The Pac-12 may be a shell of its former self, but it’s still breathing, at least for one more season as a two-team conference. With Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, and Utah State set to join in all sports next year, 2025 becomes a year of preservation for Oregon State and Washington State. Their job isn’t just to compete, and it’s to prove they can remain steady enough for the new additions to elevate the league and maybe even restore its Power Five credibility. Meanwhile, the Independents showed last season that they can make noise on the national stage. One program shocked the nation by storming all the way to the National Championship, gaining both the physical talent and financial backing to sustain long-term success, and the other climbed out of years of two- and three-win slumps to become a reliable, competitive force again. In this article, I will reveal the final part of my Power Four predictions and previews consisting of the following teams: Notre Dame, Oregon State, UConn, and Washington State.

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish

8/31 – @ Miami – Loss

9/6 – BYE

9/13 – vs. Texas A&M – Win

9/20 – vs. Purdue – Win

9/27 – @ Arkansas – Win

10/4 – vs. Boise State – Win

10/11 – vs. NC State – Win

10/18 – vs. USC – Win

10/25 – BYE

11/1 – @ Boston College – Win

11/8 – vs. Navy – Win

11/15 – @ Pittsburgh – Win

11/22 – vs. Syracuse – Win

11/29 – @ Stanford – Win

Final Record: 11-1

What a turnaround it was for Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame squad, who rebounded from an early loss to Northern Illinois with ten straight wins before topping Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State in the College Football Playoff to reach their first National Championship in 12 years, who has the program riding its biggest wave of hype in years entering his fourth season.

Led by second-year coordinator Mike Denbrock, Notre Dame’s offense thrived in 2024 with one of the nation’s best rushing attacks. That’ll look different without Riley Leonard, but the winner of the battle between redshirt freshman CJ Carr and sophomore Kenny Minchey will be a solid replacement at quarterback. While Leonard was the leader, Jeremiyah Love was the star, averaging nearly seven yards per carry with 17 touchdowns, and he returns alongside Jadarian Price. The receiving corps should be stronger despite losing Beaux Collins, with Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison back, redshirt freshman Cam Williams stepping into a bigger role, and both Virginia transfer Malachi Fields and Wisconsin transfer Will Pauling joining the rotation, and the Irish hope that Eli Raridon can become the next great tight end at Notre Dame after Mitchell Evans’ departure. The offensive line, historically a strength, lost Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan to the portal, but remains solid with Anthonie Knapp and Aamil Wagner at tackle, Billy Schrauth at left guard, and Charles Jagusah returning at right guard once he recovers from a broken arm.

Notre Dame’s defense faces more turnover than the offense, with Al Golden departing for the Cincinnati Bengals and Chris Ash stepping in, but the pedigree of Freeman’s Irish defenses should set Ash up for success. Up front, star tackles Rylie Mills and Howard Cross III are gone, but last year’s rotation of Donovan Hinish, Jason Onye, and Gabriel Rubio returns stronger, is more experience, and is joined by Louisville transfer Jared Dawson for added depth. The edge unit on the outside of the line remains solid with Boubacar Traore healthy again and Joshua Burnham, Junior Tuihalamaka, and Bryce Young back. Linebacker depth is a strength despite losing leading tackler Jack Kiser, as Drayk Bowen, Jaiden Ausberry, and high-upside Jaylen Sneed lead the group. In the secondary, Benjamin Morrison’s injury hurt last year, and his NFL departure alongside Xavier Watts stings, but Adon Shuler, Leonard Moore, and Christian Gray return after helping the Irish finish fourth nationally in pass defense. If safety Luke Talich and Alabama nickel transfer DeVonta Smith step up, Ash will have the talent to keep this unit among the nation’s elite.

Notre Dame’s toughest tests come early, opening at Miami before hosting Texas A&M after an early bye, but beyond a trip to Arkansas and home games against USC and Group of Five powers Boise State and Navy, the rest of the schedule appears manageable.

In the end, I’m expecting something similar to what the Fighting Irish accomplished last year. They might drop a game early on, but they’ll regroup very quickly and begin rolling through their schedule and into the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row.

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Oregon State Beavers

8/30 – vs. California – Win

9/6 – vs. Fresno State – Win

9/13 – @ Texas Tech – Loss

9/20 – @ Oregon – Loss

9/26 – vs. Houston – Loss

10/4 – @ Appalachian State – Loss

10/11 – vs. Wake Forest – Win

10/18 – vs. Lafayette – Win

10/25 – BYE

11/1 – vs. Washington State – Win

11/8 – vs. Sam Houston – Win

11/15 – @ Tulsa – Win

11/22 – BYE

11/29 – @ Washington State – Loss

Final Record: 7-5 (1-1)

Oregon State faced many challenges heading into 2024, including the departure of head coach Jonathan Smith and key players like DJ Uiagalelei, Damien Martinez, and Silas Bolden. After finishing 5-7 under head coach Trent Bray, the Beavers hope for improvement in 2025 as Bray enters his second year leading the program in Corvallis.

The offense, led by second-year coordinator Ryan Gunderson, was inconsistent last season despite some early flashes, but this year, with Duke transfer Maalik Murphy stepping in at quarterback, the unit is expected to find more stability and rhythm. Oregon State returns three of its top four wide receivers, including reliable leader Trent Walker, Darrius Clemons, who transferred from Michigan before 2024, and slot man Taz Reddicks, who is set for a bigger role. Tight end Jermaine Terry II has moved on, but Bryce Caufield is ready to take on more responsibility, while Miami transfer Riley Williams adds size and pass-catching ability, making him a strong candidate to lead the tight end group. Even with all of this talent back, no return is bigger than that of Anthony Hankerson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last year, and his return is a major boost, though he’ll rely heavily on a revamped offensive line. With star blocker Joshua Gray gone, a mix of veterans and transfers are prepared to step up, maintaining strength and consistency up front, ensuring the Beavers’ rushing attack stays a formidable weapon in 2025.

On defense, Trent Bray takes on the role of defensive coordinator in addition to his head coaching duties after former coordinator Keith Heyward Jr. resigned. Given how Bray’s defenses performed during the Jonathan Smith era, there’s optimism for a rebound after last year’s sharp decline. Improvement must come from the pass rush, which ranked dead last nationally in sacks last season. Edge rushers Nikko Taylor, returning healthy, and Takari Hickle, coming off injury, should bolster that unit. Inside, defensive tackles Tevita Pome’e and Thomas Collins, along with the imposing Jacob Schuster, will aim to disrupt opposing backfields more effectively. Linebacker Raesjon Davis, transferring from USC, will take over the middle, joining a group that will feature a healthy Makiya Tongue, who is finally healthy and will play a crucial rotational role again after Dexter Foster’s solid performance filling in last year. Although the secondary also lost starters in Jaden Robinson and Jack Kane, it returns promising young corners Exodus Ayers and Sailasa Vadrawale III, but the key defender back there, however, is Skyler Thomas, who led the team in tackles and pass deflections last season.

Oregon State faces five Power Four teams in its first seven games in 2025, including California, Texas Tech, Oregon, Houston, and Wake Forest. The schedule then eases as they face a likely regressing Washington State twice, giving the Beavers a chance to build momentum and finish the season strong.

Though they may not reach the 60% win mark for a second straight year as they did under Smith, the Beavers are poised for progress. They should earn bowl eligibility and lay the groundwork to tackle conference play with renewed energy in 2026.

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UConn Huskies

8/30 – vs. Central Connecticut – Win

9/6 – @ Syracuse – Loss

9/13 – @ Delaware – Win

9/20 – vs. Ball State – Win

9/27 – @ Buffalo – Loss

10/4 – vs. FIU – Win

10/11 – BYE

10/18 – @ Boston College – Loss

10/25 – @ Rice – Win

11/1 – vs. UAB – Win

11/8 – vs. Duke – Loss

11/15 – vs. Air Force – Win

11/22 – @ FAU – Win

11/29 – BYE

Final Record: 8-4

In Jim Mora’s fourth season as UConn’s head coach, he led the Huskies to their best season since 2007, their first winning season since 2010, and their first bowl win since 2009. Now in Year Five, he’s given this program signs of life, and Husky fans finally have something to be excited about outside of basketball season.

Their offense, led by coordinator Gordon Sammis, had its best season as an FBS program in 2024, and with key returners in 2025, there’s optimism he can build on that success. It starts with quarterback Joe Fagnano, who exceeded expectations as a passer, while Nick Evers will occasionally rotate in as a dual-threat option. Leading receiver Skyler Bell, who posted over 800 yards and five touchdowns, is back and joined by Central Michigan transfer Chris Parker, who scored four times last year, and Auburn transfer Caleb Burton, a highly-rated recruit out of high school. Tight end Louis Hansen returns as a reliable pass-catcher and makes Fagnano’s life much easier with the talent at his disposal, and Germany’s Alex Honig adds size as a blocking specialist for a ground game that’s slightly better than the passing attack. Even without new Auburn Tiger Durell Robinson, they bring back leading rusher Cam Edwards and Mel Brown, who combined for around 1,500 yards on the ground in 2024. With only one starter returning on the offensive line, there are questions up front, but former Notre Dame tackle Ty Chan brings upside, and interior talent should help keep this unit productive and balanced in 2025.

While the offense will feature plenty of familiar faces, second-year coordinator Matt Brock’s defense will lean heavily on transfers, with seven projected starters arriving from the portal. The defensive line will be entirely transfer-led, featuring Iowa State’s Trent Jones II, Texas Southern’s Stephon Wright, and Virginia’s Ben Smiley in rotation at end, while Nebraska’s Vincent Carroll-Jackson anchors the nose spot, making size and backfield disruption top priorities. Linebacker production takes a hit from last year’s departures, leaving Donovan Branch as one of the few returners, but Washington transfer Bryun Parham and Temple transfer Tyquan King are expected to fill the other two starting spots and pile up tackles. The secondary boasts the most returning experience, including corner Cam Chadwick, nickel D’Mon Brinson, and safety Malachi McLean. Austin Peay transfer corner Sammy Anderson Jr. should be a reliable addition, but the breakout candidate could be safety Tyrece Mills, an athletic and versatile defender coming off a stint at Penn State who is poised for a significant jump in production.

Their 2025 schedule only features a few intriguing Power Four matchups, including road trips to Syracuse and Boston College, plus a home game against Duke, and while a visit to Buffalo could also test them, the slate should be far easier than last season.

I’m expecting something pretty similar out of this year’s UConn team as I believe this team has finally found a type of confidence they haven’t had in years. Jim Mora has officially brought this program back, and I’m not sure if they’ll be going away anytime soon.

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Washington State Cougars

8/30 – vs. Idaho – Win

9/6 – vs. San Diego State – Win

9/13 – @ North Texas – Loss

9/20 – vs. Washington – Loss

9/27 – @ Colorado State – Win

10/4 – BYE

10/11 – @ Ole Miss – Loss

10/18 – @ Virginia – Loss

10/25 – vs. Toledo – Loss

11/1 – @ Oregon State – Loss

11/8 – BYE

11/15 – vs. Louisiana Tech – Win

11/22 – @ James Madison – Loss

11/29 – vs. Oregon State – Win

Final Record: 5-7 (1-1)

Since Mike Leach’s departure, Washington State has struggled for stability, and in their first season left out of the Pac-12’s realignment, they showed progress before head coach Jake Dickert departed for Wake Forest. Now, former South Dakota State coach Jimmy Rogers arrives, boasting a winning pedigree, a 27-3 record, and an FCS title to show for it.

Following Rogers from South Dakota State is offensive coordinator Danny Freund, tasked with replacing most of last year’s production. That includes quarterback John Mateer, who threw 29 touchdowns and ran for 15 more before transferring to Oklahoma. Now it’s Zevi Eckhaus’s turn, and while he impressed with 363 passing yards and four total scores against Syracuse in the Holiday Bowl, he’ll be working with a revamped group after losing 1,000-yard receiver Kyle Williams, slot man Kris Hutson, and tight end Cooper Mathers. Josh Meredith steps into a bigger role, joined by Georgia Tech transfer Devin Ellison, Oregon State transfer Jeremiah Noga, and Michigan State tight end transfer Ademola Faleye. Running back Wayshawn Parker left for Utah after rushing for 735 yards, but South Dakota State transfer duo Angel Johnson and Kirby Vorhees followed Rogers and Freund after combining for over 1,200 yards. The offensive line also lost three starters, leaving the staff to shuffle returners and plug in their most talented blockers like New Mexico State transfer guard AJ Vaipulu, who should solidify the interior.

On defense, Jesse Bobbit, another hire from Rogers’s Jackrabbit staff, takes over a unit that struggled mightily last year, but his job should be a bit easier with a mix of returning Cougars and former South Dakota State players in the starting lineup. The lone Jackrabbit transfer up front is defensive tackle Max Baloun, replacing former star Ansel Din-Mbuh, and he’ll be alongside tackles Bryson Lamb and ends Raam Stevenson and Isaac Terrell, all needing significant jumps in production from last year. Linebacker Caleb Francl also followed Rogers and Bobbit, and he’ll be a smaller, athletic option joining Keith Brown and Parker McKenna in key roles that’ll see that returning duo grow into top tacklers following the departures of Taariq Al-Uqdah and Kyle Thornton. The secondary will be almost entirely Jackrabbits, with corner Colby Humphrey lining up opposite lone returning Cougar Jamorri Colson, and safeties Tucker Large and Matt Durrance taking over the back end. Together, they’ll be tasked with transforming a pass defense that ranked tenth-worst in the FBS last season, aiming for a much-needed turnaround in 2025.

In addition to all of the changes in Pullman, Washington State must navigate a tougher slate with early tests against Washington at home and then at Ole Miss and Virginia. Ultimately, November matchups with Oregon State and Group of Five powers Toledo and James Madison will likely decide whether they finish bowl-eligible or with a losing record.

Unfortunately for Washington State, it’s hard to envision anything close to a repeat of last year given the heavy offseason turnover and slightly tougher schedule. They should eventually find their groove under Rogers, but 2025 feels more like a transition year for the Cougars.