Urban Meyer believes this year’s Ohio State team could be “as talented a group top to bottom as we’ve had,” but with just six returning starters, Meyer and his staff face perhaps their biggest challenge in getting these young players game-ready by the start of the football season. With 61 underclassmen on the roster, the Buckeyes will need some of the more experienced players to take on leadership roles. One of those players is quarterback J.T. Barrett, who spent much of last season sharing the starting duties with Cardale Jones. Now the job is his and his alone, making it crucial he returns to the form of 2014 when he led the team to a Big Ten title. Other Contenders: Call it the Harbaugh Effect, but oddsmakers appear to be all in on Michigan. The Wolverines are among the early favorites to win the national championship. The team is coming off its best season since 2011, but this program hasn’t won at least a share of the Big Ten title since 2004. The offense features a wealth of talent and the defense will benefit from having new defensive coordinator Don Brown on staff. Under Meyer, Ohio State has lost just…
Continue Reading: Big Ten Preview: Ohio State favored, but Michigan and Michigan State are close behind
