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The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

The NFL season has surpassed its midway point and the chase to the playoffs has begun to get serious. We enter week ten of the NFL season this coming weekend and we have just about finished separating the contenders from the pretenders this season.

Week ten of the NFL season means we are just a couple weeks away from being done with bye weeks for all 32 teams and the playoff chase really hits high gear. I want to take a look at the top ten teams in the NFL as we enter week ten.

There have been surprises throughout the league, as there is every year, but this year that seems to happen on a weekly basis. In a league like the NFL where parity is so common it makes for great discussions as to who are the best teams in the league.

Here are our top ten at ten. Week ten of the season is here and this is who we see as the best ten teams in the NFL so far in 2014.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

9. Seattle Seahawks

8. Green Bay Packers

7. Dallas Cowboys

6. Indianapolis Colts

5. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Denver Broncos

2. Arizona Cardinals

1. New England Patriots

So, here is how I see the NFL’s top ten teams as we enter week ten. It is still a long way to go until we reach crunch time, but these ten teams appear to be the cream of the crop in this 2014 NFL season.

The Patriots dominant performance over the Broncos got them the top spot with the Cardinals right behind them just missing out being number one. The favorites to reach Super Bowl 49, as of now, would appear to be the Patriots and Cardinals.

It has been a great season so far and it is sure to get only better as we get closer to playoff time. The 2014 NFL season has been a mystery waiting to be solved, but these ten teams have found a way to navigate their way into our top ten NFL teams entering week ten.

Week Nine was somewhat of a lackluster weekend in college football, as most matchups when as expected, and the big games would be considered mediocre most other weeks.  Maybe teams wanted to take a mid-season breather, perhaps everyone was simply waiting for the playoff committee’s first set of rankings to come out, or quite possibly this was merely the calm before the storm.  As the first top 25 list is released this Tuesday night, we will get our first look at who has a legitimate chance in the eyes of the all-knowing council of college football gurus who are running this new fangled playoff, and teams will have a chance to demonstrate they are deserving of their ranking or prove the elders wrong for leaving them off the list.  This is Week Ten in college football, and it is all about playoff appeal.

Playoff Appeal

The week kicks off with Florida State travelling to Louisville on Thursday night.  While the Seminoles will be favorites even on the road, the Cardinals boast the fourth stingiest defense in the country, and are undefeated thus far at home, outscoring opponents 147-62.  While Florida State may be the defending champions, the playoff  committee can show some actual knowledge by not placing them in the number one spot based on their performance thus far this year.  This is a chance for the Seminoles to make a statement on a Thursday night under the lights.

While neither of these teams are likely to be near the top spot come Tuesday, TCU and West Virginia are both peaking at the right time and quickly climbing the polls.  West Virginia followed up their win over previously undefeated Baylor with a beat down of Oklahoma State on the road and host the Horn Frogs in Week Ten.  TCU, however, has been lighting people up, as the team known just a few years ago for the toughest defense in the country currently has the number one ranked scoring offense, putting up an obscene 82 points last week against Texas Tech.  Those 82 points set a record for points scored in a Big 12 conference game.  Read that again, TCU set a record for scoring in the Big 12, that is an absurd accomplishment and one that the Horned Frog’s opponents should take note of.

Speaking of previously undefeated Baylor, they are desperately hoping winning out will be enough to get them into the four team playoff.  A Week Ten matchup hosting Kansas, however, won’t be turning any heads unless the Bears find a way to lose.  The Jayhawks have only beat one FBS team this year and rank nearly dead less in both passing offense and scoring offense.

Another top team that will only make a splash if they lose this week is Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs host Arkansas, who despite being undefeated in their extremely soft non-conference schedule, have yet to win an SEC game.  That being said, they took Texas A&M to overtime and lost to Alabama late by only one, so maybe this is the Razorbacks’ week to close one out.

Across the country, the Pac-12 will be showcasing some key matchups in Week Ten.  The biggest is likely Stanford’s trip to Oregon to take on the Ducks.  While Oregon will be the favorite again this year, Stanford has upset the Ducks two years in a row and won three of the past five.  Marcus Mariota has Oregon reaching for the playoff if they can win out, but Stanford is more than capable of playing spoiler yet again.

Staying in the Pac-12, the South Division race will become much clearer as well as two key matchups go down.  One loss Arizona travels to preseason favorite UCLA while the other two one loss teams face off as Arizona State hosts Utah.  All four teams won in Week Nine, so two of these teams will keep it rolling, while two others will fall behind.

Turning to the Independents, Notre Dame returns to action this week after their disappointing “loss” to Florida State two weeks ago.  They will attempt to reach the playoff despite their loss on the back of their strength of schedule, but likely won’t make it if they drop another one.  As long as they don’t have a big game hangover, they should get back on track in Week Ten against a good but not great Navy team on the road.

Finally, in one of the emerging threats to make the final four, Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State after blanking Texas in Week Nine.  While the Wildcats’ only loss has been by six points to top five ranked Auburn in Week Three, they are also entering the meat of their schedule.  After topping Oklahoma and shutting out Texas, Bill Snyder’s squad has to take on the Cowboys in Week Ten, then hit the road against red hot TCU, West Virginia and Baylor.  The Wildcats better not look past Oklahoma State this week as the Cowboys held tight with West Virginia in Week Nine for three solid quarters.

Local Flavor

Bringing some local flavor to Week Ten is one of the oldest neutral site rivalries in the country, as the meeting between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville draws so many fans, parties and tailgates it’s known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.  This rivalry is so intense that the two schools don’t even agree on the series record.  Regardless of the exact wins and losses, the series has been fairly split over the years and Georgia has won the last three, but anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Game of the Week

The Week Ten Game of the Week showcases two highly ranked SEC teams as one loss Auburn travels to one loss Ole Miss.  Both of these teams are likely to sit in the top ten of the first ever college football playoff rankings, however, both faltered in Week Nine.  Auburn struggled for four quarters to top a diminished South Carolina squad that has only won two conference games, while Ole Miss suffered their first loss to LSU on the road as their defense was solid, but their offense couldn’t put up even ten points to grab a victory.  Despite the loss, Ole Miss still controls its own destiny in the SEC and LSU could Auburn could likely reach the playoff if they finish with only a single loss.  For one of these teams, a second loss on the season will likely put them out of the race for good.

Pillow Fight of the Week

The Pillow Fight of the Week pairs two recent additions to the FBS, as Georgia State travels to Appalachian State.  The Mountaineers have racked up some decent offensive stats against terrible competition, but their defense has been atrocious, again, against terrible competition.  Georgia State on the other hand has been bad across the board, losing every game thus far besides their opener against FCS Abilene Christian.  The Panthers’ penchant for throwing the ball down field, however, gives them a chance in every game, as they rank in the top 25 in passing yards.

Week Nine was somewhat of a lackluster weekend in college football, as most matchups when as expected, and the big games would be considered mediocre most other weeks.  Maybe teams wanted to take a mid-season breather, perhaps everyone was simply waiting for the playoff committee’s first set of rankings to come out, or quite possibly this was merely the calm before the storm.  As the first top 25 list is released this Tuesday night, we will get our first look at who has a legitimate chance in the eyes of the all-knowing council of college football gurus who are running this new fangled playoff, and teams will have a chance to demonstrate they are deserving of their ranking or prove the elders wrong for leaving them off the list.  This is Week Ten in college football, and it is all about playoff appeal.

Playoff Appeal

The week kicks off with Florida State travelling to Louisville on Thursday night.  While the Seminoles will be favorites even on the road, the Cardinals boast the fourth stingiest defense in the country, and are undefeated thus far at home, outscoring opponents 147-62.  While Florida State may be the defending champions, the playoff  committee can show some actual knowledge by not placing them in the number one spot based on their performance thus far this year.  This is a chance for the Seminoles to make a statement on a Thursday night under the lights.

While neither of these teams are likely to be near the top spot come Tuesday, TCU and West Virginia are both peaking at the right time and quickly climbing the polls.  West Virginia followed up their win over previously undefeated Baylor with a beat down of Oklahoma State on the road and host the Horn Frogs in Week Ten.  TCU, however, has been lighting people up, as the team known just a few years ago for the toughest defense in the country currently has the number one ranked scoring offense, putting up an obscene 82 points last week against Texas Tech.  Those 82 points set a record for points scored in a Big 12 conference game.  Read that again, TCU set a record for scoring in the Big 12, that is an absurd accomplishment and one that the Horned Frog’s opponents should take note of.

Speaking of previously undefeated Baylor, they are desperately hoping winning out will be enough to get them into the four team playoff.  A Week Ten matchup hosting Kansas, however, won’t be turning any heads unless the Bears find a way to lose.  The Jayhawks have only beat one FBS team this year and rank nearly dead less in both passing offense and scoring offense.

Another top team that will only make a splash if they lose this week is Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs host Arkansas, who despite being undefeated in their extremely soft non-conference schedule, have yet to win an SEC game.  That being said, they took Texas A&M to overtime and lost to Alabama late by only one, so maybe this is the Razorbacks’ week to close one out.

Across the country, the Pac-12 will be showcasing some key matchups in Week Ten.  The biggest is likely Stanford’s trip to Oregon to take on the Ducks.  While Oregon will be the favorite again this year, Stanford has upset the Ducks two years in a row and won three of the past five.  Marcus Mariota has Oregon reaching for the playoff if they can win out, but Stanford is more than capable of playing spoiler yet again.

Staying in the Pac-12, the South Division race will become much clearer as well as two key matchups go down.  One loss Arizona travels to preseason favorite UCLA while the other two one loss teams face off as Arizona State hosts Utah.  All four teams won in Week Nine, so two of these teams will keep it rolling, while two others will fall behind.

Turning to the Independents, Notre Dame returns to action this week after their disappointing “loss” to Florida State two weeks ago.  They will attempt to reach the playoff despite their loss on the back of their strength of schedule, but likely won’t make it if they drop another one.  As long as they don’t have a big game hangover, they should get back on track in Week Ten against a good but not great Navy team on the road.

Finally, in one of the emerging threats to make the final four, Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State after blanking Texas in Week Nine.  While the Wildcats’ only loss has been by six points to top five ranked Auburn in Week Three, they are also entering the meat of their schedule.  After topping Oklahoma and shutting out Texas, Bill Snyder’s squad has to take on the Cowboys in Week Ten, then hit the road against red hot TCU, West Virginia and Baylor.  The Wildcats better not look past Oklahoma State this week as the Cowboys held tight with West Virginia in Week Nine for three solid quarters.

Local Flavor

Bringing some local flavor to Week Ten is one of the oldest neutral site rivalries in the country, as the meeting between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville draws so many fans, parties and tailgates it’s known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.  This rivalry is so intense that the two schools don’t even agree on the series record.  Regardless of the exact wins and losses, the series has been fairly split over the years and Georgia has won the last three, but anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Game of the Week

The Week Ten Game of the Week showcases two highly ranked SEC teams as one loss Auburn travels to one loss Ole Miss.  Both of these teams are likely to sit in the top ten of the first ever college football playoff rankings, however, both faltered in Week Nine.  Auburn struggled for four quarters to top a diminished South Carolina squad that has only won two conference games, while Ole Miss suffered their first loss to LSU on the road as their defense was solid, but their offense couldn’t put up even ten points to grab a victory.  Despite the loss, Ole Miss still controls its own destiny in the SEC and LSU could Auburn could likely reach the playoff if they finish with only a single loss.  For one of these teams, a second loss on the season will likely put them out of the race for good.

Pillow Fight of the Week

The Pillow Fight of the Week pairs two recent additions to the FBS, as Georgia State travels to Appalachian State.  The Mountaineers have racked up some decent offensive stats against terrible competition, but their defense has been atrocious, again, against terrible competition.  Georgia State on the other hand has been bad across the board, losing every game thus far besides their opener against FCS Abilene Christian.  The Panthers’ penchant for throwing the ball down field, however, gives them a chance in every game, as they rank in the top 25 in passing yards.

Week Nine was somewhat of a lackluster weekend in college football, as most matchups when as expected, and the big games would be considered mediocre most other weeks.  Maybe teams wanted to take a mid-season breather, perhaps everyone was simply waiting for the playoff committee’s first set of rankings to come out, or quite possibly this was merely the calm before the storm.  As the first top 25 list is released this Tuesday night, we will get our first look at who has a legitimate chance in the eyes of the all-knowing council of college football gurus who are running this new fangled playoff, and teams will have a chance to demonstrate they are deserving of their ranking or prove the elders wrong for leaving them off the list.  This is Week Ten in college football, and it is all about playoff appeal.

Playoff Appeal

The week kicks off with Florida State travelling to Louisville on Thursday night.  While the Seminoles will be favorites even on the road, the Cardinals boast the fourth stingiest defense in the country, and are undefeated thus far at home, outscoring opponents 147-62.  While Florida State may be the defending champions, the playoff  committee can show some actual knowledge by not placing them in the number one spot based on their performance thus far this year.  This is a chance for the Seminoles to make a statement on a Thursday night under the lights.

While neither of these teams are likely to be near the top spot come Tuesday, TCU and West Virginia are both peaking at the right time and quickly climbing the polls.  West Virginia followed up their win over previously undefeated Baylor with a beat down of Oklahoma State on the road and host the Horn Frogs in Week Ten.  TCU, however, has been lighting people up, as the team known just a few years ago for the toughest defense in the country currently has the number one ranked scoring offense, putting up an obscene 82 points last week against Texas Tech.  Those 82 points set a record for points scored in a Big 12 conference game.  Read that again, TCU set a record for scoring in the Big 12, that is an absurd accomplishment and one that the Horned Frog’s opponents should take note of.

Speaking of previously undefeated Baylor, they are desperately hoping winning out will be enough to get them into the four team playoff.  A Week Ten matchup hosting Kansas, however, won’t be turning any heads unless the Bears find a way to lose.  The Jayhawks have only beat one FBS team this year and rank nearly dead less in both passing offense and scoring offense.

Another top team that will only make a splash if they lose this week is Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs host Arkansas, who despite being undefeated in their extremely soft non-conference schedule, have yet to win an SEC game.  That being said, they took Texas A&M to overtime and lost to Alabama late by only one, so maybe this is the Razorbacks’ week to close one out.

Across the country, the Pac-12 will be showcasing some key matchups in Week Ten.  The biggest is likely Stanford’s trip to Oregon to take on the Ducks.  While Oregon will be the favorite again this year, Stanford has upset the Ducks two years in a row and won three of the past five.  Marcus Mariota has Oregon reaching for the playoff if they can win out, but Stanford is more than capable of playing spoiler yet again.

Staying in the Pac-12, the South Division race will become much clearer as well as two key matchups go down.  One loss Arizona travels to preseason favorite UCLA while the other two one loss teams face off as Arizona State hosts Utah.  All four teams won in Week Nine, so two of these teams will keep it rolling, while two others will fall behind.

Turning to the Independents, Notre Dame returns to action this week after their disappointing “loss” to Florida State two weeks ago.  They will attempt to reach the playoff despite their loss on the back of their strength of schedule, but likely won’t make it if they drop another one.  As long as they don’t have a big game hangover, they should get back on track in Week Ten against a good but not great Navy team on the road.

Finally, in one of the emerging threats to make the final four, Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State after blanking Texas in Week Nine.  While the Wildcats’ only loss has been by six points to top five ranked Auburn in Week Three, they are also entering the meat of their schedule.  After topping Oklahoma and shutting out Texas, Bill Snyder’s squad has to take on the Cowboys in Week Ten, then hit the road against red hot TCU, West Virginia and Baylor.  The Wildcats better not look past Oklahoma State this week as the Cowboys held tight with West Virginia in Week Nine for three solid quarters.

Local Flavor

Bringing some local flavor to Week Ten is one of the oldest neutral site rivalries in the country, as the meeting between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville draws so many fans, parties and tailgates it’s known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.  This rivalry is so intense that the two schools don’t even agree on the series record.  Regardless of the exact wins and losses, the series has been fairly split over the years and Georgia has won the last three, but anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Game of the Week

The Week Ten Game of the Week showcases two highly ranked SEC teams as one loss Auburn travels to one loss Ole Miss.  Both of these teams are likely to sit in the top ten of the first ever college football playoff rankings, however, both faltered in Week Nine.  Auburn struggled for four quarters to top a diminished South Carolina squad that has only won two conference games, while Ole Miss suffered their first loss to LSU on the road as their defense was solid, but their offense couldn’t put up even ten points to grab a victory.  Despite the loss, Ole Miss still controls its own destiny in the SEC and LSU could Auburn could likely reach the playoff if they finish with only a single loss.  For one of these teams, a second loss on the season will likely put them out of the race for good.

Pillow Fight of the Week

The Pillow Fight of the Week pairs two recent additions to the FBS, as Georgia State travels to Appalachian State.  The Mountaineers have racked up some decent offensive stats against terrible competition, but their defense has been atrocious, again, against terrible competition.  Georgia State on the other hand has been bad across the board, losing every game thus far besides their opener against FCS Abilene Christian.  The Panthers’ penchant for throwing the ball down field, however, gives them a chance in every game, as they rank in the top 25 in passing yards.

Week Nine was somewhat of a lackluster weekend in college football, as most matchups when as expected, and the big games would be considered mediocre most other weeks.  Maybe teams wanted to take a mid-season breather, perhaps everyone was simply waiting for the playoff committee’s first set of rankings to come out, or quite possibly this was merely the calm before the storm.  As the first top 25 list is released this Tuesday night, we will get our first look at who has a legitimate chance in the eyes of the all-knowing council of college football gurus who are running this new fangled playoff, and teams will have a chance to demonstrate they are deserving of their ranking or prove the elders wrong for leaving them off the list.  This is Week Ten in college football, and it is all about playoff appeal.

Playoff Appeal

The week kicks off with Florida State travelling to Louisville on Thursday night.  While the Seminoles will be favorites even on the road, the Cardinals boast the fourth stingiest defense in the country, and are undefeated thus far at home, outscoring opponents 147-62.  While Florida State may be the defending champions, the playoff  committee can show some actual knowledge by not placing them in the number one spot based on their performance thus far this year.  This is a chance for the Seminoles to make a statement on a Thursday night under the lights.

While neither of these teams are likely to be near the top spot come Tuesday, TCU and West Virginia are both peaking at the right time and quickly climbing the polls.  West Virginia followed up their win over previously undefeated Baylor with a beat down of Oklahoma State on the road and host the Horn Frogs in Week Ten.  TCU, however, has been lighting people up, as the team known just a few years ago for the toughest defense in the country currently has the number one ranked scoring offense, putting up an obscene 82 points last week against Texas Tech.  Those 82 points set a record for points scored in a Big 12 conference game.  Read that again, TCU set a record for scoring in the Big 12, that is an absurd accomplishment and one that the Horned Frog’s opponents should take note of.

Speaking of previously undefeated Baylor, they are desperately hoping winning out will be enough to get them into the four team playoff.  A Week Ten matchup hosting Kansas, however, won’t be turning any heads unless the Bears find a way to lose.  The Jayhawks have only beat one FBS team this year and rank nearly dead less in both passing offense and scoring offense.

Another top team that will only make a splash if they lose this week is Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs host Arkansas, who despite being undefeated in their extremely soft non-conference schedule, have yet to win an SEC game.  That being said, they took Texas A&M to overtime and lost to Alabama late by only one, so maybe this is the Razorbacks’ week to close one out.

Across the country, the Pac-12 will be showcasing some key matchups in Week Ten.  The biggest is likely Stanford’s trip to Oregon to take on the Ducks.  While Oregon will be the favorite again this year, Stanford has upset the Ducks two years in a row and won three of the past five.  Marcus Mariota has Oregon reaching for the playoff if they can win out, but Stanford is more than capable of playing spoiler yet again.

Staying in the Pac-12, the South Division race will become much clearer as well as two key matchups go down.  One loss Arizona travels to preseason favorite UCLA while the other two one loss teams face off as Arizona State hosts Utah.  All four teams won in Week Nine, so two of these teams will keep it rolling, while two others will fall behind.

Turning to the Independents, Notre Dame returns to action this week after their disappointing “loss” to Florida State two weeks ago.  They will attempt to reach the playoff despite their loss on the back of their strength of schedule, but likely won’t make it if they drop another one.  As long as they don’t have a big game hangover, they should get back on track in Week Ten against a good but not great Navy team on the road.

Finally, in one of the emerging threats to make the final four, Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State after blanking Texas in Week Nine.  While the Wildcats’ only loss has been by six points to top five ranked Auburn in Week Three, they are also entering the meat of their schedule.  After topping Oklahoma and shutting out Texas, Bill Snyder’s squad has to take on the Cowboys in Week Ten, then hit the road against red hot TCU, West Virginia and Baylor.  The Wildcats better not look past Oklahoma State this week as the Cowboys held tight with West Virginia in Week Nine for three solid quarters.

Local Flavor

Bringing some local flavor to Week Ten is one of the oldest neutral site rivalries in the country, as the meeting between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville draws so many fans, parties and tailgates it’s known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.  This rivalry is so intense that the two schools don’t even agree on the series record.  Regardless of the exact wins and losses, the series has been fairly split over the years and Georgia has won the last three, but anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Game of the Week

The Week Ten Game of the Week showcases two highly ranked SEC teams as one loss Auburn travels to one loss Ole Miss.  Both of these teams are likely to sit in the top ten of the first ever college football playoff rankings, however, both faltered in Week Nine.  Auburn struggled for four quarters to top a diminished South Carolina squad that has only won two conference games, while Ole Miss suffered their first loss to LSU on the road as their defense was solid, but their offense couldn’t put up even ten points to grab a victory.  Despite the loss, Ole Miss still controls its own destiny in the SEC and LSU could Auburn could likely reach the playoff if they finish with only a single loss.  For one of these teams, a second loss on the season will likely put them out of the race for good.

Pillow Fight of the Week

The Pillow Fight of the Week pairs two recent additions to the FBS, as Georgia State travels to Appalachian State.  The Mountaineers have racked up some decent offensive stats against terrible competition, but their defense has been atrocious, again, against terrible competition.  Georgia State on the other hand has been bad across the board, losing every game thus far besides their opener against FCS Abilene Christian.  The Panthers’ penchant for throwing the ball down field, however, gives them a chance in every game, as they rank in the top 25 in passing yards.

Week Nine was somewhat of a lackluster weekend in college football, as most matchups when as expected, and the big games would be considered mediocre most other weeks.  Maybe teams wanted to take a mid-season breather, perhaps everyone was simply waiting for the playoff committee’s first set of rankings to come out, or quite possibly this was merely the calm before the storm.  As the first top 25 list is released this Tuesday night, we will get our first look at who has a legitimate chance in the eyes of the all-knowing council of college football gurus who are running this new fangled playoff, and teams will have a chance to demonstrate they are deserving of their ranking or prove the elders wrong for leaving them off the list.  This is Week Ten in college football, and it is all about playoff appeal.

Playoff Appeal

The week kicks off with Florida State travelling to Louisville on Thursday night.  While the Seminoles will be favorites even on the road, the Cardinals boast the fourth stingiest defense in the country, and are undefeated thus far at home, outscoring opponents 147-62.  While Florida State may be the defending champions, the playoff  committee can show some actual knowledge by not placing them in the number one spot based on their performance thus far this year.  This is a chance for the Seminoles to make a statement on a Thursday night under the lights.

While neither of these teams are likely to be near the top spot come Tuesday, TCU and West Virginia are both peaking at the right time and quickly climbing the polls.  West Virginia followed up their win over previously undefeated Baylor with a beat down of Oklahoma State on the road and host the Horn Frogs in Week Ten.  TCU, however, has been lighting people up, as the team known just a few years ago for the toughest defense in the country currently has the number one ranked scoring offense, putting up an obscene 82 points last week against Texas Tech.  Those 82 points set a record for points scored in a Big 12 conference game.  Read that again, TCU set a record for scoring in the Big 12, that is an absurd accomplishment and one that the Horned Frog’s opponents should take note of.

Speaking of previously undefeated Baylor, they are desperately hoping winning out will be enough to get them into the four team playoff.  A Week Ten matchup hosting Kansas, however, won’t be turning any heads unless the Bears find a way to lose.  The Jayhawks have only beat one FBS team this year and rank nearly dead less in both passing offense and scoring offense.

Another top team that will only make a splash if they lose this week is Mississippi State.  The Bulldogs host Arkansas, who despite being undefeated in their extremely soft non-conference schedule, have yet to win an SEC game.  That being said, they took Texas A&M to overtime and lost to Alabama late by only one, so maybe this is the Razorbacks’ week to close one out.

Across the country, the Pac-12 will be showcasing some key matchups in Week Ten.  The biggest is likely Stanford’s trip to Oregon to take on the Ducks.  While Oregon will be the favorite again this year, Stanford has upset the Ducks two years in a row and won three of the past five.  Marcus Mariota has Oregon reaching for the playoff if they can win out, but Stanford is more than capable of playing spoiler yet again.

Staying in the Pac-12, the South Division race will become much clearer as well as two key matchups go down.  One loss Arizona travels to preseason favorite UCLA while the other two one loss teams face off as Arizona State hosts Utah.  All four teams won in Week Nine, so two of these teams will keep it rolling, while two others will fall behind.

Turning to the Independents, Notre Dame returns to action this week after their disappointing “loss” to Florida State two weeks ago.  They will attempt to reach the playoff despite their loss on the back of their strength of schedule, but likely won’t make it if they drop another one.  As long as they don’t have a big game hangover, they should get back on track in Week Ten against a good but not great Navy team on the road.

Finally, in one of the emerging threats to make the final four, Kansas State hosts Oklahoma State after blanking Texas in Week Nine.  While the Wildcats’ only loss has been by six points to top five ranked Auburn in Week Three, they are also entering the meat of their schedule.  After topping Oklahoma and shutting out Texas, Bill Snyder’s squad has to take on the Cowboys in Week Ten, then hit the road against red hot TCU, West Virginia and Baylor.  The Wildcats better not look past Oklahoma State this week as the Cowboys held tight with West Virginia in Week Nine for three solid quarters.

Local Flavor

Bringing some local flavor to Week Ten is one of the oldest neutral site rivalries in the country, as the meeting between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville draws so many fans, parties and tailgates it’s known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.  This rivalry is so intense that the two schools don’t even agree on the series record.  Regardless of the exact wins and losses, the series has been fairly split over the years and Georgia has won the last three, but anything can happen in a rivalry game.

Game of the Week

The Week Ten Game of the Week showcases two highly ranked SEC teams as one loss Auburn travels to one loss Ole Miss.  Both of these teams are likely to sit in the top ten of the first ever college football playoff rankings, however, both faltered in Week Nine.  Auburn struggled for four quarters to top a diminished South Carolina squad that has only won two conference games, while Ole Miss suffered their first loss to LSU on the road as their defense was solid, but their offense couldn’t put up even ten points to grab a victory.  Despite the loss, Ole Miss still controls its own destiny in the SEC and LSU could Auburn could likely reach the playoff if they finish with only a single loss.  For one of these teams, a second loss on the season will likely put them out of the race for good.

Pillow Fight of the Week

The Pillow Fight of the Week pairs two recent additions to the FBS, as Georgia State travels to Appalachian State.  The Mountaineers have racked up some decent offensive stats against terrible competition, but their defense has been atrocious, again, against terrible competition.  Georgia State on the other hand has been bad across the board, losing every game thus far besides their opener against FCS Abilene Christian.  The Panthers’ penchant for throwing the ball down field, however, gives them a chance in every game, as they rank in the top 25 in passing yards.

After a horrible first five weeks of the season for the Big Ten Conference, the schedules for this prestigious conference finally get in full gear this weekend.

The Big Ten has been crucified for their play in the first five weeks of the 2014 season and rightfully so. They have had horrible out of conference losses and power teams, like Michigan, that look like a shell of themselves this season.

The Wolverines lost their third game this past Saturday to Minnesota. This marked the first time in Michigan’s 135 year history of college football that they have lost three games before the end of September.

To think about that stat is mind blowing, but also shows just how far Michigan has fallen off under Head Coach Brady Hoke. The Wolverines are all but certain to have a new head coach in 2015, but as for now they must put the pieces to together and finish a tough 2014 season.

The surprise of the Big Ten so far this year may be one of the new comers to the conference and that is the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Scarlet Knights have been one of the most impressive teams so far in 2014 and could be a contender in a very weak Big Ten.

With all this being said, someone has to win the Big Ten in 2014. The frontrunner at this point has to be the Michigan State Spartans. The Spartans suffered a double digit defeat to a top five Oregon Ducks team in Eugene, Oregon in week two. The score was misleading in that matchup because the Spartans had control of the game until the fourth quarter.

Let’s take a look at the Week Six slate in the Big Ten and predict who wins and the scores to each game.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Maryland Terrapins- Ohio State Buckeyes win in a shootout 44-38

Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Michigan State Spartans- Michigan State Spartans use their home field advantage to win 31-23

Michigan Wolverines @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights- Rutgers Scarlet Knights continue the misery for Michigan by defeating the Wolverines 34-17

North Texas Mean Green @ Indiana Hoosiers- Indiana Hoosiers use their explosive offense to outscore North Texas 41-20

Wisconsin Badgers @ Northwestern Wildcats- Wisconsin Badgers hand the struggling Wildcats another tough defeat as the Badgers win 38-17

Purdue Boilermakers @ Illinois Fighting Illini- Illinois will find a way to win a typical ugly Big Ten game 24-14

So, this is how I see the Big Ten slate turning out in Week Six. It’s a conference under a lot of fire for a number of reasons. The marquee matchup of Week Six and possibly of the season is Michigan State vs. Nebraska.

I believe Michigan State wins this battle thanks to home field and this will put the Spartans in the driver’s seat to win the Big Ten along with the Wisconsin Badgers. It will be an interesting week in the Big Ten, but the battle of regaining creditability is a long way from being complete.

Urban Meyer has been the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes for two years, during which he's compiled a 24-2 record, had two undefeated regular seasons, not to mention two wins over Michigan. However, he has yet to win a Big Ten title, a national championship or a BCS Bowl. It is true that 2012 was limited by sanctions, including a bowl ban, but that doesn't change the facts.

Heading into year three, the Buckeyes were the favorites to win their division and the conference. Then the bottom fell out. Ohio State's quarterback, two-time Silver Football winner and a contender for the Heisman, Braxton Miller, injured his right shoulder, taking him out for the season.

Meyer, a two-time national championship-winning head coach at Florida, will have a much tougher path to a conference or a national championship than he had at the beginning of August, but with the stockpile of talent in Columbus, it isn't out of the question.

Offensive Overview

2013 scoring offense: 45.5 PPG (first in the conference), total offense: 511.9 YPG (first), rushing YPC: 6.80 (first), passing efficiency: 158.83 (first)

Average scoring offense conference ranking over last five years: 3.2

Best scoring offense conference ranking over last five years: First (2012, 2013)

Worst scoring offense conference ranking over last five years: Eighth (2011)

Returning starters: WRs Devin Smith, Evan Spencer; TE Jeff Heuerman; OL Taylor Decker

Open Positions: QB, RB, OL

Offensive Formation: Spread

Offensive Philosophy: Get playmakers in space

Offensive Breakdown

Urban Meyer runs a strictly spread offense—no under-center looks, even in goalline situations—that focuses on versatile skill position players, most especially a dual-threat quarterback. Offensively, he has taken the Big Ten by storm, finishing at the top of the conference in scoring in both 2012 and 2013, but that was with six and nine returning starters. This year, he not only has to replace almost his entire offensive line and running back, but he has to replace his now-injured all-conference quarterback. This year might be his greatest accomplishment if he can produce a crew that can score over 30 PPG.

Offensive Outlook

For the past six months, you'd be hard pressed to find a publication, on-line or in print, that didn't have Braxton Miller as its first-team all-conference quarterback. Now, he's out for the year, and it looks like redshirt freshman and former Rivals 4-star recruit, J.T. Barrett, will take the snaps. He is a prototypical Meyer quarterback, though considerably smaller than Miller or former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. If Barrett doesn't pan out, sophomore Cardale Jones will have a shot. Jones played in three garbage-time situaitons last year.

With Miller out, OSU also loses the fourth of its top-four ball carriers from 2013, but it being OSU, there is plenty of talent on the roster. The probable top ball carrier is sophomore Ezekiel Elliot, who picked up 262 yards and two touchdowns last season, mostly in garbage time. He will be spelled by senior Rod Smith, junior Bri'onte Dunn and sophomore Warren Ball.

As with the running backs, despite losing their top receiver, the Buckeyes are loaded. 2013 Juco-commit, Corey Smith, will start, while senior Devin Smith will be the other starter. Last year, Smith had 44 receptions for 660 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior Evan Spencer (22 receptions for 216 yards) will provide depth. The rest of the receiving corps is largely untested. Sophomore Dontre Wilson, who came to OSU as a running back, is the starting H-back after catching 22 last year. Senior Jeff Heuerman returns at tight end. In 2013, he had 26 catches for 466 and four touchdowns. With an average of 17.92 YPC, he led all Buckeyes by over two YPC in stretching the field. Junior Nick Vannett will back him up.

The offensive line is a work-in-progress and, according to Phil Steele, is the second-least experienced in the conference and third-least experienced in the country. The only returning starter is junior left tackle Taylor Decker. The good news is that there is experience, at least within the program, amongst this group. The current starting lineup lists two seniors, two juniors and one sophomore as starters. The two-deep has three seniors, four juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen. The situation would look considerably more worrisome if it was mostly underclassmen.

In seven years of coaching between Florida and Ohio State, Urban Meyer's worst offenses were his first two seasons at Florida, in which his Gators scored 28.58 PPG and 29.71 PPG, respectively. It only once (2005) didn't finish as one of the top two scoring offenses in the conference. Before Miller's injury, the offensive line was an issue, but it was hard to see this offense finish any worse than second in the conference. After the injury, one has to expect a drop off, but it also won't fall apart. Top offense? No. Top three? Maybe. Top five and at least 30 PPG? Definitely.

Defensive Overview 

2013 scoring defense: 22.6 PPG (fifth in conference), total defense: 377.4 YPG (seventh), rushing YPC allowed: 3.29 (third), passing efficiency allowed: 133.99 (ninth)

Average scoring defense conference ranking over last five years: 4.0

Best scoring defense conference ranking over last five years: First (2010)

Worst scoring defense conference ranking over last five years: Sixth (2011, 2012)

Returning starters: DEs Noah Spence, Joey Bosa; DTs Adolphus Washington, Michael Bennett; LBs Joshua Perry, Curtis Grant; CB Doran Grant

Open positions: LB, CB, S

Defensive formation: 4-3 with a stand-up defensive end

Defensive philosophy: Attack

Defensive Breakdown

Even though Meyer is known for offense, he has fielded elite defenses. Three of his five Gators defenses were amongst the top two scoring defenses in the conference and top 10 in the country. However, his two Buckeyes defenses have been above-average at best. This led to a slight coaching shakeup in the offseason. Meyer hired a new co-defensive coordinator in Chris Ash and a new defensive line coach in former-Penn State coach Larry Johnson Sr.

Meyer's defenses are aggressive and focused on attacking, which makes them the antithesis of former OSU coach Jim Tressel's very successful, albeit conservative, defenses. Thus, perhaps the transition has played a part in the Buckeyes' lackluster performances. It hasn't been a lack of talent, as OSU has sent five defensive players into the NFL Draft in the last two years, two in the first round. That is three more than Michigan State, the conference's best defense two years running, has put into the Draft in the same time.

Whatever the issue, given the offense's woes, if Ohio State is to win the conference, the defense will have to lead the way.

Defensive Outlook

Man-for-man, the Buckeyes have one of the best, if not the best defensive line in the country. It begins with junior defensive end Noah Spence and sophomore end Joey Bosa. Last year, the two combined for 15 sacks and 27.5 tackles-for-loss. Spence, however, will sit out the first two games of the season due to a currently-contested rules violation from last year. That will likely put senior Steve Miller or sophomore Tyquan Lewis as the stand-up defensive end, at least for the first couple of games. The inside is loaded with senior Michael Bennett at nose tackle, while juniors Tommy Schutt and Adolphus Washington share snaps at defensive tackle. Schutt was slated to start last year, but missed much of the season with an injury.

At linebacker, OSU loses Ryan Shazier—15th pick in the NFL Draft—but have a strong group of starters. Senior Curtis Grant is a former No. 1 at-any-position recruit (per Rivals) who has never lived up to his billing. He missed time last season with injuries, but will have a chance to finish his career on an up-note. Junior Joshua Perry is the most steady of the Buckeyes' linebackers; he will man the weak side. A number of players are competing for time on the strong side. The most likely candidate to win the job is sophomore Darron Lee; nevertheless, redshirt freshman Chris Worley and sophomore Trey Johnson will push him. True freshman Raekwon McMillan will also supply depth. There are questions about this unit, but there is also plenty of talent.

OSU's biggest question is its secondary, where it has to replace three starters. However, last year, despite the talent, Ohio State had problems defending the pass. Specifically, the Buckeyes let up the most passing plays of 10-yards-or-more in the conference. Senior Doran Grant will lead the way at one cornerback. He is a three-year starter who had three picks last year. Junior Armani Reeves will likely hold down the other spot. He picked up three starts last year. Sophomores Tyvis Powell and Vonn Bell will take over as safeties; both played nickelback last year. The depth, though talented, is largely untested.

The talent is there, but the talent is always plentiful in Columbus.. At worst, this defense will be a top-five-in-the-conference crew, but in order for OSU to win the Big Ten, it will have to do more than that. It will have to be an elite defense, ranking amongst the top 10 in the country.

Specialists

Sophomore Cameron Johnston will return as the punter. Last year, his 44 YPP led the Big Ten. The Buckeyes will have to replace kicker Drew Basil. True freshman Sean Nuernberger will win the job.

The Buckeyes top kick returner, Dontre Wilson, returns. He averaged 24.90 YPR in 2013. Wilson will have an opportunity to take over punt returns, as OSU's top return man graduated.

Meyer, a former special teams coach, places emphasis on his special teams. This group could be one of the three best in the conference if Nuernberger is dependable.

Schedule

A pound sign—#—indicates must-win for Ohio State.

An exclamation point—!—indicates a probable loss.

A dollar sign—$—indicates a swing game.

08/30: Navy (in Baltimore) #
09/06: Virginia Tech $
09/13: Kent State #
09/20: Open
09/27: Cincinnati #
10/04: at Maryland $
10/11: Open
10/18: Rutgers #
10/25: at Penn State $
11/01: Illinois #
11/08: at Michigan State $
11/15: at Minnesota $
11/22: Indiana #
11/28: Michigan $

Best-Case Scenario

The defense announces itself immediately, shutting down Navy's triple option and Virginia Tech's zone read. The offense isn't what it was last year, but with a much stronger defense, it doesn't have to be. 

The Buckeyes go 4-0 in the out-of-conference (OOC) and shut down their first four conference opponents. At 8-0, they head into East Lansing and win a defensive slugfest. Two more wins and Michigan heads into Columbus. Ohio State wins another defensive fight, and at 12-0, head to the Big Ten Championship game for the second year in a row.

Worst-Case Scenario

Despite the star power, the defense can't bring it all together. The offense, while solid, is not spectacular.

OSU beats Navy, but has to leave the starters in the whole game. It loses to Virginia Tech, and then sweeps the other OOC games. Then the unthinkable happens—the Buckeyes lose to Maryland. They beat Rutgers, but turnovers cost them at Penn State. After winning the Illibuck, Michigan State's blitz heavy defense proves too much for the young quarterback. Ohio State wins two more, before dropping a heartbreaker to Michigan. OSU ends the season 8-4, but almost the entire team, including Braxton Miller, returns in 2015.

Prediction

Unfortunately for Buckeyes fans, this team is made for Tresselball— potentially strong defense, close games, control the clock. But ultra-aggressive Urban Meyer doesn't play Tresselball, and the last thing any coach or program wants to do is go against its basic nature. In order to be successful, Urban Meyer needs to be Urban Meyer, and until he demonstrates otherwise, it's hard to believe the defense can do what it will have to do in order for OSU to win the division and conference.

The Buckeyes will go 3-1 in the OOC, with the inexperienced offense getting overwhelmed by Virginia Tech's secondary—possibly the best in the country this year. It will win four straight in conference, but MSU's defensive physicality will prove too much. It will go on to win the rest of its schedule, including another nailbiter against Michigan, but after year three in Columbus, Urban Meyer will still have failed to win a conference or national championship.

Final Record: 10-2 (7-1 in conference)

Be Sure to Check Out the Full Preview of the Wisconsin Badgers

Coming Later This Week: A Full Preview of the Iowa Hawkeyes

Gary Andersen went 9-4 in his first year as the Badgers' head coach; by comparison, consider the year his predecessor had in Arkansas. However, with a good amount of talent, nine wins was something of an underachievement for last year's group. There was the Arizona State-debacle, which, unfortunately, took the game out of the players' hands, but UW also fell apart against Penn State with a shot at the Orange Bowl on the line.

This year, there isn't as much experienced talent on the team as last year, and the transition, especially on the defense, will be more palpable. But with a move to the Big Ten West, and a soft schedule, Wisconsin is the favorite to win its division and get to its third Big Ten Championship game in four years.

Offensive Overview

2013 scoring offense: 34.8 PPG (third in the conference), total offense: 480.8 YPG (third), rushing YPC: 6.62 (second), passing efficiency: 133.75 (sixth)

Average scoring offense conference ranking over last five years: 2.4

Best scoring offense conference ranking over last five years: First (2009, 2010, 2011)

Worst scoring offense conference ranking over last five years: Sixth (2012)

Returning starters: QB Joel Stave; RB Melvin Gordon; FB Derek Watt; WR Jordan Frederick; OL Dan Voltz, Kyle Costigan, Rob Havenstein, Tyler Marz, Dallas Lewallen

Open Positions: WR, TE

Offensive Formation: Power

Offensive Philosophy: Power rushing to wear defense down and control clock

Offensive Breakdown

It seems like Wisconsin has run the same offense forever, and it has worked forever. That offense is classic Big Ten football based on a massive offensive line, great running backs, and a quarterback who is more of a game manager than the focus of the offense. Andersen has made it clear he wants to remain true to the Badgers' roots, but he also wants to slowly augment those roots.

As Elliot Hughes from Isthmus.com reported, those augmentations include a mobile quarterback and more spread looks, as well as option and zone-read plays. However, those changes will take a few years and recruiting classes to implement. In effect, depending upon who wins the quarterback job, don't expect 2014 to be a far departure from classic Wisconsin power football.

Offensive Outlook

The quarterback will dictate how much the Badgers' offense will adjust. Junior Joel Stave is a two-year starter and a former walk-on. Despite his experience, he still has to battle for the starting position as Andy Baggot of Madison.com noted. Stave is a classic game manager in the Wisconsin-quarterback mold. He is immobile and probably doesn't have the talent to take over a game. Last year, he finished with a 138.13 efficiency rating and a 22:13 TD:Int ratio. It was a solid sophomore effort, but his inconsistency and inability to step up when needed was problematic. He threw three interceptions against Penn State which spelled the Badgers' doom and that loss was the likely difference between a trip to the Orange Bowl and the Cap One Bowl. Stave's competition comes from Tanner McEvoy, a junior who began his college career at South Carolina, transferred to a Juco, then transferred to Wisconsin. Even though he came to UW as a quarterback, he played safety last year; this spring saw a switch back to quarterback. Obviously, McEvoy is more in line with the athleticism Andersen wants in his quarterback.

At running back, it is another year and another potential All-American for Wisconsin. Junior Melvin Gordon will lead the way. In 2013, he had 1,609 yards, 7.81 YPC and 12 touchdowns. This year, the Heisman hype has already started. In Wisconsin's offense, there are plenty of touches to go around, and sophomore Corey Clement (547 yards, seven touchdowns) will get playing time. Taiwan Deal, a Rivals 4-star recruit, will have an opportunity to see the field as a true freshman. Derek Watt, who started at fullback last year, will play an expanded role this year, as the classic fullback role transitions into more of an H-back.

Receiver is wide open. The Badgers not only graduated their top four pass catchers, but they graduated Jared Abbrederis, a four-year starter, and UW's best receiver since Lee Evans. The returning wide receiver experience amounts to 64 career catches. The field of possible starters includes senior Kenzel Doe; junior Jordan Fredrick; sophomores Robert Wheelwright, Reggie Love, Alex Erickson; as well as all true freshmen. The Badgers also lost their top two tight ends, but UW tends to reload at tight end. The likely starter is senior Sam Arneson with junior Austin Traylor backing him up.

As with running back, it is no surprise that Wisconsin has probably the best offensive line in the conference. The Badgers return five players with starting experience. That said, depth is a concern, as the second string includes two sophomores and two freshmen.

The Badgers offense has a number of ifs. At worst, it will be a good offense that will bowl over weaker defenses, but will have trouble with better opponents. But if the offense can find consistency at quarterback, a playmaker or two at receiver, and can avoid the injury bug along the offensive line, it can be one of the best in the conference.

Defensive Overview 

2013 scoring defense: 16.3 PPG (second in conference), total defense: 305.1 YPG (third), rushing YPC allowed: 3.22 (second), passing efficiency allowed: 113.63 (third)

Average scoring defense conference ranking over last five years: 3.0

Best scoring defense conference ranking over last five years: Second (2012, 2013)

Worst scoring defense conference ranking over last five years: Fourth (2009, 2011)

Returning starters: CBs Darius Hillary, Sojourn Shelton; S Michael Caputo

Open positions: DE, NT, LB, S

Defensive formation: 3-4

Defensive philosophy: Control the line of scrimmage, attack

Defensive Breakdown

As with the offense, the defense has undergone and will continue to undergo transition; unlike the offense, the transition will not be gradual. Historically, UW has run a traditional, straightforward Big Ten 4-3 front. Last year, it moved to a 3-4 that thrived on unpredictability, and thrive it did. PPG-wise, Wisconsin had its best defense since 2006. The question is how much of that was due to the new scheme and how much of that was due to the players. Last year's team not only returned five of the front seven, but also put three players into the NFL Draft. The last time UW put three-or-more defensive players in the Draft was 2005. While UW has established a tradition of reloading at certain offensive positions, there is no place on the defense that has moved into the reloading realm.

This year, the defense only returns three, and at this point, it looks short on NFL talent.

Defensive Outlook

The line returns five starts, and for a 3-4, the starters are a bit undersized. The rush-side end will be manned by red-shirt freshman Chikwe Obasih. He has the most potential in the front, but he is still a freshman. The other end will be between junior Jake Keefer and senior Konrad Zagzebski. Keefer would have had a shot at playing time last season, but he sat out with a torn ACL. Senior Warren Herring will start at nose tackle. He has one start to his credit, but at a listed 293 pounds, is small for a nose tackle in a 3-4. All of the depth is young and/or unproven.

The linebackers not only lose all of the starters, but they lose Chris Borland, the heart and soul of the Badgers' defense for the past two years. Outside linebacker Vince Biegel, a sophomore, grabbed two starts last year and is the most talented of the group. Senior Marcus Trotter will start inside, and while he is limited, he is also dependable. The other inside spot will go to senior Derek Landisch, who picked up one start last year and has been a career special teams stalwort. The final starting spot will go to senior Joe Schobert. The starting four are solid, if unspectacular, but depth is an issue.

The back four are the most experienced unit on the field, despite losing safety Dezman Southward, who went in the third round of the Draft. This year, Caputo will move from free to strong, while both starting cornerbacks return. The free safety spot will probably go to a true freshman, with Rivals 2-star Austin Hudson and fellow 2-star Lubern Figaro the most likely candidates. The depth sufferred a substantial blow with the recent retirement of Vonte Jackson. However, senior Peniel Jean will compete for playing time as a nickelback or at safety.

The Badgers lose four of their top-five tacklers, five of their top-seven pass rushers, and all but two players who recorded an interception. Couple this with the transition to a 3-4, and it's hard to be optimistic about this defense. Thankfully, Wisconsin's clock-control offense has always been the defense's best ally, but expect a few steps back for the 2014 Badgers defense. The question is how many steps back?

Specialists

Junior Jack Russell is the incumbent place kicker. Last year, he made 9-of-13 field goal attempts. He will be challenged by true freshman Rafael Gaglianone. Fellow-junior Drew Meyer will remain the punter. He had a mediocre 2013, finishing with a 38.58 average. 

Meanwhile, Kenzel Doe was the second-best kick returner in the conference—26.45 average with one touchdown—and he will also handle punts.

The place kicker and Meyer will be counted on to improve, as a punter and kickoff unit are an inexperienced defense's best friend. If they do improve, Wisconsin will have some of the better special teams in the conference. If not, it will be mediocre.

Schedule

A pound sign—#—indicates must-win for Wisconsin.

An exclamation point—!—indicates a probable loss.

A dollar sign—$—indicates a swing game.

08/30: LSU (in Houston) $
09/06: Western Illinois #
09/13: Open
09/20: Bowling Green #
09/27: USF #
10/04: at Northwestern $
10/11: Illinois #
10/18: Open
10/25: Maryland $
11/01: at Rutgers #
11/08: at Purdue #
11/15: Nebraska $
11/22: at Iowa $
11/28: Minnesota $

Best-Case Scenario

Stave, or whomever is quarterback, is not Russell Wilson, but he is as efficient as former Badger quarterback Scott Tolzien. No huge playmakers come out of the receivering corps, but they do their job, and with Wisconsin's running game, the passing game only has to do so much. Meanwhile, the defense takes a small step back from last year, but is still formidable despite the turnover.

The Badgers scratch out a close win in Houston, automatically putting them into the playoff discussion. They beat every opponent going forward by at least ten points, and after securing the Axe for the 11th straight year, Wisconsin, at 12-0, writes a ticket for its third Big Ten Championship game in the four years of the game's existence. 

Worst-Case Scenario

Whoever wins the quarterback spot is inconsistent. This leads to a game of musical quarterbacks. Meanwhile, nobody steps up as a go-to receiver, the offensive line sees a slew of injuries and the defense isn't much more than adequate. 

Wisconsin gets stomped by LSU on national television. It rolls off three wins, but loses a close game to Northwestern. It then beats Illinois, but loses to Maryland before winning two straight. It has a chance to steal the Big Ten West crown but two losses in the final three weeks seals UW's fate with a 7-5, 4-4 conference record.

Prediction

Wisconsin has a ton of questions, but it has a 12th man in its corner—the schedule. After the opening contest against LSU, there isn't a challenge on UW's schedule until the Northwestern game, and some might argue there isn't a real challenge until mid-November, when the Badgers play Nebraska and Iowa in successive weeks. Regardless, the questions are substantial and the easiest schedule in the world won't erase them. That said, Wisconsin is the first Big Ten team in this series that has a legitimate shot at 12-0, but it's not going to happen.

Wisconsin will lose by at least two scores to LSU. It will blow away its next three out-of-conference opponents and it will win its first two conference games. However, it will get surprised on homecoming by a resurgent Maryland. It will then put up three wins, including a victory over Nebraska, before rolling into Iowa City for what amounts to the Big Ten West championship game. It will lose a heartbreaker, but will take home the Axe to finish the year. Not bad, given the amount of turnover on this year's squad.

Final Record: 9-3 (6-2 in conference)

Be Sure to Check Out the Full Preview of the Michigan Wolverines

Coming Next Week: A Full Preview of the Ohio State Buckeyes