After spring practice and heading into the summer preseason, college football teams are building or rebuilding rosters and using the transfer portal to prepare for a historic 2024 season that includes conference realignment and expanded playoffs. We are making preparations to put ourselves in a favorable position.
Much of that expansion will take place in the Big Ten, which is set to add four West Coast teams: USC, Oregon, UCLA and Washington, but the conference will see it add to the all-important strength of the scheduling metrics set by the College Football Playoff. I'm looking forward to it. We have a lot of inventory.
What can bettors expect from the Big Ten this season? Here are the latest projected win totals for the conference, according to Circa Sports.
6.5 wins. Luke Fickell's debut season didn't go as planned due to quarterback injuries, but the quarterback transfer acquisition will help the unit acquire a key forward. It's whether the Badgers can endure a tough schedule that includes a home date with Alabama.
7 wins. The Huskies lost a lot of talent and head coach after making the playoffs a year ago. Jed Fisch comes over from Arizona State after a transition period with the program, but two of Washington State's tougher Big Ten opponents are on the road: Penn State and Oregon State.
7.5 wins. Lincoln Riley lost five games last season and lost their star quarterback. Miller Moss doesn't seem to be the answer, but the bigger question is how well he and new coordinator Danton Lynn can fix the Trojans' abysmal defense.
5.5 wins. With Chip Kelly gone and now calling plays at Ohio State, the Bruins are in a big transition period as they move toward the Big Ten. Although Deshaun Foster is a first-time head coach, he has a wealth of experience with a program that has weathered significant personnel losses on and off the field.
6 wins. The Scarlet Knights won seven games, including a bowl game against Miami, but that too with little passing attack. Eysan Kaliakmanis has been elevated to quarterback, and Rutgers avoids Ohio State and Michigan on its schedule.
10 wins. Drew Allard has yet to live up to his five-star expectations, and the quarterback may not be as well protected as he was a year ago. And while the Nittany Lions brought back two Starbs and acquired wideout Julian Fleming, a transfer from OSU, they also lost coordinator and lead receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith.
4 wins. Ryan Walters led an eight-win team to four wins in his debut season, then watched wide receiver Deion Burks and Big Ten sacks leader Nick Skorton leave the program. Three of Purdue's first seven games will be played on the road, with the remaining two coming against Notre Dame and Oregon.
4.5 wins. David Brown surprised everyone by winning eight games in his debut, but repeating that success depended on making the right decisions as a quarterback. The Wildcats will play at Washington and Michigan, with the latter game taking place the following week when they host Ohio State.
7.5 wins. The Cornhuskers have inched up the Big Ten power rankings this offseason, especially after a strong preview of five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola this spring. The Cornhuskers host Colorado in Week 2 and have road games at Ohio State, University of Southern California and Iowa State.
5 wins. P.J. Fleck won six games a year ago, but that was either a blip in the program's success or the first step in a downward trend. The Gophers open against North Carolina, travel to Michigan, host USC, travel to UCLA, play at home against Penn State, and travel to Wisconsin.
10.5 wins. The Ducks entered the Big Ten as a true contender to win the conference championship, with veteran quarterback Dillon Gabriel and former five-star wideout Evan Stewart leading a powerful offense. Oregon State will be tough in the trenches, but they need to fix their secondary pass defense.
5 wins. A coaching change also means a departure into the transfer portal, and the Spartans experienced plenty of both this offseason. However, they acquired head coach Jonathan Smith, who has helped rebuild Oregon State over the past few years. MSU takes the Buckeyes and Ducks in quick succession early on, which could derail an otherwise solid start.
9 wins. The reigning national champions lost much of what made them so, including their head coach. Sherrone Moore replaces Jim Harbaugh and while there are questions at quarterback, especially on the offensive line, the Wolverines retain enough defensive prospects to stay in Big Ten title contention.
6.5 wins. The departure of quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has cast doubt on the Terps' offense, which faces a tough midseason schedule that includes a trip to Penn State and games against USC, Minnesota, and Oregon in the second half of the season. It is scheduled.
7.5 wins. The defense has always helped carry the Hawkeyes when it's been difficult to move the ball, but coach Kirk Ferentz hopes that won't be necessary this season with Tim Lester calling plays. I'm here. Iowa has big questions its quarterback must answer first.
5.5 wins. With the departure of Tom Allen, the Hoosiers will be led by Curt Cignetti, who made a name for himself as a program builder, especially at James Madison. Curtis Rourke took over as quarterback after a solid career at Ohio State. Back-to-back games between Michigan and the Buckeyes will take place later in the season.
5.5 wins. A year ago, a poor defense stymied an otherwise talented Illini offense, but the D lost its best player with defensive tackle Jarzan Newton turning pro. Illinois has a good Kansas team early on, goes to Nebraska and Penn State in consecutive weeks, then takes on Michigan State, then plays Oregon State in back-to-back weeks.
10.5 wins. Among a very short list of national title contenders, the Buckeyes acquired key transfers such as quarterback Will Howard, safety Caleb Downs and tailback Quinshon Judkins. Add to that the high-profile returning defensive backs and talented wide receiver Emeka Egbuka.
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