The media predicted Ohio State will notch its sixth consecutive Big Ten title when they ranked the Buckeyes No. 1 in the conference preseason poll at the annual Big Ten meetings in Chicago on Monday.
Along with choosing OSU as the team to beat, the media tabbed Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The junior led OSU to a 26-17 Rose Bowl victory over Oregon, a game in which he was named Offensive MVP after throwing for a career-high 266 yards.
Iowa and Wisconsin followed OSU in the preseason conference poll.
Michigan State senior linebacker Greg Jones was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season.
Wisconsin running back John Clay took home Offensive Player of the Year honors last season. The coaches selected Penn State’s Jared Odrick as Defensive Player of the Year, while the media chose Jones.
It marks the first time since 1998 that both preseason honorees are repeat selections. Former OSU linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer earned the defensive nod that year for the second consecutive season, while Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne earned the nod on offense.
