How the Ohio State football team can stop the newbies from crashing the Big Ten party
By Ryan Stano
The Ohio State football team is talented enough to win the Big Ten in 2024. It won't be easy with four new teams joining the conference. One of those teams just played in the national championship last season. Another one of those teams is going to be even better.
Oregon is one of the new teams coming into the Big Ten. The Ducks come in with one of the best rosters in the country. There's a very good chance that they will end up as a top-five team in the preseason polls. They will be one of the most talented teams in the Big Ten.
The Ohio State football team is the other team with a top-five roster in the country. In fact, they are the best chance that the Big Ten has to keep Oregon from winning the Big Ten in their first year in the conference. No other team who was in the conference last year has as much talent.
Teams don't just come into a new conference and immediately win it. The Ducks are good enough to do that though. Ohio State will actually have to play Oregon in October. That game has a good chance to decide which of these teams will be making the Big Ten Championship Game.
Because the Big Ten is going away with divisions, Ohio State could have a rematch against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. It's just the two best teams in the conference. Penn State is the other big contender for the Big Ten Championship Game.
If Ohio State plays to the best of their ability, there is no reason why they shouldn't win the conference. They are almost guaranteed to make the College Football Playoff anyway since it's a 12-team playoff. Winning a national title is still the goal though.