Answering Questions About UCLA/Big Ten Win Predictions Pt. 2

It's prediction season for Big Ten football, and CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli made his picks on how well each team in the conference will perform in 2025.

"Expectations often define success," Fornelli wrote. "A team could go 10-2 during the regular season and make the College Football Playoff, and leave fans underwhelmed because it was picked to win a conference or national title. Meanwhile, a team projected to win four games can create a positive buzz around the program with a. 7-6 campaign that includes a bowl win."

Thus let's answer questions about whether these Big Ten teams are able to meet or exceed expectations. Fornelli claims UCLA will win more than four games in 2024. Let's see how its conference foes stack up.

Will Ohio State win more than 10 games?

"I'll be honest with you. I expected to go under here," Fornelli wrote. "My belief was that Ohio State would be like a lot of champions in the modern game: still very good, but struggling to replace key starters in an era where you can no longer horde depth so easily.

"Then I did the exercise, and this team won 11 games anyway! The truth is, it'll all come down to whether they can win two of three games against Texas, Penn State, and Michigan. Clearly, I think they can."

I agree with Fornelli, but I'll take it a step further. Ohio State hosts Texas and should beat them handily. I'd anticipate that the Buckeyes will enter "The Game" against Michigan undefeated, but I do have concerns about their defense. The good news is they have the best offense in the country.

Will USC win more than seven games?

"USC has finished the regular season with eight wins or more just twice in the last six full seasons," Fornelli wrote. "The Trojans have only done it once in Lincoln Riley's three seasons in charge, and that was in his first year. This is a simple fact I'm sharing. There's no need to get mad at me about it. I'm taking the over here, but I don't feel good about it at all."

I feel very good about it to the detriment of Bruins fans. I attended the Las Vegas Bowl and had an opportunity to speak with Lincoln Riley after the victory. He seems revitalized, and so do the Trojans. They should exceed seven wins easily.

Will Indiana win more than eight games?

"The Hoosiers were a major surprise last year, and while they won't collapse in 2025, it's hard to hit it that big in the portal for consecutive seasons," Fornelli wrote. "The odds are this team will fall back to Earth a bit, but it says a lot that Indiana fans will be mad at me for thinking their football team will go 8-4."

I don't see Indiana winning more than eight games. While I see the Hoosiers as being bowl-eligible, they had two things last season that they don't have this year. The element of surprise and a very easy schedule.

While Indiana has deserved every ounce of success it has received, to emulate the successes of last year will be extremely difficult.

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