"Yeah, we went 12-0, but it didn't really mean much," receiver Corey "Philly" Brown said. "It's not like we won anything. I feel like none of our team got a taste of what it feels like to be playing for a national championship. That makes us more hungry to get there."

Along with the reminders of last year, head coach Urban Meyer had another banner put up in the football complex this spring with the slogan "The Chase." That was his not-so subtle message to the players to keep striving toward new goals. But Meyer said he hasn't noticed any sense of complacency with this group.

"I've watched for that," he said. "I've had our strength coach [Mickey Marotti] watch for that. I don't feel it. If I did, I'd jump in the middle of it."

Meyer's biggest concern this spring has been identifying new leaders. Outside of left tackle Jack Mewhort, he wasn't sure which players would fill the shoes of seniors like John Simon and Zach Boren from last year. He has brought in weekly guest speakers to talk to the team this spring about leadership, and he's hoping guys like Miller, Shazier, Brown and defensive backs C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant and Bradley Roby take on those roles. Of course, Meyer had similar worries about last year's team at this time, and it ended up having what he calls one of the best group of leaders he's ever coached. So that figures to work itself out.

The young front seven on defense also presents question marks, as Shazier is the only returning starter among the defensive line and linebacker units. But sophomores Adolphus Washington and Noah Spence showed with their combined seven sacks in the spring game that Ohio State is blessed with talented options up front, even if there might be a learning curve at work.

"We're going to have to live with some mistakes," defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said. "But our job as coaches is to say, 'Hey, what can they handle?'"

Will these Buckeyes be able to handle the increased expectations and pressure in 2013? Last year, they began the year ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press poll and weren't eligible to receive votes in the coaches' rankings. Even as they continued to win, they mostly operated outside of the limelight because of their absence from the national title hunt. This year, the spotlight will be on them from Day 1, as they should open the season in the top 5.

"We're definitely going to be a huge target," running back Carlos Hyde said. "We're back to where Ohio State usually is, which is the No. 1 team on the schedule that teams want to beat. It lets us know that we just can't come out and roll our helmets out and expect to beat a team."

The target is larger, but so too is the goal. The shackles of probation are off, and if Ohio State can pull off a repeat undefeated season, odds are its players won't be watching the national championship game from afar next January. Roby, the team's All-American cornerback, is confident that will happen. He says that "last year was the commercial, and this year is the movie."

"We've got the talent, and I'm not going to say the schedule is easier, but we don't play Nebraska and we don't play Michigan State," he said. "It's set up in our favor. All we have to do is go out there and keep grinding."

You've got to love spring practice.

Never are things more laid back and open to unusual moments than during the spring. We saw Nebraska use the spring game to let 7-year-old cancer patient Jack Hoffman live out a dream. And Brutus Buckeye might have experienced a nightmare when he woke up Sunday morning.

Ohio State held a student appreciation day during Saturday's practice, and about 2,500 students showed up to watch the workout. But the most talked about event happened when Brutus Buckeye, the school mascot, lined up to run a play. Unlike the Hoffman run, however, the Buckeyes' defense didn't play along.

Linebacker David Perkins leveled the mascot, and the guy inside the costume. This photo of the Perkins hit is simply priceless. And here's video of the play.

"That was crazy, man,” senior safety Christian Bryant said, as quoted in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “It brought a little bit of excitement and got the fans into it. They should have given him a black jersey if they didn't want him to get hit.”

“I don't know what happened to him,” linebacker Curtis Grant said of Perkins. “I think he lost his mind.”

For Perkins, it was just another day at the office.

“I read pass, and I took my drop,” he said. "I saw the quarterback and I saw we lost contain, so I ran over to try to keep contain and just did my responsibility.

“It was see ball, get ball. I didn't try to hit him that hard. I hope he's all right.”

Brutus knelt down after the play but was able to walk off the field under his own power. His status for the fall is unknown at this point.

At some point before Aug. 31, Ohio State safety Christian Bryant will compile a goals sheet for his senior season and hang it in his locker.

Bryant is still formulating the specifics, but he'll undoubtedly list items about interceptions, leadership and limiting big plays. He might write down something about big hits, although it's one area where he needs no reminders.

"If you love football," Bryant told ESPN.com, "you love the collisions."

Bryant loves football and wants to be at the top of his game in his final year as a Buckeye. He's entering his third season as a starter for a secondary that could be the strength of Ohio State's defense in 2013.

The 5-foot-10, 192-pound Cleveland native earned second-team All-Big Ten honors (coaches) in 2012, when he finished second on the squad in tackles (70) and added 12 pass breakups, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception. It's hard not to notice Bryant on the field, especially because of the hits he delivers. But he's still looking for the right blend of big plays and consistency.

"I'm trying to be known for more than just being a physical player," Bryant said. "A playmaker at all times, that's what I’m trying to be known as."

Bryant wants to make a variety of impact plays, not just big hits, and interceptions is at the top of his list. He boasts 21 career passes defended, including 13 last season, which tied him with Northwestern's Ibraheim Campbell for the most among Big Ten safeties (1.08 per game). But Bryant has only one career interception, a fourth-quarter pick against Cal last season that sealed a 35-28 Buckeyes win.

"I dropped probably three or four picks last year," Bryant said. "When I looked back on them, I should have made the plays. Those are things I'm looking forward to this season."

On the advice of former Buckeyes quarterback Troy Smith, Bryant makes sure to catch 50-100 footballs each day in spring practice. If a quarterback is available to throw, Bryant summons him. If not, it's the JUGS machine.

Other items on Bryant's offseason checklist include improved footwork and tackling technique, and doing a better job of reading the run-pass keys offensive linemen give away. He also studies NFL safeties like Charles Woodson, Ed Reed, Dashon Goldson and former Buckeye Donte Whitner.

The season is more than five months away, but Bryant gets a feel of what's to come by practicing against a dynamic Buckeyes offense led by Heisman Trophy contender Braxton Miller.

"It keeps you in shape," Bryant said. "Just the fast-paced offense, us just flying around to the ball, keeping leverage, forcing the ball back to our help. All that helps in the season, leveraging the football, running to the ball as a defense and eliminating big plays."

Bryant describes himself as "instinctive football player" and loves the defensive calls where he can roam the deep middle, read the quarterback's eyes and attack. But he also wants to be a more complete player and leader.

One of only four seniors on Ohio State's defense -- fellow starting safety C.J. Barnett is another -- Bryant hopes to be named a captain. This spring, he's trying to blend vocal leadership with on-field performance so younger players can follow him.

Although Bryant's goals list is still a work in progress, he's willing to share one item.

"To be one of the best secondary players in the country," he said. "That's what I'm shooting for."

Brian will be live-blogging from Nebraska's spring practice today, starting at 1 p.m. ET and finishing around 5 p.m. ET. Huskers quarterback Taylor Martinez will be taking your questions at 2 p.m. ET, and Brian will be chatting about Big Red and the entire Big Ten at 3 p.m. ET. Be sure to check it out!

Onto the links ...

• Philip Nelson is a 19-year-old rising sophomore, but he's the veteran among Minnesota's quarterbacks. Gophers running back Donnell Kirkwood vows to be a better leader this year than he was in 2012.
• Ohio State assistant Everett Withers lights a fire under safety Corey Brown. Another Buckeyes safety, Christian Bryant, hopes to complement big hits with better consistency. AD Gene Smith says Ohio State is much more than a football school.
• Michigan State's backs are off and running as they try to replace Le'Veon Bell. Junior Nick Hill has an early lead in the running back race. Some news and nuggets from Spartans' spring practice.
• Iowa's quarterback situation is very much a mystery as spring ball kicks off, Pat Harty writes. Marc Morehouse previews Iowa's wide receivers and tight ends entering the spring.
• Nebraska quarterbacks and future roommates Taylor Martinez and Ron Kellogg III are the "odd couple," Steven M. Sipple writes. Huskers cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste has the talent to be a star but needs steadier play.
• Bob Flounders examines which young Penn State players could break out in spring practice.
• Michigan likes the big-play capabilities of young WRs Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh. Offensive coordinator Al Borges expects a stronger offensive line and an improved run game in 2013. After some tough times last season, Michigan reserve quarterback Russell Bellomy is regaining his confidence.
• Dustin Hockensmith breaks down the Big Ten nonconference schedules in 2013.
• Wisconsin's and Northwestern's runs to the Rose Bowl in 1993 and 1995, respectively, are among college football's top Cinderella stories.
• Purdue's running back group, which includes several new faces this spring, calls itself "The Stable." Video interviews and practice notes from the Boilers' latest spring workout.
• Indiana mixes work and fun this spring (subscription required). Highlights and interviews from Indiana's eighth spring workout.
• Wisconsin linebacker Mike Taylor, recovering from hernia surgery, cancels his predraft workout. Who should the Badgers play at the end of the season after division realignment?

Urban Meyer went 12-0 in his first year at Ohio State. Now comes maybe even the harder part: Following that up with the burden of expectations.

Many are already projecting the 2013 Buckeyes as a top-5 team and a national title contender, not to mention the Big Ten favorite. Fans are hoping for another undefeated run. Meyer isn't running away from those things.

"People say, 'Would you rather be the underdog or the favorite?'" Meyer said Friday in a news conference. "We'd love to be the favorite all the time. That means we've got a good team. So, no, I don't mind it."

But the coach is also being realistic. He was at the BCS title game between Alabama and Notre Dame as a guest commentator and saw up close what it will take to win a national title. As for talking about getting there next season, Meyer said, "that's like saying we've got to go to the moon. We're nowhere near that conversation."

Meyer knows his second team in Columbus has much room to grow, starting on a defensive line where all four starters depart from the 2012 lineup. He's still looking for "drastic improvement" from the receivers and from his quarterbacks' throwing precision. Meyer said he planned to meet with the team Friday afternoon, and his mantra would be "truth." As in, he would be bluntly honest with the players on what they needed to work on.

"We were very strong in certain areas [in 2012] and some of them were phenomenal," he said. "But quite a few were below average. So if it's strong, enhance it, and if it's weak, fix it."

The challenge for the Buckeyes is to make those gains without the benefit of the 15 extra bowl practices in December. Meyer and his coaches can't do much with the players on the field until spring practice begins. The players have to take more of a responsibility to work on their own.

"If we want to be a very functional football team, there has to be some self-leadership among the groups," Meyer said. "Because it's on the players; the coaches can't force them to do it."

Some other notes from Meyer's media session:

• Four Ohio State assistants at least had discussions about other jobs this spring, but everyone on the staff stayed. Meyer said he hopes his assistants will get opportunities to move on, but always asks his coaches for two-year commitments.
• Could Ohio State compete with Alabama? Meyer reiterated his declaration from the season-ending win against Michigan when he said the Buckeyes were a very good team who could play with anybody in the country. But then he added, "to say we can roll in there and beat a team like that, first I'll say I don't want to speculate. And then I'm going to give you an honest answer: Right now, I think we have too many holes to fill."
• Asked about the apparent talent disparity between the Southeast and the Midwest, Meyer had this to say: "In the Southeast, the quantity is far greater than the quantity of the upper-level Midwestern schools. ... It's up to the Big Ten to change that. The only way to do it is to go out and recruit and get some more depth."
• Speaking of recruiting, Meyer said there's a huge difference in that area this year as opposed to last year after he took the job in November. Back then, he said, he was just handed lists of the top 20 players at each position, and he would call them to make a sales pitch. Now, he says, "We've been here, we've been in the schools and we know what we're getting."
• Meyer called the loss of several great senior leaders off last season's team, most notably John Simon, "a huge void." He said offensive tackle Jack Mewhort could take the role of Simon as the team's heart and soul. Other potential leaders he mentioned include running backs Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde, safeties C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant, receiver Corey "Philly" Brown and linebacker Ryan Shazier.

Recognizing the best and the brightest from around the Big Ten in Week 13:

• Ohio State's defense: After some early hiccups, Ohio State slammed the door on Michigan in the second half to secure a 12-0 season. The Buckeyes shut out Michigan in the final 30 minutes, allowing just eight yards in the fourth quarter and 60 in the second half (four first downs). Standouts included senior linebacker Zach Boren (9 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery), linebacker Ryan Shazier (2.5 TFLs, one sack), space-eating defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins and safety Christian Bryant (one forced fumble, two pass breakups). Offense might have carried Ohio State early this season, but the Silver Bullets showed up when it counted.
  
• Nebraska DE Eric Martin: If you hadn't noticed the Huskers senior before Friday, you likely know the name now. Martin was dominant in Nebraska's defense-driven win against Iowa, racking up seven tackles, three tackles for loss (one sack), a forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. His numbers don't fully illustrate how much he impacted the game, but he locked up a spot on the All-Big Ten team and possibly will be a first-team selection.
• Northwestern QB Kain Colter: Like Indiana and Iowa, Illinois had no answer for the elusive Wildcats signal caller, who capped an excellent regular season with 88 rush yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Colter threw only 11 passes but completed nine of them, three for touchdowns to three different receivers (Tony Jones, Tyris Jones and Paul Jorgensen). Colter's backfield mate Venric Mark also merits a mention (18 carries, 127 yards, TD).
• Michigan State RB Le'Veon Bell: He's the mean, green wrecking machine of Michigan State's offense, which would be even more anemic without him. Bell once again showed Saturday why he's one of the nation's best running backs, racking up a career-high 266 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries. He routinely carried Minnesota defenders for extra yards. The junior is one of only three FBS players -- and the only one in a major conference -- to record three 200-yard rushing performances this season.
• Penn State DT Jordan Hill: From Jared Odrick to Devon Still and now to Hill, Penn State's tradition of elite defensive tackles has continued. Hill, a sure-fire first-team All-Big Ten selection, finished his career with a flourish, recording 12 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks, as Penn State beat Wisconsin in overtime. Despite battling a bum knee, Hill helped shut down Montee Ball and the Wisconsin offense after the first quarter. On a day when linebacker Michael Mauti couldn't play, Hill stepped up in a big way.
• Purdue RB Akeem Shavers: He wasn't the only Purdue player to gash Indiana's defense in the Bucket game, but he was the most effective from start to finish. The senior stepped up in a big way, racking up 126 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries to go along with 99 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He scored three touchdowns in a span of 4:26 in the fourth quarter, starting with a 73-yard scoring reception. He's now responsible for Purdue's two longest pass receptions of the season.

MADISON, Wis. -- Braxton Miller has carried Ohio State most of the season. The defense did the honors Saturday in holding off Wisconsin 21-14 in overtime to preserve a perfect record.

It was over when: Ohio State safety Christian Bryant broke up a fourth-down pass to Jacob Pedersen in overtime. The Buckeyes had taken the lead on a 2-yard Carlos Hyde touchdown run moments earlier.

Game ball goes to: Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier and Ohio State DE John Simon. Shazier continued to sizzle during Big Ten play with 12 tackles, including three for loss and a forced fumble that appeared to seal the win. Simon (four sacks) also had his best game of the season as Ohio State repeatedly turned away the Badgers.

Stat of the game: Wisconsin outgained Ohio State 360-236 but kept stalling in Buckeyes territory. The Badgers had seven drives in regulation either start in or reach Ohio State territory but ended up with only 14 points. Their only drive in overtime ended after four plays.

What it means: Ohio State wins the Leaders Division title -- the only championship it could win with the postseason ban -- and maintains its quest for perfection heading into the Michigan game. Wisconsin drops its second consecutive home game for the first time since the 2008 season after having a 21-game win streak snapped Oct. 27 against Michigan State.

Second guessing: Wisconsin went conservative several times on third down in Ohio State territory, once at the end of the second half and again at the end of the third quarter. Curt Phillips had some success passing the ball, but offensive coordinator Matt Canada stuck with the run despite long-yardage situations, and the Badgers couldn't get into the end zone.

Unsung hero: After saying this week that he hated Wisconsin as much as Michigan, Ohio State WR Corey "Philly" Brown backed it up. Brown provided one of two Ohio State touchdowns in regulation with a 68-yard punt return and had four receptions for 48 yards in the win.

Barney's movie had heart, but "Football in the Groin" had a football in the groin.

• All signs point to Joel Stave starting at quarterback for Wisconsin this week -- and Jared Abbrederis is back, too. The Badgers defense will need to be stellar with the way the offense is underperforming.
• Robert Marve returned to practice and the Boilermakers are optimistic he'll play soon despite another torn ACL.
• Penn State is being led by its linebackers and receiver Allen Robinson right now. Bill O'Brien has shown no fear so far.
• Ohio State safety Christian Bryant walks a fine line between big plays and busts, but he never loses confidence. Left tackle Jack Mewhort has worked hard to regain trust after his summer suspension.
• Northwestern is enjoying plenty of good news right now.
• Offseason back surgery has slowed the progress of Nebraska defensive lineman Todd Peat. Future Huskers quarterback Johnny Stanton has been very impressive.
• Max Shortell is bringing a lot of confidence into his start at quarterback for Minnesota this week. Walk-on receiver A.J. Barker is becoming a star for the Gophers.
• Le'Veon Bell says he's not going to let Michigan State lose again. The offensive line was supposed to be a strength for the Spartans but now looks like a problem.
• Michigan's Fitz Toussaint wishes he'd played through injury last year against Notre Dame. Make sure to check out colleague Michael Rothstein's oral history of last year's Wolverines-Irish classic.
• Who's left at running back for Iowa? The Hawkeyes are looking for a third receiver, and other issues facing the team.
• It's hard for Tre Roberson just to watch now, but he pledges to help the other Indiana quarterbacks while injured.
• Nathan Scheelhaase thinks he will return from injury this week against Louisiana Tech.
• Michigan's Patrick Omameh and Nebraska's Rex Burkhead were named to the Allstate Good Works team.

The Big Ten saw slightly better results in Week 3, going 10-2 overall. Both of us also recorded 10-2 marks to rebound a bit from the Week 2 debacle.

Brian Bennett and I differed in just two picks -- Boston College-Northwestern and Northern Iowa-Iowa -- and we both went 1-1. We both also whiffed badly on Michigan State as the Spartans sputtered against Notre Dame.

Here's a look at our Week 3 predictions.

WEEK 3/SEASON RECORDS

Adam Rittenberg: 10-2, 28-8 (.778)

Brian Bennett: 10-2, 27-9 (.750)

It's rewind time ...

Western Michigan at Minnesota

• Bennett's pick: Minnesota 27, Western Michigan 24
• Rittenberg's pick: Minnesota 30, Western Michigan 24
• Actual score: Minnesota 28, Western Michigan 23
• 20-20 hindsight: A pretty good start here for both of us, although neither of us saw Max Shortell relieving an injured MarQueis Gray and firing three touchdown passes for Minnesota. The Gophers overcame two turnovers rather than the three Bennett had predicted.

Arkansas State at Nebraska

• Bennett's pick: Nebraska 45, Arkansas State 24
• Rittenberg's pick: Nebraska 41, Arkansas State 21
• Actual score: Nebraska 42, Arkansas State 13
• 20-20 hindsight: Another set of good score predictions here, although our individual forecasts fell a little short. Huskers QB Taylor Martinez had three touchdowns, one shy of the four Bennett predicted, although he did correctly forecast two scoring connections with WR Kenny Bell. RB Ameer Abdullah had another big day on the ground (167 yards), but Martinez didn't also eclipse 100 yards, as I thought.

Cal at Ohio State

• Bennett's pick: Ohio State 35, Cal 21
• Rittenberg's pick: Ohio State 31, Cal 17
• Actual score: Ohio State 35, Cal 28
• 20-20 hindsight: Both of us expected a big day for Braxton Miller and the Ohio State QB delivered with five touchdowns, two more than I predicted. Bennett correctly pegged Cal to hang around for a while, but the Buckeyes recorded only one interception, not two, and it came from S Christian Bryant, not CB Bradley Roby, as I had forecast.

Charleston Southern at Illinois

• Bennett's pick: Illinois 49, Charleston Southern 0
• Rittenberg's pick: Illinois 45, Charleston Southern 3
• Actual score: Illinois 44, Charleston Southern 0
• 20-20 hindsight: This one turned into a laugher early on, as we both predicted. A concussion kept RB Josh Ferguson from taking aim at the 200-yard rushing mark, as I predicted, while Bennett correctly pegged Illinois' defense for the shutout.

Eastern Michigan at Purdue

• Bennett's pick: Purdue 42, Eastern Michigan 17
• Rittenberg's pick: Purdue 38, Eastern Michigan 14
• Actual score: Purdue 54, Eastern Michigan 16
• 20-20 hindsight: We both came close on Eastern Michigan's score, but Purdue showed more offensive firepower than we thought it would. Both of us had Akeem Shavers for more than 100 rush yards (he had 56), as Purdue spread the wealth against a weak EMU rush defense. I correctly pegged Purdue QB Caleb TerBush for two touchdown passes.

Boston College at Northwestern

• Bennett's pick: Boston College 31, Northwestern 28
• Rittenberg's pick: Northwestern 28, Boston College 27
• Actual score: Northwestern 22, Boston College 13
• 20-20 hindsight: Neither of us had Northwestern running 100 plays, racking up 560 yards and only scoring one touchdown in the closing minutes. I correctly pegged a big day for Northwestern's run game, although Mike Trumpy was the star in place of the injured Venric Mark. The Wildcats defense did a nice job against Chase Rettig, preventing him from leading a fourth-quarter comeback, as Bennett had forecast.

Massachusetts at Michigan

• Bennett's pick: Michigan 55, UMass 3
• Rittenberg's pick: Michigan 65, UMass 0
• Actual score: Michigan 63, UMass 13
• 20-20 hindsight: The Minutemen had more offensive clout than we anticipated, although six of their points came courtesy of a Denard Robinson interception. Robinson still eclipsed Bennett's prediction of three touchdowns by recording four (3 pass, 1 rush), while Wolverines RB Fitz Toussaint finished with only one touchdown, two shy of my prediction for him.

Navy at Penn State

• Bennett's pick: Penn State 24, Navy 14
• Rittenberg's pick: Penn State 17, Navy 13
• Actual score: Penn State 34, Navy 7
• 20-20 hindsight: We both expected Penn State to get over the hump, but we underestimated the Nittany Lions offense against an atypically poor Navy team. QB Matt McGloin exceeded both of our predictions with four touchdown passes, three to WR Allen Robinson. K Sam Ficken had no 50-yarder, as I thought, and missed a PAT try.

Northern Iowa at Iowa

• Bennett's pick: Iowa 12, Northern Iowa 9
• Rittenberg's pick: Northern Iowa 17, Iowa 16
• Actual score: Iowa 27, Northern Iowa 16
• 20-20 hindsight: I was wrong on the result, and Bennett was wrong on the Hawkeyes reaching the end zone. Not only did Iowa score three touchdowns, but it reached paydirt three times thanks to the unlikeliest of sources, walk-on FB Mark Weisman, who filled in for the injured Damon Bullock and Greg Garmon. K Mike Meyer had two field goals rather than the four Bennett predicted.

Ball State at Indiana

• Bennett's pick: Ball State 35, Indiana 28
• Rittenberg's pick: Ball State 31, Indiana 30
• Actual score: Ball State 41, Indiana 39
• 20-20 hindsight: We both had the visitors winning, and I correctly pegged QB Cameron Coffman for two touchdown passes and Ball State for a late rally. Coffman had no interceptions (I predicted two) in his first start before leaving with a hip injury. As Bennett thought, Indiana couldn't slow down Ball State's run game (206 yards, 1 TD).

Notre Dame at Michigan State

• Bennett's pick: Michigan State 21, Notre Dame 17
• Rittenberg's pick: Michigan State 17, Notre Dame 10
• Actual score: Notre Dame 20, Michigan State 3
• 20-20 hindsight: Two swings as misses here as neither RB Le'Veon Bell nor any of his Michigan State teammates reached the end zone against Notre Dame (we both predicted two Bell touchdowns). Bennett correctly forecast a big night for Notre Dame's defensive line, but Michigan State's defense never got the takeaway it needed.

Utah State at Wisconsin

• Bennett's pick: Wisconsin 23, Utah State 14
• Rittenberg's pick: Wisconsin 31, Utah State 17
• Actual score: Wisconsin 16, Utah State 14
• 20-20 hindsight: We both got the winner correct, but that was about it. Wisconsin's offensive line didn't redeem itself, as the team finished with 156 rush yards on 46 attempts, well below my prediction (250 rush yards). RB Montee Ball exceeded Bennett's prediction of 125 rush yards with 139, although he finished with just one touchdown, not two.

The Horseshoe is a difficult venue for any team to play in, even a team that didn't have a true home game last season, like Cal. And the Golden Bears learned that lesson as well as anyone as they dropped a close game to Ohio State 35-28 in Columbus.

The win moved No. 12 Ohio State to 3-0, with all three wins having come at home. And with one more nonconference game (also at home) before the Buckeyes start Big Ten play, they are setting themselves up to have quite the home win streak going.

It was over when: Cal quarterback Zach Maynard threw an interception with a minute remaining in the game. The senior threw his only interception of the game on a first-and-10 even though his target downfield was faced with triple coverage. With the overthrow, Ohio State returned the ball, then took a knee for the win on its ensuing possession.

Game ball goes to: Christian Bryant. The junior defensive back returned Maynard's interception for 38 yards and extinguished any kind of comeback Cal was plotting.

Stat of the game: Ohio State recorded six sacks by six different players.

The defense wasn't suffocating by any means. It allowed 520 yards of Cal offense and was a big part of Ohio State's 11 penalties. But Buckeyes kept Maynard aware and rushed the QB well. Because of the blitzes and sacks, Maynard finished the day with minus-46 rushing yards.

What we learned about Ohio State: The Buckeyes can beat good teams even when quarterback Braxton Miller is hot and cold.

We seemed to see the best and worst out of the sophomore signal-caller against Cal. On one possession in the fourth quarter, he led Ohio State down the field, rushing for 17 yards and completing four of his five passes for 43 yards. The drive ended in a touchdown, and Miller accounted for the two-point conversion. On the ensuing possession, he threw an interception. He finished the day with a completion rate a little better than 50 percent, but the Buckeyes got the win and they'll move on to the next one.

What we learned about Cal: The Bears can stay with top teams in the country when they have a balanced attack on offense. Against the Buckeyes, they put 224 yards on the ground and 288 in the air. Because of that, Ohio State had to play them honestly, and Cal kept it close until the end (though, normally, playing catch up). In an earlier loss to Nevada, Cal rushed for a little more than 100 yards and relied too much on the air attack. The Bears are best when they’re multidimensional. That's the team we saw against Ohio State.

We're nearing the end of our Big Ten position rankings, and it's time to finish up the defense rundowns with a look at the secondaries. Let's start off with the unit rankings.

As a reminder, we're basing these mostly on last year's performance and who returns, along with potential for the 2012 season.

The top four groups could be very good, while the next five have question marks but potential. Even the bottom three groups have realistic opportunities to make strides this fall.

Let's get rolling ...

1. Michigan State: The Big Ten's most formidable defense once again should be very strong in the back four. Although All-Big Ten safety Trenton Robinson departs, Michigan State returns its other three starters, led by standout cornerback Johnny Adams. Some project Adams as a potential first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Safety Isaiah Lewis could have a breakout season, and the Spartans have recruited well here to build good depth.

2. Ohio State: The defensive line has bigger names and more hype, but the secondary might turn out to be Ohio State's best unit in 2012. The Buckeyes bring back all four starters, including arguably the league's top cornerback tandem in Bradley Roby and Travis Howard. Expect Roby to take another big step as a sophomore. Hard-hitting safeties C.J. Barnett and Christian Bryant return, and Ohio State can go two- or three-deep at most positions.

3. Michigan: This group has come a very long way from the Rich Rodriguez era and should be the strength of Michigan's defense in 2012. Safety Jordan Kovacs is an excellent leader who blossomed in Greg Mattison's system last fall. The Wolverines also boast a promising cornerback tandem in J.T. Floyd and Blake Countess, and have good overall depth at both corner and safety.

4. Nebraska: While the Huskers lose the Big Ten's top defensive back in Alfonzo Dennard, they should have greater overall depth and the potential for new stars to emerge. Hard-hitting safety Daimion Stafford leads the group, and P.J. Smith provides a veteran presence at the other safety spot. Nebraska is loaded with options at cornerback, including the improved Andrew Green and juco arrival Mohamed Seisay. New assistant Terry Joseph should get a lot out of this group.

5. Purdue: The rankings already have mentioned some good cornerback tandems, and Purdue adds another in Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson. They've combined for 48 career starts, and Allen has led the team with three interceptions in each of the past two seasons. Max Charlot returns at safety after recording 41 tackles in 2011, but there are some question marks around him.

6. Illinois: Terry Hawthorne rarely gets mentioned as one of the Big Ten's top defensive backs, but he should. The senior has been a natural playmaker throughout his career and will lead Illinois' secondary in 2012. Senior Justin Green brings experience to the other corner spot. Although the Illini return both of their starting safeties -- Steve Hull and Supo Sanni -- they need more consistency from that position this fall.

7. Wisconsin: The Badgers lose a key player at both cornerback (Antonio Fenelus) and safety (Aaron Henry), but they have a chance to improve upon last year's performance and rise up these rankings. They'll undoubtedly benefit from the return of cornerback Devin Smith from injury. Head coach Bret Bielema doesn't downplay what Smith's absence meant last season. The Badgers need more consistency out of projected starters Dezmen Southward and Marcus Cromartie.

8. Iowa: The Hawkeyes have a nice piece to build around in playmaking senior cornerback Micah Hyde, but they'll need more after a so-so season in 2011. Tanner Miller returns as a starter at safety, and hopes are high for junior B.J. Lowery at the other corner spot. Iowa's depth looks better at corner than it does at safety.

9. Penn State: Most see the secondary as Penn State's weak link, to which Malcolm Willis and Stephon Morris say, "Bring it on." Still, the Lions have questions to address after losing all four starters from the 2011 team. Morris, Willis and sophomore Adrian Amos all have been in the fire a bit, but Penn State needs them to take steps and remain on the field. Depth is a significant concern after the offseason departures of Curtis Drake and Derrick Thomas.

10. Minnesota: This is a bit of a projection pick, but I like Minnesota's potential to take a step forward in the secondary this fall. The biggest reason for optimism is cornerback Troy Stoudermire, who returns for a fifth year after missing most of last season with a foot injury. Stoudermire was on track for a big year before the injury. Cornerback Michael Carter had a strong spring and could finally reach his potential. The bigger concerns here come at the safety spots.

11. Northwestern: Three starters depart from a secondary that struggled to stop anyone and endured major communication breakdowns far too often in 2011. Northwestern is younger in the back four, but it also could be more talented this season. Sophomore safety Ibraheim Campbell comes off of a 100-tackle season, and cornerback Nick VanHoose impressed during the spring. A few veterans return, but the coaches can't be afraid to go with the youth movement here.

12. Indiana: The Hoosiers finished eighth in the Big Ten in pass defense last fall, but only because teams had their way with IU on the ground. Indiana surrendered a league-high 26 pass touchdowns and only recorded five interceptions. There's hope, though, as the Hoosiers return three starters, including top cover man Lawrence Barnett. If Mark Murphy and Greg Heban make strides, and some newcomers help right away, Indiana could be decent in the back four.