Big Ten football is entering a new era with the addition of four Pac-12 programs. The league’s expansion to 18 teams also means the elimination of divisions. The Big Ten Championship Game will be a close contest between the top two teams on Dec. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Michigan beat Big Ten newcomer Washington to win the 2023 national championship, but neither team finished in the top two in the USA Today Sports Network’s Big Ten preseason media poll this season.
more:2024 Preseason All-Big Ten Football Teams, Top Players and Coaches
Below are the projected standings for 2024 as determined by the 13 reporters covering the league at USA TODAY Sports Network.
1. Ohio State University (8 first-place votes)
2. Oregon (5 1st place votes)
3rd place (tie): Michigan
3. Pennsylvania State University (tie)
5. University of Southern California
6. Iowa
7. Wisconsin
8. Nebraska
9. Washington
10. Rutgers
11. Maryland
12. Michigan State University
13. Minnesota
14. University of California, Los Angeles
15. Illinois
16. Indiana
17. Northwestern
18. Purdue
Participants in the poll: Nathan Baird, IndyStar; Frank Bodani, York (Pennsylvania) Daily Record; Alec Dietz, Register-Guard (Eugene); Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star; Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press; Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch; Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch; Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier; Michael Niziolek, Bloomington Herald Times; Zach Osterman, IndyStar; Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press; Tyler Tuchman, Des Moines Register
