With the Big Ten expanding to 18 teams back in 2024, the conference is one of the deepest and most talented in the country. But when it comes to competing for a national championship in 2025, there are only a handful of teams that appear to be legitimate contenders this fall. Here’s a closer look at the four Big Ten teams that could legitimately win the national championship in 2025
The reigning national champions are certainly losing some significant talent following the 2024 season, but the Buckeye football program typically doesn’t have any issues reloading. With key returning pieces like Caleb Downs and Jeremiah Smith, it’s a safe bet that Ohio State will continue to be a dominant force in the Big Ten in 2025. Ohio State avoids Oregon this fall, but will have some tough matchups against Texas (Week 2), Penn State (Week 9), and at Michigan (Week 12).
Even with some potential stumbling blocks in 2025, it’s hard to see any scenario where the Buckeye’s aren’t back in the College Football Playoff and one of the favorites to win it all once again.
Things couldn’t have gone much better for the Oregon Ducks during their first year in the Big Ten. Oregon finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, and then proceeded to defeat Penn State in the Big Ten championship game to move to 13-0. It seemed as if the top ranked Ducks were destined for a national championship, but a Rose Bowl rematch with Ohio State brought Oregon’s season to an early end.
Veteran QB Dillon Gabriel is gone, but the future of the QB spot for Oregon looks solid for head coach Dan Lanning. As of now, junior Dante Moore figures to be the starter this fall, and the Ducks are returning plenty of weapons on both sides of the ball. Additionally, Oregon avoids having to face Ohio State and Michigan in the regular season, and the toughest road matchup occurs early on Sept. 27 against Penn State. With a favorable schedule and another solid roster, look for Lanning and the Ducks to be back in the national championship picture in 2025.
After losing to Oregon in the Big Ten championship game last season, the Nittany Lions were handed what was arguably the easiest path to the national championship as the No. 6 seed. Penn State defeated No. 11 SMU in the first round and No. 3 Boise State in the second round, before falling short to No. 7 Notre Dame in the CFP Semifinal.
Overall, the playoff run provided the folks in Happy Valley with some optimism that a breakthrough season may be imminent with head coach James Franklin leading the way. Could that happen in 2025? While Penn State did lose some significant pieces, the Nittany Lions return veteran QB Drew Allar for his senior season. With an expanded playoff field and a veteran QB back in the mix, it feels like Penn State’s championship window is starting to close. There will certainly be a sense of urgency to capitalize in 2025, and a somewhat favorable conference schedule may allow for that to happen.
The Michigan Wolverines followed up their national championship season in 2023 by putting together an 8-5 campaign in 2024, falling far short of the season goals. And while the defense ultimately found its footing and looked dominant toward the end of the season, Michigan’s struggles offensively persisted throughout the entire 2024 campaign – mainly at the quarterback spot.
During the off-season, head coach Sherrone Moore worked hard to eliminate those issues, hiring North Carolina’s offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and landing the No. 1 overall prospect in the country, QB Bryce Underwood. Additionally, Moore brought in veteran QB transfer Mikey Keene out of Fresno State. Moore was also able to retain defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, after the veteran DC interviewed for several NFL jobs this off-season.
Although Michigan is losing significant talent from both sides of the ball, the cupboard is far from bare in Ann Arbor. In fact, the Michigan offense will likely make significant improvements in 2025. If the Wolverines can establish a dangerous passing attack and the defense can continue to be one of the top units in the conference, Michigan will likely be right back in the national championship hunt this fall.
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