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JIM MIST's FOOTBALL
ANNUAL BiG TEN
I Illinois
2 Michigan State
3 MICHIGAN
4 Ohio State
5 Purdue
6 Iowa
7 Indiana
8 Minnesota
9 Wisconsin,
10 Northwestern

Coonet

F

by David Hyman
Daily Football Writer

ILLINOIS

I

The departure of Illinois
quarterback Jeff George to the
Indianapolis Colts of the
National Football League in last
spring's draft enabled Michigan
to move ahead of the Fighting
Illini in most preseason polls.
However, with the return of 17
starters from a team that finished
10-2 (7-1 Big Ten, 2nd place),
including a win against Virginia
in the Florida Citrus Bowl,
Illinois is ranked 21st.
The Fighting Illini boast one
of the best, if not the best,
defenses in the nation, with 9
starters back for another year of
inflicting pain on the opposition.
Consensus all-America
noseguard Moe Gardner clogs the
middle of the defense and receives
plenty of support from
linebackers Darrick Brownlow,
Mel Agee and Romero Brice,
cornerbacks Henry Jones and
Chris Green, and safeties Quintin
Parker and Marlon Primous.
The biggest concern for coach
John Mackovic, the recipient of
the past two conference Coach of
the Year awards, will be finding a
replacement for George.
Sophomore Jason Verduzco has
been listed as the starting signal
caller, and provides Illinois with
more mobility in the backfield
than George provided.
In senior fullback Howard
Griffith and sophomore tailbacks
Wagner Lester and Steve Feagin,
the Illini have plenty of backfield
talent.
Only three obstacles appear to
prevent Illinois from reaching
Pasadena for the first time since
1983 --if the offense can jell
with a new quarterback, visiting
Columbus September 22, and
visiting Ann Arbor November 10.
oN o STATE O I
OHIO STATE
UNIVERSITY
Though the Buckeyes return
only 11 starters from an 8-4 (6-2,
tied for 3rd) team, Ohio State
presently occupies the No. 17
national ranking and could hold
the inside track to winning the
Big Ten.
Both Illinois and Michigan
travel to Columbus to face the
Buckeyes, and home-fiefd
advantage could be the difference
for finishing atop the conference.
This is especially true as Ohio

State went undefeated (6-0) at
home last season.
The Buckeyes are led by senior
quarterback Greg Frey. He led the
Big 10 in passing efficiency last
season (tenth nationally),
throwing for 2,132 yards and 13
touchdowns.
Frey's main weapon will be
senior flanker Jeff Graham.
Graham hauled in 32 receptions
last season averaging a Big Ten
best 19 yards.
But the two major concerns
facing coach John Cooper are
replacing Carlos Snow, last
season's tailback, and rebuilding
the offensive line, who lost four
starters to graduation. Snow was
lost for the season when surgery
was performed to remove a tumor
that was discovered on his right
hip in the spring.
Filling in for Snow will be
sophomore Dante Lee and Robert
Smith, a prep standout two years
ago who will be one of the more
exciting players in the next few
years.
Junior Scottie Graham
occupies the fullback position
and is also a receiving threat out
of the backfield. Graham rushed
for 977 yards, including 10
touchdowns last season and has
the. tools to make him the best
back in the nation. Don't be sur-
prised to see him win the
Heisman Trophy in his two
remaining years.
On defense, sophomore
lineman Alonzo Spellman
spearheads the attack. The 6'6"
Spellman, who roamed at outside
linebacker last year, has moved to
end. However, the Buckeyes will
be without the services of
linebacker John Kacherski after
he tore tendons in his knee last
Saturday. Kacherski, the Big 10
leader in sacks in 1988, was
making a return to the lineup
after missing 1989 due to a knee
injury.
If Ohio State's offensive
backfield carries its weight and
the defense overcomes the loss of
Kacherski, the Buckeyes will be
ready to make their first
appearance in the Rose Bowl in
six years.
MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans enter the 1990
campaign with a six-game
winning streak, second to Florida
State (10), including a victory
over Hawaii in the 1989 Eagle-
Aloha Bowl. That was Michigan

GAMEPLAN COLLEGE
FOOTBALL
(AS RATED BY STAT-KEY
SYSTEM)
1 Colorado
2 Tennessee
3 Florida State
4 Miami, Fla
5 MICHIGAN
6 Notre Dame
7 Alabama
8 Auburn
9 Nebraska
10 Houston
11 Illinois
12 Michigan State
13 Oklahoma
14 Clemson
15 Southern Cal
16 Washington
17 Florida
18 Pittsburgh
19 Penn State
20 Ohio State
21 Arkansas
22 Virginia
23 Brigham Young
24 Hawaii
25 Georgia Tech

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S TOP
TWENTY
1 Miami
2 Notre Dame
3 Florida State
4 Auburn
5 MICHIGAN
6 Tennessee
7 Colorado
8 Southern Cal
9 Nebraska
10 Alabama
11 Arkansas
12 Illinois
13 Ohio State
14 Penn State
15 Bringham Young
16 Clemson
17 Michigan State
18 Washington
19 Virginia
20 Fresno State
LINDY'S FOOTBALL ANNUALS
Top TWENTY

5
6
7
8
10
11
12,
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Colorado
Washington
Texas A&M
Florida State
Illinois
Tennessee
Southern Cal
Oklahoma
Virginia
Arkansas
Alabama
Bringham Young
Georgia Tech
Nebraska
Michigan State
Clemson

JiM FEIST's FOOTBALL
ANNUAL TOP TEN
1 Notre Dame
2 Miami, Fla
3 Colorado
4 Florida State
5 Auburn
6 Tennessee
7 Alabama
8 Virginia
9 Washington
10 MICHIGAN

Here's a look at how some pre-season football forecast magazines rank the
Wolverines with the best of college football and the Big Ten.

l
2
3
4

Auburn
Miami, Fla
Notre Dame
MICHIGAN

THE SPORTING NEWS BIG
TEN
1 MICHIGAN
2 Illinois
3 Ohio State
4 Michigan State
5 Iowa
6 Indiana
7 Purdue
8 Minnesota
9 Wisconsin
10 Northwestern
*TSN writes of Michigan: "There's
so much talent on hand that
anything short of a national title
will be disapointing.
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10

WEEKEND

September 149 1990