Answering Questions About UCLA/Big Ten Win Predictions Pt. 3

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 Oregon win more than 10 games?

"I don't know for sure who will start at quarterback for Oregon, but I'm confident the Ducks will be one of the more talented teams in the league," Fornelli wrote. "It also helps to avoid Michigan and Ohio State while getting USC at home. Road games against Penn State and Washington will be the big tests."

Fornelli sees Oregon's only loss being at Penn State and that very well could happen considering the success of the program under Lanning in the regular season but with trips to Washington and Iowa on the schedule plus a matchup with USC, I'm going to say no.

Will Iowa win more than seven games?

"I didn't plan on coming in this low on Iowa, but here we are," Fornelli wrote. "It's not just about the quarterback situation. Iowa has been trending in the wrong direction along the lines of scrimmage in recent seasons. When you combine the questions with a schedule that isn't overly friendly, I think this projection is rather reasonable."

Fornelli says no, and I disagree. The last time Kirk Ferentz didn't win at least seven games in the regular season (outside of the shortened COVID year) was 2012. Considering Fornelli projected losses to Iowa State, Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, I'm confident in Iowa's ability to win eight games.

Will Washington win more than seven games?

"The hope is that Demond Williams can take the Huskies to another level after finishing 6-6 in their first Big Ten regular season, but a projection of 7.5 wins feels overly optimistic to me," Fornelli wrote.

"The Huskies play both Ohio State and Oregon -- albeit at home -- and a road trip to Michigan won't be fun, either. Plus, we saw last year that the cross-country trips weren't easy on anybody. Travel struggles included a Huskies' loss at Rutgers, so I'm not willing to assume this team beats Maryland on the road, either."

The Huskies should have five wins out of the first six games, and if they catch Ohio State sleeping during their trip to Seattle, they could be undefeated going into the Big House. Fornelli says no, but I say yes. Demond Williams will be a game changer, and considering how much improved the Huskies are, they should easily win over seven games in 2025.

The competition for UCLA is heating up.

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