Tag: Standings

An early edge in the divisional race at stake for the Saints in Week 4

An early edge in the divisional race is at stake for the Saints in Week 4. But the Falcons probably feel the same way:

The New Orleans Saints have the chance to take the all-time series lead over the Atlanta Falcons when the two teams face off on Sunday. As good as it will feel to say you lead the series against a heated rival, the game has more important impacts to the current season.

A victory would put the Saints up two games over the Falcons and they’d have the early tiebreaker. Week 4 may be a little early to be speaking about tiebreakers, but the Saints will have played two divisional games already by the end of the week.

It’s not too early to start calculating what a victory would mean from that perspective. A victory would keep Atlanta from winning the divisional series outright and give you the chance to complete a sweep at home later in the season.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also have a tough game against the Philadelphia Eagles. A Saints win plus Tampa Bay loss would leave New Orleans all alone a the top of the division and end the streak of the Saints and Buccaneers mirroring outcomes.

A loss to Atlanta would drop the Saints to second at best in the division. New Orleans and the Falcons would have the same record with Atlanta holding the head to head victory. The Saints would have to then ensure they came down with the victory against the Falcons in Week 10 to avoid the season sweep.

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Big Ten running backs ranked by rushing yards after Week 4 of 2024 season

An updated look at the production from all of the Big Ten’s best running backs entering Week 5:

Week 4 of the Big Ten football season saw continued dominance from some of the conference’s top running backs.

Backs were the best players on the field for both Michigan and Iowa in their statement victories. For Michigan, RB Kalel Mullings took 17 carries for 159 yards and two touchdowns to lead the team to a 27-24 victory over USC. For Iowa, Kaleb Johnson recorded 206 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries as the Hawkeyes dominated Minnesota 31-17.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 4: Michigan is alive

Significantly, Michigan QB Alex Orji and Iowa QB Cade McNamara combined for only 94 passing yards in the two wins. Each team’s offense was driven entirely by the dominance of the running backs.

Old-school Big Ten football still wins in the current age of high-powered passing offense. That is seen by the production of running backs across the conference. With the conference schedule heating up, here are the top 20 Big Ten RBs ranked by rushing production, listed with each of their national rankings:

Rushing Yards: 200 (No. 122 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: N/A (BYE)

Season Stats: 46 carries, 200 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 201 (No. 119 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 14 carries, 67 rushing yards, 4.8 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 50 carries, 201 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 207 (No. 111 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 9 carries, 9 rushing yards, 1.0 yards per carry

Season Stats: 47 carries, 207 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire

Rushing Yards: 207 (No. 111 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 6 carries, 76 rushing yards, 12.7 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Season Stats: 24 carries, 207 rushing yards, 8.6 yards per carry, 4 touchdowns

Note: Henderson and Carter are tied in total yards. Henderson is ranked higher due to a higher yards-per-carry average.

Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire

Rushing Yards: 222 (No. 92 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 10 carries, 34 rushing yards, 3.4 yards per carry

Season Stats: 35 carries, 222 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 224 (No. 90 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 14 carries, 74 rushing yards, 5.3 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 50 carries, 224 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire

Rushing Yards: 234 (No. 84 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 15 carries, 77 rushing yards, 5.1 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 44 carries, 234 rushing yards, 5.3 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 242 (No. 80 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 12 carries, 69 rushing yards, 5.8 yards per carry

Season Stats: 54 carries, 242 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 256 (No. 70 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 20 carries, 72 rushing yards, 3.6 yards per carry

Season Stats: 51 carries, 256 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire

Rushing Yards: 271 (No. 57 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 15 carries, 61 rushing yards, 4.1 yards per carry

Season Stats: 49 carries, 271 rushing yards, 5.5 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire

Rushing Yards: 271 (No. 57 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 13 carries, 100 rushing yards, 7.7 yards per carry

Season Stats: 42 carries, 271 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Note: Marks and Lynch-Adams are tied in total yards. Marks is ranked higher due to a higher yards-per-carry average.

Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire

Rushing Yards: 276 (No. 54 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 16 carries, 168 rushing yards, 10.5 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 36 carries, 276 rushing yards, 7.7 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Rushing Yards: 283 (No. 51 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: N/A (BYE)

Season Stats: 44 carries, 283 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire

Rushing Yards: 290 (No. 44 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 9 carries, 58 rushing yards, 6.4 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 38 carries, 290 rushing yards, 7.6 yards per carry, 4 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 314 (No. 40 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 11 carries, 81 rushing yards, 7.4 yards per carry

Season Stats: 37 carries, 314 rushing yards, 8.5 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire

Rushing Yards: 336 (No. 35 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 14 carries, 173 rushing yards, 12.4 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Season Stats: 36 carries, 336 rushing yards, 9.3 yards per carry, 5 touchdowns

Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire

Rushing Yards: 373 (No. 25 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 15 carries, 67 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 56 carries, 373 rushing yards, 6.7 yards per carry, 4 touchdowns

Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire

Rushing Yards: 429 (No. 12 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 17 carries, 159 rushing yards, 9.4 yards per carry, 2 touchdowns

Season Stats: 53 carries, 429 rushing yards, 8.1 yards per carry, 4 touchdowns

Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire

Rushing Yards: 457 (No. 5 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 26 carries, 84 rushing yards, 3.2 yards per carry, 1 touchdown

Season Stats: 72 carries, 457 rushing yards, 6.3 yards per carry, 5 touchdowns

Rushing Yards: 685 (No. 1 nationally)

Week 4 Stats: 21 carries, 206 rushing yards, 9.8 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Season Stats: 82 carries, 685 rushing yards, 8.4 yards per carry, 9 touchdowns

Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire

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Former Wisconsin coach leads program to signature win over Nebraska

Former Wisconsin coach gets signature win over Nebraska

Former Wisconsin and current Illinois head coach Bret Bielema led his No. 24-ranked Fighting Illini to a signature win over No. 22 Nebraska on Friday night.

The 31-24 overtime triumph moved his team to 4-0 on the season and 1-0 in Big Ten play. The ranked matchup, paired with the hype surrounding Nebraska’s 3-0 start, the national profile of freshman QB Dylan Raiola and the Friday night national television stage makes the win arguably the biggest of Bielema’s Illinois tenure.

Related: Ranking Wisconsin’s remaining Big Ten opponents from easiest to toughest

The former Badger coach is in his fourth season at Illinois. His best season with the Illini came in 2022 — an 8-5 finish with as high as a No. 14 ranking in the AP Poll. The Nebraska win puts 2024 on pace to surpass that finish.

Illinois’ 4-0 start also includes a home win against a ranked Kansas team, plus blowout wins against Eastern Illinois and Central Michigan. The win moves Illinois’ record against ranked teams under Bielema to 4-5. In the 10 years before his arrival, the program went just 3-28 in those matchups.

Bielema’s postgame excitement captures the gravity of the road victory.

Bielema coached at Wisconsin from 2006-2012. He went 68-24, including Big Ten titles in 2011 and 2012. His controversial departure to Arkansas in 2012 cast a shadow over his tenure. Given Wisconsin’s ongoing struggles since firing Paul Chryst in 2022, many have turned around to appreciate Bielema’s ability to win during his time in Madison.

To add to the Wisconsin connection, the Illinois staff includes former Badger players Aaron Henry (defensive coordinator) and Terrance Jamison (defensive line coach).

Wisconsin does not play Illinois this season for the first time since 2010. It beat Bielema and the Fighting Illini 25-21 last season on a last-minute touchdown pass to OT Nolan Rucci.

The Badgers do play Nebraska, however. Friday’s loss halts the Cornhuskers’ momentum after a flawless start to the season. The late-season matchup between the two teams could go on to largely define each of their respective seasons.

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

B/R’s biggest takeaway is the changing landscape of the NFC South

A strong Week 1 has Bleacher Report changing their tune on the Saints’ standing within the NFC South. The division’s landscape appears to be changing:

The New Orleans Saints haven’t been treated as a contender in the NFC South. Instead, they’ve been viewed as afterthoughts in the division behind the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tyrann Mathieu acknowledged this during the offseason.

After Week 1, Bleacher Report is ready to change their tune. Their biggest takeaway from the Saints season opener versus the Carolina Panthers is “Klint Kubiak’s Offense Will Make Saints a Serious Threat in NFC South.” Here’s why they’re coming around on Klint Kubiak and Derek Carr:

“The hope was that Kubiak would find creative ways to get more out of quarterback Derek Carr, who was largely average in his first season as the Saints starter. If Sunday’s game was an accurate indication, Carr and the new-look New Orleans offense is going to be a lot of fun in 2024.”

You can make an argument about the quality of opponent, but there was a clear shift schematically. The touchdown to Juwan Johnson was a good example of this. Taysom Hill and Rashid Shaheed joined Carr in the backfield with Alvin Kamara at wide receiver. You wouldn’t see that in 2023.

Offense has been the missing key to success for the last few years. If they can unlock that this year, they will be contenders. The defense still has the pieces to be top flight. Being a threat in the division would be the floor with a good offense.

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Only one team in the Big Ten is winless after Week 1 … Minnesota

Minnesota is not where you want to be at the moment:

The Wisconsin Badgers did not instill confidence with their uncomfortable 28-14 Week 1 win over Western Michigan on Friday. But the team is 1-0 after one week of action, which is all that technically matters.

We will inevitably spend the next week nitpicking the win and pointing to the team’s faults. I’d argue that activity is necessary with the gauntlet schedule that lies ahead for the Badgers, starting with No. 5 Alabama on Sept. 14.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 1: Our first look at the expanded conference

But I can guarantee that status is better than Minnesota’s. The Gophers fell 19-17 to North Carolina on Thursday, and actually set off fireworks as their kicker missed a game-winning field goal attempt.

P.J. Fleck’s team is not only 0-1 after Week 1, it was the only Big Ten team that lost this weekend. The new-look conference went 17-1, including No. 23 USC‘s impressive win over No. 13 LSU and a handful of decisive nonconference victories.

Every team won except Minnesota, who is officially the first team to be dead-last in the new 18-team conference.

https://twitter.com/ZachHeilprin/status/1830445206296010952

Things do not figure to get much better for the Gophers. Their conference schedule includes No. 25 Iowa, No. 9 Michigan, No. 23 USC, Maryland, Rutgers, No. 8 Penn State and Wisconsin. If the team’s offense looks the way it did against the Tar Heels, Minnesota could miss a bowl game.

We will do more intensive deep-dives into the Big Ten standings once conference play begins. For now, it’s worth highlighting Minnesota’s status as the only 0-1 team in the conference.

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

Wisconsin falls far in updated ESPN FPI after win over Western Michigan

Wisconsin falls far in updated ESPN FPI ranking after win over Western Michigan

Wisconsin is trending in the wrong direction after a 28-14 Week 1 win over Western Michigan.

Despite the win, the Badgers fell seven spots in ESPN FPI to No. 46, now with an overall rating of only 4.0.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s 28-14 Week 1 win over Western Michigan

The drop makes sense given the context. Wisconsin struggled to defeat a Western Michigan team that entered the game No. 119 in the FPI (out of 134 Football Bowl Subdivision programs). The Broncos have risen with their strong performance. But much of that can be attributed to the Badgers’ struggles on both sides of the football.

FPI and SP+ ratings are not the end-all for evaluating a team. Wisconsin moves into Week 2 with a 1-0 record, which is technically all that matters. But in a week where Iowa won 40-0 and Nebraska won 40-7, both against lesser competition, it’s hard not to look at Wisconsin’s performance with a critical eye.

The Badgers are back on the field next Saturday against South Dakota. That game serves as the final warmup before No. 5 Alabama visits Madison on Sept. 14.

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Bleacher Report predicts how the Saints could finish in last place

Nobody wants to finish in last place, especially not a team that went 9-8. Bleacher Report predicts how the Saints could bottom out in 2024:

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon recently published a piece about why each  of the NFL’s 32 teams could finish last place this season. The New Orleans Saints are looking to build off of a 9-8 season, so it would obviously be a huge letdown if they finished last.

With all of this being said, let’s take a look at how the Saints could finish last, according to Gagnon. The question is whether their quarterback can keep pace with his competition:

 A roster that has been slowly declining for years finally breaks while Cousins, Young and Baker Mayfield guide their teams to strong campaigns.

This is a short but fair way for the Saints to finish last. If the quarterback play in the NFC South takes a jump, New Orleans could be in for a tough year. Derek Carr didn’t meet expectations last season and the Saints brought in a new play caller and coaching staff to rectify that.

Kirk Cousins is going into his first year with the Atlanta Falcons. If he can play like he has in years past, he could be in for a very good season. Bryce Young is looking to rebound after a rough rookie year and could put it together this season now that the Carolina Panthers overhauled their coaching staff.

Finally, if Mayfield builds on his strong 2023 campaign, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be contenders to repeat as NFC South champs. His supporting cast is weaker than it was a year ago and expectations are higher now that he’s earned a big-money contract, but the Saints learned the hard way that he can’t be overlooked.

Gagnon’s other point has some merit. To say that certain guys like Cameron Jordan, Alvin Kamara, and Tyrann Mathieu are the players they used to be would be a lie. However, I’m not sure I would say the Saints are a declining roster. There is still tons of youth and talent in standouts with Pro Bowl potential like Chris Olave, Carl Granderson, Rashid Shaheed, and Erik McCoy.

It surely would be a disappointment to Saints fans to see the team finish in last place. If it’s going to happen, it likely would be for the two main reasons Gagnon touched on.

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Wisconsin among winningest college football programs without national championship

Wisconsin among most wins of any college football program without national championship

The Wisconsin football program has been the model of consistent success over the last few decades.

The program has qualified for 22 consecutive bowl games, the third-longest active streak behind only Georgia and Oklahoma. It has experienced only two losing seasons (2001, 1995) since Barry Alvarez’s initial breakthrough in 1993.

Related: Full recap of power rankings for every Big Ten football position group entering 2024 season

Wisconsin has achieved that consistent success with a few peak seasons including a 12-1 mark in 2006, 11-2 in 2010, 11-3 in 2011 and 13-1 in 2017. But none of those breakthrough years have included a College Football Playoff appearance.

The Badgers have been either good or really-good in nearly every season over the last 30 years. The program has not, however, had a truly ‘great’ season. It has been unable to reach national title contention.

That leads us into a look at the context surrounding Wisconsin’s steady success but lack of top-end breakthrough. The Badgers are toward the top of the list of FBS programs with the most all-time wins without a claimed national championship (all win numbers via Wikipedia):

NFC South predicted to be a tight race for first place

Some think the Kirk Cousins-led Falcons will run away with the division. This B/R writer, however, predicts a close NFC South race with three teams in the mix:

Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton predicted the last place finisher in each division. Unsurprisingly, the Carolina Panthers were last in the NFC South. The New Orleans Saints came in third, which also comes as no surprise. There’s still plenty of hype supporting the Kirk Cousins-led Atlanta Falcons. But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shouldn’t be overlooked.

Falcons, Buccaneers, Saints, Panthers feels like a common prediction for the final NFC South standings. This is less about the order and more about the records that lead to this standing. Moton may have placed the Falcons on top, but not by much:

Atlanta Falcons: 9-8

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-9

New Orleans Saints: 7-10

Carolina Panthers: 3-14

This prediction is very similar to last year’s standings. The Panthers bring up the rear. This time they get one additional victory, and the divisional winner ends with a 9-8 record.

The Panthers sit at the bottom, four games below the third place Saints. There’s only two games separating third and first place, however. That race is very tight and could be decided by early season divisional games.

New Orleans ends the season in Tampa Bay, where they won last year 23-13. That’s the only game between the top three NFC South teams after Week 10. So there’s a good chance the divisional standings could be stable down the stretch.

Many pundits are predicting Atlanta to win the NFC South, and it doesn’t sound like it’ll be close, at least according to those neutral observers. Moton, on the other hand, didn’t see Atlanta far above the others. The division may not be strong, but it will likely be very competitive at the top.

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Josh Pate not confident in the Wisconsin Badgers ascending over the next three seasons

Josh Pate not confident in the Wisconsin Badgers over the next three seasons:

Wisconsin football was not included in national college football analyst Josh Pate’s recent ranking of the top 15 programs of the next three seasons.

His ranking listed Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Florida State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas A&M, LSU, Tennessee, Miami, Clemson and Penn State. That is 15 total programs listed, four from the Big Ten.

Related: 10 developing opinions entering year two of the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin

This future outlook was released as college football undergoes significant changes entering the 2024 season. The snapshot of the sport’s old structure may no longer apply as conferences realign and the College Football Playoff expands.

That said, it is no coincidence that this ranking nearly perfectly aligns with the team recruiting rankings for the class of 2025. The most talented teams and programs are also the ones that will experience the most on-field success.

Wisconsin’s class of 2025 currently ranks No. 16 in the nation with the cycle still ongoing. The class has a strong foundation, though is buoyed a bit by the volume of 22 commitments.

A broader view of the program and its talent composite would place it somewhere in the 25-35 range. That is changing a bit under head coach Luke Fickell, who has undeniably raised the program’s recruiting profile.

But Fickell and the Badgers will need to convert improved recruiting performance into on-field wins starting in 2024 in order to join the sport’s elite. The program is off consecutive 7-6 seasons, and has a win total of only 6.5 in 2024.

Wisconsin of 2016-2019 was arguably a top-15 program in the sport. Things have slipped since then, which is reflected in Pate’s omission of the Badgers.

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