Predicting the 2025 Big Ten football standings

After a lengthy offseason of anticipation, Indiana football is less than 10 days away. The Hoosiers have talent on both sides of the ball, making them a prime contender in another competitive year of Big Ten football.

While there’s been nonstop debate about whether the Big Ten is or isn’t the best conference in college football, the better debate lies inside the conference itself. The league has several teams contending for the title, with possibly half the conference having a real shot at making it to Indianapolis for the championship game.

The Hoosiers are looking like one of the top teams in the league but are still being overlooked depending on who you ask. Some have Indiana repeating an 11-1 record, while others project Curt Cignetti to have a sophomore slump in Year 2 as Indiana head coach.

So, without further ado, here’s where I have every Big Ten team finishing when the 2025 season is all said and done.

T-1. Ohio State (8-1, 11-1 overall)

After 14 weeks of football, I expect the Ohio State Buckeyes to finish atop the Big Ten. Included in my prediction are wins over Texas and Penn State, the two games OSU has against other preseason top-five teams.

With wins in those two games, where will the loss come? You may have guessed it — Nov. 29 at Michigan. Despite a fifth straight loss to the Wolverines, a tiebreaker over Penn State gives OSU the No. 1 spot in the conference.

T-1. Penn State (8-1, 11-1 overall)

My other participant in the Big Ten championship game is Penn State, as I think the Nittany Lions will do just enough to make it to Lucas Oil Stadium for the second year in a row.

Penn State plays both Ohio State and Oregon this year, and I think it splits those two, winning at home over the Ducks but falling to its rivals in Columbus. Drew Allar will be a player of the year candidate, but I think his team falls just short of a perfect regular season.

T-1. Oregon (8-1, 11-1 overall)

The third and final spot in the three-way tie I have atop the Big Ten belongs to the Oregon Ducks. I expect UO to be an elite team once again, but it’ll lose out on the tiebreaker due to the loss at Penn State.

Other big games include Indiana at home, Iowa on the road and Washington on the road, but I have Dante Moore and the Ducks running the table after an early loss in Happy Valley.

T-4. Indiana (7-2, 10-2 overall)

You didn’t have to scroll far to find where I have the Hoosiers, as I think Cignetti and company will have another great season, though they’ll come up just short of a trip to the Big Ten championship.

Road games against Oregon and Penn State are brutal draws for Indiana. The Hoosiers could end up as a juggernaut, but winning in Eugene and State College is simply a different kind of challenge.

Stay tuned for more preseason coverage at TheHoosier.com, as we’ll have all the best preseason content ahead of kickoff on Aug. 30.

T-4. Nebraska (7-2, 10-2 overall)

Tied with Indiana, I have the Nebraska Cornhuskers. NU has what is expected to be an extremely favorable schedule, with a home game against Michigan (without HC Sherrone Moore) and a road game at Penn State being the two big matchups.

I have the Huskers beating Michigan and starting out 10-0 as a major story around the conference, before falling to Penn State and Iowa to finish off the year on a disappointing note. Watch out for Year 2 of Dylan Raiola though, as Nebraska has a shot at a playoff berth with the 10-2 record I’ve projected.

T-4. Michigan (7-2, 9-3 overall)

Also tied with Nebraska and Indiana are the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan has been under scrutiny due to its sign-stealing investigation, but I think it’ll have a solid season in Year 2 of the Sherrone Moore era.

Moore will be serving a self-imposed suspension in Weeks 3 and 4, resulting in a loss to Nebraska in my projections. Other losses I have coming are to Oklahoma and USC, both on the road.

T-7. Washington (6-3, 9-3 overall)

One of the sleeper teams in the Big Ten is Washington, as the Huskies look to improve upon an up-and-down first year under Jedd Fisch. While I don’t have Washington flying under the radar all the way to the title game, I still have the Huskies having a strong year.

I have games against Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon as losses, but if Washington can win one or two of those, it could be a playoff contender.

T-7. Illinois (6-3, 9-3 overall)

Along with Washington, I have Illinois in the next tier of teams — a tier that has a shot to make real noise but will likely fall just short. The Illini are seemingly everyone’s sleeper, but games on the road against Indiana and Washington will most likely result in losses.

Getting Ohio State at home is a major opportunity as well, but I think Luke Altmyer and the Illini will stumble once again, resulting in a good but not great record.

T-7. USC (6-3, 8-4 overall)

Along with UW and Illinois, USC is another squad I have finishing above average, but I don’t think it’ll be anything special. The Trojans should be improved compared to their first year in the league, but Lincoln Riley may need a few more recruiting classes before USC truly contends for the title.

T-10. Minnesota (5-4, 8-4 overall)

Moving to the second half of the standings, Minnesota comes in as a team that could be a disruptor but doesn’t have a real shot at finishing in the upper echelon of the conference. Koi Perich is a defensive player of the year candidate, but there are real questions on the offensive side of the ball.

T-10. Iowa (5-4, 7-5 overall)

Finishing alongside Minnesota, I have the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa has a brutal schedule, and while they’ll have another productive team under Kirk Ferentz, I think Iowa will underperform record-wise. Losses to Iowa State, Indiana, Penn State, Oregon and USC will make it seem like the Hawkeyes disappointed, but the more likely scenario is that every one of those opponents ends up better than advertised.

T-12. Michigan State (2-7, 5-7 overall)

That’s it for my projected bowl-eligible teams, as the rest of the Big Ten will finish below .500. Michigan State could be a team that blossoms in Year 2 with Jonathan Smith and Aidan Chiles, but I have the Spartans failing to pull off the upset that could get them to bowl eligibility.

T-12. Rutgers (2-7, 5-7 overall)

Rutgers achieved bowl eligibility last season, but I have the Scarlet Knights falling just short in 2025. Greg Schiano has done a fine job in his second stint as Rutgers head coach, but with a tough schedule, RU will find itself near the bottom of the standings in my projection.

T-12. UCLA (2-7, 4-8 overall)

UCLA is a team a lot of folks have going over .500, but with the brutal schedule the Bruins have, I think DeShaun Foster’s squad will have a rough season. UCLA ends the year with Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio State, Washington and USC — all of which I think will end in defeats.

T-15. Wisconsin (1-8, 3-9 overall)

Another underperforming team in my projection is Wisconsin, as I have the Badgers winning just one conference game. With a nonconference game against Alabama and a very tough league schedule, Luke Fickell should be in for another disappointing year.

T-15. Northwestern (1-8, 3-9 overall)

The Northwestern Wildcats enter another season in their temporary stadium, and it’s projected to go as poorly as a year ago. I have NU winning a conference game, but with a loaded Big Ten, it’ll be extremely difficult for the ’Cats to string together wins down the stretch.

T-17. Maryland (0-9, 3-9 overall)

Now to the teams I have going winless in Big Ten play: Maryland should be in for a tough season. With Mike Locksley potentially on the hot seat, this could be the final straw, as there are simply better teams in the conference.

T-17. Purdue (0-9, 2-10 overall)

Rounding out my projected standings are the Purdue Boilermakers. Even with a new coach in Barry Odom, Purdue will finish winless in conference play. The Boilers should get two wins against Ball State and Southern Illinois, but against Big Ten foes, I have PU going 0-9 and finishing last.

Not yet a member of TheHoosier?  Join our community for Just $1 for your first week and get a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership. Join here!

Use the code “IND20” on Rhoback.com for a generous 20% off for all new customers through the end of this week. Rhoback — Best Fit, Best Feel.