College football in the Big Ten became a whole lot tougher in 2024 with the four newcomers — Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington. The conference, already recognized as a “Power 2” alongside the SEC, strengthened its position as a premier league in college football. Given the evolving landscape, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule says the Big Ten should earn at least four spots in the College Football Playoff each year.
“I think we’ll have a lot of access to the College Football Playoff,” Rhule said Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “I think four teams from this league should get in every year because this is the best league.”
Rhule backed up his claim with supporting evidence on why he thinks the Big Ten can separate itself from the SEC, which has long been considered the top conference in college football, winning 13 of the past 18 national championships since 2006.
“This is the NFL of college football, in my mind,” Rhule continued. “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.”
The Big Ten, which traditionally had members centralized in the Midwest, was the first major conference to extend its reach from coast to coast, adding members on both the East and West coasts. The ACC soon followed suit, expanding its footprint with the additions of California and Stanford, as well as SMU in Texas.
The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff starting this 2024 season means more opportunities for Big Ten members to represent the conference with a shot at a national title. Under the previous four-team playoff format, the Big Ten had at least one team reach the playoff in eight of the past 10 years. Ohio State qualified five times, and Michigan made it each of the past three seasons, winning the national championship in 2023 — the first Big Ten team to do so since Ohio State in 2014, the inaugural year of the playoff. Additionally, Michigan State made an appearance in 2015.
As for Nebraska, its focus is not so much on competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but rather ending a seven-year streak of losing seasons without an appearance in a bowl game. The Big Ten expansion adds to the difficulty of snapping that drought, however, Rhule and the Huskers welcome the competition.
“For us, we think every game is a big game because we’re playing in it,” Rhule said. “You didn’t come to Nebraska because you wanted to play an FCS slate. You came here because you want the challenge. We get to go to the Coliseum and play football. How lucky are we?”
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Nebraska opens the 2024 season Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET against UTEP.