Hammerin’ the B1G: Matt Rhule’s bold Playoff claim, Kirk Ferentz’s USC prediction headline B1G Media Days

Welcome back to another day of talking season in the Big Ten! After the event kicked off in Indianapolis on Tuesday, 6 additional coaches filtered across the main podium on Wednesday.

A pair of B1G newcomers — USC and UCLA — made their first appearance at the event, though one of those programs came out of the day feeling a bit better about things than the other. More on that in a bit.

Overall, it was a solid day for the league with newcomers and mainstays alike providing plenty of food for thought. The topics included some bold predictions related to the College Football Playoff race and Big Ten Championship, and fans are sure to have a reaction one way or another.

Without further ado, here are the most interesting topics from Day 2 of B1G Media Days:

Matt Rhule pitches 4 B1G teams for new CFP

How deep is the new-look Big Ten? With 18 teams in the fold and a league that spans coast to coast, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule believes the league is the toughest in the country.

Ultimately, the teams involved are a small part of the picture. Rhule pointed to an NFL-esque landscape and a conference schedule that includes 9 league games. For the Huskers, that means 5 true road games in conference play while other conferences have some teams playing 3 true road games in league play.

Add it all together and Rhule believes it should result in 4 Big Ten teams making the 12-team College Football Playoff every season:

“I think 4 teams from this league should get in every year because this is the best league. This is the NFL of college football in my mind,” proclaimed Rhule. “It stretches from coast-to-coast, different time zones, different weather. That’s not to diminish any other league. The SEC is amazing. These other leagues are great. But the challenge in the Big Ten is going to be really difficult. Travel, weather and great teams.”

Fans in the SEC are unlikely to appreciate those comments, but there is some truth to Rhule’s assessment. While Greg Sankey has continually boasted about the regional component of the SEC, the challenges in the Big Ten are a bit unique and will be unlike anything teams in college football have ever faced before in a conference schedule.

As it relates to the Playoff, that does not guarantee getting 3 or 4 teams in the final field, especially with automatic qualifiers involved. Most fans and analysts readily admit the top 2 teams in the B1G will be bound for the Playoff, but everything beyond that will depend on a host of factors in play.

Kirk Ferentz pumps USC as serious B1G competitor

Kirk Ferentz made quite the stir during bowl practices, calling out USC in a press conference as a “school on the West Coast who’s going to re-commit to defense.” He went on to recall Tulane’s point total against the Trojans in a recent bowl game at the “place where Ronnie Lott played” in case anyone didn’t catch his drift.

To no surprise, Ferentz was asked about those comments on Wednesday, though the head coach tried to brush them off. He described the exchange as “a takeaway from a bowl game” USC played recently and “drive-by scouting… which is dangerous.”

However, Ferentz didn’t stop there. He admitted Iowa doesn’t play the Trojans this season so he’s not overall concerned with their makeup, but he predicted USC will “be a factor” competing for the conference title after the steps Lincoln Riley and his staff have taken.

“My guess is I know they’ve taken some steps, and my guess is they’re going to be really — we don’t play them this year, so that’s not our concern,” said Ferentz. “They’re going to be a factor in our conference. I’ll go out on a limb and make that bold prediction that they’ll be there when it’s all said and done.”

USC is holding firm with the 5th-best Big Ten Championship odds this season, but the Trojans are well behind the odds given to the top 4 teams on that list. If Miller Moss shines at quarterback, anything is possible, and fans can track the latest college football odds with Tradition’s Ohio sports betting apps.

DeShaun Foster produces a dud in first media days as a head coach

DeShaun Foster is a UCLA legend turned position coach who ascended to the head coaching job after the departure of Chip Kelly. This year marks Foster’s first-ever stint as a head coach and is his first job above coaching running backs for the Bruins.

That lack of experience was evident when Foster made his appearance at B1G Media Days on Wednesday with an apparent lack of enthusiasm as the coach stumbled through an opening statement that was less than 2 minutes long.

Foster’s opening statement was also devoid of anything related to football, though he did provide those in attendance with a quick geography lesson related to UCLA:

“Football-wise, which is exciting. I’m sure you guys don’t know much about UCLA, our football program, but we’re in LA. It’s us and USC,” said Foster. “We, um. I’m just basically excited. Really, that’s it.”

Fans will have to hope UCLA’s performance on the field is a step up from Foster’s performance at the podium, though it could be a long season ahead. The preseason win total of the Bruins is set at 4.5 with FanDuel giving -150 odds on the under.

Is Penn State a Playoff contender?

Arguably no program in the country is happier to see an expanded Playoff system than James Franklin’s Penn State program.

In 7 full seasons since 2016, Penn State has 6 top-12 rankings in the final CFP poll of the year (2020 season excluded). Four of those seasons included top-10 rankings with 5 seasons of 10+ wins in that time frame.

Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions have had trouble clearing the Michigan and Ohio State hurdles in recent history. And, as Franklin pointed out, 10 or 11 wins at Penn State is not enough if the program is not competing for championships.

“…That’s not the expectation at Penn State,” claimed Franklin. “… But we are one of the few programs in the country you can win 10 or 11 games and people are unhappy. So we embrace that, and we’re excited about those opportunities, and it starts for us at West Virginia in Morgantown, which is going to be a challenging opening game.”

A lot of factors will go into the final Playoff field with automatic qualifiers involved. But, for the Nittany Lions, they have every reason to believe they’re in the mix for a spot.

That’s good news for a fanbase clamoring to get over the hump, but it’s also an added mountain of pressure for Franklin after the missed chances of years past.

Jonathan Smith aces first appearance as Michigan State’s head coach

Among first-timers to appear at Big Ten Media Days, Jonathan Smith might have had the best overall performance at the podium. The West Coast coach who helped transform his alma mater Oregon State, Smith arrives in East Lansing among all the challenges that face the coach to replace Mel Tucker.

Smith fielded a number of good questions related to the rebuild of Michigan State, and he tackled them with the smooth touch of a veteran. He pointed to trying to fill out a roster of players with “a deep passion for this game” and admitted the coaching staff is full of competitive individuals who “don’t have a long patience for playing quality football.”

Throughout his comments, Smith reflected an attitude that acknowledges patience for the challenge ahead but one that will strive for competitiveness and excellence throughout. While Smith did not come across as the coach to deliver a buzz-worthy soundbite, he looks and sounds like the right individual uniquely poised to address Michigan State’s woes.

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.