The Buckeyes should be officially announced as the Big Ten's preseason favorite later this morning.
It's a month until Ohio State kicks off against Marshall on Thursday night, Sept. 2. That means, of course, that football is here.
The Buckeyes are back in Columbus this week in advance of moving into the team hotel on Thursday and starting preseason camp Friday. Everything is moved up for Ohio State since the Buckeyes are opening the season on a Thursday night, two days ahead of the usual schedule.
Three players - Cameron Heyward, Bryant Browning and Dane Sanzenbacher - are in Chicago, though, for what is either a reward or a punishment: Talking to reporters for two days. Jim Tressel is there as well, and I'm on my way. All 11 Big Ten coaches will hit the podium at 11 a.m. today, and we'll talk with conference boss Jim Delany as well.
That means there should be some news about expansion specifics, though it's likely only to be a timetable for when those decisions should be made. So don't expect to learn about a Big Ten title game or how the league will be split into divisions today. But there's still plenty to talk about.
Will Terrelle Pryor be named the Big Ten's preseason offensive player of the year for the second straight season?One thing we'll learn quickly is the conference predictions from the media. My top three were Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin, and it's obvious that the Buckeyes are the preseason favorite, with the Hawkeyes and Badgers second and third in some order.
As for preseason player of the year, OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor probably will repeat as preseason offensive player of the year, though my vote went to Wisconsin tailback John Clay. The candidates for defensive player are Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones, Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn and Ohio State defensive lineman Cameron Heyward. This vote went to Jones.
And I'll add this - I finished my AP preseason ballot on Sunday night, though the AP poll won't be released until Aug. 21. To my own surprise, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa all made my top 10. This could be a good year for the league.
Expect regular updates today, Tuesday and for, oh, the next five months or so, on this blog and on Twitter @OSUsportsfromPD as well.