Jon Joseph

College football 2024 - What we're most excited to see - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM We're fired up just thinking about next season in college football. Here are the games, players and teams we can't wait to see.

Nuts to the Bruins! Come on Man! Floor-dropping funny!

Riley? Maybe part of the problem but the SC D in 2023 was an uncoordinated every man for himself fire drill. The OK D under Riley and Grinch didn't look much better. Perhaps it's easier to coach up 2* and 3* recruits than 4* and 5* recruits? Not a lot of 4* and 5* guys on the Wisconsin D.

Where to begin? No. 13. Northwestern plays 12 games and will not finish 5-5. I think Zack meant 6-6. No. 12. Maryland will not finish 5-7 and will go bowling. No. 9. Michigan State makes a bowl in year one of the J Smith era? I think he has Sparty rated too high. No. 8. UW - I think UW will win at least 7 games and more likely finish 8-4. Will Rogers will not be Penix but he will be an adequate replacement and Fisch (OC at MI in Harbaugh's 1st season) can coach. Winning a game in SEA is not that easy. OK, Wisconsin, for some unknown reason, finishes 9-3/7-2 and is ticketed for a No. 7 finish behind a No. 6 Iowa and No. 8. USC, both predicted to go 8-4 but with Iowa going 5-4 in the conference and USC going 7-2 in the conference. This guy has a strange set of tie-breakers. No. 2. Oregon - Zack still has Hawaii on the schedule and the Ducks going 12-1. He has Ohio State going 12-0. With no Hawaii on the schedule and with the Buckeyes traveling to Autzen, this cannot happen. I think his conference predictions are as credible as Zack having both Arizona and Utah in the 12-team PO field.

49ers-Lions: Jared Goff to face childhood team in NFC Championship Game WWW.MERCURYNEWS.COM Jared Goff, a Novato native and Marin Catholic High School star, will have a “caravan” of fans at the NFC Championship Game in Levi’s Stadium.

6100 fans? Is school in session? Is this a typical 'crowd?' Hats off to Ducks Men's and women's CBB but are the teams getting enough support? Are the home games being marketed properly? Thanks for the take, Charles, and Go Ducks!

Motor City! Why? A Penei for my thoughts and SFO QB Purdy has struggled down the stretch, especially with Deebo injured. This could be a big homecoming for Jared Goff. Detroit has wandered in the desert long enough. And the Lions coach has 'go for it' guts. But, watch out for (Heisman Winner, sigh) McCaffery. A Super Bowl rematch of when the Harbaugh Brothers went head-to-head. Hope we see Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh again soon with Justin at the controls for LAC.

Duxster, great take on the OR ST followed by the UCLA game. The B1G designed the schedules through 2028 so no team would have to travel 2 weeks in a row from the East to the West coasts and vice versa without an idle week between trips. But traveling to Michigan, home for Maryland, and then travel to Wisconsin is a tough ask.

In 2024, college football has four (4) Power Conferences. The ACC, plus Notre Dame, the Big 10, the B12, and the SEC. The Big 10 and the SEC are considered to be the Power 2. One P4 team in 2024, and only one, the Oregon Ducks, plays eight (8) games in a row against P4 competition (all B1G games) without an Off Week. In this eight-in-a-row gauntlet, the Ducks will play against 5 teams that went bowling in 2023, including NY6 bowl team Ohio State, and Playoff champion Michigan. And instead of having 8 home games as do Michigan and Ohio State, with Texas Tech off the board in favor of a road game at Oregon State the week before Oregon's first idle week, the Ducks will play 7, not 8, regular season games at home. Forget about 'steel sharpens steel' and the other rhubarbs that discount the impact of a team's schedule in college football, One team that played 9 conference games and only one, Michigan, won a BCS title or a 4-team playoff title. In the last 3 seasons' playoffs bound Michigan had the advantage of playing a lightweight from the B1G West. In 2024, the B1G goes divisionless. The opponent in the 2024 B1G champ game will be the real deal. 8 in a row versus 8 B1G teams is a huge ask. It's a huge ask for any team to make it through a slate like this without suffering a few critical injuries. And if Oregon makes the Playoff as an at-large team, that will mean 3 games in a row vs. top-drawer opponents (a 5th-seeded Oregon would likely have the G5 12 seed in the 1st round) before the champ game in Atlanta on 1/20/25. Win the B1G champ game in Oregon's 13th game of the season and Oregon will still have to win two games against the CFB cream of the crop to make it to the Champ game. Since being invited to join the B1G, Oregon's AD has participated in every B1G meeting attended by B1G ADs including meetings held before the 2024 schedule was finalized. I know that I have been tough on Rob in the past but this, I just don't get it. This is not how any officer should treat his troops. The only B1G team close to this kind of schedule difficulty in 2024 is USC with 7 in a row vs. P4 competition. Welcome to the B1G and have a nice day. Ryan Day has a far easier schedule in front of him and his Buckeyes. It is of course what it is and I am thrilled to be going B1G, but 8 in a row is going to be a tough row to hoe.

Whisky? Just hired the Grinch Who Stole Defense. Will Van Dyke play QB like he did before Mari(o) went MIA? But at Wisky follow at Michigan and Maryland and will be the Ducks 8th game in a row without a weekend off. Ouch!

I don't care. Just Win Baby! Oregon's schedule in 2024, ranked 13th hardest in the nation, is brutal with or without DeBoer on the sideline. Penix is gone; no surprise that Kalen followed.

Will these Wolverines be poachable? https://athlonsports.com/college-football/michigan-football-nine-players-the-wolverines-must-keep-out-of-transfer-portal-jim-harbaugh-chargers

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/kalen-deboer-loses-another-former-player-to-sec-rival

Jim Harbaugh exits Michigan with legendary status after resurrecting alma mater in his own unique image - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Harbaugh is headed back to the NFL, as most assumed he would, but not before leaving a lasting legacy in Ann Arbor

"Do you have a license for that Monkee? What, are you blind?" I just dropped Whisky in my list of the Ducks toughest games in 2024. Wisconsin hiring ex-USC DC Alex Grinch: Sources THEATHLETIC.COM After Colin Hitschler left for Alabama, Wisconsin is expected to hire former USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch as safeties coach.

Big Ten football after Jim Harbaugh: Who's the best coach? Ohio State's top challenger? THEATHLETIC.COM Our Big Ten writers look back at Harbaugh's impact on the conference and discuss what's next in an expanding league.

HELP! I've lost my Jabbar! Any updates would be very, very, cool.

Big Ten powerhouse featured more than any other program in ESPN's 'way-too-early' All-American team WWW.YARDBARKER.COM Everyone loves a good comeback story, and according to Chris Low at ESPN, the this Big Ten team appears to be in prime position to execute one in 2024.

Brailsford at center better bulk up. He was pushed around by the Michigan DL and will see a lot of the same in the SEC. No offense to Washington, but Kalen DeBoer was happy to bring former Huskies to Alabama WWW.YARDBARKER.COM The ERA of NIL deals has created a new reality in college football and perhaps few coaches know that better than new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Where to start? 9. Purdue - T-R-A-P! This game back East falls on the Saturday after Oregon plays back-to-back home games vs. Michigan State and more importantly for trap purposes, Ohio State. Purdue is a place where Ohio State's playoff hopes under Urban Meyer have gone to die. Both Purdue and Illinois between Ohio State and the Michigan games will be 'want to' tests for the Ducks. 7. Boise State - HUH? Forget about the aberrational 0-3. Boise was 8-6 in 2023. Had a nice lead against a UCLA team playing without many opt-outs and was worn down and blown out in the 2nd half. The RB mentioned in the article is legit. Nelson? Was the 3rd string QB at SC. IMO. this game should be somewhere around 9. 8. Maryland - Without the B1G's all-time leading passer, Taulia Tags, in the bowl game the Terps easily beat down an Auburn team that gave Bama all it could handle. No way IMO this game should be ranked as being less difficult than the game Vs. a G5 opponent. Check NFL rosters and you will find a lot of Terps. In fairness to the author, this take was composed before - Ohio State hired Bill O'Brien, found out that all draft-eligible juniors other than Harrison were coming back, and plucked the portal for the 2nd team All B12 QB, an SEC RB Frosh of the Year in Judkins, an SEC Newcomer of the Year and 2nd team AA safety Caleb Downs, and 2024's #1 QB recruit. Among an excellent recruiting class, Ohio State is bringing in 2024's #1 recruit, WR Jeremiah Smith. This was also composed before DeBoer left Seattle and left a denuded Huskies roster. Before Harbaugh decided to take the Chargers job and bring his DC along with him. And what will the roster fallout be from Jim heading West? Ohio State, visiting Eugene on 10/12/24, will bring with it by far the best roster Oregon will face in 2024. The roster will have @15 players that will go in the top 3 rounds of the NFL draft somewhere down the road. All of the returning draft-eligible juniors had no lower than a 3rd round grade. Georgia is the preseason #1 'IT' team. But looking at Georgia's and Ohio State's schedule and with the turmoil at Michigan, I think tOSU should come into 2024 as the No. 1 preseason ranked team. 3. Wisconsin - Because of the late date, the location, and the game coming as the 8th game in a row after playing at Michigan and home vs. Maryland, I do not disagree with this ranking. Depending on the roster fallout as a result of Harbaugh leaving Michigan, if Fickell gets it going in year 2, this team could contend for a spot in the B1G champ game. The team gave LSU all it could handle in its bowl game. No Daniels for LSU but Nussmeier who will start for LSU in 2024 is a capable QB. Will Mari(o)'s 'friend' QB Tyler Van Dyck play at Wisconsin like he did at Miami before Christobal? 4. UW and 5. UCLA - With what's happening in Seattle and with what's not happening on the recruiting front in Westwood, it's hard to slot these games. Yes, UCLA is a road game but Oregon will be coming off an Idle Week while UCLA will be coming off of a game at LSU. Love the post. Let's see what the 'experts' come up with after spring practice and the 2nd portal opening.

Michigan coaching candidates: Sherrone Moore, Brian Kelly among top options with Jim Harbaugh leaving for NFL - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM With Harbaugh on his way to coach the NFL's Chargers, Michigan may not have to look too far for his replacement

Chargers hire Jim Harbaugh: Why head coach's history of winning could make 'Chargering' extinct - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM The franchise's new head coach can help overcome its history of losing

A winner at U of San Diego, Stanford, the Pros, and Michigan. I see this as great news for Justin. It may also be good for MI NCAA-wise with the head man at the time of infractions leaving Ann Arbor. Now, pick Bowers, LSU WR Nabers, UW WR Odunze (I think Franklin will be off the board but if not?), or go with the D side of the ball. Slater is solid at LT. Another guy to look at could be ND's Joe Alt to play RT. Will Sherrone Moore move up to HC? Will Harbaugh's move have returning MI players thinking about the portal? Did Michigan's tough 2024 schedule just get tougher?

Thanks for the post but this guy's take has to be preseason and not his thoughts, I hope, on what a Final 12 will look like. FWIW, very little, when I dabble at this I try to project playoff teams. Take a look at all of the SEC teams Neel has in his top 10. All of his SEC-ranked teams to an extent, play one another in 2025. 2 loss teams will finish in the top 11 (12 is likely to be the G5 team) but a 3 loss team? Maybe one 3L team if that will get in. Also, the ACC champion will finish in the top 11. No. 24 is kind of a throwaway but CU from 5-7 to No. 24? Kentucky, No. 25? In 2024 KY plays UGA, at Ole Miss, at Florida, Auburn, at Tennessee, and at Texas. And South Carolina is not a walk-over for these Wildcats. LSU and not Oklahoma should be in the top 11. And Tennessee IMO is more deserving of being in the top 11 than Notre Dame although ND does have a far easier schedule. I'm waiting until the 2nd signing day, the second portal opening, and the final portal signings before coming up with (again FWIW) my take on what the Committee will determine in December of 2024. And this will include a deep dive into 2024 schedules. Thanks for the take.

Dave, I appreciate your thoughts as I am clueless as to how 'this' will work. I do see a day coming when holographic broadcasts will allow you entry into the stadium to sit wherever you like, move around during the broadcast, and allow for as much sense of smell as you can handle.