REPORT: Fox Sports will air a featured college football game every Friday in 2024, including Big Ten games

Fox Friday football will include Big Ten college football games in 2024.

The world of college football television enters a new era with USC being one part of a dramatically reshaped conference realignment map. The Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and other conferences will be part of a different college football universe. Networks will try to capitalize on the freshness of the revised configuration. Fox Sports is wasting no time.

Per Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, Fox will reportedly televise a featured college football game every Friday night during the 2024 season. The games will come from a rotation of the Big Ten, Big 12, and Mountain West.

Here’s an added note from the article:

“Fox’s goal is to have the No. 1 college football game on Fridays and Saturdays and then the top-rated NFL contests on Sunday afternoons, the network’s president of insight and analytics Michael Mulvihill said. The extension of college football into a regular Friday prime-time broadcast means that in the fall, the top NFL and college games will be featured every night of the week except Tuesday and Wednesday.”

No matchups have been announced yet, and aren’t expected to be announced or revealed until May at the earliest.

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Maryland Terrapins looks poised for down year in early Big Ten ranking

The Maryland Terrapins suffered a lot of roster defections this offseason. They look set up for a down year in 2024.

It’s never too early for a “way too early” Big Ten power ranking! Things will change. Players will hurt the portal, players will transfer in, and injuries will happen but for the most part, we have a pretty good understanding of rosters after National Signing Day and so much transfer portal movement.

In each part of this series, we will unveil where each of the 18 teams in the new look conference begins. We started at No. 1 with the revamped Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, the Oregon Ducks come in at the second spot. Coming in at No. 3 were the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines, who are in a bit of a transition period.

At No. 4, we unveiled the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are returning a lot of talent from their 2023 roster. Then we made way for the old reliable, the Iowa Hawkeyes. At No. 6, another new addition to the conference, the USC Trojans. Next up at No. 7, the Wisconsin Badgers came in, followed by the Washington Huskies at No. 8 in the ranking.

Coming in at No. 9, another pretty consistent program with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They come into the 2024 season as a real wildcard. Speaking of wildcards, there may not be a bigger one than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They come in at No. 10 on the ranking.

Following Nebraska is the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at No. 11, coming off a bit of a breakout season in 2023 under head coach Greg Schiano. A team in transition, but an exciting one, is the Indiana Hoosiers. At No. 13 is the Michigan State Spartans, who are another team in transition. Then you have the Purdue Boilermakers at No. 14 who enter the second year under former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.

Another new entrant into the new look Big Ten conference, the UCLA Bruins enter with a lot of uncertainty at No. 15. Coming in at No. 16, the Maryland Terrapins have a more familiar face in Mike Locksley heading into year seven. 

After a slow start to his tenure, Locksley has gotten Maryland back to consistency the last three years, ending each campaign with a bowl game appearance. That building has been admirable but based on roster talent, there could be a step back in 2024. A big reason is the offense, which had a lot of turnover from last season. The offensive line has to replace four starters, while also breaking in former NC State quarterback as their new signal caller. There is some talent but there are just a lot of moving parts for one offseason. 

On defense, there just aren’t a ton of attractive playmakers, especially with linebacker Jaishawn Barham transferring. They did receive a very underrated transfer with former Bowling Green cornerback Jalen Huskey but there just isn’t a ton of upside to get excited about. This feels like a down year on the horizon. 

Full Big Ten Rankings

  1. Ohio State Buckeyes
  2. Oregon Ducks
  3. Michigan Wolverines
  4. Penn State Nittany Lions
  5. Iowa Hawkeyes 
  6. USC Trojans
  7. Wisconsin Badgers
  8. Washington Huskies
  9. Minnesota Golden Gophers
  10. Nebraska Cornhuskers
  11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
  12. Indiana Hoosiers
  13. Michigan State Spartans
  14. Purdue Boilermakers
  15. UCLA Bruins
  16. Maryland Terrapins
  17. TBD
  18. TBD

Trojans Wire talks to Wisconsin blogger and site editor about USC and Big Ten football

We talked to Badgers Wire editor Ben Kenney about USC, Wisconsin, the new Big Ten, and the upcoming football season.

The 2024 college football season will be USC’s first in the Big Ten Conference. USC and the University of Wisconsin will be fellow conference members for the first time. Big Ten football will be played in Madison, as it has been for the past century. Big Ten football will also be played in Los Angeles. It will all be very new and unfamiliar, and we are going to miss natural Western rivalries with Stanford and Cal and Arizona State. However, the idea of USC facing Wisconsin and Penn State and Michigan is certainly exciting, given the possibilities created by those new games in the Big Ten.

We wanted to have a conversation with one of our new Big Ten partners.

Badgers Wire editor Ben Kenney joined us on a podcast to explore USC, Wisconsin, the new Big Ten, and a lot of other topics related to the two schools and their new conference. It’s a fun conversation with quite a lot of material to chew on. We think you’ll enjoy it, but you can see — or rather, hear — for yourself.

Be sure to follow Ben Kenney and Badgers Wire for the best in Wisconsin sports coverage.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

UCLA Bruins have a lot to prove in early Big Ten ranking

UCLA Bruins have a lot to prove in early Big Ten ranking

It’s never too early for a “way too early” Big Ten power ranking! Things will change. Players will hurt the portal, players will transfer in, and injuries will happen but for the most part, we have a pretty good understanding of rosters after National Signing Day and so much transfer portal movement.

In each part of this series, we will unveil where each of the 18 teams in the new look conference begins. We started at No. 1 with the revamped Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, the Oregon Ducks come in at the second spot. Coming in at No. 3 were the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines, who are in a bit of a transition period.

At No. 4, we unveiled the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are returning a lot of talent from their 2023 roster. Then we made way for the old reliable, the Iowa Hawkeyes. At No. 6, another new addition to the conference, the USC Trojans. Next up at No. 7, the Wisconsin Badgers came in, followed by the Washington Huskies at No. 8 in the ranking.

Coming in at No. 9, another pretty consistent program with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They come into the 2024 season as a real wildcard. Speaking of wildcards, there may not be a bigger one than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They come in at No. 10 on the ranking.

Following Nebraska is the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at No. 11, coming off a bit of a breakout season in 2023 under head coach Greg Schiano. A team in transition, but an exciting one, is the Indiana Hoosiers. At No. 13 is the Michigan State Spartans, who are another team in transition. Then you have the Purdue Boilermakers at No. 14 who enter the second year under former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.

Another new entrant into the new look Big Ten conference, the UCLA Bruins enter with a lot of uncertainty. New head coach DeShaun Foster brings a lot of optimism to the table, and is someone who loves the program and will do anything to help rebuild the proud Bruin tradition. 

The problem is that the previous regime left this roster in a really bad spot, which is especially troubling while making the jump to the Big Ten. Offensively, there are some playmakers to work with, including wide receivers J. Michael Sturdivant and Kyle Ford. They must find solid quarterback play and rebuild the offensive line quickly. 

On defense, the team is in even worse shape. Not only are they losing a ton of talent to the NFL but they also lost defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to USC this offseason. That side of the football will need to find an identity quickly.

Full Big Ten Rankings

  1. Ohio State Buckeyes
  2. Oregon Ducks
  3. Michigan Wolverines
  4. Penn State Nittany Lions
  5. Iowa Hawkeyes 
  6. USC Trojans
  7. Wisconsin Badgers
  8. Washington Huskies
  9. Minnesota Golden Gophers
  10. Nebraska Cornhuskers
  11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
  12. Indiana Hoosiers
  13. Michigan State Spartans
  14. Purdue Boilermakers
  15. UCLA Bruins
  16. TBD
  17. TBD
  18. TBD

Purdue Boilermakers looking to rise in early Big Ten ranking

Purdue Boilermakers looking to rise in early Big Ten ranking

It’s never too early for a “way too early” Big Ten power ranking! Things will change. Players will hurt the portal, players will transfer in, and injuries will happen but for the most part, we have a pretty good understanding of rosters after National Signing Day and so much transfer portal movement.

In each part of this series, we will unveil where each of the 18 teams in the new look conference begins. We started at No. 1 with the revamped Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, the Oregon Ducks come in at the second spot. Coming in at No. 3 were the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines, who are in a bit of a transition period.

At No. 4, we unveiled the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are returning a lot of talent from their 2023 roster. Then we made way for the old reliable, the Iowa Hawkeyes. At No. 6, another new addition to the conference, the USC Trojans. Next up at No. 7, the Wisconsin Badgers came in, followed by the Washington Huskies at No. 8 in the ranking.

Coming in at No. 9, another pretty consistent program with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They come into the 2024 season as a real wildcard. Speaking of wildcards, there may not be a bigger one than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They come in at No. 10 on the ranking.

Following Nebraska is the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at No. 11, coming off a bit of a breakout season in 2023 under head coach Greg Schiano. A team in transition, but an exciting one, is the Indiana Hoosiers. At No. 13 is the Michigan State Spartans, who are another team in transition. Then you have the Purdue Boilermakers at No. 14 who enter the second year under former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.

On offense, there are a lot of familiar faces returning to West Lafayette. The hope is that quarterback Hudson Card takes a nice step forward in year two, as well as leaning on running back Devin Mockobee. The offensive line should be a strong suit for the team, returning three starters in center Gus Hartwig, offensive guard Marcus Mbow, and right tackle Mahamane Moussa. Left tackle Corey Stewart was a big get in the transfer portal as well, coming over from Ball State. 

Walters will be counting on a good blend of development and transfer acquisitions to help take the unit to the next level. They are led by sophomore safety Dillon Thieneman, who was dynamic as a freshman. In 12 games, Thieneman recorded 106 total tackles and six interceptions. 

Full Big Ten Rankings

  1. Ohio State Buckeyes
  2. Oregon Ducks
  3. Michigan Wolverines
  4. Penn State Nittany Lions
  5. Iowa Hawkeyes 
  6. USC Trojans
  7. Wisconsin Badgers
  8. Washington Huskies
  9. Minnesota Golden Gophers
  10. Nebraska Cornhuskers
  11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
  12. Indiana Hoosiers
  13. Michigan State Spartans
  14. Purdue Boilermakers
  15. TBD
  16. TBD
  17. TBD
  18. TBD

Where Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke falls on Fanduel’s 2024 Heisman Trophy odds

What’s your expectation for Wisconsin QB Tyler Van Dyke this season?

Wisconsin enters the 2024 football season needing a big year from transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Van Dyke moves to Wisconsin after having spent the first four years of his career at Miami, amassing 7,469 total passing yards 54 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. The veteran’s best season came as a freshman in 2021, when he threw for 2,931 yards and a 25-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

For Luke Fickell’s team to have a resurgent year after 2023’s 7-6 campaign, Van Dyke will need to recapture his 2021 form for a full 12-game schedule.

Looking ahead to the season, we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 starting quarterbacks, ranked all 18 head coachespredicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record, looked at the early College Football Playoff tiers, made bold predictions for the season and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now, here’s where Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke falls on Fanduel’s 2024 Heisman Trophy odds list:

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

Pre-spring bold predictions for the 2024 Big Ten football season

What are your bold predictions of Wisconsin’s 2024 season?

Welcome to March, the time when spring practice begins and focus is officially turned toward the upcoming season.

This edition of looking ahead includes trying to understand what the sport will look like. The Big Ten now includes 18 teams, the College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams and Wisconsin’s place among both is unknown.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

Will the Badgers ascend to the space currently occupied by Penn State? Will the program become a Playoff regular as the field continues to expand? Head coach Luke Fickell has questions to answer entering year two of his tenure in Madison.

Looking ahead to the season, we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 starting quarterbacks, ranked all 18 head coachespredicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record, looked at the early College Football Playoff tiers and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now, here are our pre-spring bold predictions for the 2024 Big Ten football season:

Pre-spring College Football Playoff tiers for the 2024 season

What are the chances Wisconsin makes the College Football Playoff in 2024?

The Wisconsin Badgers and head coach Luke Fickell enter the 2024 college football season needing to improve upon their disappointing 7-6 2023 campaign.

There is good news and bad news.

Related: Wisconsin football’s biggest questions entering spring practice

The good news: year two is often the time for improvement for new head coaches in college football. It means one more year to cater the roster to the specific systems on offense and defense, and another year of continuity on the coaching staff and the field. Also, the College Football Playoff now contains 12 teams.

The bad news: Wisconsin has one of college football’s toughest schedules in 2024. That, and the new era of the Big Ten sees those schedules get even tougher as the years continue.

Wisconsin’s chances at making the 2024 CFP are interesting. A stellar season is required, though a 10-2 or 9-3 record may get the job done.

Looking ahead to the season, we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 starting quarterbacks, ranked all 18 head coachespredicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now, here are our pre-spring College Football Playoff tiers:

Mad Max: Watch Rutgers football defensive back Max Melton’s impressive 40 at the NFL combine

Max Melton impressed on Friday at the NFL combine.

Max Melton did more than just solidify his NFL draft stock on Friday. The former Rutgers football standout may have moved himself up firmly into Day 2 with a very strong showing during his workout.

In particular, Melton’s 4.39 time in the 40 was impressive. It was a top 10 time among defensive backs at the NFL combine.

A multi-year starter and an All-Big Ten selection at Rutgers, Melton had 32 total tackles, three interceptions and six passes defended in 2023. He also had a 40.5 inch vertical which was top six for a defensive back.

He measured in at 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds at the combine.

In running the 40, Melton looked fluid and smooth:

 

On Thursday, Melton was asked about playing for Rutgers and how it prepared him for the NFL draft process. He said the Big Ten program has a good reputation among the teams he spoke with at the NFL combine:

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“I meet a team, they’re like ‘You’re a Rutgers guy, you know football.’ I’m like ‘Sure enough, I definitely do know football’ I feel like the physical attributes mixed with the mental preparation, mix that all together, you’re going to have a good result on game day,” Melton told reporters at the NFL combine.

(h/t to Ric Serritella of All Access Football for the video of Melton talking about his experience at Rutgers football)

Where does Wisconsin football stand in the new Big Ten?

Site editor Ben Kenney joined the Trojans Wired podcast to give his thoughts on where Wisconsin stands in the new Big Ten landscape, plus much more:

Badgers Wire site editor Ben Kenney joined Trojans Wire‘s Matt Zemek on the Trojans Wired podcast today to discuss a variety of topics, focused on where Wisconsin and USC stand in the new Big Ten landscape.

In the episode, Ben gave specific thoughts on the following:

  • What should we make of the new Big Ten landscape and the progression of college football?
  • Where does Wisconsin stand in the new Big Ten?
  • What do Badgers fans think about USC and other West Coast powers joining the conference?

Related: Breakout candidates for Wisconsin football 2024 spring practice

  • Did Luke Fickell make the jump to an air raid offense too quickly?
  • What does Wisconsin’s quarterback room look like moving forward? Is Tyler Van Dyke good enough?
  • What Wisconsin must do to improve upon their 7-6 2023 campaign
  • What’s next for Jim Leonhard after moving to the NFL
  • Wisconsin’s hire of Alex Grinch as safeties coach

Here is a link to the full episode, also available wherever you get your podcasts:

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Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.