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86 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED back from the Buckeyes in the same manner it was taken from the Green and White last November in East Lansing. Most experts point to the Nov. 21 showdown between the Spartans and the Buckeyes as the game that will decide the East Division and quite possibly a trip to college football's playoff. That is if both the Spartans and Buckeyes can navigate their way through challenging games before then. Two of the biggest challenges to the favorites come within a five-day span in early September. Both Ohio State, which opens the season at Virginia Tech on Sept. 7, and Michigan State, which hosts Oregon on Sept. 12, will be looking for redemption from losses to those opponents in 2014. DiNardo thinks replacing defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, who left the Spartans in the offseason to take the reins at Pitt, is made less difficult because Dantonio is a defensive guy. "Michigan State's biggest challenge is regaining the edge it had defensively," DiNardo said. "I think the MSU staff thinks some teams have figured out their defense some in the past couple of years, and they have to fine- tune their scheme." While all the national attention is on the powerful East Division, who emerges from the West will be a story in it- self, just not a highly publicized one. Most believe it is a three-team race, with both DiNardo and Dienhart thinking that Minnesota could surprise Nebraska and Wisconsin. "There is a continuity and a chemistry there that's un- GOLD AND BLACK'S ALL-BIG TEN TEAM OFFENSE Pos. Player School WR Leonte Carroo Rutgers WR DaeSean Hamilton Penn State TE Josiah Price Michigan State C Jack Allen Michigan State G Pat Elfein Ohio State G Tyler Marz Wisconsin T Jack Conklin Michigan State T Taylor Decker Ohio State QB Connor Cook Michigan State RB Ezekial Elliott Ohio State RB Justin Jackson Northwestern K Paul Griggs PURDUE DEFENSE Pos. Player School DE Shilique Calhoun Michigan State DE Joey Bosa Ohio State DT Anthony Zettel Penn State DT Adolphus Washington Ohio State LB Darron Lee Ohio State LB Joshua Perry Ohio State LB Vince Biegel Wisconsin CB William Likely Maryland CB Frankie Williams PURDUE S Michael Caputo Wisconsin S Von Bell Ohio State P Peter Mortell Minnesota Offensive Player-of-the-Year Elliott, Ohio State Defensive Player-of-the-Year Bosa, Ohio State Special Teams Player-of-the-Year De'Mornay Pierson-El, Nebraska Newcomer-of-the-Year Jordan Howard, Indiana Coach-of-the-Year Jerry Kill, Minnesota — Alan Karpick Tom Campbell Urban Meyer is building a dynasty at Ohio State at a faster pace than most thought possible.