Category: Big Ten football

What two Big Ten programs does ESPN analyst Greg McElroy think will bounce back this season?

Greg McElroy predicts that two Big Ten programs will bounce back this year.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy singled out two perennial Big Ten powerhouses as ready to bounce back this season.

McElroy believes that Nebraska and Wisconsin are ready to take a step forward this season. Both Big Ten teams are in their second year under high-profile head coaches.

Last year, [autotag]Matt Rhule[/autotag] guided the Cornhuskers to a 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten) record, their best finish since 2019. With several successful wins in the transfer portal and the nation’s top incoming freshman quarterback recruit in Dylan Raiola, expectations are certainly high around the blue blood program.

McElroy, speaking on the ESPN platform ‘Always College Football,’ thinks that the progress shown last year in their first season under Rhule can be furthered this season.

“I look at this year’s team and I think this could be a bounce-back season for the Cornhuskers with where their program is ultimately going to be,” McElroy said on ESPN’s ‘Always College Football.’

“I think Matt Rhule has them ultimately going in the right direction. I believe that. I think they’re going in the right direction, no doubt about it. But, how quickly can they get there? When you look at Matt Rhule’s tenure as a head coach – both Baylor and Temple….year one was really underwhelming. Year two was a big step in the right direction.”

As for Wisconsin, McElroy sees some of the struggles in Luke Fickell‘s first year as also ready to turn a corner. The Badgers finished with a winning record but with expectations high in Madison, McElroy thinks the pieces are in place for Fickell to continue the program’s development.

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Their season ended with a 35-31 loss to LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

“Wisconsin went 7-6 last year. New year, new regime. New everything under Luke Fickell heading into ’23. I felt really good about Wisconsin last year, I had it wrong. I’m not going to try to sit here and spin it. I had it wrong. I’m not going to sit here and spin it. I got it wrong. There’s no denying it,” McElroy said.

“But if you look where they were last year -I just thought this offense was going to take shape. Clearly, there was some growing pains. They could still run the ball pretty effectively last year.

“There was some inconsistencies at quarterback from time to time. There were inconsistencies at wide receiver. And I will be curious to see if maybe year number two, Luke Fickell can take a big step. Vegas doesn’t anticipate it… their win total right now is 6.5.”

Where was Greg Schiano ranked for his playing career among Big Ten football coaches?

On3 takes a look at the on field playing careers of the Big Ten’s head coaches.

There is a compelling argument that Rutgers football head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] consistently isn’t ranked enough among a recent pecking order of the top Big Ten football coaches.

But the order has nothing to do with the acumen or success of the Big Ten’s coaches (Rutgers after all went 7-6 last year with a bowl win over Miami). Instead, Schiano (set for his fifth year at Rutgers), and his colleagues were ranked by On3 for their playing careers.

Topping off the list, and it shouldn’t be a surprise, is DeShaun Foster. The first-year UCLA head coach had a distinguished career in the Pac-12 with the Bruins and was a second-round pick in the 2002 NFL draft.

Schiano was ranked as having had the No. 11 career among all head coach in the Big Ten according to On3’s Tom Dinehart.

Dinehart called Schiano, who was a multi-year starter at Bucknell as “the ultimate tough guy.”

“A three-year letterwinner for the I-AA Bison, Schiano was named to The Sporting News’ preseason All-American team in 1987…was a captain his senior year after leading non-scholarship Bucknell with 114 tackles as a junior en route to garnering All-Patriot League honors.”

Dinehart’s list is good and really solid, but there are a couple of issues with it.

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He ranks Penn State head coach James Franklin as fourth on the list. Franklin, while enjoying a distinguished career at East Stroudsburg, played at the Division II level.

Tough to see him above several people on the list including Ryan Day (an FCS standout at New Hampshire) who was fifth on the list.

No. 6 Ryan Walters (a starting safety at Colorado) and No. 7 Luke Fickell (a multi-year starter for Ohio State) both deserve to be higher on the list than Franklin.

That is no knock on Franklin and his distinguished career at ESU. Just a hard, analytical look at career accomplishments.

This is a big year for Franklin and Penn State, who are having a strong offseason in recruiting and the transfer portal. It could be the year where the Nittany Lions take a step forward as a program and move into the upper echelon of the Big Ten.

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Oh for what it is worth, Dinehart is really good at his job with tremendous insight into the entirety of the Big Ten. Just taking issue that Franklin is a bit too high on this list.

Marvin Harrison Jr. reacts to Max Melton’s NFL draft selection by the Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr. is excited about the arrival of Max Melton to the Arizona Cardinals.

After spending the last three seasons going up against Rutgers defensive back Max Melton in the NFL draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. has nothing but respect for his new teammate. One day after Harrison was a first round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, his new team took Melton in the second round.

Harrison, an All-Big Ten selection at Ohio State, had some great competitions against Melton. Last year, Melton held Harrison to four catches for 25 yards as Rutgers nearly upset Ohio State.

Practice for the Cardinals in rookie minicamp just got very interesting as these two players know each other well.

Melton’s performance against Harrison this past fall was impressive as it was the second-lowest receiving total of the year for the Ohio State wide receiver.

The Cardinals took Melton in the second round of the NFL draft with the No. 43 overall selection. The pick of the Rutgers defensive back led to a social media reaction from Harrison:

 

Melton is in a good spot with the Cardinals, who need help in their secondary.

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Melton played all four years at Rutgers where he had 113 total tackles, eight interceptions, 20 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and four fumble recoveries in 43 games.

Could Friday night lights be coming to Rutgers football?

FOX Sports is expected to start broadcasting college football games on Friday nights.

It appears that Friday night lights could be coming to the Big Ten, with FOX reportedly set to begin rolling out college football games on the first night of the weekend.

The Big Ten, the Big 12 and the Mountain West, all media partners with FOX Sports, are expected to get in on the Friday night rotation.

The decision by FOX to extend their college football programming window to Friday night is certain to only further push conference expansion and re-alignment. More teams will be needed to fill the emerging time slots on Friday as well as create content for the likes of the Big Ten Network and the SEC Network.

As such, Friday’s decision to push into the unconventional Friday timeslot makes the network a go-to outlet for college football fans.

Friday night college football is expected to kick off next year.

“FOX is football, and our new Friday night package will make FOX the leader in America’s game throughout the weekend,” Michael Mulvihill, FOX’s President of Insight and Analytics, said according to FOX Sports.

“We’ve built our collegiate business by seizing opportunities in previously underutilized timeslots, first with ‘Big Noon Saturday’ and now on Friday nights. Our goal this fall is to have the No. 1 college football game on both Fridays and Saturdays and the top NFL game on Sundays”

The ambitious move could have ramifications for Rutgers.

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Friday night could be a desirable spot to put Rutgers. The atmosphere for night games at Rutgers is well-known and the chance to tie in the nearby skyline in New York City is often a big selling point for networks to choose Rutgers.

Also, that New York City market on a Friday night, where Rutgers would be the only football game on, could be enticing for FOX.

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Two years ago, Rutgers hosted (and lost) a Friday night game against Nebraska that aired on FS1. Barstool Sports and Kelsey Grammer attended what was the annual ‘Blackout Game.’

 

Big Ten Network airing National Signing Day special

The Big Ten Network will have a signing day special.

For Big Ten football fans across the country, The Big Ten Network will be the station to watch on signing day. On Wednesday, December 20, the network will air four hours of live recruiting coverage starting at 2 p.m. ET.

The B1G Live: Signing Day Special will feature Mike Hall, Howard Griffith, Jake Butt and Allen Trieu. On the show, they will break down the incoming classes, transfer portal movement, and roster updates for all 14 Big Ten schools. However, the fun does not stop there.

A few head coaches from the Big Ten are scheduled to join the show. That list includes Ryan Day, James Franklin, Oregon’s Dan Lanning, USC’s Lincoln Riley and Washington’s Kalen DeBoer. They will be joined by Michigan Commit I’Marion Stewart, who will provide his thoughts on the Wolverine’s chances in the College Football Playoff.

 

As news in the Big Ten breaks, there will be plenty for this group to discuss. During the 2023 season, eight teams including Rutgers reached the seven-will mark. That has only created excitement for how the next class will impact the conference.

The B1G Live: Signing Day Special will also be streamed on the Fox Sports App and social media.

How did Big Ten football fare in Week 13 of the college football season?

After months of action, the 2023 college football regular season came to an end this past weekend.

After months of action, the 2023 college football regular season came to an end this past weekend.

The Big Ten was one of the best conferences in the county as three teams in Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan finished with at least 10 wins. While they dominated their competition, they were not the only teams who had success.

Seven other teams in the conference finished with at least six wins, including Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern, and Wisconsin. In the final week of the season, they all gave their fans reasons to celebrate.

The Terrapins’ offense was unstoppable in their matchup with Rutgers. Maryland scored 42 points and recorded 498 yards of total offense. Northwestern also ended their season in impressive fashion with a 45-43 win over Illinois. Cam Johnson had one of his best games for the Wildcats, with 124 receiving yards.

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For more about each team in the conference and what lies ahead, check out the list below!

Penn State fires offensive coordinator Mike Yurich ahead of matchup with Rutgers

Penn State fires their offensive coordinator ahead of Rutgers game on Saturday.

When Penn State takes on Rutgers this Saturday, the coaching staff will look slightly different from 24 hours ago. Following Penn State’s loss to Michigan over the weekend, the Nittany Lions removed offensive coach Mike Yurcich from the staff.

Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times was the first to report the news.

Against Michigan, Penn State’s offense could not get much going, recording only 238 yards of total offense. They also struggled to move the chains, as Yurich’s offense went 4-14 on third downs. Penn State’s only other loss this season came against Ohio State.

 

As the Nittany Lions turn their focus to their matchup with Rutgers, Ja’Juan Seider is expected to take over the offensive playcalling, according to Football Scoop. He will keep the role for the remainder of the season and will be assisted by Ty Howle.

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Yurcich joined the Penn State coaching staff in 2021 after one season with Texas. His coaching career includes stops at Shippensburg, Edinboro, Oklahoma State and Ohio State. While Penn State is off to an 8-2 start, they have struggled against top-ranked teams over the past three years.

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After week 11, Penn State is ranked 74th in the nation in total offense and 46th in rushing offense. However, Saturday could offer a chance at redemption. Through 10 games, Rutgers has allowed nearly 300 yards per game, including 128.2 rushing yards.

How did Big Ten football fare in Week 11 of the college football season?

As the college football regular season continued to wind down, the Big Ten conference impressed during week 11

As the college football regular season continued to wind down, the Big Ten conference impressed during week 11.

Ohio State and Michigan each improved to 10-0 with dominating wins. However, they are not the only programs that have been racking up wins. Four other teams in the conference have at least six wins. That list includes Penn State, Iowa and Rutgers.

This weekend featured a few entertaining matchups, such as Penn State and Michigan. The Wolverines beat the Nittany Lions 24-15 on the road in the first game following Jam Harbaugh’s suspension. Blake Corum had a big day with 145 rushing yards on 26 carries. In the win, J.J. McCarthy only attempted eight passes.

Additionally, Illinois emerged with a victory over Indiana to improve to 5-5. The Maryland- Nebraska game also came down to the wire, but Maryland came away with a 13-10 win. With the playoffs inching closer, the Big Ten did not disappoint.

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For more about each team in the conference and what lies ahead, check out the list below!

Why did the College Football Playoff pick Ohio State as No. 1?

Ohio State surprised some insiders and analysts as the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings.

This weekend against the backdrop of SHI Stadium and a resurgent Rutgers football program, Ohio State will make their debut as the No. 1 team in the nation. Fresh off being named the top team in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, Ohio State certainly will carry some pretty heavy expectations in their final four games of the season.

This week’s CFP ranking release was the first of the season. Ohio State is one of two Big Ten teams in the top four of the rankings, with No. 3 Michigan also in a prime spot.

Boo Corrigan, the athletic director at North Carolina State, explains why Ohio State was the committee’s top choice. He is the chairman of the CFP selection committee.

“The win against Penn State, to win at Notre Dame, the win at Wisconsin, they’ve proven they can do it at home, they’ve proven they can do it on the road. They have explosive plays. Down a receiver, Marvin Harrison, Jr., who’s clearly one of the top players in the country…” Corrigan explained on a conference call on Tuesday night.

“As we look at it, as we evaluate it, it is part of the overall evaluation, but a top-five defense that’s given up about 10 points a game really does play into it, as well.

“To pick completely on one side when the other side is so dominant, and the offense is really, really good, so we’ve got to take all that into account as we’re looking at it, and we came to the conclusion as a committee that they deserved the No. 1 ranking.”

Ohio State made the College Football Playoff last year, losing to No. 1 Georgia in the semifinal.

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Rutgers is having a solid season, sitting at 6-2 (3-2 Big Ten) and bowl-eligible after a 31-14 win at Indiana two weeks ago.

 

Around the Big Ten: Ohio State is No. 1 in the College Playoff Rankings

Ohio State is the top team in the College Football Playoff rankings.

It is now official. On Saturday, Rutgers football will be facing the No. 1 team in the nation as Ohio State was just crowned atop the College Football Playoff rankings.

The CFP rankings, released on Tuesday night, have Ohio State as the top team in the nation. They are followed by No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Florida State and No. 4 Michigan.

The committee has Penn State at No. 11. Rutgers will play Penn State in two weeks.

As for this Saturday, Rutgers (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) faces a tough task against Ohio State (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten). Ohio State has faced a tough schedule this year, having beaten two top-10 teams (No. 9 Notre Dame, and No. 7 Penn State).

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano spoke to the media on Monday. He refused to say that Saturday was a potential measuring-stick game for his program.

“I do very little big picture when it comes to that stuff. We’re trying to be 1-0 at the end of the Ohio State season. We have to have a great week of preparation to do that, and then we have to go play our best game and see where that stacks up against theirs,” Schiano told reporters.

“And I can’t control anything about them but I certainly can us. And that’s going to be my focus; that we have a great, consistent week of practice, and then go play our best game of the season.”

Rutgers has never beaten Ohio State and has not beaten a ranked opponent since they joined the Big Ten in 2014.