With the college football offseason well underway, fans and analysts alike have been discussing which teams could shine next year. While some teams won’t be shocking, others may be a bit surprising.
NFL Analyst Colin Cowherd discussed on his podcast the two Big Ten football teams he expects to be powerhouses next season. He also names one team that could very well crash the party.
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“When you schedule college football, and you do this every year… It feels obvious to me that Michigan and Ohio State are the number one and two brands,” says Cowherd on the latest episode of his podcast.
Ohio State maintained its incredible college standing, finishing at No. 1 in both the AP Top 25 and the AFCA College Coaches Poll. Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship, 34-23.
This great Buckeyes season came on the back of their senior quarterback, Will Howard. Howard threw for 4,010 yards with 35 touchdown passes while only throwing 10 interceptions. This was, without a doubt, Howard’s best season to date.
Ohio State also had not one but two running backs rush for over 1,000 yards each. Junior Quinshon Judkins rushed for 1,060 yards, while senior TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 1,016 yards. Together, the two tallied 24 touchdowns combined, with Judkins picking up 14 and Henderson finishing with 10.
Similar to running backs, Ohio State also had two receivers catch for over 1,000 yards each, Jeremiah Smith & Emeka Egbuka. Smith, who is only a freshman, caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards for 15 touchdowns, while Egbuka caught 81 passes for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Ohio State’s defense was unstoppable, with JT Tuimoloau racking up 12.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Unfortunately, Michigan had one of its worst years in recent memory this past season.
Michigan finished seventh in the Big Ten, finishing with an average 5-4 record. Regardless, Michigan will always be the brand that they are and always will be on the Mount Rushmore of colleges, which is the point Cowherd was trying to make.
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“If you take Michigan and Ohio State out, then maybe I would be surprised,” says Cowherd about the teams that draw ratings. “Is there a definitive third? I would guess Penn State.”
Penn State finished tied for second in the Big Ten with Indiana, with an impressive 8-1 record, behind only Oregon, which went undefeated. Penn State made it to the Orange Bowl, where it fell to Notre Dame, 27-24.
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