Welcome to the new era of Big Ten football, where coast-to-coast chaos is just one kickoff away. With USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington now in the mix, the 2025 schedule reads like a college football gauntlet rather than a calendar.
This isn’t your old-school Big Ten anymore—it’s a national power grid of playoff hopefuls and legacy programs battling every week. So, which team got dealt the worst hand? Let’s break down who faces the most brutal road in 2025.
2025 Big Ten Football Schedules by Team
Illinois Fighting Illini
- Aug. 30:
vs. Western Illinois - Sept. 6:
at Duke - Sept. 13:
vs. Western Michigan - Sept. 20:
at Indiana - Sept. 27:
vs. USC - Oct. 4:
at Purdue - Oct. 11:
vs. Ohio State - Oct. 25:
at Washington - Nov. 1:
vs. Rutgers - Nov. 15:
vs. Maryland - Nov. 22:
at Wisconsin - Nov. 29:
vs. Northwestern
Indiana Hoosiers
- Aug. 30:
vs. Old Dominion - Sept. 6:
vs. Kennesaw State - Sept. 13:
vs. Indiana State - Sept. 20:
vs. Illinois - Sept. 27:
at Iowa - Oct. 11:
at Oregon - Oct. 18:
vs. Michigan State - Oct. 25:
vs. UCLA - Nov. 1:
at Maryland - Nov. 8:
at Penn State - Nov. 15:
vs. Wisconsin - Nov. 29:
at Purdue
Iowa Hawkeyes
- Aug. 30:
vs. Albany - Sept. 6:
at Iowa State - Sept. 13:
vs. UMass - Sept. 20:
at Rutgers - Sept. 27:
vs. Indiana - Oct. 11:
at Wisconsin - Oct. 18:
vs. Penn State - Oct. 25:
vs. Minnesota - Nov. 8:
vs. Oregon - Nov. 15:
at USC - Nov. 22:
vs. Michigan State - Nov. 28:
at Nebraska
Maryland Terrapins
- Aug. 30:
vs. Florida Atlantic - Sept. 6:
vs. Northern Illinois - Sept. 13:
vs. Towson - Sept. 20:
at Wisconsin - Oct. 4:
vs. Washington - Oct. 11:
vs. Nebraska - Oct. 18:
at UCLA - Nov. 1:
vs. Indiana - Nov. 8:
at Rutgers - Nov. 15:
at Illinois - Nov. 22:
vs. Michigan - Nov. 29:
at Michigan State
Michigan Wolverines
- Aug. 30:
vs. New Mexico - Sept. 6:
at Oklahoma - Sept. 13:
vs. Central Michigan - Sept.
20: at Nebraska - Oct. 4:
vs. Wisconsin - Oct. 11:
at USC - Oct. 18:
vs. Washington - Oct. 25:
at Michigan State - Nov. 1:
vs. Purdue - Nov. 15:
at Northwestern (Wrigley Field) - Nov. 22:
at Maryland - Nov. 29:
vs. Ohio State
Michigan State Spartans
- Aug. 30:
vs. Western Michigan - Sept. 6:
vs. Boston College - Sept. 13:
vs. Youngstown State - Sept. 20:
at USC - Oct. 4:
at Nebraska - Oct. 11:
vs. UCLA - Oct. 18:
at Indiana - Oct. 25:
vs. Michigan - Nov. 1:
at Minnesota - Nov. 15:
vs. Penn State - Nov. 22:
at Iowa - Nov. 29:
vs. Maryland
Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Aug. 28:
vs. Buffalo - Sept. 6:
vs. Northwestern State - Sept. 13:
at Cal - Sept. 27:
vs. Rutgers - Oct. 4:
at Ohio State - Oct. 18:
vs. Nebraska - Oct. 25:
at Iowa - Nov. 1:
vs. Michigan State - Nov. 15:
at Oregon - Nov. 22:
at Northwestern (Wrigley Field) - Nov. 29:
vs. Wisconsin
Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Aug. 30:
vs. Cincinnati (Lucas Oil Stadium) - Sept. 6:
vs. Akron - Sept. 13:
vs. Houston Christian - Sept. 20:
vs. Michigan - Oct. 4:
vs. Michigan State - Oct. 11:
at Maryland - Oct. 18:
at Minnesota - Oct. 25:
vs. Northwestern - Nov. 1:
vs. USC - Nov. 8:
at UCLA - Nov. 22:
at Penn State - Nov. 28:
vs. Iowa
Northwestern Wildcats
- Aug. 30:
at Tulane - Sept. 6:
vs. Western Illinois - Sept. 13:
vs. Oregon - Sept. 27:
vs. UCLA - Oct. 4:
vs. ULM - Oct. 11:
at Penn State - Oct. 18:
vs. Purdue - Oct. 25:
at Nebraska - Nov. 8:
at USC - Nov. 15:
vs. Michigan - Nov. 22:
vs. Minnesota - Nov. 29:
at Illinois
Ohio State Buckeyes
- Aug. 30:
vs. Texas - Sept. 6:
vs. Grambling State - Sept. 13:
vs. Ohio - Sept. 27:
at Washington - Oct. 4:
vs. Minnesota - Oct. 11:
at Illinois - Oct. 18:
at Wisconsin - Nov. 1:
vs. Penn State - Nov. 8:
at Purdue - Nov. 15:
vs. UCLA - Nov. 22:
vs. Rutgers - Nov. 29:
at Michigan
Oregon Ducks
- Aug. 30:
vs. Montana State - Sept. 6:
vs. Oklahoma State - Sept. 13:
at Northwestern - Sept. 20:
vs. Oregon State - Sept. 27:
at Penn State - Oct. 11:
vs. Indiana - Oct. 18:
at Rutgers - Oct. 25:
vs. Wisconsin - Nov. 8:
at Iowa - Nov. 15:
vs. Minnesota - Nov. 22:
vs. USC - Nov. 29:
at Washington
Penn State Nittany Lions
- Aug. 30:
vs. Nevada - Sept. 6:
vs. FIU - Sept. 13:
vs. Villanova - Sept. 27:
vs. Oregon - Oct. 4:
at UCLA - Oct. 11:
vs. Northwestern - Oct. 18:
at Iowa - Nov. 1:
at Ohio State - Nov. 8:
vs. Indiana - Nov. 15:
at Michigan State - Nov. 22:
vs. Nebraska - Nov. 29:
at Rutgers
Purdue Boilermakers
- Aug. 30:
vs. Ball State - Sept. 6:
vs. Southern Illinois - Sept. 13:
vs. USC - Sept. 20:
at Notre Dame - Oct. 4:
vs. Illinois - Oct. 11:
at Minnesota - Oct. 18:
at Northwestern - Oct. 25:
vs. Rutgers - Nov. 1:
at Michigan - Nov. 8:
vs. Ohio State - Nov. 15:
at Washington - Nov. 29:
vs. Indiana
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Aug. 30:
vs. Ohio - Sept. 6:
vs. Miami (OH) - Sept. 13:
vs. Norfolk State - Sept. 20:
vs. Iowa - Sept. 27:
at Minnesota - Oct. 11:
at Washington - Oct. 18:
vs. Oregon - Oct. 25:
at Purdue - Nov. 1:
at Illinois - Nov. 8:
vs. Maryland - Nov. 22:
at Ohio State - Nov. 29:
vs. Penn State
UCLA Bruins
- Aug. 30:
vs. Utah - Sept. 6:
at UNLV - Sept. 13:
vs. New Mexico - Sept. 27:
at Northwestern - Oct. 4:
vs. Penn State - Oct. 11:
at Michigan State - Oct. 18:
vs. Maryland - Oct. 25:
at Indiana - Nov. 8:
vs. Nebraska - Nov. 15:
at Ohio State - Nov. 22:
vs. Washington - Nov. 29:
at USC
USC Trojans
- Aug. 30:
vs. Missouri State - Sept. 6:
vs. Georgia Southern - Sept. 13:
at Purdue - Sept. 20:
vs. Michigan State - Sept. 27:
at Illinois - Oct. 11:
vs. Michigan - Oct. 18:
at Notre Dame - Nov. 1:
at Nebraska - Nov. 8:
vs. Northwestern - Nov. 15:
vs. Iowa - Nov. 22:
at Oregon - Nov. 29:
vs. UCLA
Washington Huskies
- Aug. 30:
vs. Colorado State - Sept. 6:
vs. UC Davis - Sept. 20:
at Washington State - Sept. 27:
vs. Ohio State - Oct. 4:
at Maryland - Oct. 11:
vs. Rutgers - Oct. 18:
at Michigan - Oct. 25:
vs. Illinois - Nov. 8:
at Wisconsin - Nov. 15:
vs. Purdue - Nov. 22:
at UCLA - Nov. 29:
vs. Oregon
Wisconsin Badgers
- Aug. 30:
vs. Miami (OH) - Sept. 6:
vs. Middle Tennessee - Sept. 13:
at Alabama - Sept. 20:
vs. Maryland - Oct. 4:
at Michigan - Oct. 11:
vs. Iowa - Oct. 18:
vs. Ohio State - Oct. 25:
at Oregon - Nov. 8:
vs. Washington - Nov. 15:
at Indiana - Nov. 22:
vs. Illinois - Nov. 29:
vs. Minnesota
When looking at the strength of schedule, Michigan jumps off the page with away games at Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC, Michigan State, and Maryland—not to mention home matchups with Wisconsin, Washington, and bitter rival Ohio State.
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Ohio State and USC also face brutal stretches. But Purdue might have the toughest sleeper schedule of them all—hosting USC and Ohio State while also visiting Michigan, Notre Dame, and Washington. Buckle up; 2025 is going to be wild.
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