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P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >> EAST WEST DIVISION DIVISION BIG TEN OFFENSIVE DEFENSIVE BIGGEST CHAMPION CHAMPION CHAMPION MVP MVP STORYLINE Ohio State Wisconsin Ohio State Jonathan Chase Once again, a one-loss Big Taylor Young Ten champ gets left out Wisconsin Ohio State of the playo5, providing the impetus for realignment. Ohio State Nebraska Ohio State Jonathan Chase Penn State upsets Taylor Young Michigan, setting up a Big Wisconsin Ohio State Ten championship run in 2020. Ohio State Nebraska Ohio State Adrian Chase Even with a new QB and Martinez Young coach, Ohio State still has Nebraska Ohio State Michigan's number, beating the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Michigan St. Minnesota Michigan St. Jonathan Yetur Michigan finally beats Ohio Taylor Gross-Matos State, but it opens the door Wisconsin Penn State for rival Michigan State to play for the league title. NATE BAUER WEBSITE EDITOR PHIL GROSZ BWI PUBLISHER MATT HERB MAGAZINE EDITOR RYAN SNYDER RECRUITING REPORTER S T A F F P R E D I C T I O N S is a pivotal game for the direction of Harbaugh's tenure. A win against the Buckeyes unlocks the rest of Michigan's goals. BILL BENDER THE SPORTING NEWS A9er three years at Alabama, [Michael] Locksley sometimes speaks in Nick Saban-isms, the same ones circu- lating through programs around the country as athletic directors pluck Crimson Tide assistants to lead their teams. But Locksley has never pledged to follow a copy-and-paste model; he's not trying to treat Maryland just like Al- abama. He's comfortable in himself, this program and how the two work together. Alabama shelters assistants from the public, usually limiting media appear- ances to those mandated by postseason games. Locksley said he enjoyed the setup because it allowed him to only worry about his coaching duties. Now he's the face of a program again, and his players say he's the perfect 7t. EMILY GIAMBALVO WASHINGTON POST OK, let's get the jokes out of the way. Have you heard the one about the 7rst Rutgers team – from 150 years ago – being more competitive than today's group? It's an ironic anniversary for col- lege football. Rutgers played in the 7rst college football game (1896) but sits last in the Big Ten. It's hard to remember Ash was a co-defensive coordinator at mighty Ohio State. His Rutgers teams are 7-29 through three seasons. The Scarlet Knights last beat an FBS team in 2016. As bad as Rutgers has been, it's not a good sign the program cratered in Year 3 under Ash at 1-11. Just getting through Novem- ber may be a challenge – Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State end the season. DENNIS DODD CBSSPORTS.COM If Penn State is not successful against its biggest Big Ten East division rivals, they'll have a tough time making it to the Big Ten Conference championship, to say nothing of the College Football Play- o8. Last year, this year and every year. "We Are…Better" has to be good enough to get two wins out of Ohio State, Michi- gan State and Michigan nearly each and every season. Those wins mean more. They not only elevate Penn State, they push their biggest hurdles to the Big Ten title game deeper in the standings. MIKE POORMAN STATECOLLEGE.COM [Scott Frost] elected to bring his young quarterback to media days, something that is usually reserved for Nebraska seniors. But with few o8en- sive seniors returning this year and the fact that Frost expects [Adrian] Mar- tinez to be one of his team's top players and leaders this fall, he decided his quarterback earned the chance to repre- sent Nebraska as a face of the program this week. "He's as good a player as we have, and I think as good a player as a lot of people have around the country, so he deserves to be here," Frost said. "Coaches also kind of think we've got to bring a guy that is going to speak well to represent us and say and do the right things – and he's the poster child for that. He deserves to be in the spotlight. He can handle it. He's ready for it, and he's here." EDWARD ASCHOFF ESPN.COM

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