Lions skill position players get much respect in ESPN rankings

The Detroit Lions skill position players get much respect in ESPN rankings from analyst Bill Barnwell

The Detroit Lions offense finished third in total yards and fifth in scoring in 2023, the second straight season finishing in the top five in both categories. That’s indicative of a great offense loaded with great players.

Jared Goff is the commander in chief of coordinator Ben Johnson’s creatively intricate offense, and he’s been rewarded with a massive new contract extension for his outstanding performance. Goff has some very impressive weapons at his disposal, too.

Amon-Ra St. Brown. Sam LaPorta. Jahmyr Gibbs. David Montgomery. All top-shelf talents at their respective positions. And that leads to the Lions being ranked on the top shelf of the skill position group ratings from ESPN and analyst Bill Barnwell.

The Lions’ collection of WR, RB and TE ranks seventh in the league, according to the ESPN rankings. Given the rankings don’t consider the offensive line or quarterback, it’s an impressive display for Detroit’s playmakers.

Barnwell brings up the depth at wideout beyond St. Brown as the biggest question. Noting that “Jameson Williams hasn’t yet launched,” it’s the only real negative in the entire summary. However, there’s some genuine optimism too,

If Williams develops into the player Detroit hoped to add when it traded up for him in 2022, it could have the NFL’s best group of playmakers.

The San Francisco 49ers are at the top, while the Los Angeles Chargers bring up the rear.

Saints shut out of ESPN’s top defensive tackle rankings

Bryan Bresee had a strong rookie year with the New Orleans Saints, but it wasn’t enough to make ESPN’s list of the best defensive tackles:

ESPN’s series polling dozens of anonymous NFL sources to rank the best players at every position continued this week with the defensive tackles, but there  wasn’t a single New Orleans Saints player on the list — not inside the top-10, nor even as an honorable mention.

The Saints overhauled their defensive tackles last year by signing Nathan Shepherd and Khalen Saunders while drafting Bryan Bresee, letting David Onyemata walk away in free agency in the process. But the group didn’t work out as well as hoped, with the Saints allowing the 11th-most rushing yards around the league.

Still, getting snubbed on this list is disappointing given Bresee’s strong rookie year. He made a big impact on passing downs by setting a new team record for sacks among first-year defensive tackles (4.5), and he almost broke the team record for passes batted down at the line of scrimmage (6), too. He also had a couple of sacks nullified by penalties. His 31 quarterback pressures were fourth-most on the team per Pro Football Focus charting.

So how can he improve in 2024 and make this list next year? Bresee must become a more impactful run defender. He was shoved around too easily in that phase last season and the coaching staff made an effort to limit his exposure when opponents were planning to run at him. Of the 15 Saints defenders who logged 400 or more total snaps, only Tanoh Kpassagnon played fewer run defense snaps (139) than Bresee (148). Improving his lower body strength to better anchor against advancing blockers will do a lot to help him stay on the field more often and make more plays.

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Where Wisconsin commit Zach Kinziger lands in new ESPN100 for class of 2025

Where Wisconsin commit Zach Kinziger lands in new ESPN100 for class of 2025

Wisconsin commit Zach Kinziger is up to No. 67 in the latest ESPN100 ranking for the class of 2025.

The top-ranked shooting guard has been on a steady rise over the last 11 months after committing to Wisconsin back in August of 2023.

Related: Big Ten basketball teams ranked by returning production entering 2024-25 season

The De Pere, Wisconsin is also ranked as a four-star by 247Sports, specifically as the No. 132 overall player in the class of 2025 and No. 20 shooting guard. He is also ranked firmly within Rival’s top 150.

His recent rise in ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals’ national recruiting rankings all come after a fantastic season of summer showcase events with De Pere High School and Team Herro. Kinziger just recently led his school to a 5-0 record at the WBY Tournament in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, and took home All-Tournament honors for his performance.

The 6’3,” 175-pound shooting guard projects to provide a significant boost to a Wisconsin program that is in need of a strong run of regular season and postseason play.

The 2024-25 team has expectations to begin that stretch, though the forward-looking outlook focuses on class of 2024 point guard Daniel Freitag and Kinziger to help lead that charge.

The talented shooting guard has pushed Wisconsin’s class of 2025 up to No. 7 in the nation at this early stage in the cycle. He and three-star center Will Garlock are the class’ two commitments at the moment.

Other notable inclusions in the latest ESPN100 include Wisconsin top target combo guard Davion Hannah at No. 30 and top-ranked in-state small forward Xzavion Mitchell (Iowa State commit) at No. 68.

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 is still searching for a few more splashes before the recruiting cycle comes to an end next year.

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Wisconsin plays in two of CBS Sports’ top 10 Big Ten football rivalry games

Wisconsin plays in two of CBS Sports’ top 10 Big Ten football rivalries

Two of the Wisconsin Badgers’ biggest rivalry games made CBS Sports’ ranking of the top 10 Big Ten football rivalries on Friday.

Those inclusions: Wisconsin vs. Minnesota (No. 2) and Wisconsin vs. Iowa (No. 7).

Related: Big Ten Football Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?

The list was unsurprisingly led by Ohio State vs. Michigan — arguably the greatest rivalry in sports. Iowa vs. Minnesota then came in at No. 3, followed by UCLA vs. USC at No. 4, Michigan vs. Michigan State at No. 5, Oregon vs. Washington at No. 6, Indiana vs. Purdue at No. 8, Iowa vs. Nebraska at No. 9 and Illinois vs Purdue at No. 10.

Wisconsin leads each of its two ranked rivalries all-time (48-46-2 vs. Iowa and 63-60-8 vs. Minnesota), though the records are nearly even. Critically, each matchup perfectly represents what a great college football rivalry should include: a close geographical distance, great history, evenly-matched programs and a good rivalry trophy.

Wisconsin’s battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe and the Heartland Trophy both fit every criteria.

The Badgers’ lopsided ‘rivalry’ against the Nebraska Cornhuskers also made the list at No. 18. That’s more of a one-sided rivalry than anything, especially given the rivalry’s youth and the fact the Badgers haven’t lost to the Cornhuskers in nearly 12 years.

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Wisconsin surpassed by a Big Ten rival in 247Sports class of 2025 team recruiting ranking

Wisconsin surpassed by a Big Ten rival in 247Sports class of 2025 team recruiting ranking

The Wisconsin Badgers’ class of 2025 is beginning to slide in the national team recruiting rankings. The group is down to No. 15 in the nation after it had risen all the way up to No. 11 after adding commitments in the wake of official visits.

The sharp slide began earlier this week when four-star CB Rukeem Stroud flipped his commitment to UCF. It has continued in the days since, as Wisconsin’s red-hot momentum on the recruiting trail appears to have subsided.

RelatedWisconsin’s all-time record against every Big Ten football team

So as Wisconsin’s class sits with 21 players committed after adding specialist Erik Schmidt, some of the Big Ten and national powers are beginning to overtake it. The latest program to do so is Oregon thanks to recent commitments from four-star DL Josiah Sharma and four-star RB Jordon Davison

Oregon’s class now has 12 players committed — 11 of which are Blue-Chip recruits. The group is up to No. 13 in the national ranking and No. 4 in the Big Ten, behind only Ohio State (No. 1 overall), Penn State (No. 6 overall) and Rutgers (No. 11 overall).

Wisconsin still has several top targets remaining uncommitted including four-star iOL Hardy Watts, four-star RB Byron Louis, four-star DL Kade Pietrzak and three-star WR Muizz Tounkara. The program will need commitments from several of those players if it is to reclaim its spot near the top 10 of 247Sports national ranking.

The Badgers and Ducks will also meet on the football field in Madison, Wisconsin on Nov. 16. The game will create a golden opportunity for the Badgers to notch a statement victory in year two of the Luke Fickell era.

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Wisconsin EA Sports College Football 25 overall ranking revealed

Wisconsin EA Sports College Football 25 overall ranking revealed

The 2024 Wisconsin Badgers are the No. 18-ranked team in EA Sports College Football 25 with an overall rating of 87.

The ratings release follows the video game sharing its offense and defense power rankings. The Badgers boast one of the best defensive units in the game, which is a big reason why the team as a whole is up at No. 18.

Related: EA Sports College Football 25 unveils ranking of toughest places to play in college football

The video game’s ranking of best overall teams is unsurprisingly led by No. 1 Georgia (95 OVR), No. 2 Ohio State (93 OVR), No. 3 Oregon (93 OVR), No. 4 Alabama (92 OVR) and No. 5 Texas (92 OVR).

Wisconsin is down in the 16-20 range that also includes Colorado, Oklahoma, USC and Virginia Tech.

The Badgers enter the 2024 season with expectations of a resurgence in year two under head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo. While most preseason rankings have the team outside of the top 25, the game developers at EA Sports seem to be somewhat high on what the Badgers can accomplish.

 

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EA Sports College Football 25 unveils defensive power rankings entering 2024 season

EA Sports College Football 25 unveils defensive power rankings entering 2024 season

EA Sports College Football 25 continued its release of the video game’s gameplay features on Thursday with its offensive and defensive power rankings.

Every team in the video game has an overall rating, plus one for its offensive and defensive unit. Those ratings are all scaled from 1-100, with each team’s overall rating acting as some sort of average between that of its two units.

Related: EA Sports College Football 25 unveils ranking of toughest places to play in college football

EA Sports’ unveiling of the ratings of the soon-to-be-released video game predictably led to arguing and disagreement amongst fanbases. The video game is effectively dominating the conversation surrounding the sport at the moment, as was just the case with its recent list of the top stadium atmospheres.

From a Wisconsin perspective, the Badgers were predictably left off of the ranking of the top 25 offenses. The program is still transitioning to Phil Longo’s air raid system and did not produce good results in 2023.

But Wisconsin did not only make the video game’s top 25 defenses, but the group is in its top 15. Mike Tressel’s transfer-heavy unit is expected to take another big step forward after a solid, yet unspectacular effort in 2023. The Badgers may have shifted their identity toward the offensive side of the football, but the defense remains the best unit on the team.

Here is where the Badgers fell among EA Sports’ top 15 defenses, including the video game’s 1-100 rating for each unit:

Wisconsin omitted from EA Sports College Football 25’s top offense power ratings

Wisconsin omitted from EA Sports College Football 25 offense power ratings

The Wisconsin Badgers were on the outside of EA Sports College Football 25’s offense power ratings.

The soon-to-be-released video game unveiled the top 25 offensive units in the game. Georgia unsurprisingly leads the way with a 94 overall rating, followed by Oregon at 94 and Alabama at 91. The bottom part of the top 25 includes Florida State, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech and USC all with an overall rating of 83.

Related: EA Sports College Football 25 unveils ranking of toughest places to play in college football

Wisconsin notably enters the season with ESPN SP+’s No. 80-ranked offense. That mark is anchored by a few rough years of output, especially by its average of only 23.5 points per game in 2023 against a light Big Ten West schedule. The ranking could rise significantly this season if the Badgers put forth a resurgent second season under offensive coordinator Phil Longo.

Missing EA Sports’ top 25 ranking should be no surprise as the Badgers’ offense has mostly struggled since the program’s terrific 2019 season. Veteran quarterback Tyler Van Dyke transferred to Madison, Wisconsin this offseason to change that trend, though he and the team need to prove it on the field before any ratings can change.

 

 

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247Sports ranks Florida football’s 2024 opponent difficulty

Here’s how the Gators’ 2024 opponents rank in terms of difficulty… at least, according to 247Sports.

Florida football faces one of the most formidable schedules among Football Bowl Subdivision schools this coming season, with a gauntlet of Southeastern Conference foes as well as a pair of tough games against in-state rivals on the slate.

Graham Hall of Swamp247 took a look at the Gators’ 12 matchups for the regular season and ranked them from easiest to hardest. It should come as little surprise that the Orange and Blue’s rivalry game against the Georgia Bulldogs in Jacksonville took the top spot.

But where did the next 11 opponents land?

The second-toughest date on the schedule is Nov. 9, when [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s boys travel to take on newly-added SEC foe, the Texas Longhorns, for the first time since 1940 — and the first time in Austin since 1939. The third on the list is surprisingly Florida’s home game against the Ole Miss Rebels on Nov. 23.

The top five toughest matchups round out with the final game in Tallahassee against the Florida State Seminoles on Nov. 30 and in Gainesville against the LSU Tigers on Nov. 16, respectively.

Man alive, November is shaping up to be another brutal run for the Orange and Blue.

The Tennessee Volunteers (road), Miami Hurricanes (home), Texas A&M Aggies (home), Kentucky Wildcats (home) and UCF Knights (home), respectively, wrap up the top 10.

The game on the road at the Mississippi State Bulldogs comes in at No. 11 while the Samford Bulldogs represent the Gators’ easiest opponent this coming fall.

Florida’s 2024 season opener

The Florida and Miami open the schedule on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Wisconsin Badgers’ Camp Randall Stadium updated seating capacity

Wisconsin football’s Camp Randall Stadium updated seating capacity:

Wisconsin football’s Camp Randall Stadium has become a central topic of conversation after EA Sports College Football 25 included it in its ranking of the toughest places to play in the sport.

That has led many in the college football world to opine on whether the reputation is warranted, or whether it’s more rooted in a past decade’s performance.

Related: Big Ten Football Power Index Rankings for 2024: Which teams are underrated, overrated?

Either way, Camp Randall is one of the storied venues in the sport and continues to represent the gold standard of what a college football stadium should provide.

2022’s south end zone renovation was one further step in that direction. While it reduced the stadium’s capacity from 80,321 to 75,822, it added another dimension of luxury to the gameday environment to complement the other 70,000 seats in the stadium.

That minor drop in seating capacity has Camp Randall as the new Big Ten’s seventh-largest venue, behind only Michigan Stadium (Michigan), Beaver Stadium (Penn State), Ohio Stadium (Ohio State), the Rose Bowl (UCLA), Memorial Stadium (Nebraska) and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (USC).

It still can create one of the conference’s most electric atmospheres, as demonstrated in some of the Badgers’ biggest home wins over the last few decades:

There is always a discussion about student attendance and 11 a.m. kickoffs. But that should not distract from the stadium’s rightful place among college football’s best venues and toughest places to play.

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