Wisconsin has one of the conference’s toughest schedules in 2024
The Big Ten football season is going to look different in 2024.
New additions USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington bring more formidable opponents to the table. But more importantly, gone is the East-West Division model, replaced by a format of conference standings similar to that in basketball.
There are some blockbuster out-of-conference games to monitor before the conference slate begins this fall. Wisconsin hosts Alabama, USC faces LSU and Michigan meets Texas. Then begins the conference schedule, which is filled with big-time matchups every weekend.
Now it’s time to take a look at each team’s 2024 conference schedule:
So, to rank each program’s 2024 Big Ten schedule as we preview the 2024 season we’ve taken each team’s ESPN SP+ rating and found numerical values for every game, and therefore every schedule.
The equation is simple. Every opponent’s SP+ rating is added together to find a Total Opponent Score. That large number is then divided by the nine conference games to find the Average Opponent Score — a number that can then be compared to the SP+ leaderboard to find the average quality of team each schedule contains.
Here is how each program’s 2024 Big Ten Conference schedule ranks, from easiest to most challenging:
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CBS Sports college football writer drops Penn State in latest power ranking.
Penn State may have moved up in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll, but one college football writer dropped Penn State in his weekly power rankings this week.
Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports shared his updated top 25 power rankings for the 2023 college football season, and there were some changes within his top 10. Aside from moving Michigan one spot in front of Ohio State at No. 4 and No. 5, Dodd also knocked Penn State down a spot to No. 9 this week. Penn State swapped spots with one-loss Notre Dame in Dodd’s updated power ranking.
“After a halftime tie against Northwestern, the Nittany Lions outscored the Wildcats 31-3 in the second half,” Dodd said. “Since losing to Ohio State last season, Penn State has won 10 in a row, all by double digits for the first time in 110 years.”
Dodd has three Big Ten teams and three future Big Ten members in his top 10 this week. Joining Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are No. 6 Washington, No. 7 Oregon and No. 10 USC. All three future Big Ten schools had the same ranking this week as Dodd had for them last week,
Dodd has another Big Ten team in his top 25 power ranking. Maryland is No. 24. Maryland travels to Ohio State this week. Penn State will face Ohio State in three weeks and Maryland in November.
See Dodd’s full power ranking to see who else made his cut this week.
Not surprisingly, the New York Jets took a bit of a tumble in the latest power rankings from USA Today’s Nate Davis following their third straight loss Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
The Jets do still sit among the top half of the league at No. 15. They fell three spots from No. 12 after the Lions loss. And in his write-up, Davis believes even without him in the lineup, Mike White may be securing his spot as the Jets quarterback.
15. Jets (12): If injured Mike White was playing himself into the QB1 role in recent weeks, his absence — and what the NYJ offense devolves into without him — might only be securing his future with this organization.
The Jets remain the lowest-ranked AFC East team by Davis. Here’s how the other AFC East teams stack up:
5. Bills (5): Keep an eye on rookie RB James Cook, who’s really started eating into starter Devin Singletary’s snap count this month.
7. Dolphins (8): Yes, they’ve dropped three straight. But they nearly (literally) weathered Buffalo’s best shot — in snowy Orchard Park and on a short week following a stay on the West Coast — and served a fresh reminder they can hang with just about anyone … though they better do more than hang with the Pack on Christmas Day.
13. Patriots (10): Sunday’s loss will be forever remembered for the ill-considered laterals that not only cost New England this game but perhaps a postseason spot. But how long can it mask the fact that Pats got next to nothing from QB Mac Jones? Anyway, on to Cincinnati.
The team right above the Jets just also happens to be the team visiting MetLife Stadium on Thursday, the Jacksonville Jaguars.
14. Jaguars (18): Their ascent has coincided with QB Trevor Lawrence’s. But WR Zay Jones, who scored three times in Sunday’s upset of Dallas, has also been a huge part of Jacksonville’s surge.
A fourth straight loss Thursday would all but end New York’s playoff hopes, let alone drop them into the bottom half of the next power rankings.
The LSU Tigers beat Alabama in Death Valley to wrest control of the SEC West away from the Crimson Tide.
The Florida Gators took advantage of a shorthanded Texas A&M team to pick up a nice win and Mississippi State weathered a furious comeback by the Auburn Tigers. South Carolina bounced back with a win over the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Arkansas Razorbacks were stunned by Liberty at home.
Here are out updated power rankings after a wild week of SEC football.
Yeah, you could say the respect is now there for KJ Jefferson considering this quarterback ranking.
Quarterback is, undoubtedly, the most important position in football. Perhaps in all organized team sports. Among the teams in Football Bowl Subdivision, the most elite ones have elite quarterbacks.
Think about it. When is the last time a team short on truly big-time quarterback play had a legitimate shot at a national championship?
That’s the case again this year. The best quarterbacks play on the best teams. Or, rather, it’s more accurate to say the teams have the best quarterbacks.
Among those is Arkansas and signal-caller KJ Jefferson, whose sophomore season broke him out, but his junior season, so far, has made him a true star.
So much so, in fact, Jefferson is considered one of the five best quarterbacks in the country. Let’s take a look at who is ahead of and behind him in the Top 10 per Paul Myerberg at USA TODAY Sports.
The Ringer’s 2022 QB rankings have an interesting take on Jameis Winston. He’s in a good spot to improve, but right now he’s part of a thin middle class at quarterback:
Here’s an intriguing exercise from Steven Ruiz at the Ringer, who ranked all 32 starting quarterbacks entering Week 1 — including New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston. Coming off of an efficient seven-game start to 2021 that got derailed by a major injury, Winston is now ranked at No. 17 — almost making him a prime meridian within the league’s haves and have-nots.
To break it down further, Winston is part of a thin middle class at quarterback in Ruiz’s rankings, slotting in on the same tier as Trevor Lawrence (81.8 overall grade), Kirk Cousins (81.7), Ryann Tannehill (81.4), Mac Jones (78.6), and Marcus Mariota (77.2). It’s a group made up of a few highly-drafted youngsters (Lawrence and Jones) and some embattled veterans trying hard to hang onto their starting jobs. They may or may not prove to be franchise quarterbacks — long-term solutions to the game’s most important position — but they occupy the space between the league’s sure things and the passers who aren’t likely to cut the mustard.
So it’s interesting to see Winston in that number. Summed up as “A bucket-getter who has a bit of a turnover problem,” Winston’s 79.5 grade brings highest marks for his arm talent, accuracy, pocket presence and creativity but criticizes his decision-making process and ability pre-snap to read the defensive coverage and diagnose where pressure is coming from, adjusting the line accordingly. That was a problem at times last year, too.
Those are things he can fix, and it lines up with what we saw out of Winston last year. Payton was hesitant to let him attempt a high volume of passes (owing to his history of giving the ball to the opposing team), but Winston did make strides in cutting down on negative plays. Tragically, he was also playing his best football just before his season-ending knee injury. Now he’s had to bounce back from that and continue to work on improving his game.
It’s on Winston to put those questions to rest. He’s in a great spot to succeed, with the Saints investing heavily in his supporting cast; Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk, and Michael Thomas are each playing on top-shelf contracts, and newcomers Chris Olave and Jarvis Landry should bring a big boost to the receiving corps. New position coaches at receiver and offensive line or installing first-year starters. But it isn’t a sure thing to say Winston will be the Saints quarterback for years to come. The team has told you that themselves by signing him to a short-term extension this summer. If he shows the progress everyone is looking for, both sides likely agree on a longer partnership. But again: it’s on Winston to earn that.
USA Today’s newest power ranking doesn’t look favorable on Auburn.
The Tigers aren’t exactly drumming up believers heading into the 2022 season.
A new power ranking of the SEC from USA Today has Auburn 12th out of the conference’s 14 teams, only ahead of South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Here’s what the power ranking had to say about the Tigers’ situation amidst its competition as college football ramps up for the new year:
“It’s hard to be enthused about Auburn’s quarterback situation, which promises to extend into fall camp. (It’s also difficult to feel good about the program as a whole after another memorably disruptive offseason.) Four players are in the mix: T.J. Finley, who threw six touchdowns last season; Oregon transfer Robby Ashford, a two-sport freshman who didn’t take a snap for the Ducks; Texas A&M transfer Zach Calzada, who is battling a shoulder injury; and freshman Holden Geriner.”
Auburn’s quarterback battle has been perhaps its most publicized story of the offseason, and for good reason. Teams with a quarterback battle in camp typically don’t have a definitive option. Calzada appears to be the front runner to take the job after transferring from Texas A&M, but Robby Ashford, Holden Geriner and T.J. Finley have all been in the mix for the starting position.
That being said, though, there are other things Auburn has to work on if it wants to remain competitive in the SEC next year. After a significant exit of talent from the defense, the Tigers will want to put together a stout unit on that side of the ball. Auburn’s receiving corps is also lacking a true No. 1 target, and running back Tank Bigsby and the offensive line will hope to be a dynamic duo in the Plains come next season.
Auburn’s first game will be against the Mercer Bears at home on Sept. 3.
We know the Wisconsin Badgers will find themselves in most top 25 rankings, polls and metrics heading into the year. While I’ve extensively expressed my displeasure with the preseason AP Poll, there is at least the indication out there that Wisconsin is in line for a big bounce back after 2020’s 4-3 campaign.
The D’Mitrik Trice, Nate Reuvers, Aleem Ford, Micah Potter and Brad Davison era is over for the Wisconsin Badgers. Okay, Davison is staying
The D’Mitrik Trice, Nate Reuvers, Aleem Ford, Micah Potter and Brad Davison era is over for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Okay, Davison is staying another season. But the group that led the program to a Big Ten regular-season title is now no longer together—ushering in the new era of Wisconsin basketball.
Sophomore guard Jonathan Davis is likely to lead the program’s transition. There is some young talent there as well, but it will be likely Davis and Co. during the 2021-22 season.
Here are fantasy golf power rankings for the 2020 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
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TPC Sawgrass welcomes the world’s best golfers for the 2020 Players Championship. The 144-man field is annually the strongest of the PGA Tour season, and Tiger Woods is one of just four golfers from the top 50 of the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings not in attendance this week. Here, we look at the top 30 fantasy golf options for The Players Championship.
TPC Sawgrass measures 7,189 yards and plays to a par of 72. Each of the last 11 winners finished 10-under par or better.
The Players Championship: Fantasy Golf Top 30
Rory McIlroy lines up his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Photo Credit: John David Mercer – USA TODAY Sports)
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2020 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
30. Viktor Hovland
The Puerto Rico Open winner has struggled since what was expected to be an ice-breaking victory in the alternate event. He missed the cut at the difficult Honda Classic and tied for 42nd last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
29. Ian Poulter
Poulter ranks fifth in this field with 58 career rounds played at TPC Sawgrass, according to Data Golf. He has gained an average of 1.33 strokes per round in that time. He was a co-runner-up in 2017 but finished just T-56 last year.
28. Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton picked up his first career PGA Tour win last week while surviving difficult conditions at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, but he missed the cut at Sawgrass each of the last two years.
27. Shane Lowry
The reigning Open champion missed the cut here three of the past five years but will enter as a major champ for the first time. He’s among the best in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.
26. Marc Leishman
The winner of the 2020 Farmers Insurance Open popped back up on the leaderboard last week and finished as the lone runner-up to Hatton. His putter is the only thing that can hold him back, and when it’s been on, he’s been a top finisher.
Scottie Scheffler hits his tee shot on the 18th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
25. Scottie Scheffler
The PGA Tour rookie debuts at TPC Sawgrass ranked No. 27 in the Golfweek rankings. He tied for 15th last week amid a horrible putting performance while his tee-to-green and approach games were nearly perfect.
24. Abraham Ancer
Ancer’s top finish of 2020 thus far was a runner-up result at The American Express, but he also tied for sixth in a strong field at the European Tour’s Saudi International. He ranks near the top of the field in Proximity from 125-150 Yards, a key distance for second shots at TPC Sawgrass.
23. Collin Morikawa
Morikawa had a disappointing weekend at Bay Hill, but he still finished inside the top 10 for the first time in a full-field event in 2020. He’s now up to 21 consecutively made cuts for the longest active streak on the PGA Tour.
22. Matt Kuchar
Kuch, the 2020 Players champ more recently tied for third in 2016. He hasn’t finished higher than T-17 in the three years since, but he has 50 career rounds played here to rank among the most experienced in the field.
21. Henrik Stenson
Stenson missed the cut last year and in 2016, but he has finishes of T-17 in 2015, T-16 in 2017 and T-23 in 2018. He ranks second in my stat model at Fantasy National in Greens in Regulation Gained over the last 36 rounds played by everyone in the field on courses shorter than 7,200 yards.
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20. Justin Rose
Rose missed the cut at Bay Hill and PGA National in each of his last two events to slip to No. 28 in the Golfweek rankings. He struggled with the flat stick last week and would have at least made it to the weekend with an average putting performance.
19. Tony Finau
Finau missed the cut back-to-back in 2016 and 2017, but he has responded with a T-57 finish in 2018 and a T-22 result in 2019. He missed the cut last week at Bay Hill, but he hasn’t missed the cut in back-to-back weeks since missing three straight from last year’s Memorial Tournament through the Travelers Championship.
18. Gary Woodland
Woodland has strung together consecutive strong results. He tied for 12th at the WGC-Mexico Championship before a T-8 result at the Honda Classic. The US Open winner tied for 30th here last year.
17. Jason Day
Day would be higher in these rankings if not for the back injury which forced his withdrawal at Bay Hill last week. The Aussie won in 2016 and has a T-8 and T-5 finish the last two years. He remains among the best in any field in SG: Around the Green.
16. Sungjae Im
Yet another recent first-time winner in this year’s field, Im missed the cut in his TPC Sawgrass debut last year. His best putting performances have come on Bermuda greens over his career, and he has been extremely strong off the tee the last two weeks.
Rickie Fowler hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
15. Rickie Fowler
Fowler bounced back from a missed cut at PGA National to finish T-18 last week. He won here in 2015, but he missed the cut two of the last four years.
14. Brooks Koepka
Betting Koepka right now means banking solely on pedigree, which is never a bad idea. His best finish in the last five years was a T-11 in 2018, and he finished just T-56 last year. He hasn’t finished inside the top 10 in any global event since the Tour Championship, but he is Brooks Koepka.
13. Xander Schauffele
Schauffele debuted with a T-2 in 2018 but missed the cut last year. He has made the cut in four of five events to open 2020, but he has a top finish of just T-14 in Mexico.
12. Paul Casey
Casey is one of the top statistical fits by my stat model, but the veteran Englishman has struggled at TPC Sawgrass over his career. He has gained just 0.39 strokes per round across 29 rounds, and he missed the cut last year.
11. Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay returns from an injury absence to play for the first time since a T-17 result at the Genesis Invitational. He missed the cut last year following T-22 and T-23 finishes in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
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10. Patrick Reed
Reed has had a pedestrian run at TPC Sawgrass. While he has made the cut four of the last five years, his top finish was a T-22 in 2017. He’s the most recent winner of a WGC event in a comparable strength of field.
9. Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau has strung together three straight top-five finishes in 2020. He’s played here each of the last two years with a T-37 in 2018 and a T-20 last year.
8. Webb Simpson
The 2018 champ has 15 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour since, including his 2020 win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
7. Adam Scott
Scott won here in 2004. He already claimed victory at the Genesis Invitational to start his 2020 campaign, after closing out his 2019 season with a win in the Australian PGA Championship.
6. Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama does well in the stadium setting of TPC Sawgrass and TPC Scottsdale. He has a T-7 and T-8 finish in the last four years.
Tommy Fleetwood hits his drive on the 15th hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. (Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay – USA TODAY Sports)
5. Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood has gained more strokes per round at TPC Sawgrass than anyone else in the field with at least 10 rounds played at 2.34 strokes per round. He tied for fifth last year after a T-7 in 2018 and needs his breakthrough win.
4. Jon Rahm
Rahm tied for 12th last year for his best result in three trips to TPC Sawgrass. He took the last two weeks off for rest following a T-3 in Mexico and T-17 at the Genesis Invitational.
3. Dustin Johnson
Johnson picked up his best result in The Players Championship last year with a T-5. He has been largely unimpressive early in 2020, but he remains an elite scorer on these shorter courses.
2. Justin Thomas
Since finishing T-3 in 2016, Thomas has finished T-75, T-11 and T-35 the last three years. His putter has been shaky early in the year, though he’s a contender anytime it doesn’t cost him strokes.
1. Rory McIlroy
The defending champ has seven straight top-five results in global events and five straight fifth-place finishes on the PGA Tour. His putter cost him again last week; however, he gained 0.7 strokes on these greens last year and he only needs to be average with the flat stick.
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