What the Big Ten media got right and wrong in its 2024 preseason poll

The Big Ten media voted in the annual cleveland.com preseason poll Monday, with Ohio State the runaway pick to win the conference for the first time since 2020. 

Unlike the SEC preseason ballot, which consists of hundreds of voters and is put together by the conference, the Big Ten did away with its preseason poll nearly 15 years ago, so the Cleveland newspaper took up the responsibility. 

Just 27 media members — beat writers from all 18 teams plus a handful of national writers — voted, and the Buckeyes received 21 first-place votes. Oregon checked in at No. 2 with six votes, while Michigan, the three-time defending champ, did not receive a single first-place vote and checked in at No. 4 overall. 

The preseason poll also asked the media members to predict the number of Big Ten teams to make the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff tied. The most popular pick was three (16 votes), while four teams received nine votes. 

Ohio State was a unanimous playoff pick, and Oregon was on 26 of 27 ballots. Penn State (18), Michigan (15) and Iowa (three) were the other three Big Ten teams selected.

Big Ten Preseason Poll

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Penn State
4. Michigan
5. Iowa
6. USC
7. Wisconsin
8. Nebraska
9. Rutgers
10. Washington
11. Maryland
12. Minnesota
13. Illinois
14. Northwestern
15. UCLA
16. Michigan State
17. Indiana
18. Purdue

Here’s what the Big Ten media got right and wrong with its 2024 preseason poll:

The Buckeyes should be the overwhelming favorites 

Ohio State doesn’t have a flawless roster, but as Urban Meyer said earlier this offseason, the Buckeyes have one of the best collections of talent ever assembled in Columbus. Outside of a road trip to Oregon, they also have a very favorable 2024 schedule — and they don’t have to show a single card before said showdown in Eugene. Even if OSU loses in Autzen Stadium, can the Ducks beat the Buckeyes twice to win the Big Ten in 2024?

All eyes are on Ryan Day to deliver a conference championship after a three-year drought. ESPN hilariously ran a graphic Monday with the subhead reading: Ryan Day is 40-0 against every Big Ten team not named Michigan. But simply beating the Wolverines won’t quell the pressure on Day, who has pushed his chips all-in on a championship or bust-season. 

Penn State over Michigan for the No. 3 spot?

In the good words of the esteemed Randy Jackson, “That’s gonna be a no from me, dawg.”

The Nittany Lions and Wolverines don’t play this year, so at least James Franklin can avoid another ‘L’ in a marque rivalry game. But with all the questions and uncertainty around Michigan in a post-Jim Harbaugh world, Sherrone Moore’s program still deserves the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. 

Michigan and Penn State both return elite defenses with new coordinators. Both programs are breaking in new play-callers, too. In a coin-toss pick, I’m rolling with the team that’s overcome changes and challenges — including with Moore as the interim head coach. 

I love the love for Iowa

Some scoffed at the media’s pick for the Hawkeyes to be the next man up after the Tier 1 grouping at the top of the preseason rankings, but Iowa has darkhorse College Football Playoff spoiler written all over it in 2024. 

If the offense can even been semi-competent (I know, potentially a tall ask), then Kirk Ferentz could coach his way to another 10-win season. Led by multi-year senior linebackers linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, the Hawkeyes will field one of the oldest and most experienced defenses in the country this season. Despite the dissolution of the Big Ten West division, their schedule isn’t suddenly super daunting, either. I don’t know if Iowa will finish in the Top 5 of the Big Ten this season, but I fully endorse the preseason pick. 

Wisconsin, Maryland and Minnesota were picked too high, while Nebraska and Michigan State were underrated 

Chalk it up to Luke Fickell bias, maybe? I’d make a decent bet that the Badgers — which have yet to name Tyler Van Dyke their starting quarterback and have a hellacious 2024 schedule — do not finish as the No. 7 team in the Big Ten this fall. 

Similarly, I’m a fan of Gophers transfer quarterback Max Brosmer, but Minnesota should be closer to the bottom four teams in the conference than the Top 10. PJ Fleck lost his defensive coordinator Joe Rossi to Michigan State and the Gophers have six conference games (USC, Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan, Rutgers) against the Top 10 teams in the league. 

Conversely, the Big Ten media shortchanged the Matt Rhule Year 2 bump. The Cornhuskers could finish as high as fourth or fifth in the league this fall if 5-star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is as advertised. Tony White’s defense should remain one of the best in the conference, and Rhule upgraded the offensive coaching and roster personnel. Nebraska’s floor looks like 8-4 — especially if it simply cuts its turnovers (31, most nationally) in half. 

The Spartans face a major rebuild in Jonathan Smith’s first season, but it’s not a roster completely bereft of talent. Aiden Chiles is a promising young quarterback, and considering the team essentially quit on last season and still won four games, this is a program that can flirt with bowl eligibility — which means it will finish higher than 16th in the conference. 

Playoff picks

The preseason poll also had the media select the Big Ten representatives in the CFP — with 1/3 of the votes landing on four Big Ten teams making the field. 

Eh, color me quite skeptical. 

I understand that four Big Ten teams have Top 10 preseason playoff odds (Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Michigan) but it’s easy to forget that just because you’re ranked around the Top 10 doesn’t guarantee a spot in the 12-team field. There’s a very likely scenario where a Penn State or Michigan is ranked 10th or 11th by the end of the season — and does not qualify for an automatic berth. 

Ohio State as a unanimous pick seems right. I’d be curious to hear the argument against the lone dissenting vote against Oregon making the playoff (26 of 27 ballots).