The B1G is no longer just about its blue-blood powerhouses—it’s rapidly becoming one of the deepest and most competitive leagues in all of college football. With recent expansion and improved recruiting efforts across the board, programs that were once afterthoughts are now making serious noise in the national conversation. From the top of the standings to the middle tier, the separation between those teams seems to be gradually shrinking each year, and weekly matchups have become far more unpredictable. Veteran coaches, aggressive use of the transfer portal, and increased investment in football infrastructure have helped elevate the floor of the conference, making bowl eligibility—and even contention—for more teams a realistic expectation. In this article, I’ll reveal the first part of my B1G predictions and previews, featuring the following teams: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Maryland.

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Illinois Fighting Illini

8/29 – vs. Western Illinois – Win

9/6 – @ Duke – Win

9/13 – vs. Western Michigan – Win

9/20 – @ Indiana – Loss

9/27 – vs. USC – Win

10/4 – @ Purdue – Win

10/11 – vs. Ohio State – Loss

10/18 – BYE

10/25 – @ Washington – Win

11/1 – vs. Rutgers – Win

11/8 – BYE

11/15 – vs. Maryland – Win

11/22 – @ Wisconsin – Win

11/29 – vs. Northwestern – Win

Final Record: 10-2 (7-2)

Illinois will enter the 2025 season riding high after head coach Bret Bielema guided the Fighting Illini to their first 10-win campaign in 23 years. With 18 starters returning, this year’s squad has the potential to reach even greater heights.

Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. will once again team up with quarterback Luke Altmyer, who returns for his third and final season in Champaign. Although Illinois loses the majority of its receiving production with Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin heading to the NFL, returning wideouts Collin Dixon and Malik Elzy are primed for expanded roles. They’ll be complemented by a pair of promising transfer additions—Hudson Clement from West Virginia and Justin Bowick from Ball State—who are expected to make an immediate impact in the rotation. In the backfield, top rusher Josh McCray has transferred to Georgia, but the Illini bring back Aidan Laughery and 250-pound bruiser Kaden Feagin, whose physical style makes him a strong short-yardage option. He’ll run behind a veteran offensive line and a strong blocking presence in tight end Tanner Arkin, giving Illinois the tools to maintain a steady and balanced ground attack.

On defense, third-year coordinator Aaron Henry oversees what could be the most complete unit in the Big Ten. The defensive line is loaded with talent, featuring former Wisconsin standouts James Thompson at defensive end and Curt Neal at nose tackle, while Florida State transfer Tomiwa Durojaiye—a 300-pound power rusher—will handle duties on the opposite edge. The linebacker corps is anchored by edge rusher Gabe Jacas, a potential late first-round NFL Draft selection, and inside linebacker Dylan Rosiek, who finished third on the team in tackles last season, provides stability and leadership in the middle. The secondary might be the unit’s biggest strength, returning standout nickel Xavier Scott—arguably one of the conference’s top defensive backs—alongside safeties Matthew Bailey and Miles Scott, and a veteran trio at cornerback that adds both depth and experience.

The early portion of Illinois’ schedule will be crucial. They open with a sneaky-tough road test at Duke in what could be one of the most underrated non-conference matchups of the season. That’s followed by a road trip to face an improved Indiana squad, then two marquee home games against USC and defending national champion Ohio State before their first bye week. Following that week, there really isn’t much to worry about outside of a matchup in front of a hostile Washington crowd.

Some believe Illinois could be this year’s version of Indiana—a surprise contender for the College Football Playoff—and I’m buying into their hype as well. While Penn State and Ohio State remain the frontrunners in the Big Ten, the Illini could firmly insert themselves into the playoff conversation if they take care of business early and capitalize on a more favorable second-half schedule. Regardless of how things shake out, expect Bielema’s group to be in the mix well into November.

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Indiana Hoosiers

8/30 – vs. Old Dominion – Win

9/6 – vs. Kennesaw State – Win

9/12 – vs. Indiana State – Win

9/20 – vs. Illinois – Win

9/27 – @ Iowa – Loss

10/4 – BYE

10/11 – @ Oregon – Loss

10/18 – vs. Michigan State – Win

10/25 – vs. UCLA – Win

11/1 – @ Maryland – Win

11/8 – @ Penn State – Loss

11/15 – vs. Wisconsin – Win

11/22 – BYE

11/28 – @ Purdue – Win

Final Record: 9-3 (6-3)

Who could’ve predicted Indiana football pulling off the kind of season they had in 2024? Well, apparently head coach Curt Cignetti did. In just one season since arriving from James Madison, Cignetti led the Hoosiers to their first-ever double-digit win season and a historic berth in the College Football Playoff. With both of his coordinators—Mike Shanahan on offense and Bryant Haines on defense—returning for Year Two, Indiana is aiming to prove last season was just the beginning.

While the offense loses quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who was instrumental in leading the nation in scoring, they may not miss a beat. California transfer Fernando Mendoza takes over under center and will benefit from a significantly improved offensive line. Two starters return, and they’re joined by a trio of high-impact transfers—Notre Dame’s Pat Coogan, Ohio State’s Zen Michalski, and Colorado’s Khalil Benson. In the backfield, Maryland’s Roman Hemby teams up with Kaelon Black to form a physical, dynamic duo. Out wide, Indiana looks explosive once again with the return of standout receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., while slot receiver Jonathan Brady reunites with Mendoza after transferring in from Cal, stepping in for the injured Michigan transfer Tyler Morris.

Defensively, Indiana returns a strong core loaded with talent and experience. Star edge rusher Mikail Kamara leads the way up front, joined by Kent State transfer Stephen Daley and Western Kentucky transfer Hosea Wheeler—two powerful additions expected to fill in for James Carpenter and reinforce the Hoosiers’ ability to control the trenches and stop the run. Leading tackler Aidan Fisher returns at linebacker, while sophomore Rolijah Hardy is projected to take a major step forward as he fills the void left by NFL Draft pick Jailin Walker. In the secondary, All-Big Ten cornerback D’Angelo Ponds anchors what could be one of the conference’s most complete defensive units, and he’ll be supported by a pair of impact transfers in nickel corner Devan Boykin (NC State) and safety Louis Moore (Ole Miss), both of whom bring experience, versatility, and added depth to an already dangerous back end.

Indiana benefited from a relatively favorable schedule last season, but 2025 will be a different story. A critical early home matchup against Illinois could set the tone, followed by a tough road trip to always-dangerous Iowa. After their bye, the Hoosiers travel to Eugene to face defending Big Ten champion Oregon, and later in November, they’ll meet national title hopeful Penn State in Happy Valley. If they can steal two of those four big matchups, another playoff run isn’t out of the question.

That said, this year’s tougher slate might be just enough to keep Indiana out of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Still, with Cignetti’s leadership, talent on both sides of the ball, and a growing sense of belief within the program, the Hoosiers look poised to remain a legitimate Big Ten contender well beyond 2025.

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Iowa Hawkeyes

8/30 – vs. Albany – Win

9/6 – @ Iowa State – Loss

9/13 – vs. UMass – Win

9/19 – @ Rutgers – Win

9/27 – vs. Indiana – Win

10/4 – BYE

10/11 – @ Wisconsin – Loss

10/18 – vs. Penn State – Loss

10/25 – vs. Minnesota – Win

11/1 – BYE

11/8 – vs. Oregon – Win

11/15 – @ USC – Loss

11/22 – vs. Michigan State – Win

11/29 – @ Nebraska – Win

Final Record: 8-4 (6-3)

Iowa enters 2025 as one of the most consistently steady programs in the Big Ten, with longtime head coach Kirk Ferentz returning for his 27th season in Iowa City. Armed with a veteran-dominated roster and a clear identity on both sides of the ball, the Hawkeyes appear primed for another winning campaign.

Offensive coordinator Tim Lester is back for Year 2, tasked with continuing the modest but meaningful progress made in the passing game last season. That effort gets a major lift with the arrival of 2023 Walter Payton Award winner Mark Gronowski, the former South Dakota State quarterback who brings championship pedigree, mobility, and leadership to an offense searching for balance. Gronowski will headline what could be Iowa’s deepest receiving corps in years, led by reliable wideout Jacob Gill and breakout candidate Reece Vander Zee. With NFL-bound Luke Lachey gone, the Hawkeyes will lean on the duo of Addison Ostrenga and Zach Ortwerth at tight end to provide versatility and physicality in both the pass and run game. The biggest hole to fill is at running back, where 1,500-yard rusher Kaleb Johnson departs. However, the combination of Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson offers a promising one-two punch with a mix of speed and toughness.

On defense, legendary coordinator and 2023 Broyles Award winner Phil Parker returns for his 14th season at the helm of one of the nation’s most disciplined units. Though the Hawkeyes lose a steady linebacker tandem in Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, Parker’s track record for developing talent is elite, and Jaden Harrell and Karson Sharar are next in line. The front seven returns a productive trio in Ethan Hurkett, Max Llewellyn, and Aaron Graves, who combined for 18 sacks in 2024, but depth along the interior defensive line remains a concern. In the secondary, hard-hitting safety Xavier Nwankpa leads the way, but Iowa must replace the leadership and production of veterans Quinn Schulte, Jermari Harris, and Sebastian Castro.

The schedule poses early and late challenges, starting with a rivalry trip to Iowa State and ending on the road at Nebraska. The most daunting stretch comes in late October, with back-to-back home games against Big Ten runner-up Penn State and defending national champion Oregon, followed by a road tilt at USC.

While Iowa may not enter the season as a true Big Ten title contender, a more dynamic offense combined with Parker’s ever-reliable defense could make this a dangerous, under-the-radar team capable of knocking off a giant or two.

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Maryland Terrapins

8/30 – vs. FAU – Win

9/5 – vs. Northern Illinois – Win

9/13 – vs. Towson – Win

9/20 – @ Wisconsin – Loss

9/27 – BYE

10/4 – vs. Washington – Loss

10/11 – vs. Nebraska – Loss

10/18 – @ UCLA – Loss

10/25 – BYE

11/1 – vs. Indiana – Loss

11/8 – @ Rutgers – Loss

11/15 – @ Illinois – Loss

11/22 – vs. Michigan – Loss

11/29 – @ Michigan State – Loss

Final Record: 3-9 (0-9)

After three straight seasons of at least seven wins and a bowl victory, Maryland took a major step back in 2024, finishing with just four wins and landing second-to-last in the Big Ten standings. Unfortunately for head coach Mike Locksley, the road ahead in 2025 doesn’t look much easier.

Following a disappointing offensive campaign, Locksley parted ways with offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and brought in Pep Hamilton to take over the unit. Hamilton, a longtime NFL assistant with experience developing quarterbacks, will inherit an offense that returns very little production. With Billy Edwards Jr. transferring to Wisconsin, the quarterback battle will come down to UCLA transfer Justyn Martin and incoming four-star freshman Malik Washington. They’ll work behind an offensive line that returns just two starters and must take a significant step forward after struggling mightily last season. In the backfield, running back Nolan Ray is expected to take on a larger role following Roman Hemby’s transfer to Indiana. The wide receiver room also takes a hit with the departures of Tai Felton and Kaden Prather to the NFL, leaving Octavian Smith Jr. to lead a group that now includes Oklahoma transfer Jalil Farooq and Tennessee transfer Kaleb Webb.

On defense, newly hired coordinator Ted Monachino—formerly with North Carolina—takes over a unit that finished near the bottom of the conference in nearly every category. The biggest issue last season was a nonexistent pass rush, and Maryland will be counting on defensive ends Neeo Avery, Trey Reddick, and Ohio transfer Cam Rice to change that. The return of linebackers Daniel Wingate and Michael Harris should add some stability to the second level, but without a more consistent push up front, they’ll have their work cut out for them. The secondary could be a relative strength, with returning safeties Lavain Scruggs and Jalen Huskey joined by new cornerback transfers Jamare Glasker out of Wake Forest and Dontay Joyner out of Arkansas State, though their success may hinge on the front seven’s ability to generate pressure.

While Maryland’s schedule isn’t particularly daunting, the Terrapins will still face tough home matchups against Washington, Nebraska, Indiana, and Michigan. Their only significant road test comes at Illinois, but even with the home-field edge, it’s hard to see Maryland winning more than one or two of those games—if any.

Unless the offense gels quickly and the defense makes a dramatic leap, another disappointing season feels likely—and by the end of it, Mike Locksley’s seat could be hotter than ever.