IOWA CITY, Iowa – This year marks the 16th annual Cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Football Poll, and it should come as little to no surprise that Ohio State has been picked to win the conference yet again.

That’s 11 out of 16 years that the media has picked the Buckeyes to win the conference.

Ohio State returns all but two starters on offense, including star receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin, who completed an eye-popping 77 percent of his pass attempts last season for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Sayin will operate behind a veteran offensive line and should also have a solid running game to help complement the passing game.

And while the Buckeyes only return three starters on defense, few teams reload better than Ohio State does.

Ohio State received 540 points in the poll, while Oregon was second with 527 points.

Defending national champion Indiana is ranked third in the poll with 509 points, while Iowa is ranked eighth with 361 points.

Kirk Ferentz, who turns 71 on Aug. 1, will be entering his 28th season as the Iowa head coach and is the Big Ten’s all-time winningest head coach with 209 victories. Ferentz had four wins erased by the NCAA as punishment for having contacted former quarterback Cade McNamara before McNamara had entered the transfer portal in 2022.

Iowa will be among six teams highlighted at Big Ten Media Day on Tuesday.

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Cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Football Poll