Ranking the Big Ten Newcomers

#4 UCLA

Versus Familiar Foes:

When UCLA walked off the field with a 38-20 win over their hated rivals in Southern California, on the surface, it seemed head coach Chip Kelly had a foundation going for the Bruins and momentum into the Big Ten.

Kelly had five-star quarterback Dante Moore as a true freshman who seemed poised to be a worthy successor to Dorian Thompson-Robinson , who had a great 2022 and a two-time All Pac-12 quarterback.

Kelly also had one of the hottest defensive coaching commodities in defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who helped mold a defense that developed EDGE rusher Laiatu Latu, who was the first defensive player chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft, and had a Top 15 scoring defense, allowing 18.4 points per game, and finished second to Penn State nationally in rushing defense allowing 80.8.

That foundation started to build success against Southern California, winning two of three, and against Washington, winning two in a row. Kelly’s games against Oregon had back-to-back field goal losses in 2020 and 2021, but they weren’t able in the high-profile Top 10 matchup to keep up with Bo Nix and new Ducks coach Dan Lanning 45-30.

Fast forward - Kelly, Lynn, and Moore are all gone, and it seems the Bruins are nowhere close to their familiar foes entering the Big Ten.

Where do they stand in the Big Ten?

The desire for DeShaun Foster to become a head coach at his alma mater was significant because Foster is again rebuilding the foundation and trying to keep the Bruins respectable.

Foster scored a solid victory, persuading defensive lineman Jay Toia to remain in Westwood. While Toia isn’t a major star, it was Foster selling his vision for the culture for his Bruins and with Toia buying in it helps cement in a solid piece toward that vision.

Many feel the Bruins wide receivers J. Michael Studivant , Titus Mokiano-Atimalala , Logan Loya , and Rico Flores Jr. will be the spark plug for the offensive shift at UCLA.

Another one of Foster’s major wins was being able to bring in longtime NFL offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Bienemy’s offense will be a different flavor of the spread, but with so many other major holes, the Bruins will be fighting for respectability in the Big Ten in 2024.

#3 Washington

Versus Familiar Foes:

The runners-up in the 2023 season’s College Football Playoff lost ten players in the 2024 NFL Draft, along with Kalen DeBoer , who took on the unenviable task of following Nick Saban at Alabama.

DeBoer was the right coach to follow Chris Petersen and had elevated the Washington program to heights that hadn’t been accomplished since Petersen and many felt DeBoer had the program on par with some of Don James’ greatest teams of 1984 and 1991.

Under DeBoer, Washington defeated Oregon three consecutive times, the first time since the James/Jim Lambright teams between 1989 and 1993 to win three or more consecutively against Oregon.

Washington rotated with the Los Angeles schools, DeBoer only faced Kelly once and lost to UCLA in 2022.

Southern California lost three out of the last four dating back to 2015 against Washington.

Where do they stand in the Big Ten?

Losing DeBoer was a major blow to the Washington program. While they did not severely downgrade by selecting Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch , it is still a downgrade nonetheless.

Fisch, much like DeBoer on his arrival to Seattle, leveraged the transfer portal to get a quarterback.

Many hope Fisch can perform the same wonders he did with Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita on former Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers . Rogers was identified by former Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach as a fit for his unique Air Raid approach, something Zach Arnett couldn’t maximize following Leach’s passing.

All eyes will be on the development of four-star freshman quarterback Demond Williams Jr., as he most likely sits behind Rogers. Williams has a similar frame to Fifita, and the hope is Williams will be ready to be the Huskies signal caller in 2025.

Until then, much like UCLA, Washington will be fighting to be in the middle of the pack of the Big Ten as they contend with the massive turnover from their successful 2023 season.

#2 Southern Cal

Versus Familiar Foes:

There is no denying the Trojans' place historically against Pac-12 opponents as they have dominated the conference, winning nearly 70% of its conference games.

During the 21st Century, the two programs that defined the Pac-12 were Oregon and Southern California. The Trojans and Ducks split their first six encounters of the 21st Century before Oregon asserted itself in the rivalry, winning seven of the last ten meetings.

Current head coach Lincoln Riley lost his only encounter in the Pac-12 against Oregon last November in Eugene 36-27. Both UCLA, winning two of three, and Washington, winning three of four, have managed to have their way with the Trojans.

Where do they stand in the Big Ten?

2023 was a season Riley would like to forget and trash, and his actions this offseason prove he learned a lot of lessons. The emphasis on recruiting defensive talent and bringing in the coaching pedigree of former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, North Dakota State’s Matt Entz , and Houston’s Doug Belk demonstrates it won’t be the same penetrable Trojan defenses we have become accustomed to seeing under Riley and former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch .

I truly expect Southern California to begin challenging for a Playoff spot starting this season if the Trojans can overcome arguably one of the toughest schedules in the country.

For the Trojans, they can consider themselves fortunate they miss both Oregon and Ohio State, but they still got to contend out of conference with LSU and Notre Dame and in conference against Michigan, Penn State, and improved Nebraska and Wisconsin teams.

Offensively, there should be little doubt in Riley’s potent offensive attack, with Miller Moss taking over for Caleb Williams under center. Moss’ Holiday Bowl six-touchdown performance he looks to ride into 2024, and with the weapons supporting him in Zachariah Branch , Duce Robinson , Kyron Hudson , and Xavier Jordan , should make for interesting track meets against Big Ten secondaries.

The question will be how fast can the new defensive coaching troika can get the defense back to at least respectability. The sooner they can, the quicker Southern California is vying for Big Ten Championships and College Football Playoff berths.

#1 Oregon

Versus Familiar Foes:

Despite Southern California’s mini-dynasty in the early part of the century with Pete Carroll, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush, Oregon truly has been the flagship program of the Pac-12 in the 21st Century.

Even with zero national championships, Oregon has played in two national championships (2010, 2014), 10 New Year’s Six bowl games, and 8 Pac-12 championships this century. Chip Kelly went winless in four opportunities against his former team coaching UCLA, and overall in the 21st Century, Oregon went 41-16 against Southern California, UCLA, and Washington.

The only real blemish current Oregon head coach Dan Lanning had in his short time in Eugene was his inability to beat Kalen DeBoer and Washington. Lanning went 0-3 in those matchups, often characterized by questionable coaching miscues that cost the Ducks in these high-profile matchups.

With DeBoer in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, there is no familiar foe that is an obstacle for Dan Lanning.

Where do they stand in the Big Ten?

Oregon should be undefeated going into its showdown with Ohio State in Autzen Stadium. This will not only be amongst the biggest home games in program history; it will be a defining game early in its infancy in the Big Ten.

A win against Ohio State puts Oregon in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten, with only visits to Wisconsin and Michigan, and the season-ender against their most hated rival, Washington, could derail Oregon’s Big Ten Championship aspirations and College Football Playoff hopes.

While Oregon lost two program-defining offensive players, quarterback Bo Nix and wide receiver Troy Franklin , Lanning reloaded at the quarterback position, bringing in veteran quarterback Dillon Gabriel , and UCLA transferred Dante Moore to Eugene. Some feel Moore is in a battle with Austin Novosad for the No. 2 quarterback. Pac-12 Analyst Yogi Roth questioned during their telecast of Oregon’s spring game if it was in the best quarterback room in America.

Lanning wasn’t done in the transfer portal replacing offensive pieces, as he hoped Franklin could be replaced by Evan Stewart , a former five-star wide receiver who wasn’t properly utilized by Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M.

Defensively, the Oregon pass rush looks ferocious, as many feel that sophomore A’Mauri Washington could be special. Lanning fortified the defense this week by getting top interior defensive lineman Derrick Harmon from Michigan State and Peyton Woodyard from Alabama, a former four-star safety from the Class of 2024. Along with Washington, edge rusher Jordan Burch, and Jamaree Caldwell , they will make Big Ten quarterbacks uncomfortable this season, along with making the uncomfortable thought that Oregon might be the best program in the Big Ten right now.