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          Big Ten Blog

          B1G mailbag: Highest ceiling in the West, Ohio State's outlook in SEC

          • Brian Bennett, ESPN Staff WriterJul 15, 2015, 04:00 PM ET
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            • ESPN.com Big Ten reporter.
            • Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
            • Graduate of the University of Kentucky.
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          It's been a while since I dipped into the old mailbag. That's because I recently got back from spending three weeks in Europe, which was an amazing opportunity. But there's only so many days that you can read about soccer and cricket in the British tabloids before you can't wait for some college football talk.

          So let's get to your questions, and with the start of preseason practice right around the corner (huzzah!), keep those inquiries coming on Twitter.


          Brian Bennett: There's no more vexing question in the Big Ten this summer than who in the heck will win the West. I mean, we'd all be stunned if any team other than Ohio State or Michigan State came out of the East. But there are at least three serious contenders in the West, perhaps more, and not only are the differences between the top clubs paper thin, two new head coaches further muddle things.

          Right now, I'm casting my lot with Wisconsin. The Badgers have to play at both Nebraska and Minnesota, which is a disadvantage. But they have also been the most consistent, trustworthy team in the division, and the road to Indianapolis still goes through Madison. I also think Wisconsin has the highest ceiling, even without Melvin Gordon and with a new leader in Paul Chryst. This is a team that should have beaten LSU in last season's opener and did take down Auburn in the postseason. No other West team fared as well in high-profile nonconference games, and while it's a new season in 2015, Chryst won't deviate from what works: namely, a power running game (led now by Corey Clement) and a stout defense.

          If the passing game can improve just a little bit -- and quarterback play is Chryst's forte -- than the Badgers should remain the class of the West.


          BB: I would need a little more information on your hypothetical here, Benny. Would the Buckeyes compete in the SEC East? If so, they would be the overwhelming division favorites. Placing them in the SEC West would mean much tougher sledding, and a loss or two likely becomes inevitable. What would their crossover games be, and where?

          Regardless, I believe coach Urban Meyer has one of the most talented teams in the country, possibly the most talented, and that Ohio State would succeed in any division in football, except maybe the NFC West. Even in the rugged SEC West, I'd put the over/under at 10.5.


          BB: For all the doom and gloom about Iowa -- and certainly we have contributed to that forecast -- it's important to note that coach Kirk Ferentz's team wasn't that far away from having a good record last season. Four of the Hawkeyes' five regular-season losses came by seven points or fewer, with three of them being decided by a field goal or less, including the final two against Wisconsin and Nebraska with the West Division title still up for grabs.

          Of course, Iowa managed to lose all those games despite a ludicrously beneficial schedule. But the schedule is not much different this season, so just some minor improvements could put the Hawkeyes right in the thick of the division chase. The passing game is certainly one area where this step forward could occur, and Ferentz and his staff put all their eggs into C.J. Beathard's basket this offseason. Beathard's arm strength should allow Iowa to spread the field more and be more dynamic on offense -- not that it's possible to be much less dynamic than the previous two years under Greg Davis.

          But, as I've said repeatedly, the key for the Hawkeyes remains in the running game. Iowa simply is at its best when controlling the line of scrimmage, and its ground game just wasn't good enough the past two seasons (4.1 ypc in 2014, 4.2 in 2013). That more than anything else will determine this team's ceiling.


          BB: It's, uh, pretty big. As Darren Rovell reports, the new deal is the largest for any public school in the country (Notre Dame's contract with Under Armour is slightly larger), and Nike will pay Michigan more than $11 million per year. Sorry to bring up Dave Brandon flashbacks for Maize and Blue fans, but this shows the enduring power of the Michigan brand. And while the athletic program wasn't exactly hurting for money before this, the apparel deal and the uptick in football ticket sales will mean more cash in the coffers. And that certainly can't hurt.


          BB: Leonte Carroo's the best returning receiver in the Big Ten, so of course it's nonsensical. All these preseason watch lists are. The very concept has been outdated for years, never more so than in an era when a completely unknown player can blow up on Twitter within seconds of his first big performance. I finally decided this year to pay zero attention whatsoever to these preseason watch lists, and I suggest you do the same.