Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Is the schedule going to get easier or harder in the new conference?

Depends on the year. But outside of 3 teams, the Big Ten looks pretty bad this season.

But usually teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue, Michigan State, etc., show up every few years. But they all decided in the same season to look marginal at best so far.

Big Ten
Playoff conversation: Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State
Not out of the playoff picture: Rutgers, Maryland (these might be reaches and could both be on the 'decent' line)
Decent: Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue
Food: Northwestern, Michigan State, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois

Pac-12
Playoff conversation: USC, washington, Oregon
Not out of the playoff picture: Utah, Oregon State, Washington State
Decent: UCLA, Arizona, Colorado,
Food: Stanford, Cal, Arizona State

Crossover: Wazzu beat Wisconsin for the second straight year. washington routed Michigan State again.

And Colorado beat Nebraska.

UOducksTK1 wrote: But usually teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue, Michigan State, etc., show up every few years. But they all decided in the same season to look marginal at best so far.

I feel like the same can be said of teams we're leaving behind (ie, Stanford). I'd say Arizona State (another team that isn't good this year but often is dangerous) is at least on par with Purdue.

I think the 'Bigger' Ten will be better than the current Pac-12, but only because of Oregon, USC, washington, and UCLA joining. We're bringing the beef, because there isn't much outside of those three Big Ten East teams.

Overall, I believe having an undefeated season becomes a lot harder (partially because a conference championship that is the top 2 of 18 will statistically be better than of 12) due to the high end teams. But, I also don't really see our average record of the last 20 years (9-3?) moving up or down with who will be on the new schedule.

StevensTechU wrote:

UOducksTK1 wrote: But usually teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue, Michigan State, etc., show up every few years. But they all decided in the same season to look marginal at best so far.

I feel like the same can be said of teams we're leaving behind (ie, Stanford). I'd say Arizona State (another team that isn't good this year but often is dangerous) is at least on par with Purdue.

I think the 'Bigger' Ten will be better than the current Pac-12, but only because of Oregon, USC, washington, and UCLA joining. We're bringing the beef, because there isn't much outside of those three Big Ten East teams.

Oh no doubt once Oregon/UW/USC/UCLA join the Big Ten, it will certainly be better. Really the only regularly competitive team being left behind is Utah. And good for Big 12 picking them up.

So far, SMU, Cal and Stanford to the ACC looks to dilute that conference. The future Big 12 looks like Utah and a bunch of shmucks, and is going to be clearly the fourth best football conference. The Big Ten is really the only conference bolstering their position by adding essentially the four best programs on the west coast.

StevensTechU wrote:Is the schedule going to get easier or harder in the new conference?

If the schedule includes OSU, UM, PSU , SC, UCLA and UW. Then it’s not easier. If it’s UW, Iowa, Minny, Nebraska, NW ect. It’s easier for sure

We are almost certainly going to play UW, UCLA, and USC every year. But there are a lot of beatable teams in the Big 10.

The weaker teams:
Maryland
Rutgers
Indiana
Purdue
Illinois
Nebraska
Northwestern

The teams that have good years and bad years:
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Michigan State
Iowa

The top teams:
Ohio St
Michigan
Penn State

So assuming pod scheduling, we will have 6 game against the current Big10. On average, we will get 3 bad teams, 1-2 iffy teams, 1-2 top teams. Plus UW, UCLA, USC. Seems harder.

The only B1G school that has remained in that top tier the entire time the last 23 years is Ohio State. In fact, by success since 2000 the top 5 probably goes

Ohio State
USC
Oregon
Michigan
Wisconsin

With the Western 4 losing 3/4 starting QBs for next year who knows what next season will look like but if we can maintain that 9-3 average then the great years should still see us winning conf titles. I think we'll find out who the best HC's are too when we start playing other talented teams because I think the floor and the ceiling of the B1G got raised.

You could measure 'best' conference a few ways. In 2023,

Best top end teams: Big Ten or Pac-12 (Ohio State vs USC, Oregon vs. Michigan, Penn State vs. uw)
Average quality: Pac-12 (8 ranked teams pull up the average despite some bad, bad teams)
Fewest cupcakes: Southeastern Conference (Vandy and Auburn aren't dangerous, but Auburn would beat Cal, Stanford, and ASU)

StevensTechU wrote:You could measure 'best' conference a few ways. In 2023,

Best top end teams: Big Ten or Pac-12 (Ohio State vs USC, Oregon vs. Michigan, Penn State vs. uw)
Average quality: Pac-12 (8 ranked teams pull up the average despite some bad, bad teams)
Fewest cupcakes: Southeastern Conference (Vandy and Auburn aren't dangerous, but Auburn would beat Cal, Stanford, and ASU)

In terms of top end teams this year, USC and UW would roll tOSU and PSU. I’d have no idea what to expect in an Oregon v UM game.

tOSU might be figuring it out, but in the first few weeks, I’d have predicted a 45-20 USC win. And PSU hasn’t had a consistent offense since Moorhead left. 41-24 UW.

This year, I’d bet Utah (with Rising), Oregon State, UW, UO, and USC could run with tOSU, with WSU, CU, and maybe UCLA scaring them for 3 quarters.

Living in B10 countries and being force fed Minnesota v Illinois type games for years, I think tOSU has built their brand on similar turf to Clemson. Day hasn’t won anything significant in his tenure, yet he has one of the highest winning %’s of any active coach.

Urban built a monster, Day has Helfriched it forward against terrible competition. He’s gone within two years, either by jumping into the NFL after this season 9-3 season, or via the ax after a similar season in 2024… Barring a Michael Penix type transfer.


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