Big Ten Top Ten: Conference's football teams ranked after final games of regular season
It's the final edition of my Big Ten Top Ten Rankings, and it could not have ended without one final upset. Stay tuned for a similar format with men's basketball coming soon! Here are my final rankings for the 2024 season.
– No. 1 – Oregon (12-0, 9-0)
LW: vs Washington W 49-21
NW: vs Penn State
Oregon completed its perfect regular season with a rivalry win over Washington. The Ducks showed they have what it takes on both sides of the ball to make a championship run. I have full faith in this team to wind up in Atlanta, Georgia, in January. There's not much else to say.
– No. 2 - Penn State (11-1, 8-1)
LW: vs Maryland W 44-7
NW: @ Oregon
Penn State handled business against Maryland and put up the only score that would have been acceptable in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions benefited from an Ohio State loss and now find themselves in the Big Ten Championship against No. 1 Oregon. The close game against Minnesota has me skeptical of this team, but with tight end Tyler Warren and this defense, No. 3 Penn State can make some serious noise in the playoffs.
– No. 3 - Ohio State (10-2, 7-2)
LW: vs Michigan L 13-10
NW: —
The Buckeyes suffered an inexcusable loss at home this weekend. Michigan seems to always have No. 7 Ohio State's number, and it was proven yet again this past weekend. There is simply no reason the Buckeyes should have lost this, costing themselves a championship game. In terms of postseason, I'm still a fan of this team over a team like Indiana. The fight at the end of the game was also very entertaining, despite how unnecessary it was.
– No. 4 - Indiana (11-1, 8-1)
LW: vs Purdue W 66-0
NW: —
The Hoosiers have made incredible strides this year under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, but I'd be surprised to see them win a playoff game. No. 9 Indiana capped off its regular season with a dominant win over Purdue, but my point on this squad still stands. The Hoosiers simply do not have a notable win this season and it's hard to put stock into that.
– No. 5 - Minnesota (7-5, 5-4)
LW: @ Wisconsin W 24-7
NW: —
If you're a regular reader each week, you know I have been thoroughly impressed by Minnesota recently. The Golden Gophers had a great win in Madison, Wisconsin, and I truly believe this team would beat Illinois. Whatever bowl game this team ends up in, I'd put my money on Minnesota.
– No. 6 - Illinois (9-3, 6-3)
LW: @ Northwestern W 38-28
NW: —
The Fighting Illini ended the season ranked No. 21 and on a three-game win streak. I personally believe Illinois should have beat Rutgers and Northwestern in a more convincing fashion given its rank and level of opponents. I wouldn't be surprised if the Fighting Illini lost whatever bowl game they played.
– No. 7 - Michigan (7-5, 5-4)
LW: @ Ohio State W 13-10
NW: —
The Wolverines played spoiler this past weekend and took Ohio State out of the championship game. This win was massive for first-year head coach Sherrone Moore and his interview post-game showed how much it meant to him. This was a down year for Michigan, but it will not be long until it is back with the rest of the heavy hitters in the Big Ten.
– No. 8 - Rutgers (7-5, 4-5)
LW: @ Michigan State W 41-14
NW: —
Credit to Rutgers, which has looked like a completely different team these past couple of weeks. The Scarlet Knights traveled out to East Lansing, Michigan, and put up 41 points in the snowy conditions. The Rutgers offense was firing on all cylinders the last month of the season, a bright spot heading into the 2025 offseason. Whatever bowl game the Knights end up at is sure to be high-scoring for both teams.
– No. 9 - Iowa (8-4, 6-3)
LW: vs Nebraska W 13-10
NW: —
Iowa finishes its season with a surprising 8-4 record after playing light competition all season. The Hawkeyes are a middling team that will most likely beat its opponent, there's not much else to say. Kaleb Johnson had a remarkable season and the offense has taken a massive step from where it was last season.
– No. 10 - Washington (6-6, 4-5)
LW: @ Oregon L 49-21
NW: —
Once again this No. 10 spot was a toss-up to end the year. I'm giving the edge to Washington for the notable win over Michigan. The Huskies aren't what they were a year ago when they lost the championship, but this team has the pieces to win their bowl game.
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