Just plain crazy... (2024 Big 10 preview thread)

[Xeliou66]

Ohio St and Oregon look like the clear cut favorites in the Big 10 to me, they are both loaded - this is pretty much a “win big or bust” year for Ohio St, if they lose to Michigan again, Ryan Day is gone.
The Buckeyes certainly have the talent to win not only the Big 10 but the National Title IMO, I think Howard will have a strong year at QB, they have the best RB duo in CFB, their receivers are strong as usual and their D is very talented and experienced. They should definitely make the playoff.
Oregon is loaded as well, Gabriel is a very good QB who will fill Nix’s shoes well and their offense is explosive and talented as usual and their D is kind of underrated.
I could see either the Ducks or Buckeyes potentially winning the National Title this year.
Michigan is going to drop off some IMO, they lost most of their team, they still have talent but I don’t think they make the playoff, it’s hard to lose that many key players.
Can Penn St take the next step this year? They’ve had a bunch of very good seasons under James Franklin but they rarely win their biggest games, will they get into the playoff? They have the talent to IMO if Allar takes the next step and has a better season, they have a great rushing attack and their receivers should be more productive, and their D is always strong. This may be the year the Nittany Lions get to the playoff.

Those 4 are the main playoff contenders from the Big 10 IMO, it will be interesting to see if there are any surprise teams that contend for the conference crown
I think USC will be slightly better than expected, everyone has forgotten about them it seems but they have a talented team and if their D improves they could surprise people.
Iowa could be very good if they could score, but I’m not sure if their offense will be able to put up the points to make them a contender in the conference.
Rutgers is a team that could be very good as well if their QB play is good, they finished with a winning record last year for the first time since 2014 and they return most of their team and their schedule is the easiest in the Big 10 so I think they will have their best team in a long time.
Maryland is another team that should be good if their QB play is good, Locksley has made them consistently decent and they could get better.
Washington lost their whole team from last year so they will drop off a lot but I have no idea how many wins they’ll get.
Wisconsin has fallen in recent years and may have a rocky road ahead this year with a very tough schedule.
Really all of the Big 10 teams have some intrigue surrounding them and I can see just about every team in the league contending for a bowl so it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Should be a very competitive conference.

 

[dtgold88]

Ohio St and Oregon look like the clear cut favorites in the Big 10 to me, they are both loaded - this is pretty much a “win big or bust” year for Ohio St, if they lose to Michigan again, Ryan Day is gone.
The Buckeyes certainly have the talent to win not only the Big 10 but the National Title IMO, I think Howard will have a strong year at QB, they have the best RB duo in CFB, their receivers are strong as usual and their D is very talented and experienced. They should definitely make the playoff.
Oregon is loaded as well, Gabriel is a very good QB who will fill Nix’s shoes well and their offense is explosive and talented as usual and their D is kind of underrated.
I could see either the Ducks or Buckeyes potentially winning the National Title this year.
Michigan is going to drop off some IMO, they lost most of their team, they still have talent but I don’t think they make the playoff, it’s hard to lose that many key players.
Can Penn St take the next step this year? They’ve had a bunch of very good seasons under James Franklin but they rarely win their biggest games, will they get into the playoff? They have the talent to IMO if Allar takes the next step and has a better season, they have a great rushing attack and their receivers should be more productive, and their D is always strong. This may be the year the Nittany Lions get to the playoff.

Those 4 are the main playoff contenders from the Big 10 IMO, it will be interesting to see if there are any surprise teams that contend for the conference crown
I think USC will be slightly better than expected, everyone has forgotten about them it seems but they have a talented team and if their D improves they could surprise people.
Iowa could be very good if they could score, but I’m not sure if their offense will be able to put up the points to make them a contender in the conference.
Rutgers is a team that could be very good as well if their QB play is good, they finished with a winning record last year for the first time since 2014 and they return most of their team and their schedule is the easiest in the Big 10 so I think they will have their best team in a long time.
Maryland is another team that should be good if their QB play is good, Locksley has made them consistently decent and they could get better.
Washington lost their whole team from last year so they will drop off a lot but I have no idea how many wins they’ll get.
Wisconsin has fallen in recent years and may have a rocky road ahead this year with a very tough schedule.
Really all of the Big 10 teams have some intrigue surrounding them and I can see just about every team in the league contending for a bowl so it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Should be a very competitive conference.

Mostly agree though a UM loss (as only loss) and deep playoff run or even title and Day not going anywhere. Lose to UM and no playoff or early exit? Might be right.
Have not really looked and too lazy to do it but gotta be some crazy tiebreakers to determine the CCG teams in a conference with 18 teams.

 

[Xeliou66]

Mostly agree though a UM loss (as only loss) and deep playoff run or even title and Day not going anywhere. Lose to UM and no playoff or early exit? Might be right.
Have not really looked and too lazy to do it but gotta be some crazy tiebreakers to determine the CCG teams in a conference with 18 teams.

It’s just hard to see Day surviving if they lose to Michigan for the 4th year in a row, I think they would have to reach the national title game or at least the semifinals in order for him to keep his job if they lose to Michigan. This is definitely a playoff or bust year for the Buckeyes, most likely a semifinal/title game year or bust, they are sick of losing big games especially to Michigan, and they have all of the pieces in place to win it all this year, they are arguably the most complete team in CFB.

 

[dtgold88]

It’s just hard to see Day surviving if they lose to Michigan for the 4th year in a row, I think they would have to reach the national title game or at least the semifinals in order for him to keep his job if they lose to Michigan. This is definitely a playoff or bust year for the Buckeyes, most likely a semifinal/title game year or bust, they are sick of losing big games especially to Michigan, and they have all of the pieces in place to win it all this year, they are arguably the most complete team in CFB.

No doubt seems like a no excuse season to go really far.........but recruiting is as important as anything in CFB and Day is really good at it (and staff). Big risk to dump him if we have a really good season but just lose to UM and don't win title.

 

[Xeliou66]

No doubt seems like a no excuse season to go really far.........but recruiting is as important as anything in CFB and Day is really good at it (and staff). Big risk to dump him if we have a really good season but just lose to UM and don't win title.

It’s just that Michigan/Ohio St is probably the biggest rivalry in CFB (the other contender for that is Bama/Auburn) and Ohio St fans won’t tolerate losing 4 years in a row to their arch rival when they have such high expectations. Seems like the Buckeyes are getting sick of falling just short - they’ve done just about every year lately. This year they have one of the most experienced teams in CFB, arguably the most talented and complete team in CFB, while Michigan is reloading and has a new coach. So I think if OSU shits the bed against Michigan again and doesn’t go far in the playoffs, I think it’s safe to say Day is gone, yeah he’s a good recruiter and all but beating Michigan and winning big games are what matters to OSU fans.

 

[fritowrdo]

It’s just hard to see Day surviving if they lose to Michigan for the 4th year in a row, I think they would have to reach the national title game or at least the semifinals in order for him to keep his job if they lose to Michigan. This is definitely a playoff or bust year for the Buckeyes, most likely a semifinal/title game year or bust, they are sick of losing big games especially to Michigan, and they have all of the pieces in place to win it all this year, they are arguably the most complete team in CFB.

I think it will take us to lose badly to Michigan for him to be fired.

 

[dtgold88]

I think it will take us to lose badly to Michigan for him to be fired.

That or lose other games and also not go far in playoffs would likely do it.

would really be a big risk without what they'd consider a sure thing replacement.

 

[fritowrdo]

That or lose other games and also not go far in playoffs would likely do it.

would really be a big risk without what they'd consider a sure thing replacement.

If he loses badly to Michigan and to other teams, then he will be gone.

I think they would hire Fickell if they fire Day,

 

[dtgold88]

If he loses badly to Michigan and to other teams, then he will be gone.

I think they would hire Fickell if they fire Day,

Fickell or maybe Vrabel is an option.

But a risk as even Tress did not recruit on the level of Day (and Meyer).