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Athlon Sports
Big Ten Football: Preseason 2024 Power Rankings
By Steven Lassan,
2024-07-31
Fall practice for the 2024 college football season will soon be underway for all 134 teams, which means the start of the year with actual games Week 0 on Aug. 24 isn't far behind. With the '24 season right around the corner, it's time to power rank all 18 teams in the Big Ten. Ohio State holds a small edge over Oregon for the No. 1 spot, with Michigan and Penn State up next.
The Big Ten has solid depth in the new 18-team setup. Iowa, USC, Nebraska, and Wisconsin can all push to finish in the top 25, while Washington, Maryland, Rutgers, Minnesota, and Michigan State are projected to be bowl teams in '24. Indiana, Northwestern, Illinois, and Purdue have sleeper potential or could surprise this fall, while UCLA has several question marks entering coach Deshaun Foster's debut.
How do the 18 teams in the conference stack up this fall? Athlon Sports power ranks the Big Ten teams for 2024:
After watching Michigan win the Big Ten for three years in a row and the national championship last season, coach Ryan Day's offseason was all about making the right moves to get Ohio State back to the top of the Big Ten. That priority was accomplished by hiring UCLA head coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, landing a pair of impact transfers in safety Caleb Downs and running back Quinshon Judkins, as well as a veteran signal-caller (Will Howard) from the portal to bridge the gap to the younger quarterbacks on the roster. With a defense that's primed to be one of the best in the nation and a deep receiving corps, Ohio State's roster doesn't have a glaring concern for the '24 campaign. If the offensive line takes a step forward, a national title could be coming to Columbus this fall.
The Ducks have all of the pieces in place to contend for a national championship in 2024. Coach Dan Lanning's squad has to play at Michigan but gets Big Ten frontrunner Ohio State in Eugene. Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel should provide a smooth transition from Bo Nix under center, and the skill positions are loaded with talent, including a receiving corps that could be the best in college football with Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson. Replacing center Jackson Powers-Johnson is the biggest question mark on offense. Lanning's defense only returns four starters, but a handful of transfers will restock this unit into one of the best in the Big Ten.
Change is the biggest storyline for Michigan in the 2024 college football season. The reigning national champions lost several key players off last year's title team, and Sherrone Moore takes over as the new head coach after Jim Harbaugh left for the Chargers. A defense that returns four starters - including Athlon Sports All-Americans in linemen Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant and cornerback Will Johnson - should be the strength of this team. The Wolverines will have to lean on this group until the offense finds its footing. A quarterback battle featuring Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji, and Davis Warren will continue deep into the fall, while five new starters must emerge up front.
For the Nittany Lions to take the next step and make the CFB Playoff, the offense has to deliver more big plays and put points on the scoreboard against the top opponents on the schedule. After struggling with those two areas in '23, coach James Franklin made one of the offseason's top coordinator hires in Andy Kotelnicki. The former Kansas play-caller is tasked with getting more out of quarterback Drew Allar and must find more ways to deploy standout running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming helps on the outside, but question marks remain at receiver. New coordinator Tom Allen inherits six returning starters and should keep Penn State's defense near the top of the Big Ten.
USC underachieved with an 8-5 record last season and enters 2024 with significant question marks for the debut run through the Big Ten. It's a safe bet the Trojans will find a way to score points in coach Lincoln Riley's offense, and new quarterback Miller Moss had a strong debut in the bowl win over Louisville. However, how the offensive line holds up in Big Ten play remains a concern. The defense has struggled mightily under Riley's direction, but the third-year coach took steps to address this unit by hiring D'Anton Lynn away from UCLA to coordinate this unit. The Trojans have talent on this side of the ball and a new scheme should help the overall play. How much improvement can this group realistically make in '24?
Even though All-American cornerback Cooper DeJean is off to the NFL, Iowa's defense will rank among the best in college football in 2024. The Hawkeyes return eight starters on this side of the ball, including standout linebackers Nick Jackson and Jay Higgins, along with rising star safety Xavier Nwankpa. After last year's debacle on offense, a new coordinator (Tim Lester) should help coach Kirk Ferentz's group show some improvement on the stat sheet. Quarterback Cade McNamara and tight end Luke Lachey are back from injury, while the one-two punch at running back of Leshon Williams and Kaleb Johnson is solid. With modest improvement offensively, Iowa could be a sleeper team to make a run at a spot in the CFB Playoff.
The Cornhuskers are poised for improvement in coach Matt Rhule's second season in Lincoln. A defense that limited opponents to 18.3 points a contest in 2023 returns seven starters, including standouts up front in Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher and Isaac Gifford and Tommi Hill in the secondary. Nebraska ranked 12th in the Big Ten in scoring last year, but the offense is on track to improve significantly with true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola at the controls, along with the arrival of key transfers in running back Dante Dowdell (Oregon) and receiver Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest). A veteran offensive line is also a strength for the '24 campaign.
For the Badgers to take a step forward in coach Luke Fickell's second year, priority No. 1 is settling the quarterback battle between Tyler Van Dyke and Braedyn Locke. The transition to the Air Raid attack wasn't smooth last season, but coordinator Phil Longo should have optimism for '24 with an experienced offensive line, a good group of skill talent at running back and receiver, along with another year to develop in this system. Wisconsin is thin along the defensive line, but transfers should boost the linebacker unit, while All-Big Ten performers in Ricardo Hallman and safety Hunter Wohler are back in the secondary.
The Scarlet Knights have a favorable schedule - no Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, or Michigan - and are positioned to take another step forward after a seven-win campaign last year. The offense is powered by running back Kyle Monangai, who returns after leading the Big Ten with 1,262 rushing yards in '23, along with an experienced line (four starters back). Minnesota transfer quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis needs to spark a passing game that struggled in Big Ten play (just seven passing scores) last year. Rutgers should have one of the conference's top defenses with six starters back, including linemen Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey, and linebackers Mohamed Toure and Tyreem Powell.
A year after playing for the national championship, change is the biggest storyline for Washington in '24. Not only are the Huskies changing conferences to the Big Ten, there's a new staff led by head coach Jedd Fisch, and just two starters return from '23. Success for Fisch's offense this fall will hinge on how fast Mississippi State transfer quarterback Will Rogers can settle in with five new starters up front. Although Fisch reeled in several transfers to restock the defense, this unit is likely to be a work in progress throughout '24 under new coordinator Steve Belichick.
After winning eight games in back-to-back years, Maryland has its sights set on another step forward in the Big Ten in '24. But for coach Mike Locksley's team to challenge for a finish in the top tier of the conference, finding a quarterback from the battle of MJ Morris, Cameron Edge, and Billy Edwards Jr. to replace Taulia Tagovailoa is the top fall priority. Locksley also needs to solidify an offensive line featuring four new starters this season. Six starters are back from a defense that held teams to 22.5 points a game in '23 but some retooling is needed in the secondary.
Minnesota's passing attack struggled last season, but help is on the way with New Hampshire transfer quarterback Max Brosmer set to start in '24. The Golden Gophers have a solid supporting cast in place for Brosmer, including running back Darius Taylor, receiver Daniel Jackson, and standout lineman Aireontae Ersery to headline four returning starters in the trenches. New defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman inherits an experienced group (eight returning starters). However, standout safety Tyler Nubin will be missed and the rush defense must improve after allowing 165.9 yards in Big Ten games last year.
New coach Jonathan Smith is one of the offseason's top hires, but the Spartans bring back only nine starters off a team that went 4-8 last year. If Smith is to exceed expectations in '24, Oregon State transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles has to deliver a breakout year, while an offensive line that returns only one starter needs to quickly fall into place. Michigan State allowed 30.9 points in Big Ten play last season and concerns about the defense grew this spring after a couple of players - namely tackles Simeon Barrow and Derrick Harmon - opted to transfer.
New coach Deshaun Foster has a tough task ahead in 2024. Not only is UCLA making the shift from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, but the roster is also in transition with just nine returning starters. New defensive signal-caller Ikaika Malloe must rebuild a front that lost Laiatu Latu, Gabriel Murphy, and Grayson Murphy and address a leaky secondary. New offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy brings NFL pedigree to the program, while quarterback Ethan Garbers and running back T.J. Harden are two solid building blocks for '24. A tough schedule is also another obstacle for Foster to overcome in his debut.
The Fighting Illini return only nine starters, so coach Bret Bielema will have his work cut out in '24. Replacing standout defensive linemen Johnny Newton and Keith Randolph Jr. is the top offseason priority for coordinator Aaron Henry after this unit regressed on the stat sheet last fall. Quarterback Luke Altmyer needs to play with more consistency in his second year with the program. Illinois returns a veteran offensive line and solid one-two punch at running back in Kaden Feagin and Josh McCray.
The Wildcats exceeded expectations in 2023, but new full-time coach David Braun has a few major concerns to address if this team is to go bowling in '24. A quarterback battle between Mississippi State transfer Mike Wright, Ryan Hilinski, and Jack Lausch will continue deep into fall practice under new coordinator Zach Lujan. The backfield should be a strength behind Cam Porter, while Bryce Kirtz (49 catches) returns as the No. 1 target. Seven starters are back on a defense that should be the strength of Braun's team this fall. Can Northwestern lean on this group and its ground game while the quarterback situation is sorted out?
Look for the Hoosiers to push for bowl eligibility in coach Curt Cignetti's debut. A deep haul of transfers should help both sides of the ball show marked improvement, including quarterback Kurtis Rourke (Ohio) and a couple of James Madison players that followed Cignetti to Bloomington in receiver Elijah Sarratt, offensive lineman Nick Kidwell, defensive linemen James Carpenter and Mikail Kamara, and linebacker Aiden Fisher. Receiver Donaven McCulley is underrated star on the outside.
The Boilermakers should improve in coach Ryan Walters' second season, but a tough schedule won't make things easy in 2024. Quarterback Hudson Card returns to lead the way on offense, while Walters brought in a handful of transfers to boost a defense that allowed 30.4 points a game last year. Safety Dillon Thieneman is a star on the back end for Walters.
Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com. Follow him on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .
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