It’s like nothing else in the men’s gymnastics world: the Big Ten Championships.

There’s passion. There’s rivalry. Outside of the NCAA Championships, it’s the biggest concentration of collegiate gymnastics talent in the country — all six Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally.

“It’s some of the best gymnastics you’ll ever get to see,” Michigan senior Scott Bregman said. “There are great gymnasts on all the teams, and they all have the potential to take the title. … There’s great parity in the Big Ten, and I just think it’s going to be a dogfight the whole way through.”

And the team atmosphere is unique to the collegiate version of the sport. Each school’s fan section arrives in full force, filling the host’s arena with bright colors and deafening cheers.

On Friday, the party arrives in Ann Arbor. Here’s what you need to know about Michigan's competition for the crown:

No. 4 Illinois
Last year’s finish: Second
Starting event on Friday: Vault
The Fighting Illini are a loaded team that tends to turn it on in the crucial meets. Sophomores Paul Ruggeri and Daniel Ribeiro star in the all-around and pommel horse, respectively, and are backed by a strong supporting cast. Ruggeri is coming off a knee injury, but seemed back to full strength in Illinois’s win over Michigan on March 14. Illinois also has one of the biggest and loudest fan sections out there. Expect the Illini to be in contention for the title right to the end.

No. 6 Penn State
Last year’s finish: First
Starting event on Friday: Floor Exercise
The Nittany Lions may have lost a powerful senior class after winning last year’s Big Ten title, but don't count them out just yet. Senior Casey Sandy won the NCAA All-Around title in 2008 and has showed no signs of slowing down this year. With teammates like standout freshman Miguel Pineda and junior high-bar whiz Noam Shaham, look for Penn State to turn in a strong performance in the championship meet.

No. 7 Ohio State
Last year’s finish: Third
Starting event on Friday: Still Rings
The Buckeyes have lost four straight meets entering the Big Ten Championships. In their final regular-season competition, they looked especially vulnerable on the pommel horse and parallel bars. But like all Big Ten teams, Ohio State has a core of strong performers, highlighted by seniors Jake Bateman and Eddie Hay and sophomore Brandon Wynn. The Buckeyes haven’t made the NCAA Team Finals in three years, but they won the conference title two years ago.

No. 8 Minnesota
Last year’s finish: Fifth
Starting event on Friday: Pommel Horse
Minnesota is hosting this season’s NCAA Championship meet, so it will be looking to improve on its Big Ten showing even more than usual. The Gophers have one of the best floor squads in the conference and senior Kit Beikmann is among the top pommel horse men in the nation. Junior Cole Storer contributes crucial scores on four events. Overlooking the Gophers would be a mistake, especially because they’ll finish the meet on floor exercise, which could allow them to leap frog some teams at the end.

No. 10 Iowa
Last year’s finish: Sixth
Starting event on Friday: Parallel Bars
With six freshmen, the Hawkeyes are in a rebuilding year and unlikely to make a push for the team title. But on any given night, anything can happen in the Big Ten. Look for senior Geoff Reins to turn some heads in the vault competition, with junior Jon Buese representing Iowa in the all-around.

Individual Title Predictions

All-Around: Penn State’s Casey Sandy seems to have a lock on this title, but he could have some tough competition from Michigan’s Chris Cameron, Ohio State’s Jake Bateman and Illinois’s Paul Ruggeri. Sandy’s experience will give him the edge this year.

Floor Exercise: Michigan sophomore Thomas Kelley looks to defend last year’s title against elite opponents like Sandy and Ohio State’s Eddie Hay. Kelley’s impeccable form and dynamic skills will make him a two-time champion.

Pommel Horse: As long as Illinois’s Daniel Ribeiro stays on the horse, the championship is his. He has one of the most difficult routines in the nation and is currently ranked No. 1 nationally on the event.