Phil Steele releases preseason poll, ranking all college football teams, 1 to 136

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I guessed we'd be 44...
I can't believe how folks still place Wisconsin ahead of us. Iowa is not significantly better at this point, and I think we are gonna start to be 50/50 against them.
 




Unregistered User said:
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Phil Steele releases preseason poll, ranking all college football teams, 1 to 136

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1. PSU
5. tOSU
12. Michigan
13. Oregon
16. Indiana
17. Illinois
21. USC
31. iowa
32. wisconsin
35. Nebraska
39. Washington
44. Rutgers
45. Minnesota
52. UCLA
54. MSU
63 Northwestern
72. Maryland
106. Purdue
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6 teams between 31 and 45 seems about right. The team that wins the close games will rack up wins and finish top 20.

I think he has Michigan, indiana, UCLA, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and northwestern overrated.

Michigan should be where Wisconsin is. Wisconsin should be one spot ahead of northwestern.


I think he has all the teams 31-45 underrated by about 5 spots. Should be 26-40


Purdue probably the most overrated team in the conference 😂
 

After OSU, PSU, Oregon, likely Michigan and Iowa, teams will ebb and flow. Usually four of the mentioned will be ranked in the top 15 or so nationally and 4 or 5 in the top 25. We all want to be ranked higher but, like the rest of the BIG, getting and staying in the top five is an ongoing uphill battle. Talk to Badger fans about that.
 

Bayfield Gopher said:
After OSU, PSU, Oregon, likely Michigan and Iowa, teams will ebb and flow. Usually four of the mentioned will be ranked in the top 15 or so nationally and 4 or 5 in the top 25. We all want to be ranked higher but, like the rest of the BIG, getting and staying in the top five is an ongoing uphill battle. Talk to Badger fans about that.
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I agree with first three. I think Michigan and Iowa are no better than Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana


These are all alpha within the tiers that I have in my brain
Top tier is:
Ohio State
Oregon
Penn State

That battle this year is 4-10
Illinois
Iowa
Indiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Nebraska
USC

I think the next tier is 11-14
Michigan State
Rutgers
Washington

I think bottom 4 is
Maryland
Northwestern
Purdue
Wisconsin


What divides the tiers is that I don’t think anyone in one tier will lose more than one game to a tier lower than them.

This does mean I think the gophers floor in conference is 4-5. Because they’ll go at least 4-1 against
Michigan state
Northwestern
Purdue
Rutgers
Wisconsin
 

How long does Mike Locksley hang on at Maryland. They have well above average recruiting base for our conference and yet are a consistently a below average team. Can't believe he's still there. Of course, he did get the #2 player nationally for 2026 to stay home. Dang!
 



SeaBee_Gopher said:
How long does Mike Locksley hang on at Maryland. They have well above average recruiting base for our conference and yet are a consistently a below average team. Can't believe he's still there. Of course, he did get the #2 player nationally for 2026 to stay home. Dang!
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That’s a really good question. It depends on their level of expectations but I would imagine 4-8 or worse and he is done

5-7 it probably could go either way.

Bowl game he probably stays


He has exceeded my wildest expectations for him. I think he is well liked and they are fine being a basketball school.



In retrospect them firing Freidgen coming off of 8-4 was really weird but their OC was James Franklin. Franklin left to be HC at Vanderbilt and took half his staff. Then their fired Friedgen, odd breakup.
 


I don't know if it's actual bias, but somehow Nebraska still gets "Helmet School Points." Wisconsin isn't a helmet school, but they had a great run under Alvarez and there's still some hangover there. Still have to play the games, so we'll see how it ends up. I think Rhule is a good coach and is going back to the nuts-and-bolts with Nebraska and Raiola is a solid QB so maybe there is something there. I think the Wisconsin situation is much murkier.
 

50PoundHead said:
I don't know if it's actual bias, but somehow Nebraska still gets "Helmet School Points." Wisconsin isn't a helmet school, but they had a great run under Alvarez and there's still some hangover there. Still have to play the games, so we'll see how it ends up. I think Rhule is a good coach and is going back to the nuts-and-bolts with Nebraska and Raiola is a solid QB so maybe there is something there. I think the Wisconsin situation is much murkier.
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I agree. It just shows you how lazy these writers are. They base their projections on there thirty years of history following football rather than having a little helpful recency bias. This do actually change over time...
 



I have taken the under on Nebraska's win total for about 5 years now, and I will take it again!
Word from outside sources on Michigan and Qb Underwood, most talented Fr QB in years, returns 14 starters, another very good defense.

Illinois, 19 returning starters, won 10 last year. Great offense.
Indiana, 16 returning starters. Loaded on both sides. Great transfers.
USC, 15 returning starters. Easy schedule.
Nebraska, 15 returning starters. Went 1-5 to end last season! Raiola highly rated but put up very pedestrian numbers as a fr. 67% comp for 2800, 13 TD, 11 Int.
Iowa, only 12 returning starters, but if QB Gronowski has a Brosmer type year lookout. He was absolutely dominant at S Dakota st. 2 first team big ten O lineman, 1 2nd team. Rated best DL in big ten. Have to replace some good linebackers, but they always seem to.
Wisc 14 returning starters. Great O-Line; below average everywhere else.
Rutgers, 16 returning starters. Crazy hard schedule.

Mn, 13 returning starters. Greenest starting QB in this bunch of teams. Great at RB, Dl, and safety.
Questions at o-line, qb, and cb.

Group 1: Penn St., Ohio St., Oregon.

Group 2: Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.

Group 3: Mn, USC, Nebraska, Washington, Rutgers, Wisconsin.

Group 4: Mich St, UCLA, Northw, Maryland

Group 5: Purdue, might be the worst power 5 team in the country.

The first two teams in each group have the easiest shot at moving up to the next group.
 

march madness said:
I have taken the under on Nebraska's win total for about 5 years now, and I will take it again!
Word from outside sources on Michigan and Qb Underwood, most talented Fr QB in years, returns 14 starters, another very good defense.

Illinois, 19 returning starters, won 10 last year. Great offense.
Indiana, 16 returning starters. Loaded on both sides. Great transfers.
USC, 15 returning starters. Easy schedule.
Nebraska, 15 returning starters. Went 1-5 to end last season! Raiola highly rated but put up very pedestrian numbers as a fr. 67% comp for 2800, 13 TD, 11 Int.
Iowa, only 12 returning starters, but if QB Gronowski has a Brosmer type year lookout. He was absolutely dominant at S Dakota st. 2 first team big ten O lineman, 1 2nd team. Rated best DL in big ten. Have to replace some good linebackers, but they always seem to.
Wisc 14 returning starters. Great O-Line; below average everywhere else.
Rutgers, 16 returning starters. Crazy hard schedule.

Mn, 13 returning starters. Greenest starting QB in this bunch of teams. Great at RB, Dl, and safety.
Questions at o-line, qb, and cb.

Group 1: Penn St., Ohio St., Oregon.

Group 2: Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.

Group 3: Mn, USC, Nebraska, Washington, Rutgers, Wisconsin.

Group 4: Mich St, UCLA, Northw, Maryland

Group 5: Purdue, might be the worst power 5 team in the country.

The first two teams in each group have the easiest shot at moving up to the next group.
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Illinois looks to have another easy schedule this year so that will help them. I think they were overrated last year but with another easy schedule and so many returning players they should at least maintain their record.
 

50PoundHead said:
I don't know if it's actual bias, but somehow Nebraska still gets "Helmet School Points." Wisconsin isn't a helmet school, but they had a great run under Alvarez and there's still some hangover there. Still have to play the games, so we'll see how it ends up. I think Rhule is a good coach and is going back to the nuts-and-bolts with Nebraska and Raiola is a solid QB so maybe there is something there. I think the Wisconsin situation is much murkier.
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Nebraska was a pretty decent team last year
Brings back most key pieces
Their schedule is decent

If they get through week 1

I probably pick them 7-5 but that means they’re a win away from fringe top 25 and two wins away from top 20.
35 doesn’t seem ridiculous
 

Word said:
Illinois looks to have another easy schedule this year so that will help them. I think they were overrated last year but with another easy schedule and so many returning players they should at least maintain their record.
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You are right on the easy schedule, Ohio st at home, at Indiana, 3rd hardest game is hosting USC. No Oregon, Penn, st., Michigan, etc. 4th hardest, might be at Washington. Draftkings has their wins at only 7.5, it's -160, because that number is super low! I just made another bet. lol
 

march madness said:
You are right on the easy schedule, Ohio st at home, at Indiana, 3rd hardest game is hosting USC. No Oregon, Penn, st., Michigan, etc. 4th hardest, might be at Washington. Draftkings has their wins at only 7.5, it's -160, because that number is super low! I just made another bet. lol
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As much as gopher fans like to criticize fleck for dropping stinkers, BB has too

2024 possible playoff birth if they beat MN
2023 7 losses including 4-8 Purdue, 5-7 Nebraska, 6-6 Wisconsin
2022 win the west if they beat Purdue OR 4-8 Indiana + 5-7 Michigan state
2021 missed a bowl by losing to UTSA+ 6-6 Virginia, 6-6 Maryland, 5-7 Rutgers
 

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