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Predicting the 2024 Big 10 Regular Season
WoolleyDoog
Member, Swaye's Wigwam Posts: 3,477 
Before the season always liked to go through every game in the Pac-12 and project how the standings will play out week by week. Projections can come from how good or bad teams are seen overall but schedule is almost always just as important and this is how I see the season actually playing out.
- Ohio State 11-1 (8-1) - The Buckeyes have Ryan Day but they also have the most talent, experience, and star power in the conference. They pass a tough test at Oregon and get revenge on Michigan in Columbus, but they're not good enough to run the table and get tripped up at Penn State.
- Michigan 10-2 (8-1) - I think Michigan is pretty flawed. I also think they have an easy schedule though and their only in-conference loss is at Ohio State.
- Penn State 10-2 (7-2) - Typical season for them. They're strong and talented
- Wisconsin 8-4 (6-3) - I see the Badgers getting better under Fickell. I think he's getting undersold because of an average year last year. They score a big upset over Oregon in November in Madison.
- Oregon 9-3 (6-3) - The Ducks have a decent schedule draw and running the table isn't impossible. I think they drop a few though - Ohio State at home, at Michigan, and at Wisconsin. They could still get into the playoff with this though, especially if all those game are close.
- Iowa 8-4 (6-3) - Being able to play defense and running the ball makes them solid. They always have more NFL talent than you think under Ferentz.
- USC 7-5 (6-3) - I don't think they're very good, but they have a very easy schedule in-conference.
- Washington 8-4 (5-4) - I think the Huskies can do better than this. I'm just not predicting it. They could also do worse.
- Michigan State 7-5 (4-5) - I think Smith is gonna turn this program around to at least being an above average Big 10 team every year.
- UCLA 6-6 (4-5) - This just feels like what UCLA is forever now.
- Rutgers 6-6 (4-5) - The top of a group of loser Big 10 programs that are kind of interchangeable depending on schedule.
- Nebraska 6-6 (3-6) - The rest of these schools I'm too lazy to break down.
- Indiana 6-6 (3-6)
- Maryland 5-7 (3-6)
- Minnesota 5-7 (2-7)
- Northwestern 5-7 (2-7)
- Illinois 4-8 (2-7)
- Purdue 3-9 (2-7)
Comments
I think Oregon loses 3 games next year, all to Ohio State.
Sounds like a new script
Bold prediction to suggest UW could do either better or worse than what you said.
Penn State beating tOSU (and WVU) but finishing with 2 losses was not on my bingo card. at USC and at Wisconsin? They probably have the easiest schedule of conference contenders. tOSU at home, no Michigan or Oregon. Toughest road trips are those 2 assumed projected losses. It's really on the QB to take a step and the new O Coordinator to be different this time. I actually think 10-2 is out of the question; they either take a step and make it to 11-1 or they underachieve down below 9 wins.
I'm struggling with UW manging 8-4 but Oregon only being 1 game better. Oregon has a ton of talent. I think Lanning will cost them key games when it matters but they've gotta win 10, right?
Same as the old script.
As I said, it gets tricky when you go game by game. Penn State you're right is an especially hard one. Once I dove into their schedule I definitely see a team that could easily lose only one game while not being a special team. I gave them losses at USC (long road trip, offense that can probably hit some shots on them) and Wisconsin (I think they'll be a very tough out at home).
Oregon's has talent but it's being overstated and I think it's more that the field is lacking proven talent more than anything. I think they're actually more similar to 2022 Oregon than 2023 as they're breaking a new core group, and that team lost three games. Not to Eklund, but yeah it wouldn't shock me if they ended up actually in a three loss to Ohio State situation either though.
If Oregon loses 3 regular season games it's because of serious injury issues. I don't think you're paying attention otherwise.
The DL is insane, the secondary is insane, the OL will have two tackles taken in the first 3 rounds, the RB depth is great and the talent is very good, the WR depth and talent is great, TE depth and talent is good.
Losing to Wisconsin = there's a WR playing QB in the wildcat with 10 other starters out, or tarmac Lanning.
They had great punting last year and have a really good inside the 40 kicker. UO 9-3 and UW 8-4 is fucking laughable.
Ohio State is a loss. @michigan is major concern. Beyond that, GTFO. While UW worries about Rutgers and Indiana, lmfao.
Cal still too high
Are you 12 or 13 years old?
This time it's gonna be different! 11-3!
This is your go to when an actual adult confronts you. Do better. Just admit you don't know shit about the team you care most about.
Adults use "insane" when waiving their pom poms. They do that.
Writing a breathless hyped up blow job about almost any college football team and talking about how there's only one team that can beat you is juvenile shit man and you don't belong on a site where we were stressed about our own team constantly during a 25-3 run that actually had two proven tackles go in the first two rounds and the shit your talking about etc.
Your GOAT team got their lunch stolen by RichRod and Arizona in your own stadium then you put out a press release like a bitch that your QB who played every snap was injured. Your team from last year which was more proven than this one and probably more talented would have lost to Texas Tech last year had Tyler Shough not had epilepsy or something.
You're insane secondary. Please go watch your best player in that unit against the likes of ASU, Stanford, WSU, and in the moments that mattered against your team and Texas last year. If he stayed at OkState or UW no one gives a shit. Your insane DL was basically Dorlus and a DE who legit tapped himself out on the first drive and an honorable mention all Big 10 DT and some AAC guy.
Your biggest strength is it's a rebuilding year nationally and at QB. You could have a great run even if your team wouldn't have been a Top 10 team last year.
buck L @ pedo - ehhhh, james franklin loves him some losses to top 10 teams.
ucla - new head coach with zero HC (or coord) experience, new conference, and garbers at qb. if they finish .500 it will be a miracle.
18 team conference
yawn