The Big Ten has become the safest bet in college football’s title race, and Brad Crawford thinks that trend can keep rolling. In a recent prediction, Crawford said one of the conference’s heavyweights is positioned to deliver a fourth straight national championship for the league.
His confidence starts with a trio that he says stacks up better than the rest of the sport.
"If someone offered me Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana against the field this fall, I'd confidently take that trio. Dan Lanning has the best roster he's assembled at Oregon, while the Buckeyes may boast the nation's most prolific quarterback-wide receiver combination. The Hoosiers need no introduction after what they accomplished under Curt Cignetti, who enters the season with a strong argument as the sport's top coach.
The Big Ten's three consecutive national champions have several things in common: elite defenses, manageable regular-season schedules before the CFP and disciplined football."
That’s the blueprint Crawford is betting on again. Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State all enter with rosters that belong near the top of the sport. Indiana did lose a lot of players to the draft, but with Curt Cignetti in charge, the expectation is that the program can keep churning out results.
Oregon looks every bit the threat too. The Ducks are described as as dangerous as they have ever been, and the return of Dante Moore gives them what the source calls the best quarterback in the country.
With the Big Ten looking strong again, Crawford’s view is that the conference could even put the final two teams standing in the national title game.
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For Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, the opportunity is obvious: make Oregon answer questions in coverage while USCs offense tries to get its own front settled enough to handle the Ducks defensive line. If the Trojans can win up front, they can force Oregon to show its hand in the back end, and the way those position battles shake out could wind up steering how aggressive Hampton can be with that secondary down the road. [Read more 🡒]
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Caleb Williams sits at the center of it, and not just because of his pedigree. The discussion around him is tied to how he has handled the jump to the NFL and how his postseason work has added another layer to his profile, while the rest of the roster debate stretches across a loaded backfield and a receiver group that reflects USCs ability to keep producing playmakers. Even the offensive line conversation has enough current and former Trojans in it to make the final choices feel crowded, which is exactly the kind of problem USC would want to have. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Gave Ronnie Lott A Rare Place In College Football History
Ronnie Lott has long been part of USCs defensive lore, and ESPNs college football writers have now put him in a rare historical lane by elevating him above every other player to wear No. 42. The former Trojan safety was a centerpiece of the 1978 national title team and helped USC win two Rose Bowls, building the kind of college rsum that still resonates whenever the programs all-time greats come up.
Lotts senior season only sharpened that legacy, as he finished by leading the country in interceptions and capped his USC career with a reputation for making game-changing plays. His college success was just the start of a career that carried into Canton-worthy territory with the San Francisco 49ers, but this latest nod is a reminder of how much of his legend was forged in cardinal and gold. [Read more 🡒]