Whereas greater than 100 days stay earlier than the 2025 school soccer season kicks off, it is by no means too early to foretell how the season will conclude.
The Huge Ten despatched 12 of its 18 member applications to bowl video games in 2024. Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Indiana’s journeys to the School Soccer Playoff highlighted that group. After all, the Buckeyes completed the season by hoisting the nationwide championship trophy.
These prime three applications will search for repeat performances in 2025, every coming into with some type of CFP expectations. Then again, Indiana is simply trying to proceed its momentum from final yr’s run and cement itself as a perennial bowl contender.
Whereas these prime applications are the principle story, a number of of the groups that missed a bowl sport final season enter essential conditions in 2025. Michigan State, UCLA and Wisconsin all completed 2024 at 5-7, only one win shy of a bowl journey. The Spartans and Bruins every enter 2025 needing a spark in yr two underneath new head coaches, whereas Wisconsin is searching for any optimistic momentum, now in yr three underneath Luke Fickell.
Earlier this month, we made full win-loss report predictions for every Huge Ten crew after spring observe. With these totals recorded, listed here are our bowl predictions for the projected postseason-eligible groups:
Michigan State Spartans
Projected File: 6-6 (3-6 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: GameAbove Sports activities Bowl vs. Miami (OH)
Michigan State ought to be capable of sneak right into a bowl bid, with a light-weight nonconference slate and several other winnable Huge Ten video games. Whereas six wins is under this system’s general expectation underneath Jonathan Smith, this might be a step in the correct route after a disappointing 2024 season.
Get extra (Michigan State) information, evaluation and opinions on Spartans Wire
Indiana Hoosiers
Projected File: 6-6 (3-6 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Assured Price Bowl vs. BYU
Indiana’s 2025 season ought to be about establishing a powerful ground. The crew is unlikely to repeat its CFP run commonly. But it surely changing into a perennial bowl crew would mark terrific program well being. The Hoosiers do once more have a manageable schedule in 2025, so six or seven wins should not be onerous to achieve.
Projected File: 6-6 (4-5 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Pinstripe Bowl vs. Syracuse
Wisconsin going 6-6 towards its gauntlet schedule would mark a serious victory. Whereas that report is much under the broader expectations of the Luke Fickell period, it might be spectacular given the context of the season. This potential consequence and bowl journey would construct sturdy momentum coming into a make-or-break 2026 season.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Projected File: 7-5 (5-4 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah
P.J. Fleck has established Minnesota’s ground at bowl eligibility, as this system has reached the postseason in six straight non-COVID seasons. The crew remains to be searching for its first double-digit-win breakthrough for the reason that 2019 season. Given the present Huge Ten panorama, it is onerous to see that taking place in 2025.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Projected File: 7-5 (5-4 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Music Metropolis Bowl vs. Oklahoma
Write Iowa in for seven or eight wins and a great bowl sport. The crew ought to be an fascinating watch in 2025 with prime Soccer Championship Subdivision switch Mark Gronowski at quarterback. The crew may discover itself needing wins over USC, Nebraska and Wisconsin to succeed in double-digit wins.
Get extra (Iowa) information, evaluation and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
UCLA Bruins
Projected File: 8-4 (5-4 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: LA Bowl vs. Boise State
UCLA is one in every of our huge breakthrough picks coming into 2025. The crew’s kind towards the tip of the 2024 season informs that decide, as does its addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. An 8-4 end and good bowl journey would mark a serious success in yr two underneath DeShaun Foster.
Get extra (UCLA) information, evaluation and opinions on UCLA Wire
Projected File: 8-4 (5-4 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Vacation Bowl vs. SMU
Washington is our second breakthrough decide. The crew flashed terrific kind at occasions in 2024, plus now enters 2025 after vital offseason roster upgrades. The Huskies have a tricky draw. But when all falls proper, they may contend for a CFP journey.
Get extra (Washington) information, evaluation and opinions on Huskies Wire
Projected File: 8-4 (6-3 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Alamo Bowl vs. Iowa State
USC must take a step ahead in its second yr within the Huge Ten after going simply 6-6 through the 2024 common season. The crew has main questions coming into the yr, together with its protection in yr two underneath coordinator D’Anton Lynn and whether or not quarterback Jayden Maiava can excel because the full-time starter. USC followers need greater than a bowl journey. However an eight-win season would mark a giant step ahead after final yr’s disappointment.
Get extra (USC) information, evaluation and opinions on Trojans Wire
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Projected File: 8-4 (5-4 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. South Carolina
It is the offseason, which suggests it is time to predict a breakthrough season from Nebraska. One other top-20 protection and a second-year surge from quarterback Dylan Raiola would accomplish simply that. Wins over robust UCLA and USC groups may very well be all that stands between the Cornhuskers and a 10-win season. After all, or this system may simply revert again to the Nebraska we have seen for the final 15 years.
Get extra (Nebraska) information, evaluation and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire
Michigan Wolverines
Projected File: 9-3 (7-2 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Citrus Bowl vs. Ole Miss
Michigan ought to be a fringe-CFP contender in 2025. The foremost query comes at quarterback, the place true freshman Bryce Underwood is a primary candidate to begin. The crew’s end to 2024 — wins over Ohio State and Alabama — has many predicting a breakthrough in 2025. Playoff-wise, that is extra prone to occur as soon as Underwood positive factors expertise underneath middle.
Get extra (Michigan) information, evaluation and opinions on Wolverines Wire
Projected File: 9-3 (6-3 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: Solar Bowl vs. Miami
We predict Oregon to narrowly miss the CFP in 2025. It could be a reset yr for the crew after the entire stars aligned in 2024. With new faces throughout the sphere, it is onerous to see the Geese delivering the identical big-game performances that they did towards Ohio State (regular-season), Penn State (Huge Ten title sport) and others.
Get extra (Oregon) information, evaluation and opinions on Geese Wire
Illinois Preventing Illini
Projected File: 10-2 (7-2 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: School Soccer Playoff
Illinois will likely be included in most preseason School Soccer Playoff predictions. The crew returns almost its complete crew after a 10-win season in 2024. It additionally faces one of many convention’s lightest schedules. The Preventing Illini are rightfully being topped as this yr’s Indiana.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Projected File: 10-2 (8-1 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: School Soccer Playoff
Ohio State ought to take a minor step backward after its nationwide title run. The crew misplaced most of its manufacturing to the NFL, particularly on the offensive aspect of the ball. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes are too proficient to win fewer than 10 video games. They need to be an annual CFP contender, no matter their returning manufacturing complete.
Get extra (Ohio State) information, evaluation and opinions on Buckeyes Wire
Penn State Nittany Lions
Projected File: 11-1 (8-1 Huge Ten)
Bowl Projection: School Soccer Playoff (first-round bye)
Penn State ought to be the preseason favourite to win the Huge Ten. The crew returns its star quarterback and two star working backs. Video games towards Oregon and Ohio State will resolve the Huge Ten regular-season race. Both means, Penn State is a playoff crew.
Get extra (Penn State) information, evaluation and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire
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