All fans of the Rose Bowl and good matchups should be fans of the Big Ten’s new look. An offensive arms race has made teams at the top go all in for their top players through the transfer portal. In the article, we highlight each team’s key additions and losses.

Oregon Ducks

Key losses:

• Bo Nix, QB (Draft)
• Troy Franklin, WR (Draft)
• Bucky Irving, RB (Draft)

First Year

In Oregon’s first year in the Big Ten, they bring in the best transfer portal class in the country. After the success of Bo Nix, Dan Lanning brings in the top quarterback available in the portal in Gabriel. He follows that up with bringing in a former five-star quarterback. That would be Moore, who could sit for a year before taking over the following season. Stewart is another former five-star. I expect him to have an even bigger year than former star Franklin at receiver. Coming off a strong spring game, look for former D-2 running back Harris also to break out. On defense, Harmon, Muhammad, Johnson, and Savage can turn into pivotal pieces. Oregon has no more excuses this year. It is championship or bust!

Ohio State Buckeyes

Key losses:

• Marvin Harrison, WR (Draft)
• Kyle McCord, QB (Syracuse)
• Julian Fleming, WR ( Penn State)
• Chip Trayanum, RB (Kentucky)
• Dallas Hayden, RB (Colorado)

Great Class

Ohio State’s class is the only one in the Big Ten that rivals Oregon’s. They bring in the best overall player in the portal in Downs. Downs was arguably the best player on Georgia’s defense as a freshman. He has two years of eligibility left before he’s off to the draft. Not the arrival of Judkins on top of TreVeyon Henderson. The Buckeyes now have the best running back room in the country.

Here are the big questions: Will new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly rely on running the ball? Or will the Buckeyes continue feeding their assembly line of future NFL receivers? Ohio State added quarterback Howard. He is more experienced than last year’s starter Kyle McCord.

A Buckeye Concern

They lost 25 players to the portal and Harrison to the draft, who was their best player last year. The good news is that most of the players were depth pieces, and Ohio State returns most of its defense from last year. This includes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who received head coach consideration from many teams. The main thing that separates the two top teams is that I like Gabriel more than Howard.

Michigan State Spartans

Key losses:

• Derrick Harmon, DT ( Oregon)
• Jaden Mangham, CB (Michigan)
• Geno VanDeMark, OL (Alabama)
• Ethan Boyd, OL (Colorado)
• Simeon Barrow Jr., DL (Miami)
• Zion Young, DL (Missouri)
• Tyrell Henry, WR (Wisconsin)
• Sam Levitt, QB (Arizona State)
• Noah Kim, QB (Coastal Carolina)
• Katin Houser, QB (East Carolina)
• Spencer Brown, OL (Oklahoma)
• Jordan Simmons, MSU (App. State)
• Kevin Wigenton II, OL (Illinois)

Rebuilding

Michigan State begins rebuilding its program after last season’s turmoil. The new head coach, Johnathan Smith, is tasked with rebuilding the program. To offset the 38 departures, Smith brought in 24 new additions. The Spartan’s most notable offense addition is quarterback Aidan Chiles. He followed Smith to East Lansing. There is Chiles, who flashed when given an opportunity behind DJ Uiagalelei. He should help an MSU team that ranked near the bottom in most offensive categories. Velling familiarity with Smith’s offense could make him Chiles’ favorite target. The defense will struggle after the loss of Harmon and Mangham. Despite that, Michigan State is heading in the right direction.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Key losses:

• Olu Fashanu, OT (Draft)
• Chop Robinson, DE ( Draft)
• Adisa Isaac, DE (Draft)
• Caedan Wallace, OT (Draft)
• Theo Johnson, TE (Draft)
• Daequan Hardy, CB (Draft)
• Kalen King, CB (Draft)
• Hunter Nourzad, C (Draft)

Shored Up

The Nittany Lions shored up their secondary with the additions of Kimber and Harris. They both have experience in the SEC. The additions also help compensate for King and Hardy’s loss at the corner. Fleeming should instantly step in as the number-one receiver for Penn State. Consider that he came off a down season with Ohio State. He also benefited from playing for a team that lacked wide-receiving options.

Newcomers

The biggest newcomers to watch come from the coordinating positions. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is a massive boost to the offense. The offense has struggled since Joe Moorhead left the program in 2017. Kotelnicki’s task is developing the highly touted quarterback Drew Allar. At defense coordinator, the Nittany Lions bring in a former rival, former head coach Tom Allen. Allen brings back many of former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s players. After a strong season, his success is a template to land another head coaching position. There are the new additions and the college football playoff expansion. It could make next year be Penn State’s year.

Michigan Wolverines

Key losses:

• J.J. Mccarthy, QB (Draft)
• Blake Corum, RB (Draft)
• Roman Wilson, WR (Draft)
• Cornelius Johnson, WR (Draft)
• Aj Barner, TE (Draft)
• Zak Zinter, OL (Draft)
• Trevor Keegan, G (Draft)
• Ladarius Henderson, OL (Draft)
• Drake Nugent, C (Draft)
• Trente Jones, G (Draft)
• Karsen Barnhart, OL (Draft)
• Braiden McGregor, DE (Draft)
• Kris Jenkins, DT (Draft)
• Jaylen Harrell, LB (Draft)
• Junior Colson, LB (Draft)
• Michael Barrett, LB (Draft)
• Mike Sainristil, CB (Draft)
• Keon Sabb, S (Alabama)
• Josh Wallace, LB (Draft)

Offseason Turnover

For Michigan, the story of their offseason has been turnover. After the championship season, NFL teams raided their cabinets, searching for players and coaches. In the draft, Michigan set the record. They had seven top 100 players drafted. That was despite one important fact. They did not have top recruiting classes during former head coach Jim Harbaugh’s tenure. This speaks to Harbaugh’s development. While Harbaugh leaves in name, his footprints are still all over this program.

Sherron Moore

New head coach Sherrone Moore got promoted. That was after admirably filling in for Harbaugh during his suspension. What should the Moore identity remain focused on? It is the offensive line development and running the ball. All the while, they should remain stout on defense. Michigan’s most significant addition has been adding Don “Wink” Martindale as defensive coordinator. Martindale spent decades in the NFL. Most recently, he was the defensive coordinator for the Giants and Ravens. Martindale looks to continue the Michigan pipeline. That is sending defensive coordinators back to the pros. Martindale has a first challenge. That is pairing 2025’s projected first-round pick, Will Johnson, with a running mate at the corner. Mangham, Walker, and Hall are all intriguing to fill that void.

The Question

The biggest question on offense is who is stepping in at quarterback. The Wolverines are selected within their player acquisitions. They choose not to address the need through the portal. In a Big Ten with new additions, Michigan will have a more challenging time repeating as champion.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Key losses:

• Ru’Quan Buckley
• DT (Michigan State)
• Jeff Sims, QB ( Arizona State)
• Chubba Hubbard, QB (Nevada)

Eyes on the Cornhuskers

Heading into the season, all eyes are on the Cornhuskers. Head coach Matt Rhule is known for his development of college football programs. Now he lands his most talented quarterback as head coach. He follows his father’s legacy in the program. True freshman, Dylan Raiola has high expectations of getting Nebraska back on track. There is the addition of Raiola. On top of that, Rhule shored up his offense. How? By bringing in skill position players such as Dowdell, Neyor, and Banks. On defense, Thompson reunites with his former defensive coordinator, Tony White. For Nebraska, this offseason was a step in the right direction.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Key losses:

• Max Melton, CB (Draft)
• Gavin Wimsatt, QB (Kentucky)

Seven Win Season

Coming off a seven-win season, Rutgers brought back 15 starters from last year, which was the key to Rutgers’ offseason continuity. The Scarlet Knights had a small portal class. Despite that, they brought in players who can all contribute right away at key positions. All their players are experienced and enjoy a change of scenery.

The Target

The first target was upgrading the quarterback position. It ranked last in completion percentage. Kaliakmanis was a former starter at Minnesota. He has 17 starts in the last two seasons and was recently named the starter after the Spring game. Ray comes from a good program but benefits from the depth of Florida State’s defensive line. Miller was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. That is given to the best player in the Football Championship Subdivision. He looks to prove himself as a receiver on the power five level. Rhodes’ experience shows in having played 11 games in the last two years. Acquiring a corner would have helped to offset Melton’s loss. Still, Rutgers has done a great job this offseason.

UCLA Bruins

Key losses:

• Dante Moore, QB (Oregon)
• Kamari Ramsey, S (USC)
• John Humphrey, CB (USC)
• Kyle Ford, WR (USC)

Offseason Losses

UCLA suffered the worst losses this offseason, losing their team to rivals. First defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn went to a worse defense in USC. There, he becomes the defensive coordinator. Former head coach Chip Kelly then decided to go to new Big Ten rival Ohio State as an offensive coordinator. The future quarterback chose to go to Oregon after struggling last year. New head coach Deshaun Foster has an arduous task on his hands. Despite the challenge, he is a former alumnus who embraces UCLA like Chip Kelly never did.

USC Trojans

Key losses:

• Caleb Williams, QB (Draft)
• Calen Bullock, S (Draft)
• Marshawn Lloyd, RB (Draft)
• Jarrett Kingston, OG (Draft)
• Breandan Rice, WR (Draft)
• Tahj Washington, WR (Draft)
• Solomon Kingston, DL (Draft)
• Domani Jackson, CB (Alabama)
• Mario Williams, WR (Tulane)
• Malchi Nelson, QB (Boise State)
• Michael Jackson III, WR (Georgia)
• Raleek Brown, RB (Arizona State)
• Dorian Singer, WR (Arizona)
• Romello Height, OLB (Georgia Tech)
• Korey Foreman, DE (Fresno State)
• Tackett Curtis, LB (Wisconsin)
• Fabian Ross, CB (Hawaii)
• Michael Tarquin, OT (Oklahoma)
• Darwin Barlow, RB (North Carolina)

Questions

USC had three significant questions going into their offseason.

1. Lincoln Riley’s Heisman quarterbacks pipeline is running dry. With that, will they address the quarterback through the transfer portal?
2. How will they address the horrendous defense?
3. How will this team fare in their first season in the Big Ten?

The Trojans did a great job answering those first two questions. Time will tell about the second.

What is Next?

Replacing the number one pick in the draft is a near-impossible task. There isn’t a top-five star waiting in the wings for what feels like the first time. This approach has only sometimes worked. Still, I’m looking at you, Spencer Rattler, Riley, known for his quarterback development. Riley seemed surprised about the Miller Moss performance against Louisville. In his first start, he threw for 681 yards and seven touchdowns!

The Numbers

Yes, you are reading the right; it is hard to put up those numbers in Madden, even playing on pro difficulty. These numbers make Caleb Williams’s numbers look average, even against Tulane. While I expect his play to come down, his play scared off competition. While USC brought in Maiava, Moss is still the front-runner. USC also brought in a ton of receiver depth to add with Zachariah Branch. Ford is a rare leave the school. He goes to a rival only to return to transfer, but he is familiar with Riley’s system. Richardson, Fair, and Ross should also help.

Defense

The offense is always explosive. Still, the real questions get answered on defense. USC started the offseason by bringing in defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. He came from UCLA and coached one of last season’s best PAC 12 defenses. The two now team up and will use practice as fuel to get better by challenging each other. This is the college equivalent of when Rams’ head coach Sean McVay hired Brandon Staley as DC in 2020.

Head Coaches

Speaking of the Rams, Co-DC Eric Henderson is also a big hire. He coached the D-line and was the run game coordinator for the Rams, coaching names like Aaron Donald. Matt Entz was the head coach of North Dakota State, and Doug Belk, the DC of Houston, also helped the defense. For the defensive personnel, I’m most interested in the secondary players. Lynn targeted many of his former players, such as Ramsey and Humprey. He also got the Arnold brothers, who were remarkable for Oregon State.

Wisconsin Badgers

Key losses:

• Braelon Allen, RB (Draft)
• Tanor Bortolini, C (Draft)
• Chimere Dike, WR (Florida)
• Nolan Rucci, OL (Penn State)
• Jordan Turner, LB (Michigan State)
• Rodas Johnson, DL (Texas A&M)
• Jordan Mayer, DE (Penn State)
• Skyler Bell, WR (Uconn)
• Kaden Johnson, OLB (Nevada)

Getting Better

Better results should follow a bad start in the first year of the Luke Fickell Wisconsin era. The biggest question for the Badgers is which Van Dyke will we get. The one who has shown flashes of being an elite quarterback or the one who got benched for Miami last year. We will see if the change of scenery in offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s system helps him rise. I also expect Henry, Griffin Jr. and Walker to be some of the top playmakers on the Badgers. On defense, Lowery and Hills should boost the defensive line play.

Northwestern Wildcats

Key losses:

• Rod Heard II, CB (Notre Dame)
• Brendan Sullivan, QB (Iowa)
• Jacob Gill, WR (Iowa)
• Jaheem Joseph, S (West Virginia)
• Garnett Hollis Jr., CB (West Virginia)
• Josh Priebe, OT (Michigan)
• Anthony Tyus III, RB (Ohio)
• Zachary Franks, OT (Duke)
• Alexander Doost, OL ( Arizona)

The Suprise

Northwestern was the surprise of the Big Ten last year. At the start of the season, fans expect the worst. Former head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired. Despite the controversy, Northwestern finished second in the west division with eight wins. It was a great season. Still, Northwestern struggled to bring in enough players through the portal. Bailey and Lovelace are both leaving teams that needed quality linemen. After Sulivan’s exit, Wright has limited playing time at QB. My favorite addition is Taylor. He is the best defensive player on his former team and could thrive in the Wildcats’ defense.

Side Note:

When offensive players are exiting your program to go to Iowa, that should tell you something.

Illinois Fightin’ Illini

Key losses:

• Jer’Zhan Newton, DT (Draft)
• Isaiah Adams, OT (Draft)
• Tip Reiman, TE (Draft)
• Casey Washington, WR (Draft)

Main Focus

Illinois’ primary focus in the portal was boosting its offensive and defensive lines. After the loss of Newton, the Fighting Illini brought in four defensive linemen. Brooks and Cox Jr. bring experience to the secondary, having over ten starts. Look at the offensive side of the ball. Priestly, Wigenton II, and Davis look to keep quarterback Luke Altmayer protected, while Rusk and Goda give him new targets.

Maryland Terrapins

Key losses:

• Jaishawn Barham, LB (Michigan)
• Rico Walker, TE (Auburn)
• Corey Coley Jr., S (NC State)
• Corey Dyches, TE (Cal)

Main Focus

Maryland’s main focus in the portal was replacing quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa was planning on entering the portal, but he found out he ran out of eligibility. After that, the Terrapins prioritized Morris. Morris was the expected starter of the future at NC State. That was before he redshirted and looked for other options. Morris looks like a great fit to pick up where Tagovailoa left off.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Key losses:

• Tyler Nubin, S (Draft)
• Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE (Draft)
• Chris Autman-Bell, WR (Draft)
• Kyler Baugh, DL (Draft)

Second Generational Players

The story of Minnesota’s transfer portal addition is second generational players. The Golden Gophers struck out last year. Then, they started the offseason strong by landing a player in their backyard: Jaxon Howard. The Minnesota native is the son of former Minnesota Viking Willie Howard. The Golden Gophers were not done. They also added Cristian Driver, son of Super Bowl Champion Donald Driver. While the loss of Nubin, Spann-Ford, and Autman-Bell hurt, there is hope for the future.

Indiana Hoosiers

Key losses:

• Brendan Sorsby, QB (Cincinnati)
• Matthew Bedford, OL (Oregon)
• Kahlil Benson, OL (Colorado)
• Philip Blidi, DL (Auburn)
• Kamryn Perry, WR (Maryland)
• Kobee Minor, DB (Memphis)
• Darryl Minor Jr., LB (Memphis)
• Jordan Shaw, DB (Arizona)
• Cam Camper, WR (Boise State)
• Jaylin Lucas, RB (Florida State)
• Matthew Bedford, OL (Oregon)
• Patrick Lucas Jr., DL (Memphis)

Cignetti

Curt Cignetti took the job after a breakout season. Then, it felt like JMU’s entire roster transferred to Indiana once. Despite the familiarity on his roster, Cignetti’s impact should come from quarterback Rourke. Rourke is poised for a breakout year with weapons like Sarratt and Green. Will all these former groups of five players be enough to compete in the Big Ten?

Purdue Boilermakers

Key losses:

• Tyrone Tracy, RB (Draft)
• Nic Scourton, LB (Texas A&M)
• Deion Burks. WR (Oklahoma)
• Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen, WR (USF)
• Sanoussi Kane, S (Draft)

Mixed Offseason

Purdue has had a mixed offseason. On one hand, they can’t be much worse than they were last year. But they lost most of their best players on offense and defense, led by Tracy, Scourtin, and Burks. I am most intrigued by the four former Georgia pieces they landed—all those highly recruited players stuck on a talented depth chart.

Washington Huskies

Key losses:

• Michael Pennix, QB (Draft)
• Rome Odunze, WR (Draft)
• Jalyn Polk, WR (Draft)
• Jalen McMillan, WR (Draft)
• Germie Bernard, WR (Alabama)
• Austin Mack, WR (Alabama)
• Roger Rosengarten, OT (Draft)
• Troy Fautanu, OT (Draft)
• Parker Brailsford, C (Alabama)
• Julius Buelow, OL (Ole Miss)
• Nate Kalepo, OL (Ole Miss)
• Geirean Hatchett, OL (Oklahoma)
• Bralen Trice, DT (Draft)
• Jabbar Muhammed, CB (Oregon)

Rebuild Needed

After the Huskies’ Cinderella run last season, this time has entered for a rebuild. They have a new coach. Their QB was committed to under the previous regime. There was an exodus of talent. This team ranks near the bottom. They lost their starting quarterback, most of their receivers, and offensive linemen. Quarterback Michael Pennix went to the draft. So did the wide receiver trio of Rome Odunze, Jalyn Polk, and Jalen McMillan.

More Players Lost

All the explosive players were in skill positions. Because of that, the Joe Moore award-winning offensive line often got overlooked. They helped keep Pennix protected and opened up the running game. Roger Rosengarten and Troy Fautanu each entered the draft. The other starters went to the SEC.

There is Good News

Bright spots for the Huskies include holding onto Rodgers and Hunter. He should thrive in Fisch’s offense. Bralen Trice and Jabbar Muhammed serve as big losses on defense. I expect next year to be a regression. That is for last year’s runner-up for the National Championship with all their losses on offense. Fisch has proved us wrong before. Look at his quick rebuild with Arizona. This might work if they were still in the Pac-12, but this is the new Big Ten.

Iowa Hawkeyes

Key losses:

• Cooper Dejean, CB (Draft)
• Tory Taylor, P (Draft)
• Erick All, TE (Draft)
• Logan Lee, DE ( Draft)
• Joe Evans, LB (Draft)
• Noah Shannon, DL (Draft)
• Spencer Petras, QB (Utah State)

Leaving Players

Iowa is a team focusing on development, so the expectation is that they add only a few players from the transfer portal. That said, losing Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor twice has to hurt. They would have been higher in the rankings if they landed him. They also lose Dejean. He was their best player on defense last year, and punter Taylor was their best player on offense. The loss of All also hurts. If All continues the tight-end University pipeline, he should be better in the pros than in college.

Good news

They lose Brian Ferentz, who struggled to get this offense rolling last season. The bad news is that there might not be anyone in the country who can improve their offense. This offense finished 122nd in yards per play at 4.2 in 2023.