Predicting every Big Ten football team's record, each game in 2025

After winning the last two national championships, the Big Ten can credibly lay claim to being the most dominant conference in college football, seeming to take the mantle from the SEC, which has more or less owned the sport in the 21st century.

Michigan in 2023 and Ohio State in 2024 helped put the Big Ten back on the map, and this season could find other national championship hopefuls looking to take the next step forward, like Penn State or Oregon.

What can we expect from the Big Ten this coming college football season? Here are our predictions for every game on the schedule this fall, and every team’s final record.

UCLA

Predicting every Big Ten football game in the 2025 season — Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Utah (loss), at UNLV (loss), New Mexico (win), at Northwestern (loss), Penn State (loss), at Michigan State (win), Maryland (win), at Indiana (loss), Nebraska (loss), at Ohio State (loss), Washington (loss), at USC (loss).

Nico Iamaleava should prove an upgrade to the Bruins’ offense after the Tennessee quarterback transferred to Westwood this offseason, but the rest of this squad still pales in comparison to what he worked with on Rocky Top.

UCLA prediction: 4-8 (2-7)

Purdue

Ball State (win), Southern Illinois (win), USC (loss), at Notre Dame (loss), Illinois (loss), at Minnesota (loss), at Northwestern (loss), Rutgers (loss), at Michigan (loss), Ohio State (loss), at Washington (loss), Indiana (loss).

Barry Odom steps in to resurrect the Boilermakers, and while he should get off to a good start against non-conference teams, the rest of this Big Ten slate could prove troublesome fielding a defense that will look entirely different this season.

Purdue prediction: 2-10 (0-9)

Northwestern

at Tulane (loss), Western Illinois (win), Oregon (loss), UCLA (win), UL Monroe (win), at Penn State (loss), Purdue (win), at Nebraska (loss), at USC (loss), Michigan (loss), Minnesota (loss), at Illinois (loss).

Preston Stone takes over at quarterback for the Wildcats, who badly need to get some more points on the board after a dismal showing last season. This team could go either way in recent years, but the 2025 slate suggests another downturn.

Northwestern prediction: 4-8 (2-7)

Rutgers

Ohio (win), Miami OH (win), Norfolk State (win), Iowa (loss), at Minnesota (loss), at Washington (loss), Oregon (loss), at Purdue (win), at Illinois (loss), Maryland (loss), at Ohio State (loss), Penn State (loss).

Rutgers’ offense should take a step backwards after losing Kyle Monangai in the backfield, but returns its starting quarterback and has some intriguing pieces on defense. That might not be enough against this draw.

Rutgers prediction: 4-8 (1-7)

Minnesota

Buffalo (win), Northwestern (win), at California (win), Rutgers (win), at Ohio State (loss), Purdue (win), Nebraska (win), at Iowa (loss), Michigan State (loss), at Oregon (loss), at Northwestern (win), Wisconsin (loss).

P.J. Fleck quietly won eight games a year ago and is yet to lose a bowl game. He gets Darius Taylor back to run the ball, but lost his defensive coordinator after he led a unit that was top 10 in college football in scoring last season. That could be a problem.

Minnesota prediction: 6-6 (4-5)

Maryland

FAU (win), Northern Illinois (win), Towson (win), at Wisconsin (loss), Washington (loss), Nebraska (loss), at UCLA (loss), Indiana (loss), at Rutgers (win), at Illinois (loss), at Michigan State (loss).

A change at quarterback might help the Terrapins move the ball a little easier this fall, but Mike Locksley still needs to get a lot more from what was an unproductive defense.

Maryland prediction: 4-8 (1-8)

Indiana

Old Dominion (win), Kennesaw State (win), Indiana State (win), Illinois (win), at Iowa (loss), at Oregon (loss), Michigan State (win), UCLA (win), at Maryland (win), at Penn State (loss), Wisconsin (win), at Purdue (win).

While the Hoosiers may lose some of the oomph that got them to 11 wins and a playoff berth last season, they return enough on both sides of the ball to still make this a successful outing, although not quite as lucrative as Curt Cignetti’s debut.

Indiana prediction: 9-3 (6-3)

Illinois

Western Illinois (win), at Duke (win), Western Michigan (win), at Indiana (loss), USC (win), at Purdue (win), Ohio State (loss), at Washington (win), Rutgers (win), Maryland (win), at Wisconsin (loss), Northwestern (win).

Almost everyone is back from that 10-win team a year ago, including quarterback Luke Altmyer and pass rusher Gabe Jacas, but a slightly tougher second-half schedule could prevent this squad from matching that output this fall.

Illinois prediction: 9-3 (6-3)

Washington

Colorado State (win), UC Davis (win), at Washington State (win), Ohio State (loss), at Maryland (win), Rutgers (win), at Michigan (loss), Illinois (loss), at Wisconsin (loss), Purdue (win), at UCLA (win), Oregon (loss).

We should see the Huskies prove a little more potent on offense this year with a strong core of skill threats, but there’s a tough midseason stretch against Big Ten opposition that could stack up a few losses later in the year.

Washington prediction: 7-5 (4-5)

Michigan State

Western Michigan (win), Boston College (win), Youngstown State (win), at USC (loss), at Nebraska (loss), UCLA (loss), at Indiana (loss), Michigan (loss), at Minnesota (win), Penn State (loss), at Iowa (loss), Maryland (win).

Sparty will have to get a lot more consistent if they want to get to .500, but quarterback Aidan Chiles could prove more of a threat if his receiver transfers work out. But this team does get a tough Big Ten rotation to deal with.

Michigan State prediction: 5-7 (2-7)

Wisconsin

Miami OH (win), MTSU (win), at Alabama (loss), Maryland (win), at Michigan (loss), Iowa (win), Ohio State (loss), at Oregon (loss), Washington (win), at Indiana (loss), Illinois (win), at Minnesota (win).

Wisconsin will lose the games it’s expected to lose, including against three of the Big Ten’s playoff teams from a year ago -- Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana -- but we’ll give the Badgers a fighting chance at home against the likely-favored Illini late in the year.

Wisconsin prediction: 7-5 (5-4)

USC

Missouri State (win), Georgia Southern (win), at Purdue (win), Michigan State (win), at Illinois (loss), Michigan (win), at Notre Dame (loss), at Nebraska (loss), Northwestern (win), Iowa (win), at Oregon (loss), UCLA (win).

A good early slate for the Trojans to pile up some wins to build on, and if they can knock off Illinois on the road, a 5-0 start would go a long way in taking the heat off Lincoln Riley, but trips to the Irish and Ducks are slim hopes until we see better overall production from this roster.

USC prediction: 8-4 (6-3)

Iowa

Albany (win), at Iowa State (loss), UMass (win), at Rutgers (win), Indiana (win), at Wisconsin (loss), Penn State (loss), Minnesota (win), Oregon (loss), at USC (loss), Michigan State (win), at Nebraska (win).

This is one of the tougher schedules in the Big Ten this season, including a midseason stretch that will show us exactly what the Hawkeyes are right now. Pieces of this superb defense are gone, but Mark Gronowski should lead a better passing attack.

Iowa prediction: 7-5 (5-4)

Nebraska

Cincinnati (win), Akron (win), HCU (win), Michigan (win), Michigan State (win), at Maryland (win), at Minnesota (loss), Northwestern (win), USC (win), at UCLA (win), at Penn State (loss), Iowa (loss).

The pairing of Dana Holgorsen with quarterback Dylan Raiola, combined with some very intriguing transfers on the line and at receiver, should turn a profit for the Cornhuskers, and head coach Matt Rhule has historically turned things around at his previous stops in his third year.

Nebraska prediction: 9-3 (6-3)

Michigan

New Mexico (win), at Oklahoma (loss), Central Michigan (win), at Nebraska (loss), Wisconsin (win), at USC (loss), Washington (win), at Michigan State (win), Purdue (win), at Northwestern (win), at Maryland (win), Ohio State (win).

Yes, we’re giving the Wolverines what would be a fifth-straight victory over the Buckeyes, this time at home and with the reigning champs undergoing major roster and personnel transition, and Ryan Day is yet to figure out how to prepare his team for this game. Until then, it belongs to that team up north.

Michigan prediction: 9-3 (7-2)

Penn State

Nevada (win), FIU (win), Villanova (win), Oregon (win), at UCLA (win), Northwestern (win), at Iowa (win), at Ohio State (loss), Indiana (win), at Michigan State (win), Nebraska (win), at Rutgers (win).

Penn State won’t be tested in the first three weeks before hosting the Ducks in a monster matchup in Happy Valley. Oregon is replacing a lot of its former 13-1 team while the Nittany Lions return a ton of continuity and get home-field advantage.

Penn State prediction: 11-1 (8-1)

Oregon

Montana State (win), Oklahoma State (win), at Northwestern (win), Oregon State (win), at Penn State (loss), Indiana (win), at Rutgers (win), Wisconsin (win), at Iowa (win), Minnesota (win), USC (win), at Washington (win).

Despite some notable turnover on this roster, the Ducks still could have enough firepower to take another stab at the Big Ten title. The trip to Penn State is the only real concern here, otherwise Oregon could be favored in every other game it plays.

Oregon prediction: 11-1 (8-1)

Ohio State

Texas (loss), Grambling State (win), Ohio (win), at Washington (win), Minnesota (win), at Illinois (win), at Wisconsin (win), Penn State (win), at Purdue (win), UCLA (win), Rutgers (win), at Michigan (loss).

College football’s reigning champs could bookend an otherwise-perfect season with high-profile losses. Texas is a small underdog in the opener, but presents a formidable challenge behind one of the nation’s top pass rushes against an inexperienced offense debuting a new quarterback.

Ohio State prediction: 10-2 (8-1)