2025 Big Ten Preseason Predictions: Full Game-by-Game Picks and Team Schedules

Did we believe in Indiana last year? Yeah, but not enough - we thought it would go 6-6.

We also didn't give enough respect to Minnesota or Oregon in our Big Ten preseason picks, and we overcooked our calls on Maryland, Michigan, Purdue, USC, Washington, and Wisconsin, and technically, Ohio State - we said from early February of last year it would win the national title, but would go 12-0 in the regular season.

We were solid on Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers, and UCLA.

So what will happen this year? We break down every Big Ten team's schedule with game-by-game picks.

Illinois Fighting Illini

CFN Predicted Record: 8-4 (5-4)
Illinois Team Preview
Aug 30 Western Illinois W
Sept 6 at Duke W
Sept 13 Western Michigan W
Sept 20 at Indiana L
Sept 27 USC L
Oct 4 at Purdue W
Oct 11 Ohio State W
Oct 18 OPEN DATE
Oct 25 at Washington L
Nov 1 Rutgers W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Maryland W
Nov 22 at Wisconsin L
Nov 29 Northwestern W
Missing: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Washington

Indiana Hoosiers

CFN Predicted Record: 9-3 (6-3)
Indiana Team Preview
Aug 30 Old Dominion W
Sept 6 Kennesaw State W
Sept 13 Indiana State W
Sept 20 Illinois W
Sept 27 at Iowa L
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 at Oregon L
Oct 18 Michigan State W
Oct 25 UCLA W
Nov 1 at Maryland W
Nov 8 at Penn State L
Nov 15 Wisconsin W
Nov 22 OPEN DATE
Nov 29 at Purdue W
Missing: Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, USC, Washington

Iowa Hawkeyes

CFN Predicted Record: 8-4 (5-4)
Iowa Team Preview
Aug 30 UAlbany W
Sept 6 at Iowa State W
Sept 13 UMass W
Sept 20 at Rutgers W
Sept 27 Indiana W
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 at Wisconsin L
Oct 18 Penn State L
Oct 25 Minnesota W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 Oregon W
Nov 15 at USC L
Nov 22 Michigan State W
Nov 29 at Nebraska L
Missing: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, UCLA, Washington

Maryland Terrapins

CFN Predicted Record: 4-8 (1-8)
Maryland Team Preview
Aug 30 Florida Atlantic W
Sept 6 Northern Illinois W
Sept 13 Towson W
Sept 20 at Wisconsin L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 Washington L
Oct 11 Nebraska W
Oct 18 at UCLA L
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 Indiana L
Nov 8 at Rutgers L
Nov 15 at Illinois L
Nov 22 Michigan L
Nov 29 at Michigan State L
Missing: Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, USC

Michigan Wolverines

CFN Predicted Record: 9-3 (7-2)
Michigan Team Preview
Aug 30 New Mexico W
Sept 6 at Oklahoma L
Sept 13 Central Michigan W
Sept 20 at Nebraska W
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 Wisconsin W
Oct 11 at USC W
Oct 18 Washington W
Oct 25 at Michigan State L
Nov 1 Purdue W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at Northwestern W
Nov 22 at Maryland W
Nov 29 Ohio State L
Missing: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA

Michigan State Spartans

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (3-6)
Michigan State Team Preview
Aug 30 Western Michigan W
Sept 6 Boston College W
Sept 13 Youngstown State W
Sept 20 at USC L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 at Nebraska L
Oct 11 UCLA W
Oct 18 at Indiana L
Oct 25 Michigan W
Nov 1 at Minnesota L
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 Penn State L
Nov 22 at Iowa L
Nov 29 Maryland W
Missing: Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers, Washington, Wisconsin

Minnesota Golden Gophers

CFN Predicted Record: 7-5 (4-5)
Minnesota Team Preview
Aug 30 Buffalo W
Sept 6 Northwestern State W
Sept 13 at Cal W
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 Rutgers L
Oct 4 at Ohio State L
Oct 11 Purdue W
Oct 18 Nebraska W
Oct 25 at Iowa L
Nov 1 Michigan State W
Nov 8 OPEN DATE
Nov 15 at Oregon L
Nov 22 at Northwestern L
Nov 29 Wisconsin W
Missing: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, UCLA, USC, Washington

Nebraska Cornhuskers

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (3-6)
Nebraska Team Preview
Aug 30 vs Cincinnati (in Kansas City) W
Sept 6 Akron W
Sept 13 Houston Christian W
Sept 20 Michigan L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 Michigan State W
Oct 11 at Maryland L
Oct 18 at Minnesota L
Oct 25 Northwestern W
Nov 1 USC L
Nov 8 at UCLA L
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 at Penn State L
Nov 29 Iowa W
Missing: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers, Washington, Wisconsin

Northwestern Wildcats

CFN Predicted Record: 4-8 (1-8)
Northwestern Team Preview
Aug 30 at Tulane W
Sept 6 Western Illinois W
Sept 13 Oregon L
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 UCLA L
Oct 4 ULM W
Oct 11 at Penn State L
Oct 18 Purdue L
Oct 25 at Nebraska L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at USC L
Nov 15 Michigan L
Nov 22 Minnesota W
Nov 29 at Illinois L
Missing: Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Rutgers, Washington, Wisconsin

Ohio State Buckeyes

CFN Predicted Record: 10-2 (8-1)
Ohio State Team Preview
Aug 30 Texas L
Sept 6 Grambling State W
Sept 13 Ohio W
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Washington W
Oct 4 Minnesota W
Oct 11 at Illinois L
Oct 18 at Wisconsin W
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 Penn State W
Nov 8 at Purdue W
Nov 15 UCLA W
Nov 22 Rutgers W
Nov 29 at Michigan W
Missing: Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, USC

Oregon Ducks

CFN Predicted Record: 10-2 (7-2)
Oregon Team Preview
Aug 30 Montana State W
Sept 6 Oklahoma State W
Sept 13 at Northwestern W
Sept 20 Oregon State W
Sept 27 at Penn State L
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 Indiana W
Oct 18 at Rutgers W
Oct 25 Wisconsin W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at Iowa L
Nov 15 Minnesota W
Nov 22 USC W
Nov 29 at Washington W
Missing: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, UCLA

Penn State Nittany Lions

CFN Predicted Record: 11-1 (8-1)
Penn State Team Preview
Aug 30 Nevada W
Sept 6 FIU W
Sept 13 Villanova W
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 Oregon W
Oct 4 at UCLA W
Oct 11 Northwestern W
Oct 18 at Iowa W
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 at Ohio State L
Nov 8 Indiana W
Nov 15 at Michigan State W
Nov 22 Nebraska W
Nov 29 at Rutgers W
Missing: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC, Washington, Wisconsin

Purdue Boilermakers

CFN Predicted Record: 3-9 (1-8)
Purdue Team Preview
Aug 30 Ball State W
Sept 6 Southern Illinois W
Sept 13 USC L
Sept 20 at Notre Dame L
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 Illinois L
Oct 11 at Minnesota L
Oct 18 at Northwestern W
Oct 25 Rutgers L
Nov 1 at Michigan L
Nov 8 Ohio State L
Nov 15 at Washington L
Nov 22 OPEN DATE
Nov 29 Indiana L
Missing: Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (4-5)
Rutgers Team Preview
Aug 30 Ohio W
Sept 6 Miami University W
Sept 13 Norfolk State W
Sept 20 Iowa L
Sept 27 at Minnesota W
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 at Washington L
Oct 18 Oregon L
Oct 25 at Purdue W
Nov 1 at Illinois L
Nov 8 Maryland W
Nov 15 OPEN DATE
Nov 22 at Ohio State L
Nov 29 Penn State L
Missing: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, UCLA, USC, Wisconsin

UCLA Bruins

CFN Predicted Record: 5-7 (3-6)
UCLA Team Preview
Aug 30 Utah L
Sept 6 at UNLV W
Sept 13 New Mexico W
Sept 20 OPEN DATE
Sept 27 at Northwestern W
Oct 4 Penn State L
Oct 11 at Michigan State L
Oct 18 Maryland W
Oct 25 at Indiana L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 Nebraska W
Nov 15 at Ohio State L
Nov 22 Washington L
Nov 29 at USC L
Missing: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin

USC Trojans

CFN Predicted Record: 9-3 (7-2)
USC Team Preview
Aug 30 Missouri State W
Sept 6 Georgia Southern W
Sept 13 at Purdue W
Sept 20 Michigan State W
Sept 27 at Illinois W
Oct 4 OPEN DATE
Oct 11 Michigan L
Oct 18 at Notre Dame L
Oct 25 OPEN DATE
Nov 1 at Nebraska W
Nov 8 Northwestern W
Nov 15 Iowa W
Nov 22 at Oregon L
Nov 29 UCLA W
Missing: Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington, Wisconsin

2025 Washington Football Schedule

CFN Predicted Record: 7-5 (4-5)
Washington Team Preview
Aug 30 Colorado State W
Sept 6 UC Davis W
Sept 13 OPEN DATE
Sept 20 at Washington State W
Sept 27 Ohio State L
Oct 4 at Maryland W
Oct 11 Rutgers W
Oct 18 at Michigan L
Oct 25 Illinois W
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 at Wisconsin L
Nov 15 Purdue W
Nov 22 at UCLA L
Nov 29 Oregon L
Missing: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, USC

Wisconsin Badgers

CFN Predicted Record: 6-6 (4-5)
Wisconsin Team Preview
Aug 30 Miami University W
Sept 6 Middle Tennessee W
Sept 13 at Alabama L
Sept 20 Maryland W
Sept 27 OPEN DATE
Oct 4 at Michigan L
Oct 11 Iowa W
Oct 18 Ohio State L
Oct 25 at Oregon L
Nov 1 OPEN DATE
Nov 8 Washington W
Nov 15 at Indiana L
Nov 22 Illinois W
Nov 29 at Minnesota L
Missing: Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC

- CFN Preview 2025: All 136 Team Previews