Nebraska’s Rhule: Big Ten ‘the NFL of CFB,’ deserves 4 playoff bids

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule believes the new-look Big Ten is the best conference in the nation after college football’s latest realignment.

“In the Big Ten, we have to go to someone else’s stadium in our league five times and duke it out,” Rhule said Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich. “But I think we’ll have a lot of access to the College Football Playoff. I think four 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.”

He added: “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.”

The Big Ten welcomed USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon as new members in 2024. The 18-team, new-look league will play a nine-game conference schedule without divisions. The SEC also got stronger with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma.

The CFP will have a new format for the 2024 season, expanding from four to 12 teams. The five highest-ranked conference champions will now earn a spot in the playoffs along with the next seven highest-ranked teams according to the committee.

The Big Ten has made nine CFP appearances, the second-most behind the SEC. Ohio State (five times), Michigan (three), and Michigan State (once) are the only schools to reach the playoffs as Big Ten members. The Buckeyes won the national title during the 2014 season, and the Wolverines are the reigning champions.

Nebraska kicks off its 2024 season on Aug. 31 versus UTEP. The Cornhuskers have a tough stretch in the campaign’s second half, as they visit Ohio State on Oct. 26 before hosting UCLA a week later. Rhule’s outfit then travels to California to visit USC on Nov. 16 after a bye week.

Despite the new challenges, Rhule said his team’s in a good position to improve after posting a 5-7 record in 2023.

“You can tell when a team is ready to make the turn from their body language and the way that they walk around the building,” Rhule added. “When I walk through our locker rooms, and I walk through our weight rooms, and when I walk out on our field, I see a team that understands that games are going to come down to the final seconds, and the narrative about close losses, you turn that into close wins.”

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