Football forecast for every Big Ten team in the 2025 season

The long wait is officially over. We are getting a full slate of college football games in the Big Ten and elsewhere, beginning Thursday night. Week 0 had some fun games such as the Kansas State-Iowa State game. We also saw some great offenses dominate lesser opponents in other games. This week the USC Trojans kick off versus Missouri State. It's a great opportunity to see how prolific this offense will be this season. We should expect Lincoln Riley to lean heavily on the run game and his three-headed monster in the backfield this season.

This season should be very interesting in the Big Ten. There are two clear juggernauts but no consensus No. 1 out the two. It is basically a coin toss for which team wins the title. There are also some sleeper teams in the Big Ten that could make the College Football Playoff if things go their way.

Here are my predictions for how each team in the Big Ten will fare this season:

Purdue Boilermakers: 3-9

Last year was a bad as it could be for the Boilermakers as they had a devastating 1-11 record. New coach Barry Odom is still setting the foundation for what he wants Purdue to be and that will take some more time. I don't think this roster is yet where it needs to be to win any more than their non-conference games and maybe beat a Rutgers or Northwestern later on in the season.

Northwestern Wildcats: 3-9

I think Northwestern will finish in the bottom of the Big Ten same as Purdue because this is one of the worst returning offenses in college football. They have a new quarterback this season transfer Preston Stone but I would not bet on him turning everything around just by himself.

Michigan State Spartans: 4-8

I am looking forward to seeing Aidan Chiles taking a step in the right direction this season. He is a very talent quarterback and .I think coach Jonathan Smith is the right coach to turn things around I just don't think we will see it yet this season.

Maryland Terrapins: 5-7

Head coach Mike Locksley needs to win this season after going 4-8 last season but I don't believe this team has enough to win more than 5 games this season even with the adjustments he made to his coaching staff. The Terrapins will be a bottom Big Ten team this season.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: 5-7

Rutgers is coming into this season having back-to-back successful seasons under Greg Schiano but this season it feels like Rutgers has to face the best of the best in the Big Ten. This schedule and losing some of their best players last season such as dominant running back Kyle Monangai it is hard to see them getting more than 5-6 wins.

Wisconsin Badgers: 6-6

The Badgers have one of the toughest schedules in college football this season and last year they for the first time in 23 years missed out on a bowl game. This year I think Wisconsin will make a bowl game by the skin of their teeth but chatter about Luke Fickell's seat getting hot will brew even more.

Indiana Hoosiers: 6-6

The Hoosiers last year were a team that always won the matchups that they were supposed to win and unfortunately they got exposed in the CFP. This team could be a solid team again this year but they will definitely not be a team that makes the college football playoff again. I think the Hoosiers take big step back this season.

Michigan Wolverines: 7-5

If Bryce Underwood is a star right away like he seems to believe he can the Wolverines could be a playoff contender and up at the top with their counterparts Ohio State, and Penn State. With him being super young and still a raw quarterback I am leaning more towards the Wolverines seeing 7-8 wins.

Washington Huskies: 7-5

The Huskies are a team that could be a sleeper this season with a potential dark horse for the Heisman in Demond Williams Jr. he could really be a superstar. Washington is still easing into the level of competition of the Big Ten so I think this season the ceiling should be 7-8 wins for them.

UCLA Bruins: 8-4

UCLA finished last season on a high note and it shouldn't be overlooked that transfer Nico Iamaleava led Tennesse to a college football playoff birth. You mix better quarterback play with success towards the end of last season UCLA could be one of the biggest surprises in the Big Ten this season or at the very least be a very competitive team in the Big Ten.

Iowa Hawkeyes: 8-4

It seems like Iowa is year after year an 8-4 team that always tends to be their ceiling. This season however they might have the best quarterback they have had in quite some time in Mark Gronowski he will help this passing attack tremendously. I will lock Iowa finishing with 8 wins again for another year.

Minnesota Golden Gophers: 8-4

P. J. Fleck and the Gophers will get a couple statement victories this season and continue to be a solid football program in college football once again this season. Darius Taylor will explode for a big season this year and will be huge a reason why the Gophers upset a top contender like Oregon this season.

Illinois Fighting Illini: 9-3

Bret Bielema has done a phenomenal job turing the fight Illini into a top Big Ten team recently and they are projected to have another great finish. It helps Illinois has the easiest schedule in the conference nine wins might just be their floor. Illinois consistenly has not been able to get over that hump into real contender status so I see them just getting a nice bowl game this season.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: 9-3

I think Nebraska has a lot of potential this season and for multiple years now they have been the predicted breakout team in the Big Ten and it has yet to happen. I think they see success this year but not success like Indiana did last year.

Oregon Ducks: 9-3

The Oregon Ducks spent a majority of the season last year being the #1 ranked team in college football until Ohio State took them down in college football playoff. It was a successful first season in the Big Ten for the Ducks. I think the Ducks this year have things not go their way in at least 2-3 games that they would have won last year due to some new changes on this team.

USC Trojans: 10-2

Lincoln Riley is heading into the year with one of the best rosters he has had in some time. This year I have the Trojans silencing the doubters and Riley cementing himself once again as one of the best college football coaches in the country. Do not be surprised if this team makes the playoff this season.

Penn State Nittany Lions: 11-1

This has to the best year possible for James Franklin to win a championship finally with Penn State. This team has no holes and everything they need to win it all. I think Ohio State will still get the best of them but if they can get through the playoff not having to meet the Buckeyes, they will have a legitimate shot at the title.

Ohio State Buckeyes: 12-0

The Buckeyes have the two best players in college football and the quarterback uncertainty does not matter as much with a generational weapon such as Jeremiah Smith. This season does not start with a layup game for the Buckeyes, but playing Texas -- the No. 1 team in the country -- could help Ohio State assert its dominance over the college football landscape. I think after last season's title Ryan Day and the Buckeyes are just getting started.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Predicting the worst and best teams in Big Ten football for 2025