Handicapping the Big Ten race comes down to this: Purdue, Michigan State, everybody else. The Boilermakers, with reigning national player of the year Zach Edey and his strong supporting cast, are the prohibitive favorites to win a second straight regular-season championship. Michigan State is a possible challenger.
The first two years for Ben Johnson as head coach at his alma mater Minnesota were a struggle in many ways, with myriad injuries that made program development all the more challenging given the impact of the transfer portal and growing pains for a young team. After going 22-39 overall and 6-33 in the Big Ten, there is pressure this season on Johnson to shepherd measurable progress even with external expectations never lower. For now, with the opener on Nov. 6 against Bethune-Cookman coming up, Johnson and his staff can start by relishing the fact that they finally have a full roster.
Big Ten race looks as if it will come down to Purdue and Spartans. After that, it's anybody's guess wnewsj.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wnewsj.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.