For the next few weeks leading up to the college football season, we’ll be previewing every Big Ten team, starting with my prediction to finish last, to my predicted champ.  This way if I don’t get to Ohio State before the season starts, you’ll have a good grasp on all the teams whose analysis isn’t “highest payroll, most talent, probably champs.”  Up first, Indiana.

Oh, what to say about Indiana?  The Hoosiers are an easy pick for last in the league because, well…they always are.  Indiana lost its best player when Kellen Lewis was kicked off the team before the spring.  Lewis would have been moved to wide receiver this year to make way for junior Ben Chappell, who showed flashes of decency last season. 

The defense could actually be okay this year, with a solid pass rush from ends Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew.  Middleton will draw a lot of double-teams and Kirlew should be good enough to take advantage of the one-on-one match-ups that result.  For whatever it’s worth, the Hoosiers have experience at the linebacker spot, forming a very un-Indiana-like front seven. 

The offensive line also has some experience, with Rodger Saffold anchoring the unit at tackle.  Losing Kellen Lewis and graduating Marcus Thigpen hurts IU’s offense a ton though.  Without those two, the Hoosiers lack playmakers.  Though the wide receivers could be decent, the Hoosiers running game won’t be enough to get the job done and they’ll finish last in the league again. 

Look for Indiana to lose to another MAC team this year (Western Michigan) and possibly get shut out in the Big Ten until their annual suck-fest against Purdue in the last game of the year.

Related Posts:

• Big Ten Preview: Northwestern (1)
• Big Ten Preview: Minnesota (0)
• Big Ten Preview: Purdue (1)
• Big Ten Setting Annoying Precedent (1)
• Martez Wilson out for the Season (3)
• Big Ten Power Rankings – Preseason (3)
• Big Ten Media Days Signal Football is Back — Almost (3)

Tags: Ben Chappell, Big Ten, College Football, Hoosiers, Indiana, Kellen Lewis, Preview