Iowa did something last season for the first time ever under Kirk Ferentz: went to the Rose Bowl.
But unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, things went about as poorly as possible in Pasadena. Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey racked up a Rose Bowl record 368 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in Stanford's 45-16 rout.
Iowa lost a chance at the College Football Playoff late in the Big Ten Championship game, when Michigan State's L.J. Scott extended his arm across the goal line in Lucas Oil Stadium to give the Spartans a 16-13 win. Still, the Hawkeyes went unbeaten in the regular season and return quarterback C.J. Beathard in addition to 2015 Thorpe Award winner Desmond King this fall.
The West is easily the weaker of the two divisions of the Big Ten — firepower like Urban Meyer at Ohio State, Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and Mark Dantonio at Michigan State residing in the East make that an afterthought. Iowa remains the division's defending champion, however, and the favorites to repeat.
Here is a brief preview of the seven teams in the Big Ten West and their prospects for 2016 in alphabetical order.
Illinois
Illinois finally got rid of noted bad football coach Tim Beckman last season and replaced him with offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill Cubit. The Fighting Illini then gave Cubit a fresh contract, only to have new athletic director Josh Whitman fire him on March 5.
Fortunately for the Illinois faithful (that's a thing, right?) Whitman moved quickly and replaced Cubit with former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith, a splash hire.
Smith has obvious ties to the area from his time with the Bears but faces an uphill battle. Illinois finished 5-7 in 2015 and finished dead last in the conference in rushing at 129.2 yards per game.
Quarterback Wes Lunt (only nine interceptions in two years at Illinois) returns, but the line in front of him must improve for talented running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Wide receiver Mike Dudek tore the ACL in his right knee again this spring and is out for the year, a significant loss. Plus, top defensive back and returner V'Angelo Bentley graduated.
Nine of the 12 opponents on Illinois' schedule played in a bowl last year. Smith has a challenge in front of him.
Iowa
The defending Big Ten West champions gladly welcome back quarterback C.J. Beathard and Desmond King, who won the Thorpe Award in 2015 as the nation's best defensive back. Kirk Ferentz will key on both of those players as leaders following losses at other positions.
Beathard threw for 2,809 yards and 17 touchdowns during his junior season to finish third in the voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the conference's best player. Leading receiver Matt VandeBerg is back, but top rusher Jordan Canzeri (984 yards, 12 touchdowns) graduated. Three starters return up front, putting the offense in solid position to replicate what it did last season against a relatively weak schedule.
Eight starters on defense are also back, but the group took a hit when the NCAA denied end Drew Ott's appeal for a medical redshirt. King leads a strong and experienced secondary that must continue to play well if the Hawkeyes wish to make noise in the Big Ten again.
On paper, Iowa looks like the Big Ten West's best team. Can Ferentz keep the mojo going?
Minnesota
The Golden Gophers finished tied with Illinois for fourth in the Big Ten West with a 2-6 conference record, having dealt with the sudden retirement of Jerry Kill in October. The administration removed the interim tag from former offensive coordinator Tracy Claeys not long after, who led Minnesota to a close victory over Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl. Minnesota was one of three teams awarded with a postseason berth despite only having five regular season wins.
Claeys gets starting quarterback Mitch Leidner back for another season and inherits a pair of sophomore running backs in Shannon Brooks and Rodney Smith who combined for more than 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015. Leading receiver K.J. Maye is gone, but there remains talent at the position.
Claeys made changes in his coaching staff on both sides of the ball, including a promotion for Jay Sawvel from defensive backs coach to coordinator. Minnesota's defense finished 11th in the conference last year against the pass and waved goodbye to lead corners Eric Murray and Briean Boddy-Calhoun.
The Gophers need more consistency from both their offensive and defensive lines in order to improve on their six-win total from a year ago. The program is Claeys' baby now, and Minnesota avoids Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan in 2016. It is time for him to perform.
Nebraska
The Cornhuskers were really good at losing close games in Mike Riley's first season — six of their seven losses were by eight points or less. Oof.
Nebraska finished the year on a high note, however, beating UCLA 37-29 in the Foster Farms Bowl, to join Minnesota as Big Ten teams with losing records to snatch bowl victories. Somehow, Tommy Armstrong is still in college and returns for his final season at quarterback with a good bit of experienced talent around him.
Leading receiver Jordan Westerkamp is one of three seniors at the position and return specialist De'Mornay Pierson-El should be healthy after missing the majority of 2015 with a knee and leg injury.
The line must play better so to improve a rushing attack that struggled in Riley's first season. The defensive line must deal with offseason departures, as well.
Nebraska is arguably the most talented team in the West but must figure out a way to win more close games in order to reach the zenith of the division.
Northwestern
Northwestern won 10 games in 2015 for only the second time since its magical 1995 season. Pat Fitzgerald slapped together a strong year despite a meager 19.5 points per game average from his offense. The Wildcat defense led the way in close wins over Stanford, Wisconsin and Penn State, but sputtered against other top competition. Northwestern's three losses to Michigan, Iowa and Tennessee were by a combined score of 123-16.
Fitzgerald is a defensive-minded coach but should like what he has at quarterback in Clayton Thorson. Though struggled at times last year making the easy throw, Thorson made winning plays and joins one of the Big Ten's best kept secrets and running back Justin Jackson to forge a formidable backfield.
The Wildcats, however, need more production from their pass catchers. The team's leading receiver in 2015 was a running back, senior Dan Vitale, who had 355 (!) yards.
A full offseason of development for Thorson should help that area, but Fitzgerald figures to lean heavily on his defense once again this fall.
Purdue
The Boilermakers enter the 2016 season with their head coach firmly on the hot seat. In three years, Darrell Hazell has two conference wins and only six overall.
Purdue finished at or near the bottom of the Big Ten in the majority of statistical categories last year. Hazell's group finished 13th in the Big Ten in rushing offense and 14th in rushing defense. As a result, Hazell axed both his coordinators.
Still, the Boilermakers must figure out the quarterback position immediately. All units must be better, but that is where to start.
Wisconsin
Paul Chryst did well his first season in Madison, picking up his 10th win in the Holiday Bowl against USC. Close losses to both Iowa (10-6) and Northwestern (13-7) kept Wisconsin out of the Big Ten Championship game, however.
Good feelings aside, Chryst is now tasked with replacing starting quarterback Joel Stave. Getting running back Corey Clement healthy and playing the way he is capable should help things on offense. Besides, Wisconsin is known for being able to run the ball well, something it got away from last year.
Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda left for LSU, a bigger loss than any player. The Badgers have been ranked in the top three of the Big Ten in total defense every year since 2010.
Wisconsin also doesn't get any favors from its schedule in 2016; the Badgers play LSU at Lambeau Field to open the season, then visit Michigan State and Michigan before hosting Ohio State. A trip to Iowa is next after the Buckeyes come to town.
Welcome to the Big Ten, coach Chryst.
