A team-by-team breakdown in projected order of finish.

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1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Coach: Jim Tressel, 8th season (73-16).

2007 record: 11-2.

Key players: RB Chris "Beanie" Wells, LB James Laurinaitis, QB Terrelle Pryor.

Big game: Sept. 13 at Southern California.

The skinny: The Buckeyes, big losers in the last two national championship games, are loaded with talent and shooting for their fourth consecutive Big Ten title. Wells was the conference's preseason offensive player of the year; Laurinaitis the top defensive player. Pryor, the nation's top high school recruit from Jeannette, figures to see considerable playing time as a freshman, spelling starter Todd Boeckman. Ohio State returns 20 starters.

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2. Wisconsin Badgers

Coach: Bret Bielema, 3rd season (21-5).

2007 record: 9-4.

Key players: RB P.J. Hill, TE Travis Beckum, DE Matt Shaughnessy.

Big game: Oct. 4 vs. Ohio State.

The skinny: For the first time since the 2004 season, the Badgers will open the season with a quarterback who did not make at least one starter the previous year. Senior Allan Evridge is expected to get the nod over Dustin Sherer and sophomore Scott Tozien. Beckum is the best tight end in the Big Ten. Hill rushed for 1,212 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Shaughnessy is the best defensive player, but broke his leg in next-to-last spring practice.

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3. Penn State Nittany Lions

Coach: Joe Paterno, 43rd season (372-125-3).

2007 record: 9-4.

Key players: WR Deon Butler, C A.Q. Shipley, DE Maurice Evans.

Big game: Oct. 18 vs. Michigan.

The skinny: Penn State has plenty of playmakers back on offense, including senior Derrick Williams, Jordan Norwood and Butler and the offensive line returns virtually intact, led by Shipley. However, the Lions will break in a new starting QB (Daryll Clark) and a new starting TB (Evan Royster). Evans is the best defensive end in the Big Ten, but the loss of MLB Sean Lee to a season ending ACL injury will hurt. The Lions are solid in the secondary, led by S Anthony Scirrotto.

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4. Illinois Fighting Illini

Coach: Ron Zook, 4th year (13-23).

2007 record: 9-4.

Key players: QB Juice Williams, WR Arrelious Benn, CB Vontae Davis.

Big game: Aug. 30 vs. Missouri.

The skinny: Illinois went 4-19 Zook's first two years, but rebounded to go 9-4 and secure a Rose Bowl berth last season. The Illini's seven-win turnaround, which included a victory over No. 1 Ohio State, was the biggest in college football. Illinois must find a replacement for TB Rashard Mendenhall, the Big Ten's offensive player of the year and Steelers' first-round draft pick. Williams is a gifted runner, but he still is trying to refine his passing skills.

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5. Michigan Wolverines

Coach: Rich Rodriguez, 1st year.

2007 record: 9-4.

Key players: DE Tim Jamison, WR Greg Mathews, QB Stephen Threet.

Big game: Sept. 13 at Notre Dame.

The skinny: The Wolverines have a new coach (Rodriguez, spent last seven years at West Virginia) and a ton of new faces on offense. Gone are coach Lloyd Carr, QB Chad Henne, TB Mike Hart, WRs Adrian Arrington and Mario Manningham and OT Jake Long, the first overall pick in the NFL draft. Threet, a Georgia Tech transfer, is a great pocket passer who has had to adjust to the spread offense. He likely will split playing time with Nick Sheridan.

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6. Purdue Boilermakers

Coach: Joe Tiller, 12th year (83-54).

2007 record: 8-5.

Key players: QB Curtis Painter, WR Greg Orton, OLB Anthony Heygood.

Big game: Sept. 27 at Notre Dame.

The skinny: Tiller will be looking for his 11th bowl trip in his final season. Painter likely will leave the school with every major passing record. TBs Jaycen Taylor and Kory Sheets formed a nice duo last season, combining for 1,419 yards and 15 touchdowns. But Taylor is out for the year after tearing the ligament in his right in preseason camp. Gone are WR Dorien Bryant, the Big Ten's second all-time receptions leader, and TE Dustin Keller, a first-round NFL draft pick.

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7. Michigan State Spartans

Coach: Mark Dantonio, 2nd year (7-6).

2007 record: 7-6.

Key players: QB Brian Hoyer, TB Javon Ringer, LB Greg Jones.

Big game: Aug. 30 at California.

The skinny: Hoyer is a solid quarterback (his touchdowns-to-interception ratio is 26-14), but he must become more consistent in big games. Ringer could be the best back in the Big Ten. He has averaged more than 6 yards per carry in his career and is an All-American candidate after rushing for 1,447 last season. Short-yardage FB Jehuu Caulcrick will be missed, as will TE Kellen Davis and WR Devin Thomas. Jones and CB Kendall Davis-Clark return after finishing 1-2 in tackles.

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8. Iowa Hawkeyes

Coach: Kirk Ferentz, 10th year (61-49).

2007 record: 6-6.

Key players: QB Jake Christensen, DT Mitch King, WR Andy Brodell.

Big game: Sept. 20 at Pitt.

The skinny: The Hawkeyes, 31-7 with two league titles from 2002-04, missed out on a bowl game last year for the first time in eight years. Christensen is the returning starter, but he has been inconsistent. He threw for 2,269 yards as a sophomore, but was sacked 46 times. Running back is another major concern with the losses of Albert Young and Damian Sims. Brodell, who had more than 700 yards receiving as a sophomore, missed the final eight games last season with a leg injury.

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9. Indiana Hoosiers

Coach: Bill Lynch, 2nd year (7-6).

2007 record: 7-6.

Key players: QB Kellen Lewis, RB Marcus Thigpen, DE Greg Middleton.

Big game: Sept. 27 vs. Michigan State.

The skinny: The Hoosiers are looking to make back-to-back bowl appearance since 1990-91. Again, they have the easiest schedule in the Big Ten. Eight of their first 10 games are in Bloomington and they do not play Michigan or Ohio State for the second consecutive season. Lewis was held out of spring drills for violating team rules. Indiana must rebuild its offensive line and find a replacement for WR James Hardy. Middleton led the county in sacks last year with a school-record 16.

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10. Northwestern Wildcats

Coach: Pat Fitzgerald, 3rd year (10-14).

2007 record: 6-6.

Key players: QB C.J. Bacher, TB Tyrell Sutton, DT John Gill.

Big game: Nov. 8 vs. Ohio State.

The skinny: Northwestern has not earned a bowl berth in Fitzgerald's two seasons. Bacher is entering his third season as the starter. He led the Big Ten in passing yardage (304.7 yards per game) last year, but threw as many touchdown passes as interceptions (19). Sutton, who missed parts of seven games a year ago, combines with TB Omar Contay to form a solid 1-2 punch. NFL scouts are drooling over Gill, who is becoming a dominating force.

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11. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Coach: Tim Brewster, 2nd year (1-11).

2007 record: 1-11.

Key players: QB Adam Weber, WR Eric Decker, RB Duane Bennett.

Big game: Sept. 27 at California.

The skinny: Don't look for any miracles in Minneapolis. The Gophers had the worst defense in the country last season and were overmatched in just about every game. Weber played 878 of 887 snaps and set several single-season records, including touchdown passes (24) and total offense (3,512 yards). Decker has 67 catches for 909 yards and nine touchdowns. P Justin Kucek is an all-Big Ten candidate.