Could this be the year the unthinkable happens and Michigan, which opens up against strong Big East title hopeful Connecticut, then at Notre Dame, racks up an unprecedented third straight losing season, sending Rich Rodriguez (8-16 since replacing Lloyd Carr in Ann Arbor in 2008) packing?

Or could this be the year Iowa, with all of its truly meaningful games but an early-season test at Arizone, at home, springs upsets of Ohio State and Wisconsin and holds its three-year hex over Penn State, enabling the Hawkeyes to envision a national title?

So many questions, at least a few answers.

One thing is for certain: This year's Big Ten will not be ignored by the media naysayers. "This could be a breakthrough year," says ESPN's respected college football analyst Mark May, who has criticized the league frequently in the past, not entirely without merit.

The preseason anointment carries precious little weight, of course, so Alabama's Nick Saban knows, even with the return of Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and a very strong set of offensive and defensive lines, that the ferocious Southeastern Conference schedule will provide more than a few nicks and scrapes on the field and off.

That said, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel enters his tenth season in Columbus with a Joe Paterno/Bobby Bowden/Woody Hayes-like winning aura at 94-21, and Ohio State favored to win a sixth straight Big Ten championship, which would tie the all-time record.

"Of course it's an honor to be respected like that," he told the press and media day assemblage. "But there's a whole lot that goes into that and we've got plenty of work ahead."

No question. But with a running attack of Brandon Saine and Dan Herron that began to surface late in the season to take some of the ground pressure off quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the Bucks return an overwhelming offensive line led by, of all things, a Michigan transfer, left guard Justin Boren.

The defense loses a couple of key pieces, but defensive end Cameron Heyward, a rangy senior, has all-American potential, and superathlete Nathan Williams, Heyward's counterpart on the left side, should help the Bucks shut down enemy passing games. Senior Brian Rolle leads a strong linebacking cast and cornerback Chimdi Chekwa is the best of what could be yet another outstanding Ohio State secondary.

The schedule is spaced out -- Miami (Fla.) Sept. 11 looks to be the toughest home game, and Penn State, always a pitched battle, visits Nov. 13. Circle those and the road games at Wisconsin Oct. 16 and Iowa Nov. 20. Positive outcomes in those four should put the Buckeyes in position to envision a shot at the national title.

2. IOWA -- Quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who threw for 2,417 yards and running backs Jewel Hampton and Adam Robinson plus a defensive line some call the nation's best give 12th-year coach Kirk Ferentz one of the nation's best teams for sure.

3. WISCONSIN -- Remember Oct. 23, where the highly-ranked Badgers visit Iowa. That could be the second biggest Big Ten game of the year. Brett Bielema has a four-year 38-14 record that has kept the Badgers in the national spotlight. Quarterback Scott Tolzien brings strong senior leadership and 248-pound junior plowhorse John Clay, working behind a bruising Badgers o-line, should help 'Sconsin wear down enemy defenses. He ran for 1,517 yards and a mind-bending 18 touchdowns last fall and Tolzein, a virtual Stanzi clone, tossed for 2,705 yards and 16 T.D.s. Talk about offensive balance, but the Badgers will have to find some downfield playmakers to replace O'Brien Schofield.

The defense is solid, if unspectacular, with a menacing tendency to give up the occasional big play. But if a good d-line, led by speedy Louis Nzegwu and J.J. Watt, can keep up the pressure, the Badgers could be a major challenge to Ohio State and Iowa.

4. PENN STATE. Experts such as longtime Penn State-watcher Neil Rudel from The Altoona Mirror have opined that this could be Joe Paterno's final year. The 83-year-old pedagogue has produced a beyond-reproach career that will be talked about as long as college football exists.

This year's Nittany Lions, should provide a window to a big part of the 2010 season when they visit No. 1 Alabama Sept. 11. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, whom many call the heir apparent to Joe Pa's position, will be tested in finding ways to at least slow down Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.

But the keys for Penn State will be 1,169-yard rusher Evan Royster and a steady, stable quarterback situation, led probably at first by sophomore Kevin Newsome [unclear here...] but with a good quality pool of wide receivers, including increasingly-talented longball threat Derek Moye.

The defense will be solid, and even if the linebacking corps is brand new, it is also brand talented. How quickly the D develops will be apparent in Tuscaloosa. A strong performance there will have people talking nationwide about Big Ten toughness.

5. NORTHWESTERN. As Pat Fitzgerald enters his fifth season, even with the graduation of Mike Kafka, now a Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback, he can look forward to yet another productive offense, led by junior Dan Persa. The 'Cats should get a very productive year out of tailback Arby Fields and a solid crew of receivers should keep the sticks moving for third year offensive coordinator Mick McCall, one of the league's most respected.

Linebackers Nate Wilson and Quentin Davie lead a pretty good bend-but-don't-break defense that should help Northwestern to another winning season.

6. PURDUE. The Boilermakers' first year under Danny Hope, who replaced longtime legend Joe Tiller, brought with it some embarrassment (37-0 loss at Wisconsin, most particularly), and an exhilarating high (26-18 upset of Top 10er Ohio State).

There are plenty of questions going into the 2010 season, but quarterback Robert Marve showed he might be an answer. In a school that has recently produced Billy Dicken, Drew Brees and Kyle Orton, the quarterback expectations can be an albatross.

But Purdue's offense will feature Keith Smith, who caught 91 passes and tight end Kyle Adams and talented wideouts Keith Carlos, Gary Bush and Cortez Smith to give Boilers fans hope on the field as well as Hope on the sidelines.

The defense. definitely led by one of the league's best pass-rushers, senior Ryan Kerrigan, should be adequate enough to assure Marve and Hope a chance to use a little offensive creativity that could spring a couple of upsets and push Purdue into the upper echelon.

7T. MICHIGAN. The nation's most angst-ridden program faces its personal Rubicon this fall. And it won't be long in coming. Having produced an 8-16 two-year record that no doubt has Bo, the Bennies -- Oosterbaan and Friedman, Fielding Yost and the rest of striped-helmet legendry spinning in their cemetary plots, Rich Rodriguez will stare into the opening challenges -- Big East contender Connecticut in edgy Ann Arbor and at Notre Dame, knowing his U-M career hangs in the balance. Two losses and no doubt, it'll hang in effigy.

Michigan's talented, but tempestuous quarterback, sophomore Tate Forcier, had better be The Force early, or Michigan fans, not well known for patience, will unload a mournful chorus in boo flat.

The Wolverines, according to scouting services, supposedly had a great recruiting year. Honk if you've heard this song before. Nose tackle Ryan Van Bergen and defensive end Mike Martin, along with inside linebacker Jonas Mouton are seemingly the best of Rodriguez' 3-4 defense. But with uncertainty everywhere on offense, they'd better be. The schedule's filled with potential pitfalls -- at Indiana, which should be a year-older and fired up after what they felt was a 36-33 defeat that they say was handed to the Gang Up North by their striped friends. Iowa., Wisconsin. Purdue. Penn State. Ohio State. Only the hardest of the diehards could envision anything better than a 7-5 finish, which maybe can happen if Michigan has any memory not rubbed out on how to wake up the tradition.

7T. MICHIGAN STATE. In his fourth year, coach Mark Dantonio has seen his share of ups and downs. Want a good window to look through for 2010 Spartans football? Notre Dame visits East Lansing Sept. 18. In recent history, the home team in this series has fared poorly, with Notre Dame losing last fall 33-30 in South Bend, the Irish's sixth straight loss to Sparty.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins, a junior, is a worthy successor to State's recent QB success and Larry Caper and Josh Rouse figure to give M.S.U. some serious running strength.

The real issue may not take place on the field, though. There have been more than a few brushfire incidents off the field and Dantonio hopes this pre-season practice/retreat has instilled a proper image of student-athleticism.

The defense has some rebuilding in front of it, but middle linebacker Greg Jones is a proven leader and when the Spartans made big plays last fall, Jones was in the middle of it more often than not.

9. ILLINOIS. How many times do you hear the label "Great recruiter/not-so-much coach". Meet sixth-year Illini coach Ron Zook, who is clearly on the hook. Athletic Diirector Ron Guenther maintains a stoic silence re: Zook's futrue, but there seems to be an urgency to his 2010 mission. In the words of Al Davis: "Just win, baby."

But can the Illini? Productive Juice Williams, an electromagnet at quarterback, is gone. Jacob Charest shows some talent, but he's a sophomore. Jason Ford could be a good yardage-getter on the ground, but Jarred Fayson,. Eddie McGee and Fred Sykes don't remind anyone -- at least not yet -- of the Ron Turner offense that stretched defenses from Carbondale to Waukegan.

Defensively, tackle Clay Nurse is a keeper, got in opponents' faces often eough to earn leaguewide respect. But...

10. MINNESOTA. In the second yar of the Gophers' terrific new stadium, coach Tim Brewster faces a whole lot of questions.

The biggest: What follows the 7-6, then 6-7 "improvements" from his 1-11 start?

It will play out against a very rugged schedule that includes a September 18 date with U.S.C., probation or not.

Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin and Iowa all populate the schedule. And there are enough personnel questions to see why most prognosticators can't see the Gophers climbing too far this year.

11. INDIANA. The good news: The early-season schedule had to be crafted by either Mr. Softee or east coast ice cream magnate Frank Carvel.

Towson? Recent F.B.S. convert Western Kentucky? Akron?! But if the Hoosiers can do some early-season business against that walk in the sand, then exact some revenge on a Michigan team that won a very controversial decision in Ann Arbor last year, there could be some reason to think I.U. could be on the upswing.

Coach Bill Lynch, in his fourth year, has ttaken Indiana to a bowl game, and with quarterback Ben Chappell and powerback Darius Willis, plus some decent wideouts, led by Tanden Doss, the Hoosier can probably score points against most defenses.

But the key might be the Michigan game. If they can wangle their way through that at 4-0, that would be more than acceptable progress. The schedule's pretty testy after that, so we're not talking a major leap. Actually you could put a big tent over I.U., Minnesota and Illinois. Not a whole lot to choose between them.