This is the next in the series comparing some statistical rankings between BigTen opponents and UW. This week’s comparison is with the Penn State Nittany Lions. UW last played them in the 2017 Fiesta Bowl.

Here’s a list of the previous teams covered:

Composite Ranking Comparison

We again start by looking at the final rankings in the Massey Composite (https://masseyratings.com/ranks) over the last 9 years between the teams.

Wisconsin has finished in the top-25 five times-the same number of times as UW. Twice they finished in the top-10; again, that is the same number of times as UW. And Wisconsin always finished in the top 50 over this recent period. But, their two worst years have been their last two years, which is not a good trend.

SRS

Here is the picture in the Simple Rating System, SRS, (https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2023-ratings.html).

The view here doesn’t look much different. Wisconsin had a very good year in 2017 and finished above UW in 5 seasons.

F+

Here’s a look at the F+ ratings for both teams. As a reminder, F+ is a combination of two advanced stats: FEI and SP+. This should be representative of most of the advanced stats.

Wisconsin was just barely above UW in 2015 (1.17 vs 1.11), and clearly ahead in 4 other seasons. And again you see Wisconsin dropping off the last two seasons.

Talent Comparison

Here is the talent comparison using the average rating by 247Sports for all of the scholarship players. (https://247sports.com/Season/2023-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite/)

Wisconsin has closed the talent gap. And that is continuing with the 2025 class. UW’s average rating is currently 88.36 while Wisconsin’s is 88.20. And when looking at their recent recruiting classes, a large percentage of their top-rated commits are on the offensive or defensive line. For example, in the 2021 class, their top 4 commits were either offensive or defensive linemen.

Final Thoughts

The emphasis on offensive line and defense by Wisconsin has suited them well in the BigTen, especially when there were divisions in the conference. The question now is whether that strategy will continue to work when there are no divisions and with the addition of 4 teams that have had great offenses. It didn’t work out well for them in 2023 when they lost to WSU both times they played. And this year Wisconsin plays both USC and Oregon-two of what should be the best offenses in the country. And Wisconsin also plays host to Alabama this year-and we know that DeBoer should have Alabama’s offense playing well.

UW is scheduled to play at Camp Randall Stadium in 2025. Wisconsin is currently scheduled to play at Husky Stadium in 2028. Despite the drop in performance in the last two seasons, Wisconsin is probably not a team to take lightly.

Former President Trump will visit Chicago, Illinois, for the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Convention, his campaign announced Monday.

The convention will be held at the Hilton Chicago at 720 South Michigan Avenue and Trump will participate during its opening day on Wednesday, July 31, at noon CST.

The NABJ said on its website that the convention is a conference for journalism education, career development, networking and innovation.

“This year’s convention in the Windy City will attract industry leaders, innovators, and influencers in journalism, media, technology, business, government, community service, health, arts, entertainment, academia, and more,” the website said.

SECRET SERVICE ALLEGEDLY DELAYED TRUMP’S NASHVILLE SPEECH FOLLOWING SECURITY LAPSE

Trump will take part in a Q&A with political journalists in front of an audience of registered convention spectators. The discussion will focus on the most pressing issues facing the black community, the Trump campaign and the NABJ said.

“We look forward to our attendees hearing from former President Trump on the critical issues our members and their audiences care about most,” NABJ President Ken Lemon said in a statement. “While NABJ does not endorse political candidates as a journalism organization, we understand the serious work of our members, and welcome the opportunity for them to ask the tough questions that will provide the truthful answers Black Americans want and need to know.”

TRUMP WILL DEBATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY’S ‘ULTIMATE NOMINEE,’ SAYS CAMPAIGN ADVISER

Trump will participate in a Q&A with political journalists in front of an audience of registered convention spectators. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The event will be moderated by anchor of The Faulkner Focus and co-host of Outnumbered on FOX News Harris Faulkner, ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott and Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba.

“President Trump accomplished more for Black Americans than any other president in recent history by implementing America First policies on the economy, immigration, energy, law and order, and foreign policy,” the Trump campaign claimed in a press release.

“Historic rates of Black voters now support President Trump, and the reason is simple: Black voters know that President Trump is the only presidential candidate who can deliver results on day one because he already has, including landmark unemployment rates for Black Americans, increased median income for Black households, historic permanent funding for HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), comprehensive bipartisan criminal justice reform, and nearly $50 billion in funds to revitalize Opportunity Zones,” his campaign continued.

The event will be moderated by Fox News Channel host Harris Faulkner, ABC News senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott and Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba. (Getty Images)

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, was also invited to participate in the convention, but she has not confirmed her attendance.

Lemon said the NABJ invites presidential nominees to the convention in each presidential election year.

Former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton attended NABJ conventions in the past, either as presidents or presidential candidates.

The event will not be open to the general public and will be live-streamed on NABJ’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

A historic library in northwest Detroit slated for demolition has been officially opened as the Detroit Police Department’s newest precinct building.

The city has repurposed the former Redford Branch Library on West McNichols Road into the Eighth Precinct Community Annex, a headquarters for DPD’s neighborhood police officers, a special unit that focuses on responding to calls that don’t require an emergency response. The nearly century-old building will also be used for community events and meetings.

The police department began renovations on the building in 2019. The current Eighth Precinct building opened in 2017 after it closed 12 years earlier as part of a restructuring of the police department’s patrol operations, according to WJBK (Channel 2).

Mayor Mike Duggan said at Friday’s ceremony he made reopening the Eighth Precinct a campaign promise.

“I promised the voters in this area that that one way or another, I would reopen the Eighth Precinct right in this area of northwest Detroit,” Duggan said Friday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Detroit first used the building, built in 1925, as the Redford Branch Library when the city annexed part of Redford Township in 1926 into the city limits. It closed in 1971, city officials said, and was reopened for a time as an African American history museum before shutting down again in the 1990s. The building was sold in 2010 as part of a deal that also included the former Redford High School complex.

Duggan credited City Council President Pro Tem James Tate, who represents District 1, for leading the push to preserve the building. Duggan said the city originally planned to demolish it and use it as a parking lot for the Eighth Precinct’s main building.

“It was very clear to me and other members of the community that a building with this level of architecture that you don’t find anywhere should not be demolished,” Tate said. “We knew that it wasn’t going to be easy project and clearly, it wasn’t. It took time, but as we know, important things it take time.”

Police Chief James White, Deputy Chief Tiffany Stewart, Eighth Precinct Commander Dietrich Lever and College Park Community Association President Peggy Noble also attended Friday’s ceremony.

Noble, a retired social worker, said it’s been necessary for her to act as a voice for her community. She said during the 12 years the Eighth Precinct was combined with the Sixth Precinct, residents remained hopeful it would reopen.

“We’ve been waiting for a long, long time,” she said. “You have to have someone in the community to act and make sure things go right.”

jcardi@detroitnews.com