Conference realignment brings four new schools to the Big Ten this year, significantly altering the league’s outlook for the 2024 football season. Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA bring championship upside to the mix, though some are better equipped than others to compete with their new conference foes right out of the gate.
As the league expands to 18 teams for the first time in its history, it parts ways with the divisional format and instead pits schools against each other on a rotating basis. The debut schedule including the four newcomers creates numerous new must-see matchups that carry implications not only for the conference crown but also for the national championship race.
Which teams project to be the most competitive against their brand-new competition? Late Kick host Josh Pate analyzed on Thursday’s episode where each program slots into the league’s power structure. He divided the conference into tiers and placed teams into their respective landing spots based on projected Year 1 success.
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This is where each Big Ten newcomer fits on the conference ladder:
