Eleven Warriors’ Dan Hope predicts how all 18 Big Ten teams’ regular seasons will play out with Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State taking the top three spots in the standings.
For the first time, the Big Ten features 18 schools after adding four teams from the West Coast this offseason. Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington join the conference’s 14 returning members in competition for two spots in the Big Ten Championship Game. And while there’s no longer a disparity between East and West in the newly divisionless conference, some teams drew significantly tougher schedules than others in the Big Ten’s first year as an 18-team league.
The biggest challenge of the regular season for the Buckeyes will come in their sixth game when they travel to Oregon to play the Ducks as a conference opponent for the first time. Oregon has the talent on both sides of the ball to contend with any team in the country this season, and I won’t be surprised to see the Ducks get the best of the Buckeyes after a cross-country road trip to Eugene.
The Wolverines’ defense should still be among the nation’s best, and that could be enough for Michigan to win the rest of its games, though meetings with USC and Washington won’t be cakewalks. Their offense could hold them back against elite competition, though, as the Wolverines have major question marks at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive line.
Luke Fickell’s team has enough pieces on both sides of the ball to win eight or nine games this year, but its schedule sets up the possibility that the Badgers could have to fight just to earn bowl eligibility.Hopes are high entering the 2024 season in Piscataway, and not without good reason. The Scarlet Knights have their most well-rounded roster since Greg Schiano returned to town, and they avoid all of Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Michigan, giving them a schedule full of winnable games.
Maryland’s schedule sets up for that trend to continue in 2024. All of the Terrapins’ first six games are very winnable, but all of their last six games are very losable. Ultimately, I expect history to repeat itself as the turtles race out of the gates like hares before limping their way to bowl eligibility in the second half of the season.
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