UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At the start of the 2016 season, the realistic goal for Penn State football, at least in the opinion of many outside the program, was to finish fourth in the Big Ten Conference East because the division’s “Big Three” looked to be formidable again.
Ohio State lost more than a dozen players to the NFL, but would use its depth to reload. Michigan possessed an outstanding defense and the offensive wizardry of coach Jim Harbaugh. Michigan State was the defending conference champion and a 2015 College Football Playoff participant that lost some important players, but had key pieces returning.