This offseason, the Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies, UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans became the four newest members of the Big Ten Conference. How do these four programs stack up after spending half a season in the Big Ten?
- UCLA Bruins (2-5, 1-4 Big Ten)
It’s been a year to forget for Bruins fans. UCLA sits 17th in the Big Ten’s 18-team standings and possesses the worst statistical offense in the conference. The Bruins average a conference-worst 17.4 points per game thanks to a running attack averaging less than 65 yards per game.
Minnesota (105.9 yards-per-game) is the only other Big Ten program averaging less than 120 rushing yards per game. UCLA also ranks 17th in the Big Ten in yards-per-game (302.1) and passing yards allowed per game (268.7). Oregon quarterback (and heir apparent to Dillon Gabriel) Dante Moore should be glad he transferred out of L.A. when he did.
- USC Trojans (3-4, 1-4 Big Ten)
UCLA’s start could have been predicted, but USC’s? The Trojans began the year as the No. 23-ranked team and jumped to No. 11 after impressive wins over No. 13 LSU and Utah State.
However, they’ve lost four of their last five games, including three straight. All four losses were one-score games and three were decided by a field goal or less. USC’s most recent loss was maybe their most frustrating, as the Trojans blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead to Maryland on Saturday.
USC ranks fifth in the conference in scoring offense (30.3 points-per-game) but 13th in scoring defense (22.0). Their PFF Pass Block and Run Block grades (50.0 and 56.0 respectively) are the 17th and T-16th best among the Big Ten’s 18 teams.
- Washington Huskies (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten)
The Huskies were expected to take a step back after losing most of last year’s championship-contending team, but no one was sure how far they’d fall. New head coach Jedd Fisch’s first year has been a mixed bag. Washington had a solid win against then-ranked Michigan, but their three other wins came against relative afterthoughts in Weber State University, Eastern Michigan University and Northwestern.
UW suffered close losses to Washington State and Rutgers before getting destroyed 40-16 by Iowa in its most recent game. Their pass defense leads the Big Ten, allowing only 123 yards-per-game, but their run defense allows 143.3 yards per game, the conference’s fourth-most.
UW has largely played solid football but will need to step it up down the stretch if it wants to see any extended success.
- Oregon Ducks (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten)
The Ducks are the nation’s top-ranked team after shutting out Purdue 35-0 on Friday and watching the No. 1 Texas Longhorns fall to No. 5 Georgia on Saturday.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel reinvigorated his Heisman campaign the week before by outplaying Will Howard and then No. 2-ranked Ohio State in primetime. Gabriel leads the Big Ten with 2,172 combined yards and leads the country with a 77.0% completion percentage.
The defense has been outstanding and recently earned the program’s first shutout in 12 years. Steering it all is Dan Lanning, who has continued to turn heads across the country with his ability to both outcoach and out-recruit elite programs like Ohio State.
Six weeks of Big Ten conference play remain. Oregon losing its spot atop this list would be shocking, but its No. 1 national ranking remains unsecured, and there’s plenty of time for things to change before Dec. 7’s Big Ten Football Championship Game decides which team is truly the Big Ten’s best.