It's a somewhat pared down Big 10 season this fall as what used to be a seven-game regular-season is now five.
The top three teams - Ohio State, Indiana, and Wisconsin - are still going to play each other, and those teams will also play three other conference opponents. If a team wants to make the final, it has to have one of the two best records in the conference, and must have beaten a top three team (preferably both).
It's a way to keep all of the teams in the hunt, but also recognize that the top three are just that. Last year, Michigan State made a run, but the final ended up being Indiana vs Ohio, with IU taking home a 38-36 decision. Wisconsin was right there, and took the 3rd-place playoff, although the Badgers ended up with a better record than OSU.
All three of those teams are close, with Indiana's five wins over Ohio State and Wisconsin coming by an average margin of less than ten points (and half of that was a 36-12 win over UW). Wisconsin and Ohio State, meanwhile, split their games.
With Indiana bringing in Justin Goonan and David Fee as paid coaches thanks to the growth of an endowment, IU is in excellent position to chase another title. But Ohio State has 70 kids in training, with some very good freshmen.
"I think we should be pretty good," said head coach Tom Rooney, despite seeing half of his starters graduate. Ohio State's B team, he points out, won the Big 10 B-side championship.
"We haven't played a game yet," added Rooney.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin has added some good recruits, including Gonzaga HS standout flyhalf Owen Sheehy, who will likely slot in as the starting #10 (see video above).
"I am feeling really good," said Jacob Droeszler. "They're going to do awesome things. We're always going back and forth with Indiana and Ohio State, and that's what we want."
This remains one of the most competitive, and well-followed D1A conferences, and it's only going to get more crowded near the top. Many are circling Michigan as a game to be concerned about this fall, and Michigan State's rise last year can't be ignored.