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Oregon Ducks ranked amongst best in Big Ten in latest preseason SP+ rankings

Bill Connelly's SP+ rankings heading into 2024 have the Oregon Ducks in a pretty nice spot, all things considered. It's not the best ranking in the Big Ten, but it's pretty close.

By Ethan Lee

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning reacts after being doused in Gatorade at the end of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl against the Liberty Flames at State Farm Stadium. The Ducks won 45-6. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning reacts after being doused in Gatorade at the end of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl against the Liberty Flames at State Farm Stadium. The Ducks won 45-6. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
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Dan Lanning and his Oregon Ducks aren’t exactly at the top of the Big Ten in Bill Connelly’s latest SP+ rankings, but the Oregon football team is pretty dang close. 

Heading into their first season in their new conference, the Ducks are making a pretty notable splash. We’ve already seen them ranked at the top of the conference in ESPN’s preseason FPI rankings. Now we’re seeing that Connelly’s magical math system of SP+ has the Ducks sitting as the second-best team in the conference ahead of the start of the season.

In addition to that, the Oregon football team is currently ranked as the third-best team in the nation according to the always intriguing and widely respected statistical SP+ rankings.

Oregon football snags No. 3 spot in latest SP+ rankings

Lanning really has done well to assemble an impressive roster and SP+ seems to acknowledge that. The Ducks are ranked highly on both sides of the ball. Coming out of spring practices, the Ducks currently boast the nation's top offense according to the SP+ rankings, with a rating of 48.0. Meanwhile, Oregon’s defense is sitting at No. 14. 

That combination allows for the Ducks to then secure the third spot overall with an SP+ rating of 30.8.

As a whole, the Big Ten is well-represented in the top 10 of this batch of SP+ rankings. Ohio State is at the top of the conference as the Buckeyes are ranked No. 2 overall with a 32.7 rating. Then there’s Oregon at No. 3 overall and 30.8.

After that comes the Michigan Wolverines, who sit at No. 6 with a 27.5 rating. Penn State is ranked at No. 7 thanks to their 26.8 ranking. 

Then there’s a bit of a gap, but USC comes in at No. 21 overall with the Trojans’ 13.6 rating.

Here’s what the top five teams from the Big Ten look like, according to Connelly’s SP+ ratings:

  • Ohio State Buckeyes (2nd, 32.7)
  • Oregon Ducks (3rd, 30.8)
  • Michigan Wolverines (6th, 27.5)
  • Penn State Nittany Lions (7th, 26.8)
  • USC Trojans (21st, 13.6)

The Ducks are in a solid spot to make the College Football Playoff and continue to get attention in the Big Ten. As Oregon gets set for their first season in their new home, college football fans and analysts alike are sure to be eager to see how this all plays out. It’s fairly safe to say that Oregon football fans would (generally) be pretty okay with that sort of spot heading into the postseason.

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