Perennial Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State is looking for their fifth consecutive share of the conference title in 2009. The Buckeyes have been listed as the favorite by Vegas odds makers as +150. The success of the Buckeyes will rely on the progress of sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Head Coach Jim Tressel pulled the reigns in on Pryor’s passing aptitude last season but look for him to be throwing the ball downfield a lot this season as he has a full year of experience under his belt.
The Buckeyes lost key players on both sides of the ball. Their top two receivers, Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline are gone. Linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins are huge losses as well. Ohio State will have to find a solid replacement for Jenkins to be successful. The only returning starter at linebacker is Ross Homan who has been hampered by injuries in his first two years as a Buckeye. The strength of this team will be the defensive line. Thaddeus Gibson is a great pass rusher and Cameron Heyward and Dough Worthington makes the best front four in the Big Ten. Ohio State will be inexperienced but they have talent and should have a great shot at taking home the conference championship.
Penn State is by far the next best team in this conference as they are listed at +250 to win the Big Ten behind Ohio State. Penn State also has a lot of holes to fill. Their top three receivers have all moved on to the NFL. Quarterback Daryll Clark is a great player but who is he going to throw to? Running back Evan Royster is a stud as he rushed for over 1.200 yards last season but Penn State has lost key offensive lineman that opened up holes for him and protected Clark. The defensive line and secondary will be filled with new faces which is cause for concern for Joe Pa. Penn State will have a solid season but they have too many question marks to beat out the Buckeyes to win the crown.
Iowa is the next team to keep an eye on in the Big Ten. Yes they lost Shonn Greene and that is a big blow. They also loss their two starting defensive tackles who made them one of the best rush defenses in the country but this team still has talent. The linebackers and secondary return 6 of the 7 starters from last year. Iowa has capable replacements on both the offensive and defensive lines and that will be the key to their success. If young players can step up in the trenches this could be a solid team. They are listed at +550. One last team to keep an eye on who is also listed +550 is Michigan State.
Odds To Win Big 10 Conference in 2009:
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