With the season-opening kickoff essentially a week away for the Iowa Hawkeyes and with college football getting underway on Saturday, final predictions for the 2024 season are rolling in.
As Hawkeye fans count down to Iowa’s season opener versus Illinois State, USA TODAY Sports shared its record prediction for the 2024 season.
USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg actually shared his record prediction for every single FBS team.
Myerberg and USA TODAY Sports predict Iowa to finish the 2024 season tied for fifth place in the Big Ten alongside USC. The Hawkeyes will finish the 2024 regular season slate with an 8-4 (6-3 Big Ten) mark according to Myerberg’s prediction.
Myerberg has Ohio State and Oregon atop the Big Ten with identical 11-1 (8-1 Big Ten) records. That would set up a rematch in the Big Ten Championship game with one of the two seeking revenge.
Ohio State travels to Oregon on Saturday, Oct. 12 in what will be one of the most highly-anticipated matchups in the 2024 college football season.
There’s terrific depth through the top seven or eight teams, a group that includes a rejuvenated Nebraska under coach Matt Rhule. But the story of the Big Ten is right at the top. While the conference should get at least two teams in the playoff field, the race between Ohio State and Oregon for the Big Ten crown should be one of the best in the FBS. Penn State and Michigan are also in the mix, though the defending champs are a bit of an unknown given the program’s many changes since January. – Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports.
In the other Power Four leagues, Myerberg projects Clemson to finish with the best regular season record in the ACC at 10-2 (7-1 ACC). Florida State and North Carolina State are predicted to finish 9-3 (6-2 ACC) per Myerberg.
In the Big 12, Myerberg likes Utah and Kansas State to finish 10-2 (7-2 Big 12) and 9-3 (7-2 Big 12), respectively. That would set up a Big 12 Championship matchup between those two.
Finally, in the SEC, Myerberg projects Georgia to finish with the best regular season record at 11-1 (7-1 SEC). Then, get ready to make use of the new SEC tiebreakers right out of the chute. Myerberg predicts Alabama, LSU and Texas to all register 6-2 marks in league play.
Here’s a look at Myerberg’s full projected Big Ten standings:
- Ohio State 11-1 (8-1 Big Ten)
- Oregon 11-1 (8-1 Big Ten)
- Penn State 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
- Michigan 9-3 (7-2 Big Ten)
- Iowa 8-4 (6-3 Big Ten)
- USC 8-4 (6-3 Big Ten)
- Nebraska 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
- Wisconsin 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten)
- Rutgers 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten)
- Maryland 7-5 (4-5 Big Ten)
- Washington 7-5 (4-5 Big Ten)
- Minnesota 6-6 (4-5 Big Ten)
- Michigan State 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten)
- Northwestern 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten)
- UCLA 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten)
- Illinois 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten)
- Indiana 4-8 (1-8 Big Ten)
- Purdue 3-9 (1-8 Big Ten)
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