Note: Most dates and kickoff times haven't been finalized yet.
If you'd like a whole outlook on every team's 2025 slate, check out this awesome helmet schedule from FBSchedules.
Duke and Illinois have only met twice on the gridiron before. Their last meeting took place in 1965. The Fighting Illini's game against the Blue Devils this year is important for their hopes. Illinois is expected to be this year's version of what Indiana was last year, especially since they return almost every starter of their offense.
Their 2025 schedule looks to be very favorable, and their other two non-conference opponents are Western Illinois and Western Michigan. Those should be slam-dunk wins. This trip to Durham is sandwiched in between those other home games. Win this one, and everything should be smooth sailing until they host Ohio State to start the second half of the year.
A race towards the top of the Big Ten and a College Football Playoff spot has to start somewhere. For Illinois, it begins with their first major test on the road against Duke in the first week of September.
2025 will mark the first time Old Dominion and Indiana have met. The Hoosiers have a weak non-conference schedule, so we'll pick their season opener as their most intriguing game. Examining IU's non-conference schedule, it's easy to say it's weak, and rightfully so. After this opening weekend matchup with the Monarchs, Indiana hosts Kennesaw State and Indiana State.
Despite the boys from Columbus winning the national title, Bloomington was the center of the Big Ten universe in 2024. Great coaching from Curt Cignetti and outstanding QB play from Kurtis Rourke helped them reach the CFP. If they want to repeat that with Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza, they have to pick up the slam-dunk wins.
Start the season off with a victory here, and they'll be 3-0 before they meet with Illinois to open up conference play.
The 2025 edition of the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry will take place in Ames, on the Cyclones' home turf. Last year's edition of this historic but one-sided rivalry went to the underdogs wearing cardinal and gold. The Cyclones dramatically defeated the Hawkeyes with a 54-yard field goal from Kyle Konrardy. Now, can the Hawkeyes do the same to their little brothers on the road?
Iowa is not expected to be great this year. This is a game that most people will predict them to lose, and understandably so. This trip to Jack Trice Stadium is in between home dates against Albany and UMass, two automatic wins. Hawkeye fans would appreciate a win here. Not only will it serve as revenge, but it will also put them halfway towards a bowl birth.
Iowa's Big Ten slate is filled with challenging opponents. That list includes Indiana, Penn State, Minnesota, Oregon, and USC. Needless to say, they need to win this game and start 3-0 because there are very few winnable games heading into conference play.
Maryland's most intriguing non-conference matchup is with Northern Illinois during the second weekend of the season. The two schools have met three times before. The latest meeting was a 23-20 Terps win back in 2004. Despite not playing a Power 4 opponent, Northern Illinois will pose as a tough challenge for the Terps.
The Huskies shocked the college football world when they upset Notre Dame in South Bend early in 2024. Thomas Hammock's squad will be looking for another upset over a Power 4 opponent as they also play Mississippi State. They'll be motivated. With home matchups against FAU and Towson in between this NIU game, the Terrapins must get a win here. They might struggle to be to a bowl game.
Expectations are not very high for 2025. Maryland's conference slate has winnable games but some challenges, including a West Coast trip to UCLA, and some meetings with Washington, Michigan, Nebraska, Indiana, and Illinois.
These two college football blue bloods have only met once before, surprisingly. That was a 14-6 Sooners victory in the 1976 Orange Bowl. As far as the Wolverines are concerned, they are looking to improve in Sherrone Moore's second season as head coach. In 2024, on the heels of the Connor Stalions' sign-stealing scandal, Michigan regressed to an 8-5 record, highly uncharacteristic for their standards.
Moore will serve a university-issued ban for the first two games. That includes their tilt with Oklahoma in Norman, during the first weekend of September. For a program looking to put the controversy behind itself, this can be the game that gets the team back to its usual dominance atop the Big Ten. With a win, UM could be 3-0 before conference play as they open the year against New Mexico before facing off against Central Michigan.
The Spartans and Eagles have met seven previous times on the football field. The most recent occurrence was last year, when Boston College took down Michigan State in Chestnut Hill, 23-19. Now, MSU looks to return the favor on its home turf in the first test of the Jonathan Smith era. Michigan State has been stuck in mediocrity for the last few years.
Just five years ago, the program posted an 11-2 mark and won in the Peach Bowl. Last year saw the Spartans post a 5-7 record. They're going to need a victory here to get some good vibes going in East Lansing and get people behind Smith early. It would be a big boost for the team. Michigan State hasn't beaten a power non-conference opponent since that 11-2 season of 2021, when they took down Miami.
A win here that is sandwiched in between dates against Western Michigan and Youngstown State will lead to a 3-0 start before Big Ten play opens. That will be beneficial for them as they have games with USC, Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State in the conference slate. Every winnable game needs to be taken advantage of if MSU wants to get back to a bowl game. This Boston College team isn't a juggernaut.
There have been six meetings between the Golden Gophers and Golden Bears. A 35-21 Cal win in Minneapolis back in 2009 was the last time these two schools have played each other. 2025 will be an interesting year for Minnesota. P.J. Fleck is entering his ninth year as the head man for this program. He's made the Gophers a respectable squad, having three seasons of nine or more wins. He still has yet to lose a bowl game, too.
The Golden Gophers begin the campaign with home dates against Buffalo and Northwestern State. Those are two "for sure" wins. Then, this wraps up the non-conference slate with this West Coast trip to Berkeley. After a 6-7 season in 2023, Fleck guided Minnesota to an eight-win year last season. Now, the goal will be to get back up to nine regular-season wins. It's possible when looking at their slate.
This game against the Golden Bears will be their first big test. If they win this matchup in early September, a 3-0 start will be clinched. A victory here would be even more rewarding as the team will have a week off before they start Big Ten play against Rutgers at home. Minnesota's only massive opponents in the Big Ten will be Ohio State in October and Oregon in November.
Every other opponent in league play is either mediocre or hasn't reached their full potential yet. Cal continued their run of mediocrity in their inaugural ACC season. Nobody is expecting them to be great in 2025, so this is a winnable contest for Minnesota. Take care of business here, and the fans could be on their way to enjoying the program's third 10-win season since 2000.
Nebraska opens the 2025 season with a neutral-site game in Kansas City against the Cincinnati Bearcats. I'm sure Patrick Mahomes wanna-be Dylan Raiola appreciates that very much. The Bearcats and Cornhuskers' single previous meeting happened during the glorious year of 1906. 2024 was somewhat of a breakthrough year for the Cornhuskers.
While a 7-6 record isn't aligned with the standards set by the historic teams of the past, it was the school's first winning season since 2016 under Mike Reilly. No matter who the team is, that's a big step. Matt Rhule has injected something that the Huskers fans haven't felt in a while: hope and belief. Now, they have to continue building on that.
Ironically, Cincinnati is another program looking to get back on track after posting back-to-back losing seasons since integrating into the Big 12. Nebraska football is poised for a true breakthrough year, but they need to take care of their business to start the year.
A win in this season opener will certainly give the squad a 3-0 start, as Nebraska follows this up with a home game against Akron and Houston Christian. That will be the perfect world that the team and fans want to live in before they open up league play against Michigan.
Northwestern begins its year in the "Big Easy" against the Tulane Green Wave. Both teams will reunite for the first time since 1956, and Tulane has won three of the four matchups against the Purple Cats. In 2023, David Braun took over as head coach following the hazing scandal that got Pat Fitzgerald fired.
People forgot about that quickly, as Braun guided one of the biggest single-season turnarounds seen in college football. Northwestern went from one win to eight, and a win in the Las Vegas Bowl. However, last year, the team took a step back and fell to 4-8. Their postseason prospects don't look great heading into the 2025 season.
In conference play, the Wildcats face off against Oregon, Penn State, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. That's not counting teams looking for 'lift me' years, such as Nebraska and USC. It's still possible NU makes a bowl game, but what do they have to do to get there? Well, they need to beat Tulane in the season opener.
It will be tough, as the Green Wave has been one of the better Group of 5 schools in recent memory. It doesn't help that Northwestern has to travel to New Orleans to play them. However, this game is winnable, and it will be a telling sign as to how much this team has improved from last year. NU will need every win they can get, and this is one they need badly.
A win here will make the team 2-0 before Big Ten play begins against Oregon. After the Tulane game, Northwestern will host Western Illinois. It's important to note that NU will play its third and final non-conference game in early October against UL-Monroe. That's another game the Wildcats should have no problem in claiming.
It's time for a rematch! The Buckeyes will host the Texas Longhorns to open their National Championship defense in Columbus. Last year, OSU knocked off Texas in the CFP Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. Fans don't get many big-time matchups between two college football powers early in the season, like this. Unfortunately, it will be on FOX. That means it will most likely take place at noon Eastern time.
That's a bummer, but at least the game is scheduled. There will be no better way to open the 2025 season by knocking off Texas at home right after they won the natty last season. Even though the Buckeyes never have problems with this, a win here could help get Ohio State in the College Football Playoff immediately, regardless of whether they drop a game somewhere later down the road. Texas will be ranked in the top 5 to begin the season.
OSU is the favorite to come out of the Big Ten as champions again. A victory in the blockbuster season-opening game will guarantee Ohio State a 3-0 start. Grambling State and Ohio won't have a prayer of a chance.
Oregon will host Oklahoma State at home during the second game of the season. The Ducks and Cowboys have not met since the 2008 Holiday Bowl. The Ducks had a promising 2024 season that saw them ranked as the top team for most of the year. That was until they met and lost to the aforementioned Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl.
The Ducks should be in the conversation to be in the hunt for the national title once again. Oregon will start with Montana State, which should be and will be a blowout win. Then, they host Oklahoma State. Now, the Pokes were bad for the first time in a while. Mike Gundy's squad will be looking for a resurgent year.
This is a game that Oregon should win as well. However, any game against a power conference opponent will present a challenge. As every college football fan knows, crazier things have happened, especially early in the season. Looking at their schedule, Oregon will most likely, be 4-0 if they take care of this one.
Penn State will start the 2025 season by hosting Nevada from the Mountain West. This will be the first time the Nittany Lions will face off against the Wolfpack. Penn State has an extremely weak and easy non-conference slate. After this game, they will host Florida International and Villanova from the FCS. PSU fans shouldn't be expecting any challenges until they get to the Big Ten part of the slate.
There isn't anything to dissect about this game. The Nittany Lions and their fans shouldn't be sweating over the first four weeks of the season. The opening game is always a breath of fresh air, and the players will be excited to come out and dominate in front of the home crowd. A 3-0 stretch is expected to begin the year as a set of tune-up games before facing Oregon in late September.
The Barry Odom era in West Lafayette is set to begin in a few months. He will try to restore a once-proud football program at Purdue. He's worked his magic with UNLV. Now, he is trying to do the same here. His first big contest is the Big Ten opener against USC. However, the Boilermakers will follow that game up with a matchup against in-state rival Notre Dame in South Bend.
The Boilermakers open up with Ball State and will follow that up with Southern Illinois. So, a 2-0 start is reasonable and expected, even though it's possible that Purdue has some trouble against Ball State early. The USC game could go in the Boilermakers' favor. A possible 3-0 start before their meeting with Notre Dame could set the stage for a massive upset in late September, as the team will be revitalized and ready to play.
Last year, the Fighting Irish destroyed the hapless Boilermakers, 66-7. An upset seems unlikely, but you never know how a team will look with a new coach, especially since this game takes place four weeks into the year. It would be astounding if Purdue could shock Notre Dame in their building, and it could play spoilers for the Fighting Irish the rest of the season. Watch out for this one.
Rutgers will open up their 2025 slate with a pair of non-conference games against the two teams that played for the MAC Championship last year. First up are the Ohio Bobcats. Ohio and Rutgers last played in 2011 and have only met two other times before that. Rutgers hasn't had much trouble taking down mid-major and FCS teams since Greg Schiano returned to coach the Scarlet Knights.
They haven't lost to a MAC opponent since their embarrassing defeat to Buffalo in the dismal 2018 season that saw them go 1-11. Over the last two years, Rutgers has gone 7-6. That's as respectable as they'll be in the Big Ten, barring a Cinderella season that nobody sees coming. They will want to earn another win to start the season, and this is a great time to do it.
After this, they will take on Miami University, the runners-up in the MAC, and Norfolk State. RU doesn't put together the most eye-popping non-conference slates, so this will do. Playing against a defending conference champion has to count for something. However, this is Rutgers. Don't be surprised if the feisty Bobcats pick up a road upset. This could be a sneaky good game that people overlook.
The UCLA Bruins will begin their second season in the Big Ten with a home date against Utah. The two programs have met 21 times over the course of their histories. The last meeting was a slim 14-7 Utah victory in Salt Lake City. The Bruins have had a few down years and suffered their first losing season since 2020.
Second-year head coach and former NFL running back Deshaun Foster is searching for more positivity after a 5-7 finish in 2024. Excluding the Covid-19 year of 2020, UCLA hasn't defeated a power conference opponent in an opening day game since the legendary Josh Rosen led comeback against Texas A&M in 2017.
UCLA follows up this Utah Utes matchup with games against Mountain West opponents, UNLV on the road, and New Mexico at home. After a dismal year, the fanbase is going to want to see and feel some positivity. UCLA has a chance to do that right out of the gates. Escaping with a triumph and a 3-0 start isn't crazy to imagine.
Foster has already received criticism, so he can quiet the noise if UCLA comes out victorious. More importantly, the momentum found after a win can serve them well during the remainder of the year.
The 2025 edition of the storied Notre Dame vs USC rivalry will take place in mid-October in South Bend. USC will try to win back the Jeweled Shillelagh for the first time since 2022. Last year, the Irish won a 49-35 shootout in L.A. This far into the Lincoln Riley era, the Trojans have gotten worse every year.
In their first three years under the offensive guru, USC has regressed from 11 to eight, and finally to seven wins last year. Now, we won't know how USC will fare in this matchup until we get there. By the time the Notre Dame game starts, the world will have a clear understanding of what this year's team will be like, as the two schools don't play until mid-October.
There is a world where USC can have at least five victories before this meeting. Their other two non-conference opponents are FBS newcomer Missouri State and Georgia Southern. After that, they play Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois, and Michigan. Even though the Trojans beat the Irish in Riley's first year, the program hasn't had that signature win that gets the ball rolling. This could be it.
Despite playing rival Washington State on September 20, Washington's season opener against Colorado State is important and a sneaky trap game to begin 2025. These two schools have never played before 2025. The Rams, led by offensive innovator and smack-talker Jay Norvell, can throw and rack up yards and points at any given moment.
The Huskies are coming off a disappointing 6-7 season. Now, Jedd Fisch is looking for a better year in 2025. If he doesn't get there, he might start facing some heat from the media and fans and could be on the hot seat heading into 2026. Avoiding a bad loss to begin the year would be a relief and restore some positivity back into the program. UW could race out to a fast start with a win against CSU.
After only playing each other just twice between 1920 and 2020, Wisconsin and Alabama will face each other for back-to-back years. Last season, the Crimson Tide came into Madison and destroyed the Badgers, 42-10. Luke Fickell's run as Wisconsin's head coach hasn't been great thus far. In his first two years, the Badgers have gone a combined 13-13.
Things must get better fast before he may start running out of time in Madison. It will be interesting to see how his team comes out against one of the dominant powers of the SEC in this year's rematch. Will they fold or put up a fight this time? To make this even more daunting, this game will be played in Tuscaloosa. A 2-0 start is expected as the team plays Miami University and Middle Tennessee in the first two games.
Wisconsin will be the underdogs before this meeting gets underway. As of now, if you were to ask people if these Badgers had a shot to upset Alabama, most will probably dismiss the idea. However, this is a chance for the program to get that signature it needs to get them back to where they were in past years.