Every Big Ten football team's 2025 bowl projection following spring practice

USA Today

08-05-2025

AI-assisted summary
Several Big Ten teams are projected to reach bowl games in the 2025 season, including Michigan State, Indiana, and Wisconsin, who all missed bowl games in 2024.
Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon are expected to contend for the College Football Playoff again in 2025, while Illinois is also projected to make the playoffs.
Teams like UCLA and Washington are predicted to have breakthrough seasons in 2025, while traditional powers like Michigan and USC aim to improve upon their 2024 performances.
Penn State is considered the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten, with key returning players and crucial matchups against Oregon and Ohio State.
While more than 100 days remain before the 2025 college football season kicks off, it's never too early to predict how the season will conclude.
The Big Ten sent 12 of its 18 member programs to bowl games in 2024. Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Indiana's trips to the College Football Playoff highlighted that group. Of course, the Buckeyes finished the season by hoisting the national championship trophy.
Those top three programs will look for repeat performances in 2025, each entering with some form of CFP expectations. On the other hand, Indiana is just looking to continue its momentum from last year's run and cement itself as a perennial bowl contender.
While those top programs are the main story, several of the teams that missed a bowl game last season enter critical situations in 2025. Michigan State, UCLA and Wisconsin all finished 2024 at 5-7, just one win shy of a bowl trip. The Spartans and Bruins each enter 2025 needing a spark in year two under new head coaches, while Wisconsin is looking for any positive momentum, now entering year three under Luke Fickell.
Earlier this month, we made full win-loss record predictions for eachBig Ten team after spring practice. With those totals recorded, here are our bowl predictions for the projected postseason-eligible teams:
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Michigan State Spartans
Projected Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Miami (OH)
Michigan State should be able to sneak into a bowl bid, with a light nonconference slate and several winnable Big Ten games. While six wins is below the program's overall expectation under Jonathan Smith, this would be a step in the right direction after a disappointing 2024 season.
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Indiana Hoosiers
Projected Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. BYU
Indiana's 2025 season should be about establishing a strong floor. The team is unlikely to repeat its CFP run regularly. But it becoming a perennial bowl team would mark terrific program health. The Hoosiers do again have a manageable schedule in 2025, so six or seven wins shouldn't be hard to attain.
Wisconsin Badgers
Projected Record: 6-6 (4-5 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Pinstripe Bowl vs. Syracuse
Wisconsin going 6-6 against its gauntlet schedule would mark a major victory. While that record is far below the broader expectations of the Luke Fickell era, it would be impressive given the context of the season. This potential result and bowl trip would build strong momentum entering a make-or-break 2026 season.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Projected Record: 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah
P.J. Fleck has established Minnesota's floor at bowl eligibility, as the program has reached the postseason in six straight non-COVID seasons. The team is still looking for its first double-digit-win breakthrough since the 2019 season. Given the current Big Ten landscape, it's hard to see that happening in 2025.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Projected Record: 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Music City Bowl vs. Oklahoma
Write Iowa in for seven or eight wins and a good bowl game. The team should be an interesting watch in 2025 with top Football Championship Subdivision transfer Mark Gronowski at quarterback. The team could find itself needing wins over USC, Nebraska and Wisconsin to reach double-digit wins.
Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
UCLA Bruins
Projected Record: 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: LA Bowl vs. Boise State
UCLA is one of our big breakthrough picks entering 2025. The team's form toward the end of the 2024 season informs that pick, as does its addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. An 8-4 finish and good bowl trip would mark a major success in year two under DeShaun Foster.
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Washington Huskies
Projected Record: 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Holiday Bowl vs. SMU
Washington is our second breakthrough pick. The team flashed terrific form at times in 2024, plus now enters 2025 after significant offseason roster upgrades. The Huskies have a tough draw. But if all falls right, they could contend for a CFP trip.
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USC Trojans
Projected Record: 8-4 (6-3 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Alamo Bowl vs. Iowa State
USC needs to take a step forward in its second year in the Big Ten after going just 6-6 during the 2024 regular season. The team has major questions entering the year, including its defense in year two under coordinator D'Anton Lynn and whether quarterback Jayden Maiava can excel as the full-time starter. USC fans want more than a bowl trip. But an eight-win season would mark a big step forward after last year's disappointment.
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Nebraska Cornhuskers
Projected Record: 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. South Carolina
It's the offseason, which means it's time to predict a breakthrough season from Nebraska. Another top-20 defense and a second-year surge from quarterback Dylan Raiola would accomplish just that. Wins over tough UCLA and USC teams could be all that stands between the Cornhuskers and a 10-win season. Of course, or the program could just revert back to the Nebraska we've seen for the last 15 years.
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Michigan Wolverines
Projected Record: 9-3 (7-2 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Citrus Bowl vs. Ole Miss
Michigan should be a fringe-CFP contender in 2025. The major question comes at quarterback, where true freshman Bryce Underwood is a prime candidate to start. The team's finish to 2024 -- wins over Ohio State and Alabama -- has many predicting a breakthrough in 2025. Playoff-wise, that's more likely to happen once Underwood gains experience under center.
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Oregon Ducks
Projected Record: 9-3 (6-3 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Sun Bowl vs. Miami
We predict Oregon to narrowly miss the CFP in 2025. It may be a reset year for the team after all of the stars aligned in 2024. With new faces across the field, it's hard to see the Ducks delivering the same big-game performances that they did against Ohio State (regular-season), Penn State (Big Ten title game) and others.
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Illinois Fighting Illini
Projected Record: 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff
Illinois will be included in most preseason College Football Playoff predictions. The team returns nearly its entire team after a 10-win season in 2024. It also faces one of the conference's lightest schedules. The Fighting Illini are rightfully being crowned as this year's Indiana.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Projected Record: 10-2 (8-1 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff
Ohio State should take a minor step backward after its national title run. The team lost most of its production to the NFL, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Still, the Buckeyes are too talented to win fewer than 10 games. They should be an annual CFP contender, regardless of their returning production total.
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Penn State Nittany Lions
Projected Record: 11-1 (8-1 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff (first-round bye)
Penn State should be the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten. The team returns its star quarterback and two star running backs. Games against Oregon and Ohio State will decide the Big Ten regular-season race. Either way, Penn State is a playoff team.
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