The pressure is mostly on quarterbacks and a few head coaches throughout the Big Ten heading into the 2015 college football season.
Ohio State and Michigan State open up as the overwhelming favorites to win the conference given their preseason rankings at No. 5 and No. 6 in the Amway Coaches Poll, but the rest of the Big Ten is riddled with uncertainty.
Outside of the Buckeyes’ J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones and the Spartans’ Connor Cook, every team in the Big Ten is in danger of potentially unsteady play at quarterback. This also includes Penn State and junior Christian Hackenberg, who is entering his third season under center in State College, Pennsylvania.
Several coaches, like Illinois’ Tim Beckman, are in critical need of strong seasons, or they could be looking for a new job.
These make up the bulk of issues across the conference, but there remain a few other unique obstacles for certain programs. Here is a look at the biggest question facing each Big Ten school this upcoming season.