The Big Ten is going bi-coastal in 2024 as Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington join the league following the Pac-12’s demise. Expansion comes after the conference produced its first national champion (Michigan) since the 2014 season, and the four new arrivals will only add difficulty to what’s already a brutal conference.
Along with the addition of the West Coast bloc, the Big Ten is eradicating divisions and granting league championship game access to the top two teams in the standings. While all four newbies boast strong football histories, their paths to the top of what is now an 18-team super conference will be treacherous.
Oregon is regarded as a plug-and-play league title contender, but there is plenty of intrigue surrounding the other three teams entering the 2024 season as well. UCLA and Washington are both led by first-year coaches, while USC is beginning a new era at defensive coordinator and quarterback following a disappointing season of regression.
The range of outcomes is vast for the Big Ten newcomers as they will crisscross the country playing unfamiliar foes up to three time zones away. As the season approaches, here’s a look at the best- and worst-case scenarios for the league’s splashy additions.
Oregon
Best case: National champions. With head coach Dan Lanning entering Year 3 and the return of quality coordinators Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi, the Ducks have the foundation to build off a 12-2 season that ended with a dominant Fiesta Bowl victory. Bo Nix is gone, but former UCF and Oklahoma star…
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