Hello, My Name is the Big Ten. I am actually 11 schools, but don't get me started as my therapist is helping me work through that whole issue. All I know is I kick butt every year in the bowls, but somehow I haven't had too many National Championship trophies on my mantle lately.

Why? Simple. I have too many good teams. Who can go possibly go undefeated here? You have a better chance of getting Anna Kournikova's phone number. Michigan is loaded and Wisconsion, even though it lost Heisman winner Ron Dayne, could be even better this year. Purdue has Drew Brees chucking the ball all over the place and John Cooper swears this is the Buckeyes' year. And I'm not even mentioning Illinois, Penn State and Michigan State.

It's all too much with this many talented teams. I need some relief. Maybe I should call Notre Dame again.

Illinois Fighting Illini
1999 record: 8-4
Coach: Ron Turner
Returning starters: 14 (10 offense, 4 defense)

Outlook: Last year, it was a surprise the Illini won eight games. This year it will be a surprise if they don't win at least that many. The reason? The Illini have 10 starters back from last year's record-breaking offense. Their mark of 388 points could be in danger considering QB Kurt Kittner looked even better this spring than he did last fall. Kittner, who threw for more than 2,700 yards and 24 TDs with just five interceptions, was brilliant and the idea of him being a one-year wonder was officially put to rest with his 3 TD performance in the spring game. His favorite target this spring was Brandon Lloyd, but Lloyd suffered a broken femur in an offseason accident and is out for the season. But the receiving corps is deep and should help make up for his absence. But wait, there's more. All five starters from the offensive line return, including stud LT Marquis Sullivan, which keyed an attack that kept Kittner on his feet and helped the rushing game churn out more than 2,000 yards last season. This season, RBs Rocky Harvey and Antoneo Harris should challenge that total.

	Season Openers
	Team	Date	Opponent
	Illinois	9/2	MTSU
	Indiana	9/9	N.C. State
	Iowa	8/26	Kansas St.
	Michigan	9/2	Bowling Green
	Michigan St.	9/9	Marshall
	Minnesota	9/2	La.-Monroe
	Northwestern	8/31	No. Illinois
	Ohio State	9/2	Fresno State
	Penn State	8/27	USC
	Purdue	9/2	Central Mich.
	Wisconsin	8/31	W. Michigan

Defensively, the Illini lost seven starters, but that doesn't mean they don't have experienced players. Plenty of the backup received playing time last season, so it's not like this is a completely new bunch. Fred Wakefield and Brandon Moore return to lead a solid line that will be rounded out by Jason Eberhart and Terrell Washington. Michael Young tops a linebacker unit that is quick and there shouldn't be much of a drop off from last season. The secondary could be a bright spot as safety Bobby Jackson, a two-year starter in 1997 and 1998, returns from a torn ACL and might be better than he was before the injury. Anthony Hurd had a great spring and will be in the mix for a starting cornerback spot in the fall with Eugene Wilson and Trayvon Waller.

Question mark: Will the defensive front make plays? The pass rush is suspect and while there is some experience at linebacker, DE Fred Wakefield and DT Brandon Moore will need to have great seasons.

Keep an eye on: QB Kurt Kittner. Kittner looks like the real deal after a great spring. Even with the loss of Lloyd, he could still have a big season.

Indiana Hoosiers
1999 record: 4-7
Coach: Cam Cameron
Returning starters: 16 (8 offense, 8 defense)

Outlook: Hold on. Let's get this straight -- the best quarterback on the team might move to receiver? There's rumblings that Antwaan Randle El, the Michael Vick of the Big Ten, might be moved to receiver at times to help spark on offense that scored 30 or more points six times last season. The reason? Backup QB Tommy Jones. Jones had a jaw-dropping spring and Hoosiers' coaches think a Jones to Randle El combination could be lethal. Indiana already has a good pair of receivers in Versie Gaddis and Derin Graham, but a playmaker like Randle El only makes that group more dangerous. Of course, it would only be part-time as Randle El is still their best choice at quarterback. His decision-making and passing has improved and no one runs the option better. Just the threat of him running the ball makes tailback Levron Williams' job that much easier. Williams, who averaged 6.9 yards a carry, showed this spring he's ready to challenge the 1,000 yard mark. They will run behind a young offensive line that will rely heavily on redshirt freshmen and a juco transfer, Antoine Grant, who wasn't even at spring practice.

Defensively, new coordinator James Bell will have his hands full. Eight starters return, but they return from a defense that allowed 35 points a game and hardly had the Bobby Knight instinct of going for the jugular. Paul Mandina had a good spring at tackle, but this is a smallish bunch, which isn't a good thing in the Big Ten. Bell loves his linebackers, but again, are they too small? Justin Smith is a former safety and will lead this group. The secondary had their problems last season and this spring didn't show a lot of improvement. Safety Greg Yedell is a great athlete, but there are plenty of questions about this unit heading into the fall.

Question mark: How will the offensive line hold up? Randle El can run, but even he needs some time to throw the ball. Keep in mind if Jones lines up at QB, he can't buy as much time as Randle El so the line will need to do its job.

Keep an eye on: QB Antwaan Randle El. It's almost more fun if he does the Slash thing and plays some wide receiver. Randle El is best athlete and most exciting player on the Hoosiers.

Iowa Hawkeyes
1999 record: 1-10
Coach: Kirk Ferentz
Returning starters: 13 (7 offense, 6 defense)

Outlook: Class, pay attention. We're about to conduct an experiment on what happens when a football team has better skill players than offensive lineman. See Hawkeyes' RB Ladell Betts, FB Jeremy Allen and WRs Kahlil Hill and Kelvin Kasper? They are all very talented players. Betts is a rushing title waiting to happen, it's just that it will have to wait another year. Why? A struggling offensive line. Yes, Ben Sobieski is back from injury and yes, they have a year of experience under their belts, but unless they improved a lot from the spring to the fall, all that talent on at running back and receiver won't matter.

Defensively, outside of linebacker, this is a team in transition. LaVar Woods is back at outside linebacker, but the rest of the defense is a question mark. The line and secondary feature battles for every position. They may be loaded with upperclassman, but they are short on experience. That could spell trouble for a team that ranked 11th in the Big Ten in defense last season.

Question mark: Who's going to play QB? Scott Mullen sat out of spring practice with a shoulder injury while Kyle McCann is a talented player who is always in trouble. Redshirt freshman Jon Beutjer and sophomore Nick Whisler don't look ready for prime time, so this is a battle that will be interesting in the fall.

Keep an eye on: RB Ladell Betts. The junior would lead the conference in rushing if he had a good offensive line. Want to know how good he is? He'll still be among the leaders anyway.

Michigan Wolverines
1999 record: 10-2
Coach: Lloyd Carr
Returning starters: 13 (7 offense, 6 defense)

	Thomas is a key player in the powerful UM offense.

Outlook: No pressure here. After trying everything but stealing Tom Brady's helmet to stay on the field the past few years, the Wolverines' offense is finally all Drew Henson's. But after watching Brady last season -- especially the last six games -- it will be tough to imagine Henson doing much better despite all the physical talent. Of course, if he does just as well, Michigan fans will be quite happy. With the Wolverines as the pre-season favorite to win the Big Ten, Henson will have most of the same weapons Brady used so well last season. Running back Anthony Thomas surprised some people by returning for his senior season and though he sometimes gets lost in the publicity shuffle, he will be a force in the offense. Justin Fargas, who broke his leg two years ago, looks to have regained his speed and should provide a nice compliment to Thomas. Henson will have one of the best receivers in the country in David Terrell. Terrell is the most talented receiver at UM since Anthony Carter and if he teams with Henson enough, might just get some Heisman consideration. After Terrell, this is a young but explosive group. Marquise Walker is expected to step up and sophomore Ronald Bellamy is well on his way to superstardom. The offensive line was ripped last season, but should be a strength of this team. Steve Hutchinson and Jeff Backus -- who anchor the left side of the line -- are all Big-Ten candidates with Hutchison an All-America candidate.

Defensively, it's not the most experienced group, but it could be OK. Eric Wilson is the only lineman back and while it was a cast of thousands getting time in the spring, the coaches liked what they saw in the younger guys. Larry Foote is a good athlete and Victor Hobson is solid and will help solidify the linebacker slot. The secondary has everyone back from last year, but that's not saying much since last year they weren't very good.

Question mark: How will Henson handle the pressure? After spending a summer being in trade rumors for Juan Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa before finally being traded to the Reds, maybe 100,000-plus fans' great expectations won't bother him. Then again, maybe they will.

Keep an eye on: DB Jeremy LeSueur. The redshirt freshman might have started last year as a true freshman, but hurt his knee. He's back this year and could help solidify a shaky secondary.

Michigan State Spartans
1999 record: 10-2
Coach: Bobby Williams
Returning starters: 11 (5 offense, 6 defense)

Outlook: Here's one way to feel good about yourself in the spring game: load all the starters on one team and then pat yourself on the back for waxing the second team. They're the starters. They're supposed to win! But, with injuries slowing things down in Lansing, Williams decided a controlled scrimmage against the second team was the best way to go. So, what did Williams see? He saw Ryan Van Dyke move the Spartans' offense with ease. He saw T.J. Duckett looking like he's ready to show last season's 606-yard and 10-TD effort was no fluke. He saw a solid offensive line and while Williams didn't see a deep threat like he had in Plaxico Burress, he did see tight end Ivory McCoy catch seven passes for 133 yards. McCoy could be a Van Dyke's go-to guy until that home run threat emerges in the fall.

Defensively, the Spartans held the second team to 27 yards and two first downs. Wow. Impressive. But that's like playing Notre Dame and doesn't really show all that much. Josh Thornhill is the real deal at linebacker and should anchor the defense, but there are questions about who will rush the passer.

Question mark: Can the defense stop anyone but the second team? They are suspect on the defensive line and secondary. While Thornhill and T.J. Turner are talented linebackers, they can't do it all by themselves.

Keep an eye on: RB T.J. Duckett. Not a real reach here, but Duckett looks set to blow by the 1,000-yard mark and earn all Big-Ten honors.

Minnesota Golden Gophers
1999 record: 8-4
Coach: Glen Mason
Returning starters: 13 (5 offense, 8 defense)

Outlook: There are some big questions left unanswered this spring for a team that has major bowl dreams. The biggest are who will start at quarterback and running back for the Golden Gophers? Freshman Assad Abdul-Khaliq took most of the reps this spring and showcased a strong arm and excellent mobility. But senior Andy Persby, who missed the spring while playing baseball, has experience and the two will battle for the job in the fall. Redshirt freshman RB Thomas Tapeh was running well and seemed to have a lock on the starting job before a foot injury sidelined him. Tellis Redmond, however, gained 100 yards in the spring game, which clouded the picture. Whichever running back gets the ball, he will run behind what could be the best line in Minnesota history. All-American Ben Hamilton will anchor a line that returns four starters and seven letterman.

Defensively, Keron Riley made his own teammates afraid this spring with his dominating performance. He'll team up with Ben Mezera to provide one of the better pass rushes in the conference. Sean Hoffman is a presence at linebacker and the secondary returns three starters -- Clorenzo Davis will replace All-American Tyrone Carter -- from the unit that led the conference in pass defense last season.

Question mark: Who will run the offense? Persby is a classic drop back passer while Abdul-Khaliq is flashier and can make more things happen on his own. Abdul-Khaliq had a great spring and Persby will likely need a great fall to earn the starting nod.

Keep an eye on: WR Ron Johnson. The senior is one of the best in the Big Ten and has the skills to be one of the best in the country. With little experience behind him, the Golden Gophers will need a big season from Johnson.

Northwestern Wildcats
1999 record: 3-8
Coach: Randy Walker
Returning starters: 17 (7 offense, 10 defense)

Outlook: The Wildcats will be stronger and more experienced. That much is certain. Now, whether that translates into more wins is another story. Walker was pleased with the improvement from an off-season weight program and that should help an offensive line that returns four starters. Sophomore center Austin King has all-Big Ten potential and this group worked well together this spring. That's good news for RB Damien Anderson. He led the Big Ten in carries last season and gained more than 1,100 yards. With the Wildcat quarterback situation up in the air -- will Zak Kustok play well enough to keep the starting job? -- Anderson is a good threat to get 300-plus carries again.

Defensively, 10 starters return, but there are still plenty of worries. This is Northwestern, after all. Conrad Emmerich moves from linebacker to defensive end in an effort to give the Wildcats a one-two outside punch with Dwayne Missouri. The linebackers are solid and will take some of the heat off the front line, but unfortunately, no one can help with the secondary. Senior CB Harold Blackmon is a good player, but they will head into the fall looking to improve this area especially with dates against Purdue, Illinois and Michigan looming on the schedule.

Question mark: Will Kustok be consistent? He had a solid spring game and that's a start in the right direction. With Anderson and a decent group of receivers, the Wildcats need Kustok to play well.

Keep an eye on: Junior LB Kevin Bentley. Bentley led the Big Ten in tackles last season and will be an all Big-Ten pick this season.

Ohio State Buckeyes
1999 record: 6-6
Coach: John Cooper
Returning starters: 13 (6 offense, 7 defense)

Outlook: Last year, Cooper said his team was a year away from running for the Roses. Well, this spring he's sticking with that theme, saying the Buckeyes are going to be in the middle of the Big Ten conference race, if not the national championship. Michigan will have something to say about that, but there's reason for Cooper's optimism. The offense worked well in the spring led by QB Steve Bellisari. He took his lumps last year, improved as the season wore on and is now the key to this offense. He'll have a trio of talented running backs in Jerry Westbrooks, who rushed for 141 yards in the spring game, Derek Combs and Jonathan Wells. It doesn't matter who is No. 1 on the depth chart because all three will see plenty of action this fall. WR Ken-Yon Rambo is one of the top threats in the Big Ten and teams with the fearless Reggie Germany to provide one of the better tandems in the conference. The offensive line was one of Cooper's main concerns this spring and he liked what he saw by the end of the workouts. Left tackle Tyson Walter anchors the line the returns RT Henry Fleming and LeCharles Bentley, who will move from guard to center. Tam Hopkins and Mike Gurr should start at guards, but Adrien Clarke had a good spring and could push for a starting nod in the fall.

Defensively, the Buckeyes return a deep and talented line. Tackles Ryan Pickett and Mike Collins and DEs Rodney Bailey and Brent Johnson anchor a deep line that has another two players who have started over a half-dozen games. Juco linebacker transfer Jack Tucker impressed coaches this spring and, with Jason Ott, should help overcome the loss of Na'il Diggs. CB Nate Clements is an all-conference caliber player who can run with anyone and hits like a linebacker. Donnie Nickey moves from free safety to strong safety to make room for sophomore Mike Doss.

Question mark: Will Bellisari be the man? The junior has been compared to Steve Young, but the Buckeyes don't need him to be a clone of the future Hall of Famer, they just need him to be consistent.

Keep an eye on: WR Ken-Yon Rambo. Don't be surprised to see the Buckeyes looking more for their playmaker more this fall to draw first blood (yeah, like you wouldn't have said it too).

Penn State Nittany Lions
1999 record: 10-3
Coach: Joe Paterno
Returning starters: 9 (7 offense, 2 defense)

Outlook: Gone are the defensive stars. No LaVar. No Courtney Brown. No Brandon Short. But the cupboard's not bare as Joe Paterno, who's just seven wins away from Bear Bryant's career record of 323 wins, starts his 35th season as head coach. Defensive end Justin Kurpeikis had a great spring and will be the new force on the line this season. Michael Haynes will take Brown's spot and while he can't possibly replace Brown, his solid showing this spring lets coaches think the drop off won't be as bad as once feared. Shamar Finney is living proof while Penn State is and always will be Linebacker U. Yes, the best linebacker group in the country last year is gone, but Finney highlights a young trio that will be solid. The secondary will have some question marks heading into the fall, but Bruce Branch isn't one of them. The junior cornerback had a great spring, highlighted by a 99-yard interception return for a TD in the spring game.

Offensively, the Nittany Lions return seven starters, but there are some concerns. Kareem McKenzie is a future NFL first round pick, but nothing else seems settled. There is plenty of talent, but it's young. The running game is solid with Eric McCoo starting and Omar Easy and Kenny Watson getting plenty of field time. WR Eddie Drummond is still the go-to guy at receiver and QB Rashard Casey is an exciting playmaker. He forces plays occasionally, but makes this offense a dangerous one.

Question mark: Will Casey be there in the fall? With an assault trial looming sometime after the season starts, Casey has worries other than the Ohio State blitz. Whether it affects him or the team remains to be seen, but with untested sophomore Matt Seneca backing him up, Casey holds the keys to a winning season.

Keep an eye on: DE Justin Kerpeikis. The senior had a great game in the Alamo Bowl and an even better spring. Last year, he was overlooked but teams won't be able to do that this season.

Purdue Boilermakers
1999 record: 7-5
Coach: Joe Tiller
Returning starters: 13 (8 offense, 5 defense)

Outlook: Two words: Drew Brees. Two more words: Rose Bowl? Yes, there are some cogs that need to be replaced, but as long as Brees is chucking the ball, there is enough horsepower in this offense to make a run for the roses. The Boilermakers will have a slew of receivers who can make plays, highlighted by Vinny Sutherland and tight end Tim Stratton. The offensive line may be undersized, but don't call them overachievers as this is a talented group. Purdue returns four starters, but Chucky Okobi moves to center and Ian Allen will fill Okobi's guard slot. Not only do they have Brees back, they also open holes for running backs Montrell Lowe and Steve Ennis. If Lowe and Ennis look as good in the fall as they did this spring, this will be a dangerous offense.

Defensively, Brian Dinkins and Matt Mitrione return on the line, but one of the stories of the spring was Akin Ayodele's switch to linebacker. Ayoldele played well enough to earn the starting nod and will be on the strong side with Joe Odom in the middle. Jason Loerzel was slowed in the spring while recovering from an ACL injury as was talented redshirt freshman Landon Johnson, who was nursing a tender back. The secondary looks set after a great spring with Chris Clopton and Ashante Woodward at corners and Ralph Turner at the strong safety. Ben Smith is recovering nicely from ACL surgery and is looking good to return by the season opener.

Question mark: Who will emerge as Brees' go-to guy? Last year, he looked for Chris Daniels when he needed a clutch catch. It's up to Sutherland, Stratton, Chris James and/or Donald Winston to make the plays this year.

Keep an eye on: Brees. The Heisman hopeful is one of the most exciting players in the game. He can single-handedly keep the Boilermakers' Rose Bowl hopes alive.

Wisconsin Badgers
1999 record: 10-2
Coach: Barry Alvarez
Returning starters: 16 (8 offense, 8 defense)

Outlook: From the seeing is believing file: Wisconsin loses Heisman Trophy running back Ron Dayne and the buzz during spring practice is the Badgers might be a better team this year. Why? Start with an offensive line that uses weigh stations, not scales, and could be the best in the Big Ten. A trio of three-year starters return in Casey Rabach, Bill Ferrairo and Dave Costa. Then there are the four players battling for the last two spots. Brian Lamont (6-8, 333) and Josh Jakubowski (6-6, 331) are battling for the right tackle spot and Ben Johnson (6-7, 319) and Morgan Davis (6-5, 300) are fighting for the left tackle position. Tanks weigh less and are easier to run through. The grateful tenant behind this line is QB Brooks Bollinger. The sophomore was often challenged last season and he responded well. This spring, he's shown he can now carry the team. He'll have help, including a pair of burners in the backfield in Michael Bennett and Broderick Williams. Bennett is a track champion who runs the 100 in 10.3 while Williams wowed coaches with his combination of speed and strength. WR Chris Chambers highlights a solid group of receivers who will play a bigger role in the Badger offense this year.

Defensively, the Badgers have some question marks, but not many. CB Jamar Fletcher is the best cover guy in the country. Not only that, but he had a great spring and will be Deion-like in shutting down half the field this fall. The line will be among the best in the conference, highlighted by future superstar end Wendell Bryant. The linebackers need the most retooling and while Nick Greisen and Bryson Thompson took most of the reps with the first team, Jeff Mack and Darius Jones turned heads this spring.

Question mark: Who will backup Bollinger? While that offensive line is a nice insurance policy against injury, the No. 2 slot is up for grabs between redshirt freshmen Jim Sorgi and Scott Wille, neither of whom has taken a college snap.

Keep an eye on: LB Darius Jones. Jones just graduated high school in December, enrolled at Wisconsin early to get spring reps and may earn a starting spot by the fall.

Joe Wojciechowski is the college football editor for ESPN.com.