Despite the fact that Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks are newcomers to the Big Ten, it looks like they’re receiving some noteworthy attention as they head into their first season in their new conference. The Oregon football team is leading the pack amongst the Big Ten teams in ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index rankings ahead of the 2024 college football season.
That’s a pretty decent way to make a first impression with a conference that is packed full of tradition and remarkable college football programs.
The Ducks have been really solid under Lanning’s leadership and it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to anyone that Oregon football is poised to have success this season.
Oregon ranked at the top of the Big Ten, according to ESPN’s preseason FPI
But to put the Ducks at the top of a conference full of powerhouses like the Ohio State Buckeyes (who boast a really talented roster this season), the Michigan Wolverines (the defending national champs, by the way), and the Penn State Nittany Lions (maybe this is the year they finally actually truly breakthrough with James Franklin)? Well, that might ruffle some feathers.
Still, the computers behind FPI seem content to put the Ducks at the top of the Big Ten ahead of this season. And there’s certainly no way that trusting computers could ever lead anyone astray.
Regardless, the Ducks sit at the top. Behind Oregon in the Big Ten FPI rankings are the Ohio State Buckeyes (who are No. 4 overall) and the Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 6 overall). The aforementioned Michigan Wolverines are fourth in the conference and No. 12 overall.
Here’s the complete preseason list of Big Ten teams ranked according to ESPN’s FPI:
- Oregon Ducks
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Michigan Wolverines
- USC Trojans
- Washington Huskies
- Iowa Hawkeyes
- Wisconsin Badgers
- UCLA Bruins
- Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Maryland Terrapins
- Northwestern Wildcats
- Purdue Boilermakers
- Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Michigan State Spartans
- Indiana Hoosiers
It’ll be intriguing to see exactly how this plays out.
The Ducks have a loaded roster and an ascendant coach who seems to be building a monster of a program in Eugene. If these preseason rankings end up being accurate by the time we hit the bowl and playoff postseason time, then Oregon will have taken yet another significant step forward as a program.