Big Ten predictions before we see everyone in action Week 1

The Big Ten isn't heading into the 2025 season as the dominant college football conference, especially as many teams are reloading, like Ohio State, or getting a new starting quarterback ready to lead the offense.

On "Josh Pate's College Football Show," Pate predicted four teams to finish 10-2 or 11-1. He said that Penn State and Oregon will be the top two teams in the conference at 11-1 and Ohio State and Nebraska will trail just behind them at 10-2.

The Nittany Lions and Ducks leading the Big Ten isn't farfetched, but the Buckeyes making the Big Ten Championship Game isn't out of the picture either. Penn State will meet either of those two teams in the conference title game, which will be another big test for head coach James Franklin and quarterback Drew Allar.

If the Nittany Lions beat Oregon in the regular season, which is likely and Pate predicts as well, winning the Big Ten title is a 50-50 shot. If they beat Ohio State in the regular season, which is unlikely and Pate predicts it to be their only loss, they have a better shot at getting their revenge for the conference title.

"Flat out they should win the Oregon game in Week 5," Pate said. "They're coming off a bye. They've got it in a White Out at night in Happy Valley . . . Penn State should win that game."

Outside of the top four teams, Pate predicted the remaining 14 teams finish the season at:

• USC (9-3)

• Michigan (8-4)

• Illinois (8-4)

• Indiana (8-4)

• Washington (8-4)

• Iowa (7-5)

• Minnesota (7-5)

• Michigan State (6-6)

• Rutgers (6-6)

• Wisconsin (5-7)

• Maryland (4-8)

• UCLA (4-8)

• Northwestern (3-9)

• Purdue (3-9)

Josh Pate puts a lot of faith in the Nittany Lions for the 2025 season and labels them as national championship contenders

Penn State still needs to prove it can win the big one, but Pate is confident that it will — even if it does't take down Ohio State in the regular season.

"Penn State's not a tough team to figure out. Penn State probably [has the] fewest questions out of any of these teams for me," Pate said. ". . . It's either [the Nittany Lions are] 10-2 or 11-1. You could predict them to go 12-0, but that would . . . be predicting a win at Ohio State. I'm not that bold."

What will set this team apart is if the transfer wide receivers make a statement and add a new dimension to the Nittany Lions' offense.

The trio of transfers needs to be able to compete. A new layer to the offense has to standout and it needs to prove that Penn State is a national title contender. Pate said that manageable downs should never be the case for a team in the running for a championship and for a team that's as stacked as Franklin's is.

"I've just got to see the wide receiver unit, man. If I see Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson along with a couple of those new guys — if I see them able to battle for 50-50 balls, if I'm watching them change the dynamic of third-and-five plus for Penn State?" Pate said. "Because right now third-and-six is, 'Let's see what we can get here and make it fourth-and-manageable.' That should not be the vibe around any kind of elite program, a program that's contending for a championship."

While everyone is concerned about Oregon, Ohio State, and even Indiana at times, Pate doesn't think Iowa should be counted as an "automatic" Penn State victory.

Though the Hawkeyes are not a Top 25 team in the preseason, that doesn't mean they won't put up a tough battle for the Nittany Lions on the road in Week 8.

"That game at Iowa, which people aren't talking about. They pretend it's a two game season for Penn State," Pate said. "That game at Iowa is not easy at all, but this is a good team and I got Penn State going 11-1. I actually do think [it's] a contender for the national championship."

Week 1 schedule for all Big Ten teams

Thursday, Aug. 28

• Ohio at Rutgers (6 p.m. ET)

• Buffalo at Minnesota (8 p.m. ET)

• Nebraska at Cincinnati (9 p.m. ET)

• Miami OH at Wisconsin (9 p.m. ET)

Friday, Aug. 29

• Western Michigan at Michigan State (7 p.m. ET)

• Western Illinois at Illinois (7:30 p.m.)

Saturday Aug. 30

• Northwestern at Tulane (12 p.m. ET)

• Texas at Ohio State (12 p.m. ET)

• Ball State at Purdue (12 p.m. ET)

• Florida Atlantic at Maryland (12 p.m. ET)

• Old Dominion at Indiana (2:30 p.m. ET)

• Nevada at Penn State (3:30 p.m. ET)

• Montana State at Oregon (4 p.m. ET)

• Albany at Iowa (6 p.m. ET)

• New Mexico at Michigan (7:30 p.m.)

• Missouri State at USC (7:30 p.m. ET)

• Utah at UCLA (11 p.m. ET)

• Colorado State at Washington (11 p.m. ET)