The 2025 Big Ten football season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet, with the expanded conference featuring a mix of powerhouse programs and rising contenders.
Oregon wasted no time making an impact last season, winning the Big Ten in its first year as a member, while Ohio State went on to capture the national championship in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, Penn State returns a loaded roster and will enter the season as a top-8 team with serious playoff aspirations.
With so much talent in the conference, navigating a Big Ten schedule is never easy, but some teams will have a more challenging path than others. Between crossover matchups, tough road games, and strong non-conference opponents, these five teams face the most difficult schedules in 2025.
Ranking the 5 toughest schedules in the Big Ten
1. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Key Games: at Washington, Oregon, at Ohio State, Penn State, at Illinois
Rutgers has improved under Greg Schiano, but 2025 is going to be a major test. The Scarlet Knights will have to travel to Washington, Illinois, and Ohio State while hosting Oregon and Penn State. Their schedule offers little room for slip-ups, and they’ll need to put together some of their best performances to ecen come close to bowl eligibility.
2. Wisconsin Badgers
Key Games: at Alabama, at Michigan, at Oregon, Ohio State, Illinois
Wisconsin’s schedule is among the most difficult in the country. A trip to Alabama early in the season sets the tone for a brutal slate, with road games at Michigan, Oregon, and Indiana looming in Big Ten play. The Badgers also host Ohio State and Illinois, making this one of the toughest schedules in college football. If Wisconsin wants to get past bowl eligibilty, it will need to pull off some big wins along the way.
3. Purdue Boilermakers
Key Games: at Notre Dame, at Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana
Purdue’s path to success in 2025 is filled with obstacles. A non-conference road trip to face national runner-up Notre Dame is a challenge in itself, but the Boilermakers also face a daunting Big Ten schedule. They’ll have to travel to Michigan and Washington while hosting Ohio State and USC, leaving little margin for error.
4. Iowa Hawkeyes
Key Games: at Penn State, at Oregon, Illinois, at USC, at Nebraska, at Wisconsin
Iowa is no stranger to tough schedules, but 2025 might be one of the hardest yet. The Hawkeyes will travel to Penn State and Oregon—two teams that will likely be ranked in the top 10—but they also have road trips to USC, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, as well as a home matchup against Illinois.
5. USC Trojans
Key Games: at Illinois, at Notre Dame, at Oregon, at Nebraska, Michigan
USC is still adjusting to life in the Big Ten, and 2025 won’t make things any easier. Road games at Oregon, Nebraska, and Notre Dame add to an already challenging schedule, and a home matchup against Michigan only increases the difficulty. Lincoln Riley’s team will need to show improvement, especially on defense, to make a serious push in the conference.