The first Big Ten football game is right around the corner, when Nebraska will take on Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Aug. 28.
It will be the second season of the 18-team Big Ten. Oregon won the conference last season while fellow Big Ten member Ohio State won the national championship.
Can the Buckeyes repeat in 2025? Will they end their Big Ten title drought, which dates back to 2020? How about Penn State? Michigan? Nebraska?
Looking ahead to the 2025 Big Ten football season, here are five predictions.
Ohio State wins the Big Ten, still doesn’t beat Michigan
The Buckeyes will end one streak in 2025, just not the losing streak against Michigan.
Ohio State will head into “The Game” with one loss or maybe even undefeated, depending on what happens against Texas.
The Buckeyes will beat Penn State again, and they’ll have a Big Ten title berth clinched going into Ann Arbor.
Bryce Underwood will feel like a seasoned vet by November, and the Wolverines will have much more at stake. They’ll extend the win streak to five, setting up a Big Ten title game between Ohio State and Penn State.
A game that the Buckeyes will win.
Michigan makes the College Football Playoff
The first four games of the season will be critical for Michigan, especially if Sherrone Moore ends up being suspended for two of them.
With Moore on the sidelines, Michigan will knock off Oklahoma but drop road games against Nebraska and USC.
However, Michigan will get hot down the stretch, and with a strong non-conference win over OU, plus another win over the Buckeyes, 10-2 Michigan will get back in the College Football Playoff.
Nebraska will be a top-25 team
Matt Rhule won a combined 21 games between his third seasons at Baylor and Temple.
The schedule sets up well for Nebraska, with the most challenging games being Michigan (at home), along with road trips to USC and Penn State.
Road games against Maryland and Minnesota, back-to-back, will be more difficult than expected. There could be a tumble there.
Yet, with Dylan Raiola, an experienced defense and what should be a much better offensive line, the Huskers will win double-digit games (bowl included) and finish 2025 in the top 25.
Penn State makes playoff run
Penn State will go 11-1 during the regular season, but will lose to the Buckeyes in Columbus and the Big Ten title game.
However, as we learned last season, you don’t need to win the Big Ten to win a national championship.
This Penn State team has playoff experience, and it will show. The Nittany Lions will win 2-3 playoff games and maybe even reach the National Championship Game.
The Big Ten’s national title run ends
Michigan and Ohio State have won the past two titles, but the Big Ten’s streak will end in 2025.
There could be as many as five 10-win teams in the conference. Each will have a strong case for the playoff, but questions linger, especially at quarterback.
Oregon and Ohio State have new starters. Michigan does, too. Penn State and Nebraska return their quarterbacks, but Nebraska and Michigan feel at least a year away from being a serious contender.
Oregon and Ohio State are the best bets. Yet, Arch Manning and the SEC will take back the crown.
