Jon Joseph

College football 2024: Sizing up new-look SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM We look at the best -- and strangest -- games that realignment has brought, while seeing which teams could have their fortunes changed the most.

WOW! Did anyone see THIS coming? Chip on the tOSU sideline when Brutus comes for a visit on 10/12/24 is going to take some getting used to. I am somewhat surprised that Day would hire a guy who does not like to recruit although one reason O'Brien left Bama for the NFL before a brief period in Columbus and is now at BC, is because he wasn't all in on recruiting. UCLA finished last in the B1G in 2024 recruiting and has done very little in the portal to date, 75th in the nation. Why not get off of the Bruins not-so-merry-go-round and go with a team with the Bluest Blue Chip Roster in the conference? It will be interesting to learn what Chip's remuneration will be. It will be less than he was making at UCLA but he does get a nice cost-of-living cut. Fleck? Considering the location, Fleck has done OK as a recruiter. Minnesota finished No. 36 this season. Fleck has brought in and coached up several 3* RBs who have made it to the NFL. Fleck signed Max Brosner from New Hampshire (more NH ties) to QB the Gophers in 2024. Brosner was 2nd team All-FCS QB in 2023. He threw for 3464 yards and 29 TDs. If Fleck is the Bruins guy, I expect Brosner will follow him to LA. With QB Will Howard transferring to tOSU from K State (2nd team All B12 QB behind Dillon Gabriel) Chip will have a dual threat guy that will fit his run-oriented system. With Judkins coming in from Ole Miss at RB and Henderson returning at RB, the Buckeyes O will be far more ground-oriented than it was under Day with rookie of the year JT Stroud and Justin Fields at QB. After 3 seasons in a row of losing the LOS to Michigan, it does make sense for Day to go more physical on O. Is there an off-season in college football?

CBS Sports NFL guru Josh Edwards has the New B1G closing in on the New SEC, at least in the 1st Round of his latest draft predictions. Edwards has SC QB Caleb Williams No. 1 to the Bears, UCLA Edge Latu No. 9 to the Bears, UW WR Odunze No. 14 to the Saints, UW OL Fautano No. 21 to the Dolphins, and OBD Rimington Award winner Jackson Powers-Johnson OL, No. 26 to the Bucs. With the 5 B1G Newbies being drafted, the New B1G is projected to have 11 1st-round picks. The New SEC with 1 player from Oklahoma and 1 player from Texas projected to be drafted in the 1st round, comes in with 12 predicted 1st round picks. Edwards predicts 4 Bama, 3 LSU, and 2 players from Georgia will go in the first round. LSU QB Daniels is projected as going No. 3 to the Pats. But with LSU WRs going No. 5 and No. 17 in the first round, is Daniels being overvalued? That was one heck of an O LSU put on the field in 2023 and the Heisman winner had a great year but how much was due to him and how much to the supporting cast? At the end of the day, the SEC will again have the most players drafted.

2026 Playoff Committee = Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti.

Final thoughts on Michigan football's 2024 class after Signing Day GBMWOLVERINE.COM National Signing Day has come and gone and the results are in. As the 15th best class in 2024, the consensus seems to be, once again, that the Wolverines have a

With Tom Brady, a possible problem. Without Tom? Check out BB's NFL HC record without Tom with the Browns and then the Pats. In every level of football, if you have the best QB you will win games.

Great post. SC in 2024 has the 2nd most difficult strength of schedule in the nation. It will be fascinating to see if a clean sweep of Grinch and Friends will help turn around the SC D. I will say this, with Williams on the bench the SC O had a lot of athletes on the field vs Louisville in the Holiday Bowl. Fairly easy win over Louisville but the D still gave up a lot of yards on the ground. But SC's team speed was evident and the SC D guys made open field tackles. SC has the 5th best odds of winning the B1G title in 2024 behind tOSU, Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State. This team will continue to put up points. Will it stop anyone? The opening game vs LSU in Vegas will be an early tell. No Ohio State. Wisconsin, Penn State, Nebraska, and Notre Dame (overrated IMO) in LA. At UCLA but is Chipper, if he's there, going to able to field a team? I think that Riley may be figuring out that SC will not sell itself and that he better focus or keep losing guys to relationship builders Lanning and staff.

Good post, thanks. BTN, The Big-10 Network uses 247 Sports recruiting, portal, and combined roster rankings. Accordingly, tOSU's numbers are terrific but behind Oregon as discussed on yesterday's BTN signing day special. I certainly understand why Charles likes Rivals. With the BTN using 247, this is what I intend to use.

Good call on Nebraska and Ruhle. The Cornhuskers are No. 3 out of 134 ranked teams in returning production with the No. 18 recruiting class. No. 6 in the B1G. Ruhle is also bringing in transfers who will help the cause. UTEP and No. Iowa trip to Lincoln or OOC games as does CU in a revenge matchup. The Huskers play at Ohio State, Iowa, and USC but miss Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State. Wisconsin trips to Lincoln. I think Nebraska and Wisconsin, with the Badgers also in the recruiting top 25, and if QB Van Dyke can play like he did before Mario showed up, are two B1G dark horse contenders. AMAZING! Your Dawgs lose a 5* QB recruit to Nebraska, Raiola, and still finish #1 in recruiting.

Bet MGM has early odds up on 18 teams in the running to win the 2024 College Football Playoff. The odds have been adjusted for coaching and roster changes at Alabama, Michigan and Washington. Below are the 5 B1G teams with odds in the top 18 (The B1G Favored 5.). For reference purposes, Georgia +350 is No. 1. No. 2 - Ohio State - +500 No. 5 - OREGON - +1000 No. 7 - Michigan - +1400 (up from +900) No. 11 - Penn State - +2500 No. 14 - USC - +3500 Before looking at the above teams' respective Strength of Schedule (SOS), the following are the 247 Sports Combined Roster National Rankings for the five teams and the ESPN+ 2024 Returning Roster Production Rankings of 134 teams. The Combined Roster Rankings will be adjusted after the 2nd portal go-round. Returning Production rankings uses playing time and 2023 production, and not just the number of returning players. The Big 10 Network uses the 247 Sports rankings for recruiting, the portal, and the combined roster rankings. National Rankings - Roster - OREGON - No. 3 / Returning Production - 28 Roster - Ohio State - No. 5 / Returning Production - 70 Roster - Penn State - No. 15 / Returning Production - 23 Roster - Michigan - No. 16 / Returning Production - 128 Roster - USC - No. 17 / Returning Production - 99 In 2024, OBD is in a great position in terms of both the roster ranking and returning production. USC and Michigan have a lot of replacing to do. For reference purposes, our buddies in Seattle come in last in the B1G's returning production ranking, No. 130. Comparative Strength of Schedule Rankings. Caveat, the following is far more art than science. SOS is calculated using the 2023 records of the opponents that appear on a respective team's schedule in 2024. During the season, SOS will change week-to-week. As will the Strength of Record rankings. Deviations in total games played are the result of the number of 2023 Playoff and Bowl teams on a team's 2024 schedule. Michigan and Washington played 15 games in 2023. Oregon played 14 games. Most bowl teams played 13 games. The following is the combined win/loss record for the opponents the B1G Favored Five will face in 2024, listed by degree of difficulty. In 2024, Michigan and Ohio State both play 8 home games. Oregon, Penn State, and USC play seven 7 home games. USC - 106 - 53. This happens when you play both teams that played for the 2023 championship (both on the road) and two out-of-conference games versus a 10-3 LSU, a 10-3 Notre Dame, and a respectable G5 opponent in 6-7 Utah State. ESPN's SP+ 2024 SOS rankings have USC ranked No. 2, only behind No. 1 Florida. OREGON - 101- 57. OBD joins SC as the only two of the B1G Favored Five that will play teams in 2024 that won 100 games or more in 2023. The Ducks also join the Trojans playing both Michigan and Washington. However, the Ducks draw the B1G Boys Daily Double, Michigan and Ohio State. USC does not play Ohio State in the regular season. The Ducks 2024 schedule is ranked the 13th most difficult in the nation by SP+'s early ranking of 2024's 15 most difficult schedules. MICHIGAN - 98 - 59. The rematch in Seattle in 2024, playing Playoff team Texas out-of-conference, and 2023 NY6 Bowl opponents, Oregon and Ohio State is not an easy ask. The win total is increased by also playing 9-4 Fresno State and 6-7 Arkansas State out-of-conference. New head coach Moore has to replace a lot of production on both sides of the ball. Michigan does play both SC and Oregon in Ann Arbor. PENN STATE - 88 - 67. The Nittany Lions are likely the B1G's happiest campers over divisions going away. PSU plays Ohio State in Happy Valley and misses, for the first time since 2013, nemesis Michigan. If there had been a 12-team playoff going back to BCS in 1998, Penn State would have been 2nd in the number of appearances. The schedule sets up for a run at the 1st 12-team Playoff field. Here's one scheduling quirk. PSU plays UCLA at home and trips to USC the following Saturday. OHIO STATE - 83 - 71. This, my OBD friends is why the Buckeyes 2024 schedule is referred to as 'OPPS.' The Ohio State Playoff Protection Schedule. In 2025, Ohio State will open the season against Texas. In 2024, the Buckeyes play three G5 teams out-of-conference with a 2023 combined record of 12 and 25. All home games. Ohio State plays two tough road games, Oregon and Penn State. Ohio State plays Michigan in Columbus and plays against 6 teams that went bowling in 2023, with 4 of the 6 games vs 2023 bowl teams being played in The Shoe. Oregon plays 9 teams that played in bowl games in 2023. Five of the 9 games will be played away from Autzen. Unlike NFL scheduling designed to result in parity, college football schedules vary widely in strength-of-schedule difficulty. Teams contending for a CFB Playoff berth do not play the same number of regular season games. Last season, Oregon should have played a battle-tested 10-2 AAC champ SMU in the Fiesta Bowl and not 13-0 CUSA champ Liberty. It will be very interesting to see with the Playoff expanding to 12 teams if the Playoff Committee will take strength-of-schedule into consideration and not simply wins and losses. Michigan in 2023 and 2024 made the 4-team field playing three G5 opponents out-of-conference with all six games played in Ann Arbor. This 'stuff' needs to stop. Ohio State does pay a visit to Eugene in 2024 but based on the B1G Favored 5 2024 schedules, Ohio State definitely has the Pole Position. GO DUCKS! Vandalize the Vandals!

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey speaks on problems facing college football: 'There are no magical answers' - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Sankey spoke about the SEC's new advisory committee with the Big Ten

What will the Big Ten-SEC partnership look to accomplish? - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM So, the two superpowers in college athletics -- the Big Ten and SEC -- are partnering up to attack some of their biggest issues. Details remain unclear, but whatever you do, don't call it an...

National Signing Day: Big 12 poised to finish outside top 20 in recruiting rankings amid Texas, Oklahoma exits - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM It marks the first time in the 247Sports era that the league has been shut out of the top 20

College football recruiting rankings: SEC, Big Ten dominate as top classes emerge on National Signing Day - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Realignment has only furthered the two conferences' stranglehold on the recruiting rankings

Michigan, Washington, UCLA, and Northwestern, you just made the wrong list. National Signing Day 2024: Michigan, Washington among teams needing to improve recruiting in 2025 cycle - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM These programs need to step up their efforts on the trail after some lackluster results in the 2024 cycle

Terrific Signing Day 90-minute wrap-up show on today's B1G Live on the Big 10 Network (BTN). Lots of love for Oregon. BTN uses the 247 recruiting and combined recruiting and transfer portal roster rankings. Oregon finishes No. 1 in the B1G and No. 3 in combined recruiting and transfer portal rankings, behind Georgia and Alabama and two spots in front of Ohio State. OHIO STATE! Did you ever think even a year ago that we would see this? Amazing. Wherever you have to go to subscribe, do subscribe to the BTN. Better and deeper coverage of Oregon since the relocation to the B1G was announced than in 10+ years on Larry's Network.

Huge, not only have former arch enemies the B1g 10 and SEC 'allied' but ESPN and Fox are doing the same. Wow! Does this pass the anti-trust 'Market Power Test?' What media entity will be able to compete against the Fox/B1G and its inventory, the ESPN/SEC inventory, ESPN's and Fox's B12 inventory, and ESPN's ACC inventory? How will another entity be able to compete against this? The entire enterprise continues to devolve with fewer teams able to compete the the B1G/SEC Boys.

Chip Kelly, Go To Your Room! UCLA's Compsite Ranking is No. 86! This brings up the rear of the B1G including Northwestern (with zero transfers brought in), Indiana, and Purdue. No wonder he is interviewing to be the Seahawks OC. Is the guy just lazy, doesn't give a whip, or both? Top drawer academic school with a beautiful campus in Westwood. You can't sell this?

I LOVE your Cal call! Great post, you beat me to it.

The 'difficult games on the Hurricanes 2024 schedule - Away - Florida, Louisville, Georgia Tech, and perhaps, Cal? Home - VA Tech, FSU, Duke. There could be 4 Ls here no doubt. And Mario usually drops 1 game he should win. I get your recruiting point but no team without a Blue Chip Roster won the BCS or the 4-team Playoff title.

YES! But come 2026, the B1G/SEC will kick this format to the curb.

Updated 247 Sports 2024 Roster Composite (recruiting and portal) Top 10 and B1G teams in the top 25. 1. Georgia - Even with losing a 5* QB to Nebraska! 2. Alabama - DeBoer will have a very blue Blue Chip Roster 3. OREGON - DL killing it in recruiting and portal picking. 4. Miami - Will it translate to the field of play? 5. Ohio State - Buckeyes take a back seat behind Puddles. 6. Texas - The game at Michigan is likely the top OOC game of the 2024 season. 7. LSU - IMO, LSU is not getting enough preseason love. No Georgia. Bama, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss play in Baton Rogue. 8. Oklahoma - Houston, Tulane, Tennessee, at Auburn, at Ole Miss, at Mizzou, Bama, at LSU. Whew! 9. Notre Dame - Make or break year for Coach Freeman could come down to playing in LA vs USC in the final regular season game. 10. Auburn - Nice recruiting on the way to a rebuild. Our friend Robbie Ashford has transferred to South Carolina. 15. Penn State/ 16. Michidan/ 17. USC/ 18. Nebraska/ 23. Wisconsin

Lots of props to Puddles in Hayes' latest B1G takes. The B1G 10: Why Nebraska is poised for a breakthrough in 2024, at long last SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Freshman QB Dylan Raiola is the key to everything. And he might be good enough to lead a Playoff push. Plus: B1G power rankings and more.

The B1G 10: Why Nebraska is poised for a breakthrough in 2024, at long last SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Freshman QB Dylan Raiola is the key to everything. And he might be good enough to lead a Playoff push. Plus: B1G power rankings and more.

I think OBD fans may still be confused over the format for the CFB Playoff for the next two seasons. I do not believe the ACC representative - Clemson, FSU, Louisville, NC State, ?, will be ranked 3rd or 4th in the Playoff Committee's penultimate 2024 ranking. Ditto the B12 champ - Utah, Arizona, OK State, Kansas State, Kansas, ?. However, with a format of the top 4 ranked conference champions being seeded 1-4 and receiving a 1st round bye, both the ACC and B12 champions are odds on to be seeded in the top 4. I believe this format will disappear come 2026 under a new Playoff format. A format the B1G and the SEC will significantly influence. As the author of the posted article, Pete Fiutak of College Football News (CFN) notes, one problem with the Playoff is that the champ game will not be played until 1/20/25 encroaching well into the NFL playoffs. CFN's Projected 2024 Playoff Field and Results. 1st Round games will be played on the home fields of teams ranked 5-8. Friday - 12/20/24 - 9. USC at 8. LSU Saturday - 12/21/24 - 11. Clemson at 6. Texas/ 12. Boise State at 5. OREGON/ 10. Penn State at 7. Notre Dame Quarter Finals - Tuesday - 12/31/24 - Fiesta Bowl - 4. Utah vs 5. OREGON - Nice way to bring in the New Year. Wednesday - 1/1/25 - Peach Bowl - 3. Florida State vs 6. Texas/ Rose Bowl - 1. Ohio State vs 8. LSU/ Sugar - 2. Georgia vs 7. Notre Dame Semifinals - Thursday - 1/9/25 - Orange Bowl - 2. Georgia vs 5 OREGON Friday - 1/10/25 - Cotton Bowl - 1. Ohio State vs 6 Texas Champ Game - Mercedes Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia 1. Ohio State vs 2. Georgia. Under this format, the No. 1 seed, B1G champ Ohio State, plays in Pasadena, CA., plays Texas in Dallas, Texas, and plays Georgia in Atlanta. No. 2 seed Georgia plays in New Orleans, Miami, and Atlanta. B1G Commissioner Tony Petitti will have to address playoff sites come 2026. Ohio State fans have a short hope to Indianapolis for the B1G title game but asking a fan base to then travel to California, Texas, and Georgia is a bit much; especially for the No. 1 seed. The basketball tournament has the No. 1 seeds staying close to home. Comes 2026 and perhaps there will be an expanded field, no 1st round byes, and with the 1st and 2nd rounds played on campus? https://collegefootballnews.com/news/college-football-playoff-will-be-huge-daily-cavalcade It's going to be B1G fun!