The Ohio State football team is expected to be one of the classes of the Big Ten again in 2025. Despite not winning the Big Ten last season, they got the last laugh by winning the national championship. They will be bringing back a great team in 2025.
While they are considered one of the elite teams in the Big Ten, there are still some other contenders who could emerge in the race for the conference crown. There are four teams that should be considered "contenders" headed into next season.
1. Indiana Hoosiers
The Hoosiers surprised everyone last year by going 11-1 and making the College Football Playoff. The only team to beat them in the regular season was the Buckeyes, and they did so when Indiana was ranked fifth in the country, which was the highest ranking they have had in quite a while.
While the team did lose a lot of players from that magical CFP run, they still have some talent. The issue for them is the schedule, which is much harder than it was last season. While they avoid Ohio State, they have to play Illinois, at Oregon, and at Penn State.
2. Iowa Hawkeyes
Kirk Ferentz seems to have a good team every few years. This year could be the year that the Hawkeyes emerge as a contender for the Big Ten title, despite losing Kaleb Johnson to the NFL. Their defense is going to be as good as ever, and the offense improved last season.
The Hawkeyes also play a tough schedule, however. They have to face Iowa State, Penn State, and Oregon. They also play at Wisconsin and USC, so those will be tough road conference games, too. It's going to be hard for them to knock off some of the elite teams, but they could go 10-2 if the cards fall right.
3. Michigan
As much as it pains me to say it, Michigan has a chance to compete for a Big Ten title. It has less to do with the talent they have on the roster than it has to do with their schedule. Their Big Ten schedule is similarly easy to what Indiana was able to navigate a year ago.
TTUN avoids Penn State, Oregon, Illinois, and IU this season. Their toughest game will be against the Ohio State Buckeyes in The Game. The issue for them is the offensive roster. Starting a true freshman quarterback doesn't give them a lot of wiggle room. They are at the very bottom of this list of contenders.