CBS Sports Looks at B1G 2025 Football Win Totals

[Jon Joseph]

 

A Tall Task for TOSU and OBD?

 

 

2025 Big Ten win totals, odds, picks: Predictions for every team as Ohio State, Oregon face big numbers - CBSSports.com

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Breaking down win total predictions for each Big Ten team ahead of the 2025 season

 

I love the photo of The Defending Champions coming out of the tunnel. I also like the 2025 schedule for OBD; no Bucks, no Wolverines, no ranked Illinois. Indiana at home, with the B1G biggie looking like 9/27/25 at Penn State.

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

As CBS Sports Tom Fornelli noted in the above article, he finished this B1G exercise in 2024 going 9-9.

 

Here are my thoughts. (Do not wager on my thoughts, I have a lot of Fernelli within me.)   

 

Fornelli has OBD, TOSU, and Penn State all finishing 11-1 and all covering the 10.5. If this were the case. at the close of the regular season, Ohio State, with a win over the Nits, would meet Penn State in the B1G champ game and Oregon would be a top 8-seed, hosting a 1st round game in Autzen.

 

If the predicted loss for OBD at PSU is a 'good loss,' this would be a fine outcome IMO.

 

Best B1G Bet. Again, please beware, but my betting friends and I already have money down on ILLINOIS over 7.5. Illinois returns close to 90% of its production, starting QB, Luke Altmyer, and misses Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State. Illinois plays Ohio State and USC in Champaign. Road games at Indiana and UW could be tough.

 

I disagree with INDIANA going under 8.5. I do not see the Hoosiers losing at Rutgers. 

 

Michigan under 8.5? I think the Wolverines win at least one of Ohio State at home or on the road vs. Oklahoma, Nebraska, or USC.

 

Ohio State - I believe there is a loss somewhere but not in the opener vs. Texas. Texas has to replace as many starters as TOSU and Manning is getting a lot of love for playing well against UTSA and Mississippi State. Ewers was injured all of last season and Sark still had him starting for the Horns. 

 

I believe IOWA will cover the 7.5, MICHIGAN STATE the 5.5, INDIANA the 8.5, RUTGERS the 5.5, and UWho the 7.5.

 

Take the Bob out of the Cats! 

 

[Charles Fischer]

On 3/25/2025 at 1:33 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Best B1G Bet. Again, please beware, but my betting friends and I already have money down on ILLINOIS over 7.5. Illinois returns close to 90% of its production, starting QB, Luke Altmyer, and misses Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State. Illinois plays Ohio State and USC in Champaign. Road games at Indiana and UW could be tough.

Damned astute analysis.  I did not know this, and you are amazing Jon!

 

 

[GatOrlando]

On 3/25/2025 at 1:33 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

As CBS Sports Tom Fornelli noted in the above article, he finished this B1G exercise in 2024 going 9-9.

 

Here are my thoughts. (Do not wager on my thoughts, I have a lot of Fernelli within me.)   

 

Fornelli has OBD, TOSU, and Penn State all finishing 11-1 and all covering the 10.5. If this were the case. at the close of the regular season, Ohio State, with a win over the Nits, would meet Penn State in the B1G champ game and Oregon would be a top 8-seed, hosting a 1st round game in Autzen.

 

If the predicted loss for OBD at PSU is a 'good loss,' this would be a fine outcome IMO.

 

Best B1G Bet. Again, please beware, but my betting friends and I already have money down on ILLINOIS over 7.5. Illinois returns close to 90% of its production, starting QB, Luke Altmyer, and misses Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State. Illinois plays Ohio State and USC in Champaign. Road games at Indiana and UW could be tough.

 

I disagree with INDIANA going under 8.5. I do not see the Hoosiers losing at Rutgers. 

 

Michigan under 8.5? I think the Wolverines win at least one of Ohio State at home or on the road vs. Oklahoma, Nebraska, or USC.

 

Ohio State - I believe there is a loss somewhere but not in the opener vs. Texas. Texas has to replace as many starters as TOSU and Manning is getting a lot of love for playing well against UTSA and Mississippi State. Ewers was injured all of last season and Sark still had him starting for the Horns. 

 

I believe IOWA will cover the 7.5, MICHIGAN STATE the 5.5, INDIANA the 8.5, RUTGERS the 5.5, and UWho the 7.5.

 

Take the Bob out of the Cats! 

 

Jon, you do a better job than most of the guys we see on television every week.

 

I keep hearing about this being the year Penn State gets it done because of the parallels to the last two National Champions. I have an issue with that though. Michigan broke their losing streak  to Ohio State and had three consecutive B1G titles and two undefeated seasons before winning the whole thing in 2023.

 

Ohio State under Ryan Day has never won less than 11 games (except 2020). They had an undefeated 2019 and 2020 season to go along with two straight B1G titles. They made one National Championship game appearance and lost two nail biters to Clemson and Georgia before winning it all in 2024.

 

What has Penn State done in the last four years to make you believe they are at that level? Have they beaten Michigan or Ohio State? Nope. Have they beaten anybody that is really on their level as far as talent and brand prestige? They won two playoff games against two G5 rosters(SMU was first year ACC in a really weak ACC).

 

Yeah they made the B1G title game, but they never led. I never thought they were going to win that game. Oregon was up two scores just about the entire way. 

 

So other than experience, and the fact Harbaugh and Day won their first titles after years of knocking on the door, and people want to put Franklin at that level because.... I don't see it.  I think James Franklin is a good coach. I think Drew Allar has all the tools to be a NFL QB. I really like their running back room with two thousand yard rushers. 

 

The defense is there minus Abdul Carter. Look at the coaching staff after nabbing Jim Knowles. But I don't trust them in big moments because outside of 2017, they haven't won anything or beaten anybody they shouldn't have. 

 

I hope they do get it done because they have great fans. If anybody takes Charles up on traveling to that game up in Happy Valley, you're in for a treat. Great environment. 

 

I just don't buy the comparison yet.