Corn Nation Nebraska Football Roundtable: Big Ten Preseason Poll Released Huskers Iowa Hawkeyes Michigan Wolverines USC Trojans Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Well friends, Brett McMurphy reported that the Big Ten Media Poll was released by Cleveland.com as the Big Ten Conference does not do it’s own poll.

So here is the first Corn Nation Roundtable of the 2024 college football season.

Nebraska comes in as the 8th ranked team out of 18 teams in the conference. Let us know where our writers got things right and where they got things wrong.

Here we go…

Nebraska is ranked in the top half of the new Big Ten Conference. Are you surprised? Where would you have them ranked?

Mike: While I am optimistic and actually feel that they have a great chance of ending up fifth at the end of the season, after nearly a decade of underperforming calls for dialing that back. I’d probably put them at tenth behind Washington.

Patrick: Yeah, 8 seems fine but I would not have been surprised if they were 10th or so. There’s a lot coming back to be happy about. However, we need to see it transfer to the field for once.

Todd: I’m not sure they deserve that ranking. There’s a lot of optimism, but that’s not worth two-cents in the off-season. They are probably belong more in the area of 12 or 13.

Bri: I think 8th is better than we really should have expected. We saw some positive things last year, but still ended the season 5-7. I am hopeful that we will end the season higher, but without actually proving anything on the field that’s a generous placing. I’d say 10th or 11th.

Jon: Basically, Nebraska will finish third in the Big Ten West behind Iowa and Wisconsin. I believe 2024 Nebraska can beat both those teams, of course, dependent upon how healthy we stay at quarterback.
Do we deserve to be 8th? Yes. I think media would probably rank us higher based on Matt Rhule’s progression, but they’ve been burned enough already, nobody (including us, read above) is going to stick their nicks out.

Nate M: I am not surprised they are ranked 8th. However, I would probably have them ranked outside of the top 10 until I see a quarterback go a couple games without turning the ball over four times to their one touchdown pass. Reminder that it surely is looking like Nebraska is going to have a stout defense and improved skill positions but a true freshman starting at quarterback. Maybe Raiola will be great. It is possible but it sure seems like a lot to count on at this point.

Also, who is going to kick field goals for Nebraska this season? They are “chasing 3” right?

Outside of Nebraska, what school is ranked too high?

Mike: Iowa. The Hawkeyes have used their defense to punch above their weight, and while swapping out Brian Ferentz for a non-nepotism offensive coordinator, Kirk Ferentz is still in charge and setting the direction of the offense.

Patrick: Iowa and USC are the two that I think might not end the season ranked as high as they are right now. Iowa needs and offense and USC needs a defense. Two things that might take longer than people realize.

Todd: USC. Paper lion with a coach that is afraid of competition. Oregon is too high as well. They are coming into a different league with a Scott Frost attitude. The Big Ten is not going to have to adjust to them, other than getting used to their ridiculous uniforms.

Bri: Iowa, always Iowa.

Jon: Everyone else answered this already.

Nate M: My first assumption is USC. They were 8-5 last season with a “generational talent” at quarterback and 6-5 in the conference. That quarterback is now going to start for my Chicago Bears which makes me extremely nervous. Iowa is also another great pick because many are assuming they are going to make a big jump on offense but I just cannot see Kirk Ferentz allowing an offensive coordinator to have the freedom to go outside the Iowa comfort zone.

So I’m going to go with Michigan. They have a first time “full-time” head coach in Sherrone Moore and will be going with a new quarterback to run the offense. I have no question that Moore could be a great coach at Michigan but when my first two choices were taken then I have to go in a different direction.

Outside of Nebraska, what other school is ranked too low?

Mike: UCLA. I’m not saying that the Bruins should be top ten, but Chip Kelly didn’t leave the Bruins that far down.

Patrick: My head says Washington as I doubt they will have the drop off that people think they will. However, my gut says Illinois. For some reason I feel like they will overperform this season.

Todd: Purdue. They aren’t going to finish last in the conference, so they are ranked too low.

Bri: UCLA and Maryland.

Jon: Washington. Nebraska.

Nate M: I’m going to go with Patrick and say Illinois. I am a believer in Bret Bielema and the way they play. That style of play does remind me of Matt Rhule I would have to say.

Any other thoughts about the poll?

Mike: One of those bottom teams (Illinois, NW, UCLA, Sparty, Indiana or Purdue) will finish in the top half of the conference. I don’t know which one, but three of them have new coaches that should improve them.

Patrick: I have been saying this for a few months now. Don’t sleep on Rutgers. Greg Schiano has done a decent job developing that team. He has also used the portal and recruited fairly well for being Rutgers. They’re ranked #9 and I think that’s a perfect position for them to be in. They may go up, but not by a lot. There is still too big of a gap between them and the top half of the conference. Yet, it would not surprise me if they upset someone ahead of them in the rankings. That includes Nebraska.

Todd: Preseason polls are stupid and set up expectations that cannot be met in most instances, in addition to selling magazines. No sense in doing any rankings until at least the halfway point in the season. Let’s talk about play on the field instead of making guesses.

Bri: That’s a lot of teams. I am interested to see how all the teams do in this bigger conference, but none of this really matters until the games actually start.

Jon: Is Oregon really going to waltz into this conference and finish 2nd in their first year? They have a good coach and good players, but, man, they still have to deal with the weirdness of joining a new conference.
Northwestern will finish higher because they hired a good replacement coach, and they rock fight everyone into submission.

Nate M: Rutgers being 9th should put some people on notice and I am thinking that some “bigger” programs should be looking at Greg Schiano in the future because what he has done with Rutgers has been fantastic.