College Football

Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State headline college football's best division

Updated Aug. 14, 2023 3:55 p.m. ET

It’s no secret that Michigan and Ohio State have been the class of the Big Ten Conference as of late. The two powerhouse college football programs have combined for the last six Big Ten titles, with the Buckeyes winning four in a row from 2017-2020, while the Wolverines hoisted the conference title trophy in each of the past two seasons.

While Jim Harbaugh and Ryan Day’s teams are once again expected to be the class of the Big Ten this upcoming season, Penn State is expected to be a force in the conference as well, with a popular belief that this could very-well be the most talented team James Franklin has had since arriving in Happy Valley back in 2014.

FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt is extremely high on all three teams heading into the 2023 season, ranking all of them inside the top five of his recently released preseason top 25 poll.

Klatt broke down each team in a recent episode of his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show," while also explaining why the Big Ten East is hands-down the strongest division in college football this season.

Here is Klatt’s analysis on the top three teams in the Big Ten East and the blueprint for each to win the division.

Michigan, Ohio State & Penn State: Who will come out on top?

Joel Klatt examined the Big Ten East and how the division is stacked with talent.

Michigan Wolverines

Klatt’s preseason ranking: No. 2

Key returnees on offense: QB J.J. McCarthy, RB Blake Corum, RB Donovan Edwards, OL Drake Nugent, OL Zak Zinter, OL Trevor Keegan, WR Cornelius Johnson, TE Colston Loveland

Key returnees on defense: LB Junior Colson, CB Will Johnson, DL Kris Jenkins, DL Mason Graham, LB Michael Barrett, DB Rod Moore, DB Mike Sainristil

Klatt on Michigan: "In order to win this division, you are going to have to beat Michigan. They have the blueprint, and that blueprint [isn't] changing any time soon. This is a team that clearly understands how to win football games and why they win football games, and they have done it so well over the past couple of years.

"Just look at these two numbers: 250 and 242. Those represent the rushing yards in the second half of the Ohio State and the Penn State game. Michigan was thoroughly dominant at the line of scrimmage when they needed to be against their two biggest opponents within their conference, so that’s what this division is going to come down to. You aren’t going to beat Michigan unless you can control their run game. Neither of those teams were able to do that last year. It looks like it’s going to be even more difficult to do that going toward into this year. Michigan’s offensive line looks like one of the two best offensive lines in the country, along with potentially Georgia.

"I don’t think they’re going to come out and try to be fancy and score 50 points a game. If they are going to get to 50, it’s just going to be the old fashion way, and they are just going to hammer away with the run game at the entire Big Ten schedule. Their schedule, in particular early, is not very difficult. So, that run game is going to get its momentum early."

Ohio State Buckeyes

Klatt’s preseason ranking: No. 3

Key returnees on offense: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Emeka Egbuka, TE Cade Stover, OL Matt Jones, OL Donovan Jackson, RB TreVeyon Henderson, QB Kyle McCord, RB Miyan Williams

Key returnees on defense: DL JT Tuimoloau, LB Tommy Eichenberg, DB Lanthan Ransom, DB Denzel Burke, DL Michael Hall Jr. DL Jack Sawyer

Klatt on Ohio State: "Ohio State has gotta get better on the defensive line. I think they will be. The biggest question about Ohio State to me isn’t about their QB, it’s about their defensive line. Kyle McCord is gonna be fine as a quarterback. If I’m a Buckeye fan, the last thing I’m worried about is the fact that I’ve got a new QB. The most immanent thing I’m concerned about is … is my defensive line good enough, and better, and up to par to stop the run of the Michigan Wolverines? That’s the only way they’re gonna go out there and win that division. Now, they are better. With guys like Mike Hall in there, they are better on the defensive line. They’ve got excellent pass rushers. But they better be stout in order to stop the run."

Penn State Nittany Lions

Klatt’s preseason ranking: No. 5

Key returnees on offense: OL Olu Fashanu, RB Nicholas Singleton, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, QB Drew Allar, RB Kaytron Allen

Key returnees on defense: DL Demeioun "Chop" Robinson, LB Abdul Carter, DB Kalen King, DL Adisa Isaac, LB Curtis Jacobs

Klatt on Penn State: "They are built to beat Ohio State, but not Michigan. Penn State is built with speed and athleticism on defense. James Franklin has done a heck of the job, but they are built to go and compete with and try and beat Ohio State because Ohio State was the benchmark in the Big Ten. But now, all of a sudden, there’s Michigan, and they play this bully style of football that Penn State had no answer for a year ago. That game [last year] wasn’t even as close as the score indicated. They hammered them with the run game. So, from a stylistic standpoint, I think it’s tough for Penn State.

"I love what they’ve got — Chop Robinson up front … Abdul Carter … Kalen King. I’m not saying they can’t because they’ve got a run game. Maybe get some plays over the top with Drew Allar. They are gonna be better, and they got Michigan in their home stadium, which is gonna be a big feather in their cap.

"I think their best avenue would be hoping for a three-way tie. If I was a Penn State fan, I would hope for a three-way tie. Because of how different Ohio State and Michigan are, it’s going to be almost insurmountable to try to ask a team to beat both of those teams, again, because of the styles you have to play to beat them."

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