Prior to the 2021 season, the Big Ten had at least one College Cup favorite, as well as a handful of NCAA Tournament hopefuls. It appeared to be a four — maybe even five — bid conference. But things didn’t quite pan out. Indiana started conference play slowly, while Maryland faltered down the stretch. Penn State, meanwhile, conceded eight goals to Hofstra in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, crashing out in dramatic fashion.

The conference was indeed competitive as ever, with five teams buying for the top two spots as late as October. Such a testy league led to a couple of tournament upsets — only compounding the excitement. On a national stage, though, the Big Ten disappointed. This year figures to be a little different. Indiana has strengthened, despite losing the best goalkeeper in the country. Maryland appears to have added depth and Penn State is set to benefit from some of its best players returning. Things are also looking up for Michigan, Rutgers and Northwestern, as the trio has the quality to give anyone a game.

Here’s a look at how all nine teams might fare this fall.

2021 Standings

Penn State 6-2-0 (13-7-1)

Maryland 5-2-1 (12-4-2)

Indiana 5-3-0 (15-6-1)

Michigan 4-3-1 (8-7-3)

Rutgers 3-4-1 (9-6-2)

Wisconsin 3-4-1 (7-7-3)

Northwestern 3-5-0 (6 -8-2)

Michigan State 2-4-2 (6-8-2)

Ohio State 2-6-0 (6-9-1)

2021 Big Ten Men’s Soccer Honors

Offensive Player of the Year: Peter Mangione, Penn State
Midfielder of the Year: Benjamin Bender, Maryland
Defensive Player of the Year: Daniel Munie, Indiana
Goalkeeper of the Year: Roman Celentano, Indiana
Coach of the Year: Jeff Cook, Penn State

Indiana

The Hoosiers didn’t quite reach expectations in 2021. Though the quality was there — notably with Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year Roman Celentano — preseason hopes of a national championship didn’t pan out. Still, Indiana excelled late on in Big Ten play, winning the conference tournament. And it appears to have retooled nicely ahead of 2022. Samuel Sarver should lead the line in 2021, after scoring 7 goals as a freshman. Head coach Todd Yeagley also pinched All-Big East first teamer Karsen Henderlong from Xavier to further bolster the attack. The defense should be equally solid, headlined by the duo of Daniel Munie and Joseph Maher.

Maryland

Maryland lost Big Ten Midfielder of the Year Benjamin Bender to MLS after the 2021 season. The attacking midfielder was a crucial component of Sasho Cirovski’s side, leading the team in goals. Replacing that production will be a challenge, although newcomers Colin Griffith and German Giammatei are both proven goalscorers. Elsewhere, Josh Bolma is a refined winger, and a good season could see his pro prospects improve. At the back, Maryland is solid. Defender Nick Richardson has played everywhere in his Maryland career and should settle at right back this year. Chris Rindov will bring experience to the center back position. The Terps will be in the mix for the Big Ten crown once again.

Michigan

The Wolverines endured a mixed season in 2021. They posted some big wins, such as home victories over Indiana and a resurgent Rutgers team. But consistency was allusive, as Michigan missed out on an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament. This season might be another mixed bag. Marc Ybarra has graduated, leaving a large hole in Michigan’s midfield. But Kevin Buca is back in the fold and should improve on his goal tally from last year. Hayden Evans is also an emerging star in goal. A promising recruiting class — headlined by club stars Nicholas Cassiday and Nicholas Kaloukian — should also make an impact. If the group jells, the Wolverines could push for a top three spot.

Michigan State

Michigan State’s 2021 highlight came relatively early on when it beat College Cup side Notre Dame in South Bend, 4-3. The Spartans had little to cheer about from there, as they only picked up two conference wins all year — although one was against a ranked Rutgers side. They return an experienced trio of Jack Beck, William Perkins and Louis Sala from that side, although star forward Farai Mutatu departed for MLS. Michigan State’s fortunes, then, will mostly lay in the hands of its nine newcomers. A solid season out of them could see the side move higher up the table.

Northwestern

The Wildcats showed some promise in season one of the Russell Payne era. Striker Justin Weiss made an immediate impact, making the All-Conference first team while leading the line. Collin McCamy also settled in well as a freshman and should get more looks in midfield in his sophomore campaign. This is a sneakily deep squad ahead of 2022, with Deng Deng Kur, Vincente Castro and Bardia Kimiavi all returning. Weiss can’t carry the laid on his own, but the support around him suggests that Northwestern will continue to improve.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes finished last in the Big Ten following a difficult campaign. They couldn’t put together a consistent attack and were shut out five times in Big Ten play. Disappointing losses to UAB and Xavier only compounded problems. The good news for Ohio State is that it has a lot of returning talent. Laurence Wootton established himself as an All-Conference level midfielder in 2021, and should only improve this year. Xavier Green also returns to the fold following a solid junior campaign. Depth could be an issue, but things are looking up for the Buckeyes.

Penn State

A year after winning the Big Ten conference title, there’s uncertainty in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions return three of their best players in Seth Kuhn, Peter Mangione and Andrew Privett. But they will undoubtedly feel the losses of Brandon Hackenberg and Pierre Reedy. In their stead, head coach Jeff Cook has brought in a talented group, highlighted by Michigan State transfer Olu Ogunwale and promising defensive midfielder Quentin Flowers. If they make an impact from day one, Penn State should be among the conference’s best once again.

Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights had an excellent start to Big Ten play, beating Indiana 2-1 in Bloomington — their first ranked win since 2015. And they never really hit the same heights. Rutgers was a competitive side, turning in some top performances against the conference's elite. But a lack of goals in big games cost them — such as in the tournament quarter final, where they lost 1-0 to Indiana. 2022 could see the Scarlet Knights take an extra step, with coach Jim McElderry bringing in a promising recruiting class. Star attacking midfielder Jackson Temple also returns, offering All-American potential to the forward line.

Wisconsin

The Badgers’ fate is in new hands this fall, as Neil Jones took over as head coach in January. Jones has the kind of resume to excite, with Big Ten experience as well as some success with Loyola Chicago. The new head coach takes over a squad that endured mixed fortunes last season. The Badgers had a hard time finding the back of the net in 2021, averaging only one goal per game. But they also had the best backline in the conference, leading the Big Ten in goals allowed. Finding a reliable goalscorer, then, will be a priority as Jones looks to catapult his new team up the standings.

Games to watch

Michigan at Michigan State, 9/27
Rutgers at Penn State, 10/25
Maryland at Indiana, 10/30