It’s a new era of Big Ten Conference football with the addition of four Pac-12 programs, and the league swelling to 18 teams also means the end of divisions. It’s a free-for-all with the top two teams meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium for the Big Ten Championship Game, on Dec. 7.
But media members aren’t expecting Illinois football anywhere near that championship game.
The Illini are picked 15th among the 18 teams in the new-look Big 10, according to the USA TODAY Sports Network Big Ten preseason media poll released Monday. What’s more, no Illini players were selected — or even received a vote — among the 63 who are part of the preseason all-conference team. The Big Ten honor team included 25 players, with another 38 receiving votes.
Big 10 players: Preseason All-Big Ten football team, top player, coach
Ohio State is picked to win Big Ten, with newcomer Oregon second. Preseason Player of the Year is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was one of two unanimous picks to the All-Big Ten team, with Ohio State receiver Emeka Ogbuka also appearing on all 14 ballots. Ohio State’s Ryan Day edged out Oregon’s Dan Lanning for preseason Coach of the Year.
2024 Big Ten football predictions
Here is the 2024 complete projected order of finish as determined by 13 beat writers who cover the league for the USA TODAY Sports Network. First-place votes in parentheses.
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Ohio State (8)
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Oregon (5)
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(tie) Michigan
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(tie) Penn State
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USC
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Washington
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Rutgers
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Northwestern
2024 USA TODAY Sports Network preseason Big Ten all-conference team
OFFENSE
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Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel, Oregon*
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Running back: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
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Running back: Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
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Wide receiver: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State*
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Wide receiver: Tez Johnson, Oregon
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Tight end: Colston Loveland, Michigan
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Offensive line: Logan Jones, Iowa
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Offensive line: Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
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Offensive line: Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
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Offensive line: Josh Priebe, Michigan
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Offensive line: Sal Wormley, Penn State
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Also receiving votes: RB: Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State; Donovan Edwards, Michigan; Nick Singleton, Penn State; Darius Taylor, Minnesota; WR: Evan Stewart, Oregon; Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State; TE: Luke Lachey, Iowa; Terrance Ferguson, Oregon; Tyler Warren, Penn State; OL: Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon; Ajani Cornelius, Oregon; Jonah Monheim, USC, Matthew Bedford, Oregon; Josh Fryar, Ohio State; Connor Colby, Iowa; Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
DEFENSE
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Defensive line: Mason Graham, Michigan
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Defensive line: J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State
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Defensive line: Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
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Defensive line: Abdul Carter, Penn State
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Linebacker: Jay Higgins, Iowa
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Linebacker: Nick Jackson, Iowa
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Linebacker: Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
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Defensive back: Will Johnson, Michigan
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Defensive back: Denzel Burke, Ohio State
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Defensive back: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
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Defensive back: Dillon Thieneman, Purdue
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Also receiving votes: DL: Jack Sawyer, Ohio State; Kenneth Grant, Michigan; Bear Alexander, USC; Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State; LB: Jaishawn Barhman, Michigan; Xander Mueller, Northwestern, Mohamed Toure, Rutgers, Carson Bruenner, Washington; Cal Haladay, Michigan State; Kydran Jenkins, Purdue; Jaheim Thomas, Wisconsin; DB: Sebastian Castro, Iowa; Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon; Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin; Ricardo Hallman, Wisconsin; Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State; Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
SPECIAL TEAMS
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Kicker: Dragan Kesich, Minnesota
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Punter: Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
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All-purpose: Zachariah Branch, USC
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Also receiving votes: K: Drew Stevens, Iowa; P: James Evans, Indiana; ALL-PURPOSE: Donaven McCulley, Indiana; Nick Singleton, Penn State; Braeden Wisloski, Maryland
Poll participants: Nathan Baird, IndyStar; Frank Bodani, York (Pa.) Daily Record; Alec Dietz, The Register-Guard (Eugene); Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star; Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press; Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch; Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch; Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier; Michael Niziolek, Bloomington Herald-Times; Zach Osterman, IndyStar; Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press; Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Big 10 football: Illinois preseason media rankings, Illini players to watch
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