Big Ten football rankings: Ohio State tops 2024 preseason media poll

A look at the annual preseason Big Ten media football rankings amid the conference's historic expansion, and with one newcomer expected to compete for the No. 1 spot.

Where things stand in the media's preseason Big Ten football rankings and projected order of finish in a historic 2024 season. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Ohio State is the big favorite to win the newly-expanded Big Ten for the first time in four years, according to the annual preseason media poll conducted by Cleveland.com and released this week. The favored Buckeyes earned 21 of the 27 first-place votes heading into a season described as a test for head coach Ryan Day.

Big Ten newcomer Oregon was not far behind, placing No. 2 in the football rankings and winning the other six first-place votes, and Penn State notably came in ahead of defending national champion Michigan, while Iowa rounded out the top-five in the 2024 poll.

USC, which also joins the Big Ten this season, finished at No. 6 in the rankings, while other incoming West Coast schools finished further down the line: Washington at No. 10 and UCLA at No. 15.

This season is the first for the Big Ten without divisions in the College Football Playoff era and comes as the conference expands to 18 members, making it the largest in the nation, and in history.

Big Ten Football 2024 Media Rankings

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Ohio State (21)
2. Oregon (6)
3. Penn State
4. Michigan
5. Iowa
6. USC
7. Wisconsin
8. Nebraska
9. Rutgers
10. Washington
11. Maryland
12. Minnesota
13. Illinois
14. Northwestern 
15. UCLA
16. Michigan State
17. Indiana
18. Purdue

Ohio State earned 480 total points and an average ranking of 1.22, while Oregon received 448 total points and an average position of 1.81 in the media poll.

Penn State and Michigan were in a close race at Nos. 3 and 4, with the Nittany Lions getting 418 votes and an average ranking of 3.52, while the Wolverines got 411 votes and a 3.78 average position.

USC received an average ranking of 6.19, while Washington placed 10.26 and UCLA at 14.41.

(Cleveland.com)

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