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After an offseason jam-packed with change, most players and coaches in the Leaders Division haven't had time to examine anyone but themselves.

"I have no idea," first-year Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said. "I'm only concerned about one program, and that's Penn State."

The Big Ten had three head-coaching changes in the offseason, all of them in the Leaders Division (Penn State, Ohio State and Illinois). Wisconsin, the two-time defending Big Ten champion, had to replace six assistant coaches, including premier playcaller Paul Chryst and offensive line guru Bob Bostad. Purdue replaced its defensive coordinator, while Indiana brought in a new offensive coordinator.

All six teams have some new flavor and the uncertainty that comes with it. All six teams also sense opportunity in what could be a wide-open division race.

"Everybody has new people," Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill told ESPN.com. "Even Wisconsin, they've got six new assistants, and in most cases, the assistants are who deal with the players the most. So I feel it's wide open. Not that I don't feel that every year, but it's more than usual."

Wisconsin has reached the past two Rose Bowls and won 32 games during the past three seasons. The Badgers return Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball, the Big Ten's offensive player of the year in 2011, and recently added another quarterback transfer in Danny O'Brien, the former Maryland signal-caller.

Although the staff turnover is significant, Bret Bielema has replaced key assistants before, like defensive coordinator Dave Doeren after the 2010 season. There's still a strong case to be made that the Leaders Division title still goes through Mad-city.

"We are the targeted team in the Big Ten because of what we've done the past two years," Ball said. "Everyone is shooting and gunning for us."

Added Bielema: "Everyone thinks it's complacency that's going to affect us, but here at Wisconsin we've become greedy."

Ball lists Ohio State as the team Wisconsin is gunning for, and the Badgers and Buckeyes have a spicy rivalry brewing. Some think Ohio State will end up as the division's top team, but the Buckeyes are banned from postseason play and the Big Ten title game, adding a subplot to the division race.

"We have a great opportunity right now," Purdue defensive tackle Kawann Short said. "We've got a lot of starters coming back. ... Ohio State can't get back in conference championship, so it just gives us a little edge.

"We've got to take advantage of it."

Purdue likely will be a popular pick as a sleeper team in the division. The Boilers return nine starters on both sides of the ball and three quarterbacks -- Caleb TerBush, Robert Marve and Rob Henry -- who have started multiple games. They also have recorded two wins against Ohio State during coach Danny Hope's three-year tenure.

Indiana has a bigger hill to climb after a 1-11 season in 2011. But the Hoosiers are a year older and more familiar with the demands of coach Kevin Wilson and his staff.

"Last year we struggled in my first year, didn't play up to our capabilities," Wilson said. "Hopefully that'll lead to giving ourselves an opportunity to compete with some of those teams as they go through some transition."

While Ohio State can't make it to Indianapolis in Urban Meyer's first year, the other two division teams with new coaches could surprise people. Both Penn State and Illinois have similar profiles, boasting strong defensive front sevens but question marks on offense.

"At this time, everybody is saying the same thing, whether it's Illinois, Ohio State, Wisconsin," Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase said. "... It really comes down to who’s going to go out there every day and get better, who's going to put in the extra work to be the best football team.

"Everybody wants to be, but ultimately one team is going to do it more so than anybody else."

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue's Caleb TerBush was walking to class just about a week before last season's opener when his cell phone brought some jarring news.

Offensive coordinator Gary Nord called to tell him Rob Henry had blown out his ACL. With Robert Marve still dealing with his own knee problems, the inexperienced TerBush was suddenly thrust into the starting quarterback role.

It was the second straight year that the Boilermakers had to adjust on the fly at quarterback because of unexpected injuries. But if a silver lining emerged from those tough situations, it could be seen at a recent spring practice when Henry, TerBush and Marve smiled and joked around during some light throwing drills. After two seasons of scrambling for a quarterback, Purdue now has three healthy veterans who have each started at least seven games.

"It's made a huge impact on what we've been able to get done this spring," head coach Danny Hope said. "The very first day of spring practice, we were able to do [quarterback] signals, which we haven't been able to do in the past. That's something you take for granted. We've started off a lot faster on offense and from an execution standpoint."

Newfound quarterback stability provides a key reason why optimism is soaring for Hope's fourth year in charge of the program, but it's not the only one.

Purdue beat Western Michigan in the Little Caesars Bowl last December after finishing 6-6 in the regular season. While those accomplishments can't match the aspirations of Drew Brees' heyday, reaching the postseason still marked an important hurdle to clear. The program hadn't been to a bowl game since 2007, and fan dissatisfaction with Hope was starting to rise. The bowl win brought a new attitude to offseason workouts.

"Everybody seems more mature and more focused on what we want now," running back Akeem Shavers said. "That was the first time for most of us going to a bowl game, so we know now what that feels like and what we have to do to do better and get into a better bowl."

If you're looking for a stealth team in the Big Ten, check out these Boilers. They've got 18 starters back from a team that upset Ohio State and played Penn State to the wire on the road. Ohio State is ineligible to win the Leaders Division because of NCAA sanctions, Penn State and Illinois are going through coaching changes and Wisconsin lost quarterback Russell Wilson and most of its offensive staff. Plus, the Badgers and Nittany Lions have to come to Ross-Ade Stadium.

The players know that they're being slapped with the "sleeper" label in some quarters this spring, and they're not shying away from it.

"We've got a chance," Henry said. "We've got the weapons now. I feel like this is a season of great opportunity for us with the players we have coming back and the experience we'll have on the field. We've just got to stay healthy."

There's finally less worry about health at quarterback. Hope, who also signed four quarterback prospects in this year's recruiting class, had such a logjam at the position that he moved former starter Sean Robinson to linebacker this spring. Now all he has to do is figure out how to use what he has.

Henry is a swift runner and strong leader who was developing into a better passer before his injury. While he's being held out of some drills this spring as a precaution, he says his knee is fully healed and he's ready to go. Marve, the former Miami transfer, was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA this winter after two years of dealing with knee troubles. He said he almost forgot what it was like to move around as freely as he has this spring.

Then there's TerBush, who started all 13 games last year after sitting out 2010 with academic problems. He turned in a respectable season as a rookie starter, completing 61.7 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Hope had a plan to play both Henry and Marve some at the same time last summer before the injuries. He's not yet tipping his hand how things will shake out this year.

The three quarterbacks, each of whom has a reason to be grateful for a second chance, aren't sweating the competition too much.

"It's fun because we've all been around each other throughout the whole process," Henry said. "It's a toss up. If somebody has a hot hand and gets into a rhythm, he's going to keep playing. As the past few seasons have shown us, you never know what's going to happen to the quarterbacks."

At least now the Boilermakers won't be caught trying to develop a new starter right before the season again. The coaching staff could focus on other things this spring, like installing a more aggressive defensive scheme under new coordinator Tim Tibesar, replacing starters on the offensive line and finding solutions at linebacker. None of those problems are as big as not having a quarterback, which is one reason Purdue has its sights set higher than another trip to the Little Caesars Bowl.

"I'm excited about the progress we've made, and I feel like we have some momentum as a football team," Hope said. "We're ready for the next step."

Purdue is getting a little bit of a buzz as a sleeper team for 2012 after breaking through with a bowl game (and win) in 2011. The Boilermakers opened spring practice last week and went for a couple of days straight before taking off for spring break. I had a chance to catch up with Purdue head coach Danny Hope to talk about how things are going in his program and the areas of concentration this spring.

Did you sense any different attitude this offseason after getting to that bowl game last year?

Danny Hope: I think we ended the season on a high note and with some momentum, and I think it carried over into the offseason. I think we're really hitting on all cylinders with our new director of sports performance, whom we hired last year about this time. It's the first time since I've been the head coach at Purdue that we're going into spring with a quarterback that's healthy that's played any football. Caleb TerBush wasn't penciled in as the No. 1 [quarterback], but he became No. 1 about a week before the opener. He had to get his feet wet and learn throughout the course of the season, but by the end of the season he was playing pretty good. That momentum carried right over into the bowl preparation and the win carried right into the weight training offseason and that carried into spring practices. And having experienced quarterbacks is important. It's the first time since I've been here we've been able to do something as simple as getting signals in early in spring. It's a little different tempo out there right now as a result. We've got some good players back and we've got some confidence as a football team.

You have quite a few experienced quarterbacks now, in fact. How are you splitting up the reps for them this spring?

DH: Well, Sean Robinson is playing on defense right now. It's hard to get four quarterbacks ready in spring ball, and he wasn't going to get as many reps as he needed to. So we're going to try him some at the linebacker position. That leaves TerBush and Robert Marve, who's finally healthy. I think Robert did some good things last year, but I think he's in position to take some big steps in his development because this is the first time since he's been here that he's been able to get a lot of reps without concern about an injury or an eligibility situation. Then Rob Henry is back. He's a little bit limited right now because he's coming off knee surgery, but I'm really pleased with where his recovery is, and most of the time when he's out there right now you can't tell much of a difference. But you have to limit his reps a little just because you don't want to overdo it and create a swelling issue. So the numbers are kind of taking care of themselves in some ways. We went into the spring with TerBush as No. 1 and all those other guys are competing.

Your leading rusher, Ralph Bolden, tore his ACL again, but you have two pretty good running backs in Akeem Shavers and Akeem Hunt. How do you feel about the depth at running back this spring?

DH: We had a real strong running attack last year. We were fifth in the Big Ten in rushing. The past couple of years, we've been able to establish a strong running game. I like the progress that we've made and having good running backs is a big part of that, and any more, having a couple of running backs you can play is a big part of it. We had a lot of different guys rush for us last year, probably 10 different guys who were utilized as ball carriers. We really like Akeem Shavers. He's a fast, physical back who finishes runs. Akeem Hunt is an excellent sprinter who's a member of our track team and was a state champion track performer in Georgia. So he's a class sprinter in a lot of ways for a football player.

We've also got a kid we redshirted last year in Doug Gentry, and he's a skilled player. We have Gavin Roberts, who has good size but was injured last year. He's a big back we can utilize in the backfield. Then we've got a couple fullbacks in Derek Jackson, who weighs about 240 pounds, and Kurt Freytag. So we've got some guys still in the stable even though Ralph is out. And we've utilized Antavian Edison and Raheem Mostert some as ball carriers out of their slot position, and both those guys are really skilled players. So we've got some athletes who can tote the mail, and we spread the wealth out around here.

Were you upset about the new kickoff rules because you have such a weapon at kick returner in Raheem Mostert?

DH: Well, we all play by the same rules. You'll have to make decisions about bringing some out, so the return man is going to have to be a good decision-maker. From a kickoff standpoint it might change some things. You can kick them all deep and try to force the touchback if you want to, but you're going to be giving the opponent the ball at the 25. Or you can kick the ball high and deep and try to pin them down and do a great job covering. So there's going to be some game planning and schemes involved. I think it will all even out. ... I don't think it's going to shut down all kick returns, but I think there will be about 25 percent less, is my guess.

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If you follow this blog closely, you know that Adam and I have both been saying Purdue is a potential darkhorse team in the Leaders Division for 2012.

Colleague KC Joyner agrees and offers four reasons why the Boilermakers could wind up playing in Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game.

The first two are obvious: the upheaval among coaching staffs throughout the Leaders Division (new head coaches at Penn State and Illinois and several new assistants at Wisconsin) and Ohio State's ineligibility for the championship game as part of its NCAA sanctions. There is no clear favorite in the division this year, and Purdue could benefit, especially with Wisconsin and Penn State having to come to West Lafayette this season.

Joyner also offers some strong statistical reasons to believe that Purdue's defense could improve under new coordinator Tim Tibesar after a season in which the Boilers gave up too many big plays. And he sees potential gains by the offense, though Joyner says Caleb TerBush should be the full-time starter over Robert Marve if Rob Henry doesn't come all the way back from injury.

Check out Joyner's stats in his full story here. What do you think? Are the Boilermakers a legitimate threat in 2012? Or are we giving Danny Hope's team a little bit too much credit after a so-so 2011 campaign?

After taking a look at the Legends Division outlook for spring practice, it's time to turn the focus to the Leaders Division.

Away we go ...

ILLINOIS

Start of spring practice: March 7
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• New faces in new roles: Tim Beckman and his assistants get their first chance to work with the players on the field. Beckman retained only one assistant (defensive line coach Keith Gilmore) from the previous staff, so it'll be important for the players and coaches to get acclimated. It's also a big spring for co-offensive coordinators Billy Gonzales and Chris Beatty, both of whom will be primary playcallers for the first time at this level.
• The quarterbacks: Nathan Scheelhaase is a two-year starter, but he'll have to re-establish himself as the team's top option at quarterback. Reilly O'Toole received a decent amount of field time last season, and Illinois should have a competition under center in spring practice. Both men will have to learn a new offense and show good decision-making skills after combining to throw 12 interceptions last fall.
• No Merci: All-American defensive end Whitney Mercilus is gone, and Illinois will be looking for his replacement this spring. The defensive line could once again be a strength for the Illini, especially with Gilmore back and an aggressive defensive coordinator in Tim Banks. It'll be interesting to see how the coaches use Michael Buchanan and Justin Staples, who played the "bandit" position in the previous scheme and boast speed but don't have typical defensive end size.

INDIANA

Start of spring practice: March 3
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Juco fever: Indiana needs a quick fix on defense, and it hopes an influx of junior college players can provide one. Six juco players already are enrolled and will participate in spring practice, including five on the defensive side. It will be interesting to see how players such as defensive back Tregg Waters and linebackers Justin Rayside and Jacarri Alexander perform this spring as they compete to play right away.
• New direction on offense: Coach Kevin Wilson wants to be more productive in the passing game, and he hired an offensive coordinator in Seth Littrell who can help in that area. Littrell guided an Arizona offense that last season ranked third nationally in passing (370.8 ypg) and 27th in pass efficiency (145.2). He'll try to help Tre Roberson, who Wilson said he thinks can elevate his game significantly as a passer despite throwing twice as many interceptions (six) as touchdowns (three) as a freshman.
• Who has grown up: Indiana played 32 freshmen (16 true, 16 redshirt) in 2011, the most in the FBS. The early experience should pay off for several players, and Indiana needs them to grow up quickly during the spring. Roberson showed a lot of promise at quarterback, and safety Mark Murphy finished second on the team with 76 tackles. Keep an eye on players such as defensive end Bobby Richardson and receiver/returner Shane Wynn.

OHIO STATE

Start of spring practice: March 28
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Urban renewal: The mood has improved around Ohio State's program from the moment Urban Meyer stepped to the podium Nov. 28. After putting together his staff, signing an elite recruiting class and ticking off some of his Big Ten coaching colleagues, Meyer finally gets a chance to work with the players on the practice field. After a lackluster final season at Florida in 2010, Meyer says he's refreshed and recharged, and it'll be interesting to see how he attacks practices.
• The new offense: Ohio State fans can't wait for a new offense after suffering through a 2011 season that featured some extremely questionable play-calling. Meyer's offensive system is well-known throughout college football, but the interesting thing this spring will be how Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman blend their ideas. Herman is a dynamic young coach who impressed a lot of folks at Iowa State. But Ohio State is a different animal, and expectations will be high for quarterback Braxton Miller and the unit.
• Fickell back on defense: After spending last season as Ohio State's head coach, Luke Fickell returns to an assistant role on the defensive side. And for the first time, Fickell will be the Buckeyes' primary defensive playcaller. Ohio State's defense took a step back last season and will be looking to regain its traditional form. Fickell will work alongside co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers and look to identify some leaders to complement defensive lineman John Simon.

PENN STATE

Start of spring practice: March 26
Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• O'Brien's time: Much will be made of Penn State opening spring ball without Joe Paterno, but the real story is how critical these practices will be for new coach Bill O'Brien and his team. Penn State will be acclimating to new systems on both sides of the ball and a new coaching style from O'Brien and his assistant coaches, all but two of whom are from the outside. The learning curve will be accelerated for all involved, as Penn State needs to get a lot done in 15 workouts.
• The quarterbacks: It's good that O'Brien has extensive experience coaching quarterbacks because no position needs a bigger upgrade at Penn State. The Lions struggled mightily under center last season and need a major boost beginning this spring. Can O'Brien get more out of Matthew McGloin and Rob Bolden, both of whom have seen extensive time in the Big Ten? How does Paul Jones factor into the mix? It'll be interesting to see how the signal-callers perform this spring.
• Filling gaps on defense: Penn State should have one of the nation's best linebacker groups this season, but the Lions need to fill some holes on the line and in the secondary. Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Devon Still departs, and Penn State will be leaning on Jordan Hill and others to step up. A bigger concern is the secondary, which loses two multiyear starters at safety (Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay). Penn State also has a new defensive coordinator in Ted Roof, who will be looking for better results than he had at Auburn.

PURDUE

Start of spring practice: March 7
Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Another quarterback competition: Boilers coach Danny Hope loves having options at quarterback, and he'll once again get his wish during spring practice. Caleb TerBush, Robert Marve,Rob Henry and Sean Robinson all boast starting experience and will vie for the No. 1 job when workouts resume. Henry, who sizzled last spring and would have started the season if not for a torn ACL, has been cleared to participate in noncontact drills. Marve received an extra year of eligibility and will be in the mix. TerBush started every game last season.
• Tisebar takes over: Purdue has a new defensive coordinator for the third consecutive season, as Tim Tisebar takes over this spring. Tisebar returns to college football after spending the past three seasons with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes. Hope hired Tisebar to help Purdue improve against the spread offense and the zone-read game. It will be interesting to see what spin Tisebar puts on the defense as the Boilers enter a pivotal season.
• Offensive line depth: One of Purdue's strengths last season is a bit light on bodies following several departures. The Boilers need a left tackle to replace Dennis Kelly, and they also must increase depth on the interior line. Purdue already has moved tight end Robert Kugler to center, and Hope said earlier this month that several other tight ends could practice at offensive tackle during the spring.

WISCONSIN

Start of spring practice: March 17
Spring game: April 28

What to watch:

• A revamped staff: Bret Bielema hired six new assistant coaches during the winter months, including offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The new coaches will have their first opportunity to work with players on the field this spring. It's important for both sides to acclimate, mainly because Wisconsin has had tremendous success the past two seasons and doesn't want the staff shakeup to throw things off course. Quarterback Russell Wilson made a seamless transition to the program last summer. Let's see if the new assistants can do the same in spring ball.
• The quarterbacks: Speaking of Wilson, he departs Madison, leaving a major void under center. Jon Budmayr and Curt Phillips are coming off of major injuries, and while they're both making progress it could be tough to get a gauge on them this spring. Canada will spend much of his time working with Joel Stave and Joe Brennan, who need to get comfortable with Canada's adjustments to the offense and start establishing themselves as potential team leaders.
• Reloading up front: Wisconsin will have to replace two All-American offensive linemen for the second consecutive year, and the Badgers lose three All-Big Ten selections up front (Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler and Josh Oglesby). While the Badgers are built to reload, offensive line coach Mike Markuson has a lot of evaluating to do this spring. On the defensive line, Wisconsin loses two starters (Patrick Butrym and Louis Nzegwu) and will be looking for some difference-makers. End David Gilbert returns to the mix after missing most of last season with a broken foot.

It wasn't long ago that Purdue was scrambling to find some healthy quarterbacks who could play.

Now, the Boilermakers are faced with the opposite situation heading into spring. They almost have too many healthy quarterbacks. But that's one problem Danny Hope doesn't mind at all.

Caleb TerBush started every game last season, and Robert Marve played a lot in different situations as well. Rob Henry, who was penciled in as the starter before tearing an ACL in August, is back and has been cleared to practice in all non-contact work this spring. Purdue also has Sean Robinson, who has started before, and just brought in four quarterbacks in this year's recruiting class.

So who is the No. 1 signalcaller heading into spring?

"We'll let you know," Hope said with a laugh on Tuesday as he met with reporters.

Hope will happily take the logjam after dealing with several injuries at the position the past couple of years. Now he just has to find a way to get them all enough practice time. He said he is considering using two offensive huddles during the spring so that he can spread out the work among the quarterbacks. And don't be surprised to see the Boilers use a two-quarterback system again in 2012 no matter who wins the starting job.

"We always have a plan to play two," he said. "With that being our mindset, I think it increases the chances for guys to get reps. ... We have to increase our reps at that spot so we can get a better assessment of where it's at from a competition standpoint."

Henry was the leader at the position before his knee injury, and Hope said the mobile sophomore was itching to get back on the field in December. His running ability adds a different dimension to the offense.

"Anytime you have Rob Henry on the field, that's a big thing because he's a big playmaker potentially," Hope said. "He's better than most of the other people on the field from an athletic standpoint."

Marve has dealt with his own assortment of injuries and now looks to be fully healthy an entire offseason for the first time since transferring from Miami. He was recently granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.

"This is probably the best opportunity he's had this season coming up in regards to his football career in a long time," Hope said. "I'm very happy for Robert Marve, and he's up to the task. I think he's learned a lot. I think he and his position coach have identified areas he has to improve in. He's mature enough now to be able to identify some of the things and really address them and take some steps as a football player."

And don't forget that TerBush is the incumbent starter. Hope said the increased competition level should only help TerBush improve.

Overall, Hope said one of his big goals for the offseason is to get more efficient play from the quarterback spot. Purdue ranked ninth in the Big Ten in pass efficiency last season. But he didn't pin all the blame for that on the quarterbacks, saying the offensive line must improve its protection so the quarterbacks can play with more confidence.

I'll have more notes from Hope's media session a little later on.

Purdue coach Danny Hope isn't shy about playing multiple quarterbacks, as the past two seasons have shown.

He made sure the Boilers have plenty of options under center with the 2012 recruiting class.

Chicago product Robert Gregory announced Friday night that he had signed with Purdue, giving the Boilers four quarterbacks in their recruiting haul. Signal callers Austin Appleby, Aloyis Gray and Bilal Marshall all signed with the team Wednesday.

It's not uncommon for a team to take a quarterback in every recruiting class, and some classes will feature two signal callers. But three quarterbacks in one class is unusual and four is extremely rare.

Purdue rotated Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve at quarterbacks in 2011 and had to go deep on its depth chart in 2010 because of injury. TerBush and Marve will compete with Rob Henry, who returns from an ACL injury, for the starting job in spring camp. The Boilers lose both Marve and TerBush after the season, leaving Henry and Sean Robinson as the top options heading into 2013.

Hope said Wednesday that all of the freshmen will have opportunities to compete at quarterback. Three of the four signal callers — Gregory, Marshall and Gray — are dual-threat types with the potential to play elsewhere, while Appleby is more of a pro-style passer.

"The last couple of years out of necessity we've had to incorporate some dual quarterback systems and plans, if you will," Hope said. "We can kind of hold true to that with these guys because they're very athletic. So we'll give them every opportunity to compete at the quarterback position."

Purdue evaluated Gray as a wide receiver, the position he played as a junior, and Hope acknowledged he hasn't seen Gray throw a pass. Hope said Marshall, who "has sprinter's speed," reminds him of Henry, who nearly switched to defensive back in the spring of 2010 before being used at quarterback.

Gregory received strong marks during the recruiting process. He originally committed to Arkansas but backed up because the Hogs didn't want him to play quarterback.

Bottom line: Purdue is recruiting different types of quarterbacks under Hope, and the team now has plenty of options for the future.

"I like the idea of having a dual-threat quarterback who we can develop," Hope said. "... It fits right along the lines of what we've been trying to do the last couple of years."

Before the season began, we ranked every Big Ten position group from No. 1 through 12. That was based on projections and assumptions, but now we have a full season's worth of data.

So it's time to go back and assign a final 2011 ranking to each position in the league. We'll start, as usual, with the quarterbacks. You can take a look back and see how we ranked this group in the preseason here. Depth will matter more at other positions, but for this one, we're mostly concerned how the main guy fared this past season.

Let's kick it:

1. Wisconsin: When we did this list in June, we didn't know yet if Russell Wilson would transfer to the Badgers. That's why we ranked Wisconsin No. 11 at the time. That seems ludicrous now. Wilson broke the NCAA single-season record for pass efficiency (191.8), finishing ahead of Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. He completed 72.8 percent of his passes for 3,175 yards and had 33 touchdowns and only four interceptions. If that's not enough to qualify for the top spot, I don't know what is.

2. Michigan State: I'm not sure if Kirk Cousins' 2011 season was properly appreciated nationally. Cousins led the Big Ten in passing yards with 3,316 while completing 63.7 percent of his passes and throwing 25 touchdowns. He was especially good down the stretch as the Spartans' offense took off and remained one of the best leaders in college football. And Cousins didn't get nearly the same amount of support from the running game that Wilson did.

3. Michigan: Denard Robinson's numbers declined in several key areas from 2010, including his rushing yardage, passing yardage and completion percentage. Meanwhile, his interceptions went up and there was little doubt he struggled at times. Yet Robinson also had two of the most spectacular individual efforts of the season in wins against Notre Dame and Ohio State, and he still led the Big Ten in total offense per game. And in the end, it's pretty hard to argue against an 11-2 record and Sugar Bowl title.

4. Northwestern: A lingering Achilles' tendon injury and an awful defense helped obscure the fact that Dan Persa had another outstanding year when healthy. He completed 73.4 percent of his throws and actually averaged more passing yards per game (237.6) than any other Big Ten quarterback. Persa's mobility, however, was limited and that made him much less of a running threat. Kain Colter fulfilled that role and did a nice job stepping in for Persa, including his heroics in an upset win at Nebraska.

5. Nebraska: Taylor Martinez's improvement wasn't easy to measure in statistics. His completion percentage dipped to 56.3 in 2011, and he had far less of an impact running the ball over the last half of the season — he failed to run for more than 56 yards and did not have a rushing touchdown in the final seven games. But Martinez got better as a game manager and leader and remained a dual threat defenses had to account for. And he learned to protect the ball better, throwing just three interceptions in his final eight games.

6. Iowa: James Vandenberg put up some good numbers in his first year as a full-time starter, throwing for 3,022 yards and 25 touchdowns. But he compiled a lot of his stats against bad defenses like Pitt, Louisiana-Monroe, Indiana and Northwestern. He wasn't nearly as good in losses to Nebraska, Michigan State and Penn State. Vandenberg has the potential to be the best pure passer in the Big Ten, but he needs to become more consistent.

7. Ohio State: The Buckeyes would have ranked at or near the bottom of this list after the first half of the season, after initial starter Joe Bauserman was benched and freshman Braxton Miller went through some early growing pains. While Miller's passing was often reigned in, he was extremely effective as a runner, rushing for for at least 90 yards five times. Miller showed the whole package in an impressive performance against Michigan to end the regular season. With Urban Meyer's tutelage, Miller could put the Buckeyes at the top of this list in the near future.

8. Purdue: The Boilermakers' quarterback situation looked bleak to start the year, as projected starter Rob Henry went down with an ACL injury and backup Robert Marve was slow to recover from his own knee problems. But while Purdue wasn't flashy at the position, it got decent production from Caleb TerBush and from Marve later in the year. Combined, they passed for over 2,500 yards and 17 touchdowns, and TerBush was the team's fourth leading rusher.

9. Illinois: Nathan Scheelhaase looked like he'd claim a spot as one of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks with a solid start to the season, including a 426-yard, four-touchdown showing in a win over Northwestern. But like the rest of the Illini offense, his production fell off a cliff in the second half of the season, and the sophomore appeared to lose his confidence along the way. Freshman Reilly O'Toole came in for certain situations and looked close to usurping the starting job. Scheelhaase bounced back with a nice second half in the bowl win against UCLA. Now he'll have to adjust to new coach Tim Beckman's spread offense.

10. Minnesota: Early in the season, it was hard to tell if MarQueis Gray or freshman Max Shortell would win coach Jerry Kill's favor and seize control of the offense. Neither was particularly effective. But Gray, who made the transition from wide receiver, started to find a groove late in the year. He led the upset against Iowa and ran for 327 yards in the final two games. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder is hard to stop when he takes off running, but he must improve on his 50-percent completion rate.

11. Indiana: The Hoosiers played quarterback roulette for the first half of the season, rotating between Ed Wright-Baker and Dusty Kiel. But when they finally settled on freshman Tre Roberson, they found their signal-caller of the present and future. Roberson is still a bit raw but has tremendous athleticism and instincts. He ran for 121 yards and threw for 169 against Northwestern, showing that he could be yet another dangerous dual threat quarterback in this league going forward.

12. Penn State: The Nittany Lions' handling of the quarterback situation was baffling and counterproductive in 2011. Penn State continued to trot out Rob Bolden as the starter for much of the year even though Matt McGloin was clearly the better option. McGloin did the heavy lifting off the bench, but he was not exactly a world-beater either, completing just 54 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. The Nittany Lions beat Ohio State mostly because they put a couple of receivers in the Wildcat formation, and when McGloin couldn't play in the TicketCity Bowl, Bolden struggled. New coach Bill O'Brien will quickly learn that Tom Brady isn't walking through that door in 2012.

The offseason is here, and while teams are focused on recruiting right now, they will soon turn their attention to fixing problem areas and gearing up for 2012.

With that in mind, we present the offseason to-do lists for every Big Ten club, beginning with the Leaders Division. We're not going to talk about recruiting needs here, as we'll focus on that in the very near future. Instead, we're taking a look at a couple of areas each team needs to repair or restock in the coming months.

Illinois

• Spread it on: An Illini offense that needed a GPS to find the end zone the last half of the season is in for a jarring change. New head coach Tim Beckman will implement the spread offense and demand a higher tempo. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase must regain his freshman-year form if he is to hold off Reilly O'Toole for the starting job, and Illinois must replace its best receiver in A.J. Jenkins. Finding a reliable running back is high on the priority list as well. This offense will get a total makeover and needs to make the most of the spring and summer to get ready.

• Locate defensive leaders: We wondered this time last year how Illinois would replace Corey Liuget. Then Whitney Mercilus jumped up with an All-American season. Who will be the next big playmaker now that Mercilus is off to the NFL? Can Michael Buchanan replicate Mercilus's production off the edge? Will Jonathan Brown capitalize on his potential? New defensive coordinator Tim Banks needs to keep up the level of performance this defense had in '11.

Indiana

• Build toughness on defense: This one is obvious, as the Hoosiers ranked 114th in points allowed (37.3) and 109th in total defense in Kevin Wilson's first season and gave up at least 40 points in five of their eight Big Ten games. Wilson played a ton of youngsters in 2011 and has a promising future leader in rising sophomore Mark Murphy. But Indiana simply must get more physical up front and tackle better to have any hope of making significant strides.

• Develop Tre Roberson: One of the bright spots in IU's 1-11 season was the emergence of freshman Roberson at quarterback. His athleticism allowed him to make plays in and out of the pocket. With Dusty Kiel and Ed Wright-Baker leaving the program, the offense now solely belongs to Roberson, with juco transfer Cameron Coffman his likely backup. Roberson must continue to make progress as a sophomore, or else it could be another long year in Bloomington.

Ohio State

• Urban renewal: Jim Tressel may have been gone last season, but his influence was still heavily felt as former Tressel assistant Luke Fickell and most of Tressel's staff remained in place. So the Buckeyes players are about to experience a whole new way of doing things under Urban Meyer. Most of the change will come on offense, where there will be a new system and new terminology, and spring practice will prove critical for getting everything installed. Meyer's biggest challenge may be reshaping an offensive line that lost three longtime starters in center Mike Brewster and tackles Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts.
• Upgrade the passing game: Braxton Miller improved as a passer as the season went on, but the Buckeyes' passing game still left a lot to be desired most of the time. Miller will need to spend as much time as possible with new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Tom Herman to improve his throwing, and a group of young Buckeyes receivers like Devin Smith, Corey "Philly" Brown and Chris Fields needs to come of age and turn into reliable playmakers.

Penn State

• Come together: New coach Bill O'Brien's most daunting task likely will come off the field, where he'll be responsible for repairing a fractured community. He can begin to do so by embracing former players, building bridges to the alumni on the speaking circuit and being more open than his famous predecessor. O'Brien must show recruits that it's OK to come to State College again. Fans will be hungry for football by the spring, and O'Brien should use that optimism to his advantage.
• Fix the offense: There's little question that a Stone Age offense was holding Penn State back, and O'Brien seems intent on being his own offensive coordinator. He'll need to settle on a quarterback, whether that's Matt McGloin or Rob Bolden or someone else, and ingrain his NFL concepts to a bunch used to a vanilla scheme. O'Brien has a solid building block in star tailback Silas Redd but must replace top receiver Derek Moye and an offensive line gutted by graduation.

Purdue

• Establish an identity: The Boilermakers were the epitome of a mediocre team in 2011, going 6-6 and never winning back-to-back games in the regular season before edging out a MAC team in a lower-level bowl. What exactly is the defining trait of Danny Hope's team? It's time to create an identity, especially on defense where Purdue was inconsistent last season. Old defensive coordinator Gary Emanuel is out and Tim Tibesar is in from the CFL to take over. Tibesar needs to maximize the talent of budding stars like Kawann Short and Ricardo Allen and put his stamp on that side of the ball.
• Create a quarterback pecking order: After dealing with crippling quarterback injuries the past two seasons, Hope must be thrilled by the new-found depth at the position. Robert Marve received a sixth year of eligibility and will be back alongside 2011 starter Caleb TerBush. Meanwhile, projected '11 starter Rob Henry makes his way back from a knee injury. Competition should make the position better, but Purdue must figure out who and how it wants to play at quarterback.

Wisconsin

• Find a quarterback: Russell Wilson leaves large cleats to fill after just one season in Madison, and there is no obvious heir apparent. Will Jon Budmayr's elbow allow him to compete for the job? Will Joe Brennan take the next step in his development? Will hyped incoming freshman Bart Houston be ready? The Badgers went to the Rose Bowl the past two seasons with seasoned, senior quarterbacks. New offensive coordinator Matt Canada won't have that luxury this year and has some work to do in the offseason. At least he can lean on a stout running game led by Montee Ball while the quarterback situation crystallizes.
• Build staff chemistry: Canada will be one of six new coaches on Bret Bielema's staff in 2012 and will be part of an almost entirely new offensive brain trust. The Badgers have their style of play on that side of the ball down to a science at this point, but it's not easy to blend that many new coaches and personalities into a program all at once. Bielema has to get them all up to speed and on the same page in a hurry, and the new coaches have to establish rapport with the players right away. That might be one of the Badgers' biggest obstacles on the way to a second straight division title.

Purdue's quarterback derby will once again be a three-man race in 2012.

Robert Marve on Friday received a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, meaning he'll compete with Caleb TerBush and Rob Henry for the Boilers' starting spot this fall. Marve, who began his career at Miami, sat out the 2007 season because of injury and missed all but four games of Purdue's 2010 season after suffering a torn ACL.

Purdue had lousy luck with its sixth-year applicant last year, wide receiver Keith Smith, but Marve becomes the third Boilermaker to receive an additional year in the past four years, joining defenders Jason Werner and Torri Williams.

Knee issues limited Marve at the start of the 2011 season, and he spent most of the fall backing up TerBush, completing 56 percent of his passes for 633 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. Henry would have started ahead of both men had he not suffered a torn ACL weeks before the season.

"I am extremely blessed by the NCAA’s decision and proud to be at Purdue for another season," Marve said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to next year and winning games for the Boilermakers."

Barring more injury issues, Purdue will be extremely deep at the quarterback spot for the 2012 season, when the Boilers have an opportunity to make some noise in a wide-open Leaders division.

"In all of my years of coaching, I’ve never been around a player that has worked so hard at becoming an elite athlete and, because of injury, has seen so little reward for his efforts," Purdue head coach Danny Hope said in a statement. "This is a big boost to our program getting him back."

Although Marve hasn't lived up to his recruiting hype, he has one more chance for a breakout season with Purdue. His return certainly adds intrigue to the Boilers' quarterback battle.

Big Ten bowl season kicks off Tuesday night as Purdue faces Western Michigan in the first of 10 bowl games for the league. Here's a quick preview of the Little Caesars Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit:

WHO TO WATCH: Purdue cornerback Ricardo Allen. The Boilermakers are a little light on star power, but Allen is one of the best cover corners in the Big Ten, with a knack for making the big play. The sophomore will be matched up frequently against Western Michigan star Jordan White, who led the nation with 127 catches and 1,646 receiving yards (along with 16 touchdowns) this season. White is likely to get his yards -- he had at least 98 receiving yards in all but two games this season -- but Allen will need to at least make him work for it and try to keep him out of the end zone. Allen also had three interceptions this season, and turnovers could be big in what looks like a close game.

WHAT TO WATCH: Purdue's running game. Leading rusher Ralph Bolden suffered a torn ACL in the season finale against Indiana, so the team's two Akeems -- Akeem Shavers and freshman Akeem Hunt -- will have to come through. Both have had their moments this season, and Hunt averaged 8.6 yards per carry in limited duty. Starting quarterback Caleb TerBush can also take off and run. The Boilermakers don't own an explosive downfield passing game, but they might not need one against a Western Michigan team that allowed 216 rushing yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry this season. The Broncos faced and lost to two other Big Ten teams this season: Michigan ran for 190 yards (at 7.3 yards per carry) in less than three full quarters of a weather-shortened game, while Illinois produced two 100-yard rushers while rolling up 296 on the ground.

WHY TO WATCH: This is Purdue's first bowl game since 2007. The fan base has been slow to accept third-year coach Danny Hope, but the school showed faith by extending his contract last week. The Boilers failed to win back-to-back games all season and need a good bowl performance to build some momentum in the program. But how focused is the team? Three players have been arrested and another suspended since the end of the season, and receiver O.J. Ross and linebacker Dwayne Beckford won't play in the game. The Big Ten has some difficult matchups this bowl season, and the league could use a victory over a MAC opponent to get things started.

PREDICTION: Purdue 34, Western Michigan 33. The Broncos' dynamic passing game with White and quarterback Alex Carder will cause some problems for Purdue, which needs defensive tackle Kawann Short to disrupt things in the middle. The Boilermakers could have a tough time if they fall behind early. But Western Michigan struggles mightily against the run, something Purdue ought to be able to exploit all game even without Bolden. I see this one going down to the wire, with perhaps a key special-teams play deciding it.

Gary Nord's Christmas wish list is pretty short.

It contains one item: A season without major injuries to Purdue's key offensive players.

"I'd love to have that," Nord, the Boilers' third-year offensive coordinator, told ESPN.com this week. "I'm beginning to think that may never happen. I'm beginning to get a bit paranoid."

Paranoid but not panicky.

Nord and the Boilers have received zero luck on the injury front the past two seasons. Nada. Zilch.

In 2010, Purdue played most or all of the season without its top quarterback, top running back and top wide receiver. Weeks before this season's opener against Middle Tennessee, projected starting quarterback Rob Henry tore his ACL during a noncontact play in practice. Quarterback Robert Marve, who has suffered two ACL tears since arriving at Purdue, wasn't ready for the opener because of lingering knee soreness. So Caleb TerBush, academically ineligible for the 2010 campaign, moved into the starting role.

While the injury bug didn't strike as hard during the season, two starting offensive linemen (Justin Kitchens and Peters Drey) went down. Then, in the regular-season finale, top running back Ralph Bolden suffered a torn ACL, his second at Purdue and his third since his senior year of high school.

Bolden's injury puts Nord and the Boilers in an all-too familiar position heading into the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl against Western Michigan on Dec. 27.

The silver lining: Nord and his staff know how to make adjustments.

"He was probably our fastest guy, so we've lost tremendous speed," Nord said of Bolden. "He was also our best blocking back and he caught the ball out of the backfield very well. When you lose your leading rusher, it's never a good thing. The only bright side is if we had to lose anyone, we have more depth at the running back position than any position on our football team."

While Bolden leads Purdue in both carries (148) and rush yards (674), several other backs have contributed. Akeem Shavers is tied with Bolden for the team lead in rushing touchdowns (6), and seven players have recorded 17 or more carries.

Nord said Shavers will move into Bolden's role. Reggie Pegram and Jared Crank both should see their carries load increase in the bowl game.

Like Bolden, the 5-11, 203-pound Shavers boasts good speed, can catch the ball out of the backfield and has improved his blocking.

"I never really called the game any different when one was in versus the other one," Nord said. "A lot of times I didn’t know which one was in there because they'd roll in and out. If we didn't have Shavers, we would be a little more concerned."

Western Michigan struggles to defend the run (107th nationally), but has been stout in the red zone, tying for sixth nationally (70 percent scoring chances allowed). Bigger backs like Crank and Pegram could be key for Purdue in goal-line situations.

Nord plans to play both TerBush and Marve at quarterback, as he did for most of Big Ten play. While TerBush's ability to stay healthy has provided Purdue some much-needed continuity at quarterback, the offense, like the team, has been up and down.

"This is my third season here, and I've not had a guy started for us in spring that started for us in the fall," Nord said. "To give the offense a legit chance to be as productive as we would like to be, you need to have some continuity from the spring to the fall at quarterback spot.

"Hopefully, we can have that next spring."

Western Michigan Broncos (7-5) vs. Purdue Boilermakers (6-6)

Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Western Michigan take from Andrea Adelson: Western Michigan is in its third bowl game in the last five seasons under head coach Bill Cubit based largely on the strength of its high-powered offense. Oklahoma State and Houston might get all the headlines, but the Broncos are up there with them when it comes to piling up yards and points.

Alex Carder and Jordan White are among the most prolific quarterback-receiver duos in the nation. White leads the nation in total receiving yards (1,646), receiving yards per game (137.17), total receptions (127) and receptions per game (10.58); he also ranks second in the FBS in receiving touchdowns (16). White holds all but three receiving records at Western Michigan and needs 110 yards to become the MAC career leader in receiving yards.

Carder threw for 3,251 yards, 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions, and ranks seventh in FBS in completions per game (27.18) and leads the MAC with 312.2 passing yards per game. Carder missed the season finale against Akron with a sore shoulder but is expected to start in the bowl game.

The offense ranks in the top 20 in passing (eighth), passing efficiency (14th) and scoring (18th). Meanwhile, MAC Defensive Player of the Year Drew Nowak leads the defense. Nowak ranks fifth in FBS in tackles for loss per game (1.67) and fourth in total TFLs (20.0). He closed out his regular season with 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in the final two games of the season. Western Michigan already has a win this season over a team from an AQ conference, beating Connecticut in September. But the Broncos are 0-4 all-time in bowl games.

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Purdue take from Big Ten blogger Brian Bennett: Purdue was the very definition of inconsistent in 2011.

The Boilermakers never once won two games in a row and had only one two-game losing streak. They beat Middle Tennessee State by blocking a last-second field goal and followed that up by losing to Rice when their own game-winning kick was knocked down. They had strong performances against Penn State on the road (in a loss) and against Ohio State at home (in victory), but got blown out by Michigan, Notre Dame and Wisconsin.

But all Purdue cares about now is that it's going bowling for the first time since 2007 and for the first time under head coach Danny Hope, who would have felt some heat under his seat had the team stayed home for the holidays again. The Boilers had to overcome the loss of starting quarterback Rob Henry in fall camp and juggled Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve under center.

As you might expect for an inconsistent 6-6 team, Purdue doesn't stand out in many areas. But lineman Kawann Short emerged as one of the Big Ten's top defensive players, and the offense found success using screens and misdirection, though running back Ralph Bolden is out for the game because of a torn ACL.

Pick a sequence that defines the Iowa-Purdue first half.

It might be the one that saw Purdue punter Carson Wiggs roll out deep into his own territory with the option to run for a first down, only to punt apparently past the line of scrimmage and have it blocked and recovered by Iowa at the 10. But then the Hawkeyes fumble the ball away on the next play.

Or maybe the defining sequence was Purdue quarterback Robert Marve throwing an interception at the Iowa 1, followed immediately by Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg fumbling in his own end zone for a Purdue touchdown.

Yep, there's a reason why both these teams have mediocre records.

Iowa has been better most of the half, outgaining Purdue by 140 yards. Other than the fumble, Vandenberg has been excellent in throwing two touchdowns, and Marcus Coker is over 100 yards already with a score. But the Hawkeyes have those two costly fumbles and have missed a field goal, which is why they're only up seven instead of much more. Still, Kirk Ferentz has to be happy to be leading on the road, where Iowa hasn't won all year.

Caleb TerBush started at quarterback for Purdue but has thrown for only 42 yards. The Boilers haven't done much on the ground, either. They're lucky not to be behind by much more, but if they hang around long enough, maybe Iowa will make some more big mistakes and help them out.

Ten items to track in Week 12 of Big Ten action.

1. The Notoriety Bowl: The Penn State-Ohio State game has been arguably the most significant Big Ten matchup in the past seven years. But this year's clash at Ohio Stadium has a decidedly different feel. Penn State hits the road for the first time since the sex abuse scandal broke at the school. Lions interim coach Tom Bradley and Ohio State coach Luke Fickell discussed safety issues earlier this week, and Bradley came away satisfied his team would stay out of harm's way at The Shoe. Ohio State, meanwhile, is still awaiting a ruling from the NCAA's infractions committee on its NCAA violations. The mere fact Penn State and Ohio State will play without Joe Paterno or Jim Tressel on the sidelines seems odd. Despite the cloud of controversy, this is a very important game for both teams, particularly Penn State, which remains very much in the hunt for the Leaders division.

2. Shoelace vs. T-Magic: Two of the Big Ten's more dynamic signal-callers square off Saturday at the Big House. Perhaps Nebraska's Taylor Martinez and Michigan's Denard Robinson will have a pregame footrace to finally determine who is the faster quarterback. Both men would rather lead their teams to victory, as the losing squad could be eliminated from Legends division contention. Both Robinson and Martinez can be special with their feet -- they have combined for 1,632 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns this year -- but Saturday's game could come down to who throws the ball better. Martinez has made strides with his passing this year, while Robinson, who has been banged up as of late, must show greater consistency.

3. Spartans' rooting interest: Michigan State finds itself in an awkward yet desirable position Saturday afternoon. The Spartans can clinch the Legends division with a win against Indiana and a Nebraska loss. The problem is that they need Michigan to knock off Nebraska. Spartans coach Mark Dantonio made it clear he couldn't root for the Maize and Blue, saying Tuesday, "I'm not built that way." One Michigan State player told me he could root for Michigan on Saturday, but most of the fans I've heard from say they can't bear to do it. The Spartans don't have to worry about the Michigan-Nebraska outcome if they win their final two games and clinch the division.

4. Senior Day debut: The wait finally ends Saturday for Ohio State wide receiver DeVier Posey, who will make his season debut on Senior Day at Ohio Stadium. Posey received two five-game suspensions from the NCAA for his role in the "Tat-5" scandal as well as for receiving money for work not performed from former Ohio State booster Bobby DiGeronimo. Posey has made 24 career starts and will be by far the most experienced Buckeyes receiver on the field against Penn State. Fickell declined to say Tuesday whether Posey will return to the starting lineup but noted that the senior will "have an opportunity." It will be interesting to see what Posey can bring to Ohio State's offense, and what he says afterward about serving the long suspension.

5. Mount Zook: These are trying times for Ron Zook and the Illinois Fighting Illini, who have dropped four consecutive games after getting off to their best start (6-0) since 1951. Zook walked out of his weekly news conference Tuesday after being asked how rumors about his future with the program would affect the current players. With a new boss (athletic director Mike Thomas) and a fast-fading team, Zook needs to turn things around in a hurry to survive the latest storm. A win against Wisconsin would go a long way toward cooling things down, but you have to wonder about the stability of the Illini, who look to Zook for leadership in both good times and bad times.

6. Something's gotta give at Ross-Ade: Purdue has followed its previous four victories this season with a loss. Iowa is 0-3 away from Kinnick Stadium. One of those trends will end Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium, where the Boilers and Hawkeyes meet in a game that has major bowl implications for both squads. Purdue needs a win to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2007 and set up a potentially strong finish to the year. Iowa can secure a bowl spot with its seventh victory, which might be critical as the Hawkeyes finish with a tough road game against Nebraska. Three straight losses to end the season wouldn't help Iowa in the bowl pecking order.

7. Wisconsin's center of attention: Wisconsin once again controls its own fate in the Leaders division, and a win Saturday at Illinois sets up what amounts to a division championship next week against Penn State, regardless of what the Lions do in Columbus. But the Badgers and their high-powered offense will be without a key piece in center Peter Konz, out two to four weeks with a dislocated left ankle. Sophomore Ryan Groy, who has started a game at guard, will step in for Konz, an NFL prospect and quite possibly Wisconsin's top offensive lineman. It will be interesting to see how Groy and the other linemen perform against a talented Illinois defensive front that features Whitney Mercilus, Michael Buchanan and Akeem Spence.

8. The At-Large Bowl: BCS bowl representatives attend many Big Ten games, but they'll be particularly interested in what takes place Saturday at Michigan Stadium. Nebraska and Michigan are quite possibly the Big Ten's top candidates for an at-large BCS berth, as long as Michigan State wins the Legends division. The winner of Saturday's contest has a chance to finish 10-2, while the loser would fall out of the mix. Michigan hasn't been to a BCS bowl since the 2006 season, while Nebraska's drought stretches even longer, to the 2002 season. A 10-2 Nebraska squad could appeal to the Fiesta Bowl, especially if Oklahoma heads to Glendale. Michigan, meanwhile, always is a nice draw for the big bowls.

9. Bowling for eligibility: While Nebraska and Michigan seek a BCS bowl berth, Northwestern and Purdue simply want to get bowl-eligible. Both teams can reach the six-win plateau Saturday. Northwestern is arguably the Big Ten's hottest team, having won three straight games and showing some improvement on defense. But the Wildcats can't afford a hiccup at home against a Minnesota team playing better since its open week. Purdue likely will end its three-year postseason drought with a home win Saturday against Iowa. Despite quarterback Robert Marve's late heroics against Ohio State, Boilers coach Danny Hope will stick with Caleb TerBush as his starter.

10. The spoilers: Indiana and Minnesota won't be going bowling this season, but both teams can cause some problems for their Big Ten brethren. After an open week, the Hoosiers head to East Lansing to face Legends division front-runner Michigan State. An Indiana win could take the Spartans' fate out of their own hands and create a lot of drama on the final week of the regular season. A Minnesota win at Northwestern would force the Wildcats to beat Michigan State next week to secure bowl eligibility for the fifth consecutive season.