Big Ten Expected to Feature Multiple Top Contenders in 2025 College Football Season

As the 2025 college football season approaches, the Big Ten Conference is experiencing significant shifts with a new divisionless format and high-profile transfers reshaping team rosters. Iowa, coming off an 8-5 season, is projected by BTN analysts to finish near the bottom of the conference rankings, placing eighth or ninth, largely due to offensive struggles and a demanding schedule including multiple games against top teams. Michigan, after losing key players to the NFL Draft, is seen as a middle-tier contender with analysts predicting finishes between fifth and seventh in the conference, reflecting cautious optimism but no clear championship prospects. Meanwhile, Oregon leads the Big Ten in transfer portal acquisitions, highlighting a trend of teams bolstering their lineups with top-tier talent to compete at a higher level. ESPN's Football Power Index further identifies Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon as the conference's strongest teams with the best chances to compete for the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff spots. Overall, the Big Ten is expected to send multiple teams to the playoffs, but the middle tier remains highly competitive and unpredictable this season.