With no national championship contenders and only two teams consistently in the top 25, this was one of those years where the predominant theme was one that people in the Big Ten don't like to hear. But the painful truth is that this was a down year for the Midwestern behemoths.

Big Ten's best

MVP Kittner Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner quietly had an excellent season and was the best player on the league's championship team. Kittner led the league with 23 touchdown passes and 272.2 passing yards a game. And despite throwing 13 interceptions, his total for the previous two years, he shrugged them off and kept the Illini winning. Coach of the Year Illinois' Ron Turner, who stepped into an Illinois quagmire that would reach 18 straight losses, guided the Illini to the top in his fifth season. A key move was bringing in three new defensive assistants who turned a porous unit into one that was every bit as important as Ilinois' high-powered offense. Biggest Surprise Once again, it's hard to find a team more surprising than Illinois, which went from 5-6 to 10-1, a five-game turnaround. That's especially true when you consider that the Illini went from 2-6 to 7-1 in league play. Along the way, the Illini picked up their first victories under Ron Turner against four league rivals -- Minnesota, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue. Biggest Disappointment Northwestern, the media's preseason favorite to repeat as Big Ten champion, did a big belly-flop, going from 8-4, including 6-2 in the Big Ten, to 4-7, with a 2-6 conference mark. The preseason death of Rashidi Wheeler started a turmoil-filled, injury-filled season that even a potent, innovative offense could not salvage.

Having said that, their standard explanation that these things are cyclical had a lot to do with it. One could argue that the league has at least eight or nine programs that are being run by strong coaches who are doing a good job of getting the most out of their resources.

The problem is, perennial power Michigan sent half an offense to the next level from its 2000 team. Purdue lost a quarterback, Drew Brees, who would have made a good Heisman Trophy winner. And Northwestern, the league's other 2000 tri-champion, collapsed under a sea of troubling setbacks. Throw in a new coach at Ohio State, some personnel holes at Wisconsin and another off-year for Penn State -- and it's no wonder the Big Ten wasn't holding up in the national spotlight.

That left Illinois, which wasn't as far off in 2000 as its 5-6 record indicated, to rise to the top. Down year or not, give the Illini credit for winning all their close games, and putting together four straight comeback wins.

Another problem the Big Ten has is that even in a down year, its bottom teams remain a lot more dangerous than the bottom teams in most conferences. Consider Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana, the bottom four in 2000.

A year later, Illinois is the conference champion, Iowa and Michigan State are bowl-eligible and league doormat Indiana has a chance to be 5-6.

Bottom line: Even when the Big Ten is down, it's very competitive. That makes it a lot more difficult for a handful of perennials to stay on top year after year.

Illinois
When Illinois lost its Big Ten opener to Michigan after a 3-0 nonconference start, just as it did in 2000, some wondered if the Illini would tumble again. They didn't. Bolstered by their best defense in years, they ran the table the rest of the way, capturing their first outright Big Ten title since 1983. Newcomers provided needed speed on both sides of the ball, and new defensive coordinator Mike Cassity installed an attacking scheme that took advantage of Illinois' depth and youthful enthusiasm. All in all, it was a joyous year in Champaign, and the Illini will have enough returnees to keep it going next fall if they can find a solid replacement for quarterback Kurt Kittner.

MVP: Kurt Kittner. He pushed all the right buttons in Ron Turner's pro-style offense and will leave Champaign as arguably the best quarterback to put on an orange helmet. Only Jack Trudeau is close in the record book.

Biggest disappointment: It's difficult to find one on a 10-1 team, but a Sept. 29 trip to Ann Arbor sticks out. The Illini, who were blown out 45-20 by Michigan that day, would like another shot at the Wolverines. They'll get it on Sept. 28, 2002, in Champaign.

Did you know?: Illinois, which had held eight opponents to 14 points or less in Turner's first four years, held six opponents to 14 or less this season.

Indiana
When the Hoosiers started 1-5, it looked like the beginning of another messy season in Bloomington, and the Cam Cameron watch stepped into high gear. But IU won three of its next four, notching solid victories over Northwestern, Michigan State and Purdue. Credit the wizardry of quarterback Antwaan Randle El, and wonder what might have been if Randle El had been at quarterback for Indiana's first two losses, instead of experimenting at wide receiver, his likely NFL position.

MVP: Randle El, hands down. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz calls him the best college football player in the nation, and Randle El has a strong case. He's the first major-college player to pass for 7,000 yards and rush for 3,500 yards in a career. Without him, the Hoosiers would have finished in Panama, if they finished at all.

Biggest disappointment: Under Cameron, Indiana hasn't excited fans. Only 36,000 turned out to see them beat Purdue for the Old Oaken Bucket, and that was their biggest crowd of the season. If fans wouldn't come out to see Randle El, it's difficult to imagine how many will show up next season when he's gone.

Did you know?: If Indiana hadn't lost its second game, at home to Utah 28-26 due to some wrenching mistakes and before Randle El had settled back in at quarterback, it could have played its season finale against Kentucky with a chance to finish 6-5. The last time Indiana had a winning record was in 1994, when it was 6-5.

Iowa
The Hawkeyes showed signs of improvement late last season, when they won two of their final three games. They built on that this year under third-year coach Kirk Ferentz to post a 6-5 mark, their best since they went 7-5 in 1997. Iowa rose to 21st in the nation in scoring (33.8 points a game), and its five losses came by a total of 27 points. The Hawkeyes ended on a down note when they stubbed their toe at Iowa State, 17-14. But the program looks like it's poised to keep taking positives strides next season.

MVP: Some sports-talk callers have suggested senior running back Ladell Betts is the Big Ten MVP. That's a huge stretch, but Betts has a good case for most valuable Hawkeye. He rushed for 10 touchdowns and 96 yards a game, providing stability on an offense in which Ferentz regularly juggled quarterbacks.

Biggest disappointment: The Hawkeyes muffed a chance for a season-making victory when they blew a lead against Michigan and lost 32-26. That left them 1-3 in the conference instead of 2-2, and the hangover carried on the next week at Wisconsin, where Iowa lost 34-28. Couple those losses with a 31-28 defeat at Michigan State and a 23-14 loss at Purdue, and you have a team that struggled in close games.

Did you know?: Jon Beutjer, who looked promising at quarterback for Iowa as a true freshman in 2000, transferred to Illinois in September and is a leading candidate to be Kurt Kittner's successor at Illinois next fall.

Michigan
The standards are high at Michigan. Even when they lose half an offense to the pros, as they did last spring, the Wolverines are expected to keep rolling along. They looked like they were going to do just that until arch-rival Ohio State spoiled the party, knocking Michigan out of a BCS bowl trip and a share of the Big Ten title in the final game of the regular season. But the signs were already there that this Michigan team was vulnerable. A 26-24 upset loss to Michigan State, Michigan's other big rival, and a 20-17 escape from Wisconsin in the games before the Ohio State upset showed that Michigan could be had. At most schools, there's nothing wrong with an 8-3 season. But Michigan is not most schools

MVP: Linebacker Larry Foote has been an anchor on a defense that leads the Big Ten in points allowed and yards allowed. Foote led the league in tackles for a loss and had six sacks.

Biggest disappointment: Quarterback John Navarre looked like he was ready to become the quarterback on a top team when the Wolverines jumped out to a 6-1 start. But Navarre struggled in three of Michigan's final four games, and offensive problems wound up costing the team the conference championship and a BCS bid.

Did you know?: Michigan, which was 6-2 in conference play, equalled its worst league finish in five years. The Wolverines have not lost more than two games in conference play since they were 5-3 in 1996. They have finished 6-2 in the league for the last three seasons.

Michigan State
It was the same old, same old for the Spartans, who once agian showed their knack for winning the big ones and losing other ones. Michigan State won at Notre Dame early, when the Irish were solid. They also had a good win on the road at Wisconsin before winning the biggest one at home against Michigan. But their good wins were offset by curious losses to Minnesota and Indiana that took the edge off of what could have been a better season. Still, considering that injuries played a role in some of the setbacks, it wasn't a bad campaign for Michigan State. Beating Michigan cures a lot of ills.

MVP: No one was bigger than 251-pound running back T.J. Duckett, whose signature game came against Mchigan. Duckett rushed for 251 yards and caught a controversial game-winning touchdown as time expired as the Spartans defeated their instate rivals. Duckett averaged 108.7 rushing yards a game.

Biggest disappointment: Injuries played a large role in the Spartans' back-to-back losses to Indiana and Purdue. With one quarterback, Ryan Van Dyke (broken jaw) already sidelined, a left-shoulder injury hindered the effectiveness of Jeff Smoker in a 37-28 loss to Indiana. Inexperienced quarterback Damon Dowdell started the following week as the Spartans lost 24-14 at Purdue, their lowest offensive output of the season.

Did you know?: Two of Michigan State's losses came against Northwestern and Minnesota, which won only one other conference game apiece and wound up tied for the Big Ten celllar.

Minnesota
After making back-to-back bowl trips for only the second time in school history, the Gophers returned to reality. Major personnel losses left Minnesota depleted, and it slipped to a last-place tie with Northwestern, avoiding being alone in the cellar with a final-game victory over struggling Wisconsin. Luring talent to Minnesota has been a struggle for years, which is among the reasons Glen Mason pitched hard for the job at Ohio State, his alma mater, last season.

MVP: Tellis Redmon was the top back in a rushing offense that ranked 13th in the nation, with 217.2 yards per games. Redmon rushed for 99.2 yards a game, fifth in the Big Ten and 34th in the nation. He also was second in the Big Ten, and 15th in the nation, in all-purpose yards (153.1 per game).

Biggest disappointment: Breaking in 10 new defensive starters proved to be too difficult a task for the Gophers.

Did you know?: The Gophers allowed an average of 31.8 points per game on the road, and 23.3 points per game at home.

Northwestern
The season started with great promise, but that promise was broken by some 14 season-ending injuries and other problems that left the Wildcats, who had shared the 2000 conference title with Michigan and Purdue, reeling. Northwestern started 4-1 and was ranked as high as 14th in the nation, but it never recovered from a late collspse in an upset home loss to Penn State, losing its final six games.

MVP: Senior quarterback Zak Kustok once again was a horse for the Wildcats. Kustok was second in the conference to Kurt Kittner in passing yardage (244.7 a game), and led the conference and was 10th in the nation in total offense (297.5). In his final college game, Kustok nearly engineered an upset victory over conference champion Illinois, but the Wildcats' late charge came up short, 34-28, in Champaign.

Biggest disappointment: Northwestern's high-powered no-huddle offense looked ineffectual at times. The sputtering first appeared in a 38-20 loss at Ohio State on Oct. 6 and it resurfaced regularly for the rest of the season, particularly in embarrassing blowout losses to Indiana and Iowa.

Did you know?: The Wildcats gave up more than 40 points three times this season. When they shared the Big Ten title last season, they gave up more than 40 points five times.

Ohio State
Jim Tressel had a roller-coaster finish to his first season as Buckeyes coach. First, there was the suspension/reinstatement of quarterback Steve Bellisari, who let down his team on the eve of the Illinois game, when Ohio State still had a chance to share the Big Ten title. Then the Buckeyes came back and not only upset Michigan in Ann Arbor. They knocked the Wolverines out of a share of the conference title. Ohio State is headed to the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl, but nothing was more important than beating Michigan, a win that Tressel practically guaranteed when he was hired.

MVP: Junior strong safety Mike Doss proved why he's one of the top defensive backs in the nation in the Buckeyes' 26-20 victory at Michigan. He had two interceptions, and both set up Ohio State scores. Doss led the Buckeyes in tackles and was tied for third in the Big Ten in fumble recoveries (three).

Biggest disappointment: Senior quarterback Steve Bellisari, after enduring so many hard times in an erratic career, finally seemed to be getting his game together in back-to-back victories over Minnesota and Purdue. And then, 36 hours before his final home game, a pivotal matchup with Illinois, Bellisari was arrested on drunken-driving charges, and authorities his blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. The distracted Buckeyes went with an unproven quarterback, and were defeated. Bellisari was reinstated, but did not play in the upset victory at Ohio State.

Did you know?: Ohio State's first three losses came by a total of 12 points.

Penn State
What might have been a joyous coronation turned into something more like an automobile accident. Football fans couldn't take their eyes off Joe Paterno, who entered the season needing just one win to tie Bear Bryant's record of 323 wins by a major-college coach. Paterno needed five games to get there. By the time Penn State pulled out a dramatic 38-35 victory at Northwestern, tying the record seemed as much a relief as a celebration. Bolstered by freshman quarterback Zack Mills, the Nittany Lions helped Paterno break the record the following week with a big comeback win over Ohio State. But there weren't enough wins for a program used to winning in bunches.

MVP: Joe Paterno tends to go with upperclassmen, especially seniors. But the way freshman quarterack Zack Mills helped Penn State turn around a distastrous beginning, maybe college football's all-time winningest coach will reconsider that policy. Mills has been the difference as the Nittany Lions, after an 0-4 start, are one win away from becoming bowl-eligible.

Biggest disappointment: With Penn State struggling for the second straight season, questions about how long Paterno, who will be 75 in December, can keep coaching are likely to grow. Penn State has been so good for so long that last season's 5-7 record was viewed as a speed bump. But with the Nittany Lions scuffling just to get above .500 this year, questions about when the school should make a change are becoming more legitimate. Here's hoping Paterno figures out a way to win again—or a way to retire with class.

Did you know?: In Joe Paterno's 36 years at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have gone to 30 bowls and never missed bowl trips in back-to-back seasons. They were 5-5 heading into their final game, against Virginia, and needed a victory to have a chance for their 31st bowl trip under Paterno.

Purdue
When Purdue started 5-1 with redshirt freshman Brandon Hance moving at quarterback for the departed Drew Brees, it seemed like offensive whiz Joe Tiller was going to work his magic again. But then, Hance and the Boilermakers got a reality check. They were blitzed back-to-back by Illinois and Ohio State, and then were beaten by Indiana as Tiller turned to true freshman Kyle Orton at quarterback. Purdue still was in line for a solid bowl trip, particularly if it was successful in its final game, the rescheduled contest with Notre Dame.

MVP: Senior defensive end Akin Ayodele's eight sacks tied him with Wisconsin's Wendell Bryant for the Big Ten lead. He also finished second in the league to Michigan's Larry Foote with 18 tackles for a loss. Ayodele, a two-time All-Big Ten second-teamer, was an anchor on a unit that finished second in the league in run defense and fourth in total defense.

Biggest disappointment: The losses to Michigan, Illinois and Ohio State were one thing. The loss to Indiana, though, was a crusher, and not just because it threatened to narrow the Boilermakers' bowl options. "You don't ever want to lose to Indiana ever," said senior defensive tackle Matt Mitrione, who had vowed before the game that the Hoosiers would not capture the Old Oaken Bucket during his career. "Once you do, it's like you got stomped in the mouth and can't do anything about it."

Did you know?: Purdue was outscored 51-0 in the second half of its back-to-back losses to Illinois and Ohio State. Purdue's 35-9 loss to the Buckeyes marked the first time in Tiller's five years there that the Boilermakers had been held under 10 points.

Wisconsin
Next to Northwestern, the Badgers might be the biggest flop in the league. A 1-2 start didn't seem all that discouraging, because the Badgers had played well in a loss at Oregon and their other early loss had come against Fresno State, which was knocking off major powers right and left. But there was no explaining a 63-32 home loss to Indiana. The trend continued as Wisconsin scored a big victory at Ohio State, but could not sustain that momentum. Following a wrenching 20-17 loss to Michigan at home, the Badgers went to Minnesota out of the bowl hunt, and lost to the Gophers. It all added up their first losing season under Barry Alvarez since 1995.

MVP:: Continuing Wisconsin's fine running back tradition, freshman Anthony Davis led the Big Ten and was seventh in the nation in rushing, with 133.3 yards a game.

Biggest disappointment: For a unit with as many highly regarded players as it had, Wisconsin's defense didn't accomplish much in the way of team stats. The Badgers were 10th in the Big Ten in scoring defense (28.8 points a game) and sixth in total defense (370.8). Middle linebacker Nick Greisen, defensive tackle Wendell Bryant defensive backs Mike Echols and Scott Starks had some pretty good individual stats, but they didn't add up to a defense that could keep opponents from running up scores.

Did you know?: Wisconsin gave up more than 30 points six times, including four games in which it gave up more than 40 points.