ESPN College Football Rankings – Syndication Server

Wisconsin cracks ESPN’s post-spring top 25

Where did the Badgers end up in ESPN’s post-spring top 25 rankings?

The Badger football team was ranked inside of ESPN’s post-spring top 25 rankings Wednesday, landing at the back end of the list according to senior writer Mark Schlabach.

Prior to the spring session, Wisconsin was not ranked in the top 25 by ESPN, so progress has been made in the eye’s of the nation’s top sports media outlet. Most notably, the Badgers have transitioned away from the ground and pound offensive mindset and are looking to open up the field over the top with their new offensive coordinator Phil Longo and his “Air Raid” offense.

Pair that with the defensive prowess of head coach Luke Fickell and his defensive coordinator Mike Tressel, the Badgers are in a good spot to compete in the Big Ten in 2023.

Here’s how the Big Ten conference panned out on ESPN’s rankings:

Badger running back ranked in top 10 by ESPN

ESPN released their top 10 running back rankings Wednesday, listing Badger back Braelon Allen as the sixth best in CFB heading into 2023.

ESPN released their top 10 running back rankings Wednesday, listing Badger back Braelon Allen as the sixth best in college football heading into 2023.

The third-year athlete is looking to continue the success he’s had early in his career, posting over 1200 rushing yards in each of his first two seasons with the Badgers. Most recently, in 2022, Allen rushed for 1242 yards and 11 scores on the ground over 12 contests.

Now with new head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo at the helm, the second of which could be more important, Allen will look to explode in Longo’s “Air Raid” offense in 2023. The idea is that if the Badgers can get more success over the top in the passing games, more holes will open up for the 6-foot-2 running back.

Also in the top ten of ESPN’s rankings from the Big Ten were Blake Corum (Michigan, #1 overall), Nicholas Singleton (Penn State, #4 overall) and Donovan Edwards (Michigan, #5 overall).

Where Wisconsin football landed in the ESPN FPI preseason top 25

Wisconsin football underwent an offseason of change as the Badgers have an entirely new coaching staff, a new starting quarterback, and new belief headed into the 2023 campaign.

ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI for short) annually puts together statistical predictions of how each college football season will play out. The Badgers landed in the top 25 according to overall FPI scores, with a Big Ten school topping the list.

FPI also gives percentages for how likely a team is to win their conference, go to the College Football Playoff, and win the national championship.

Where does Wisconsin land in the new 2023 ESPN FPI? Here is a look at the top 25:

Every Big Ten player in ESPN’s Top 100 rankings

Where do the Big Ten’s best rank as we enter 2022?

We are just ten days away from Nebraska and Northwestern kicking off the Big Ten football season, and as the countdown continues preseason ranking lists are flying out.

ESPN recently released their annual list of the top 100 players in college football, and a pair of Badgers made the cut. Along with Wisconsin representation, Ohio State unsurprisingly had a number of players make the rankings, with a pair of Buckeyes near the top of the leaderboard.

What other Big Ten names made the list and where did they fall? Here is a look at the pair of Badgers and the rest of the conference names on ESPN’s top 100 player rankings:

ESPN CFB power rankings: Oklahoma No. 1 – where is Georgia?

ESPN has released its top-25 teams after spring football and the Oklahoma Sooners are ranked No. 1. Find out where Georgia landed here.

ESPN has released its top-25 college football rankings headed into the summer. Georgia fans, you might not like what you read below.

The Oklahoma Sooners are rated as the No. 1 team heading into the 2021 season, even after losing three-straight CFP semifinal appearances to SEC teams.

Why does that matter?

Those ranked directly behind Oklahoma are the two best SEC programs around. ESPN rates Alabama at No. 2 and Georgia at No. 3, with Clemson as the last team in at No. 4.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach mentions the Sooners’ additions via the transfer portal as a factor. Three of those transfers are from Tennessee.

“The Sooners have offered us a glimpse of what the FBS might look like in an everybody-can-transfer world. Since the end of last season, Riley deftly added six FBS transfers, including three players from Tennessee: running back Eric Gray, offensive tackle Wanya Morris and defensive back Key Lawrence. Each of the former Vols might start for OU this coming season.”

Oklahoma also brought in Penn State quarterback Micah Bowens and Arkansas receiver Mike Woods to pair with star quarterback Spencer Rattler, but let’s be real here, how are the Sooners going to get over the hump of beating an SEC powerhouse?

In those three straight losses to SEC teams, the Sooners gave up, on average, 54 points per game…

It’s going to take a defensive overhaul to try and keep up with the offenses of teams like Georgia and Alabama next season.

Schlabach does note the Dawgs’ high-powered offense.

“For the first time in a while, Georgia’s strength this coming season might be its offense. Quarterback JT Daniels, a onetime transfer from USC, is poised to flourish in his second season in coordinator Todd Monken’s offense. He completed 67% of his passes for 1,231 yards with 10 touchdowns and two picks in the final four games of 2020.”

Of course, these rankings are very early and there is still plenty of time for teams to change the look of the roster through the portal, but to put Oklahoma at the top with nothing to show for it is comical. We’ll see how these ratings last when Georgia takes on Clemson in Charlotte on Sept 4…