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2025 USC Football Predictions: Trojans Ranked 26th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 USC Football Predictions: Trojans Ranked 26th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 10:27 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where USC lands in my Ultimate 136. USC ranking: 26 Last year's ranking: 17 Top player: WR Makai Lemon: Recorded 764 receiving yards along with 514 kick return yards, ranking 10th among all Big Ten players in all-purpose yards (1,278); his eight receptions of 30-plus yards ranked fifth in the Big Ten. [USC's 2025 schedule] RJ's take: Lincoln Riley returns Jayden Maiava, who threw for 1,201 yards, 11 TDs and six INTs in four games last season. He bombarded Notre Dame for 360 passing yards and led a comeback win against Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. ADVERTISEMENT USC's 4-5 start last year could've easily been a 9-0 start if just half-a-dozen plays went the other way. The Trojans could've been the team we talked about like we did Indiana, who made the CFP before USC did. And that, like everything you upload to the Internet, really is forever. This season, the Trojans won't have to play against Ohio State, Penn State or the aforementioned Hoosiers. They go to Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska and Oregon for Big Ten games, so the travel across two time zones might cost them one or two games. [Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here] USC Win Total Odds: Over 7.5 (-158) Under 7.5 (+128) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football USC Trojans share
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2025 Wisconsin Football Predictions: Badgers Ranked 51st in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 Wisconsin Football Predictions: Badgers Ranked 51st in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 10:26 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Wisconsin lands in my Ultimate 136. Wisconsin ranking: 51 Last year's ranking: 27 Top player: CB Ricardo Hallman: Was targeted 33 times in 319 coverage snaps last season and allowed just 20 catches, the second-fewest in the Big Ten among cornerbacks with 300-plus coverage snaps; was an AP Third-Team All-American in 2023. [Wisconsin's 2025 schedule] RJ's take: Stop me if you've heard this one before: Wisconsin is best when it runs the ball. Since the final game of the 2022 season, the Badgers are 12-0 when they rush for 150-plus yards. So, after the Badgers rushed for their fewest yards in a full season since the turn of the 20th century, it's easy to see why Phil Longo was no longer fit to call the offense. ADVERTISEMENT Making matters worse in 2024 was the 20.8 points per game the team averaged, which was its lowest in a full season since 2004. Now, Jeff Grimes takes over as offensive coordinator after overseeing a Kansas offense that ranked in the top 15 in rushing and produced a 1,000-yard rusher in Devin Neal. He had better get it sorted out fast with games at Alabama, vs. Iowa, at Michigan, at Oregon, vs. Ohio State and at Indiana this season. [Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here] Wisconsin Win Total Odds: Over 5.5 (+138) Under 5.5 (-170) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Wisconsin Badgers share
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2025 Rutgers Football Predictions: Scarlet Knights Ranked 62nd in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 Rutgers Football Predictions: Scarlet Knights Ranked 62nd in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 10:29 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Rutgers lands in my Ultimate 136. Rutgers ranking: 62 Last year's ranking: 36 Top player: WR DT Sheffield: First-Team All-AAC selection at North Texas last season; was one of 12 players in FBS last year to record 11 TD catches. [Rutgers' 2025 schedule] RJ's take: Greg Schiano returns 22 players from his two-deep last year, 10 of whom were starters. And, believe me, he's going to need that depth come October. Don't look now, but Rutgers has put together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time as Big Ten members. ADVERTISEMENT While the loss of Kyle Monangai will be felt, Florida Atlantic transfer CJ Campbell rushed for 844 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. Antwan Raymond was serviceable with just over 450 yards on the ground for Rutgers last year. Athan Kaliakmanis has two years as a starter at Minnesota and Rutgers and while he's not likely to throw for 4,000 yards, he's an experienced field general capable of throwing for 3,000 and 25 touchdowns. The problem for Rutgers is the whole second half of their schedule, which features Oregon, at Illinois, at Ohio State and at Penn State. Assuming the Scarlet Knights begin 3-0 with wins against Ohio, Miami (Ohio) and Norfolk State, they'll need to find ways to claw three wins from some combination of Iowa, at Minnesota, at Purdue, at Washington and Maryland. [Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here] Rutgers Win Total Odds: Over 5.5 (-115) Under 5.5 (-115) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Rutgers Scarlet Knights share
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2025 Washington Football Predictions: Huskies Ranked 49th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 Washington Football Predictions: Huskies Ranked 49th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 10:26 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Washington lands in my Ultimate 136. Washington ranking: 49 Last year's ranking: 83 Top player: QB Demond Williams Jr.: In his two starts last season, he threw for a combined 575 yards with 5 TDs and just 1 interception with an 82.7% completion rate. [Washington's 2025 schedule] RJ's take: The Huskies need to win their first three games, including their always-entertaining Apple Cup matchup with Washington State, if they expect to be taken seriously by the College Football Playoff selection committee. The schedule includes Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Illinois and Michigan. ADVERTISEMENT But a generational quarterback might be able to help the Huskies win some of those games, as Demond Williams has that kind of talent. With Denzel Boston returning and Penn State receiver Omari Evans joining the team, he'll have weapons on the outside. If Jonah Coleman can rush for 1,000 yards and 10 scores again, yes, the Huskies might be good. [Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here] Washington Win Total Odds: Over 7.5 (+104) Under 7.5 (-128) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Washington Huskies share
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2025 Minnesota Football Predictions: Golden Gophers Ranked 69th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 Minnesota Football Predictions: Golden Gophers Ranked 69th in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 10:12 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Minnesota lands in my Ultimate 136. Minnesota ranking: 69 Last year's ranking: 72 Top player: DB Koi Perich: Two-way player who played in all 13 games as a true freshman; he is the only FBS freshman to have recorded more than 100 punt return yards, 100 kick return yards and 5 interceptions in a season since at least 1976. [Minnesota's 2025 schedule] RJ's take: Off the rip, seeing the Golden Gophers must travel to Ohio State, Oregon and Iowa makes the schedule one that isn't exactly friendly. But it is not so diabolical that they play Michigan or Penn State this season. ADVERTISEMENT Given that P.J. Fleck has won eight or more games in three out of the last four years, it's within reason to believe the Gophers can reach that mark again. But no one in Minneapolis should be under the impression that Minnesota will find its way into the College Football Playoff's top 25 for the first time in six years unless Fleck catches lightning in a bottle. A lot will be riding on Drake Lindsey, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound redshirt freshman QB who hasn't lost a game he's started since 2023 — when he was a junior in high school. [Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here] Minnesota Win Total Odds: Over 7.5 (+130) Under 7.5 (-155) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Minnesota Golden Gophers share
