Many Big B1G Football Games in 2025, But Give Me 5!

[Jon Joseph]

 

It's Week 5, when the rubber starts to meet the B1G conference road.

 

Before Week Five, we have these out-of-conference (OOC) games versus our Advisory Committee 'buddies' to look forward to. 

 

(The Sporting News Preseason Top 25 Rankings are used below.)

 

Week 1 - August 30, 2025 - No. 1 Texas at No. 2 Ohio State. 

 

If this rematch of the 2025 Cotton Bowl Playoff game was not already B1G enough, Columbus, Ohio, where Lee Corso made his first headgear pick, Brutus to win, is the likely spot for the venerable Corso to make his last pick before retirement. 

 

It's No. 2 Ohio State that is favored by -4.5 to win this game. 20 to 22 million CFB fans are expected to tune into this matchup. 

 

Week 2 - September 6, 2025, No. 19 Michigan -2.5 at NR Oklahoma.

 

January 1, 1976 - Orange Bowl - Oklahoma 14, Michigan 6.

 

That's all, folks, for games played between Michigan, the college program with the most wins, 1,012, and Oklahoma, the program with the longest win streak, 47 games from 1953 through 1957, before being upset in Norman by Notre Dame.

 

The Oklahoma coach during 'The Streak' was Bud Wilkinson, who played on Minnesota's three championships in a row teams.

 

Week 3 - September 13, 2025 - NR Wisconsin +16.5 (Gulp!) at No. 9 Alabama

 

Hide the Badgers Women and Children!

 

In addition to the most difficult conference schedule in 2025, the Fickle Finger of Fate, and a sadistic AD, add this game to the Badgers' coach Luke Fickle's already hot seat. 

 

On to the B1G Week 5, where it would have been serendipitous to have five big B1G games, but the four games below should give OBD fans a B1G Time Show.

 

September 27, 2025 - No. 21 Indiana at NR Iowa - The second difficult game in a row for a Hoosiers team that plays Illinois the week prior in Bloomington. 

 

Indiana and Iowa should be no worse than 3-1 coming into this game. And if Indiana defeats No. 14 Illinois the week prior, and Iowa can win on the road at No. 24 Iowa State in Week 2, both teams could be 4-0 with both ranked in the Top 25.

 

September 27, 2025 - No. 2 Ohio State at NR Washington - If the Buckeyes get past the Longhorns in Week 1, they will come into Seattle 3-0, a Buckeyes Bye before this game, and the likely No. 1 ranked team in the nation.

 

UW was undefeated last season in Husky Stadium, and if UW does not drop two in a row to the Pac-7 + Gonzo Wazzu Cougars, this will be a matchup of undefeated teams. 

 

September 27, 2025 - NR USC at No. 14 Illinois. Coming off its game at Indiana the week before, this will be another Prove-It Game for the Illini, a team that returns 18 starters from last season.

 

USC went 1-5 last season in one-score games. SC took Penn State into overtime and had Notre Dame on the ropes before throwing two costly interceptions at the goal line, both returned by the Irish for 90+ yard TDs.

 

With games versus 'old friend' Clay Helton's Georgia Southern, at Purdue, Michigan State, and the home opener against MO. State (No Larry or Curly? ), 4-0 USC will come into Champaign, ready to drink post-game champagne and move into the Top 25.

 

September 27, 2025 - No. 6 Oregon at No. 3 Penn State - Week 5's Main Event!

 

At least SC plays the Domers OOC, Penn State plays Nevada, FIU, and Villanova in Happy Valley, and takes an undeserved 3-0 nap before the 4-0 (knock on a decoy) Mighty Oregon Ducks, accompanied by Sir Charles and other OBDers, come to town. 

 

Vegas has OBD -3.5. 10,000 games were simulated on ESPN, with Oregon winning 53.7% of the games. (Don't ask me what happened in the .03% game PSU won .)

 

A White Out game would be a boon. Unfortunately, I think the kickoff will happen at B1G Noon .

 

OBD, TCB in Weeks 1-4, please, beginning with a Beat Down of the Bobs!

 

Let's have more B1G Fun  13-0, anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

[Steven A]

On 5/4/2025 at 11:52 AM, Jon Joseph said:

A White Out game would be a boon.

For PSU.  I like the idea of a nooner!

[Jon Joseph]

On 5/4/2025 at 3:33 PM, Steven A said:

For PSU.  I like the idea of a nooner!

 

I too like the idea, but ... The other day with a come hither look, my spouse asked if I'd like to walk upstairs and make a little love?

 

I replied: 'I think I can do one, but not the other.'

[30Duck]

On 5/4/2025 at 11:52 AM, Jon Joseph said:

 

Week 1 - August 30, 2025 - No. 1 Texas at No. 2 Ohio State. 

Because of this game, Finebaum doesn't suggest, but declares, that both teams are viable for the CFP with 9 wins. 

 

Speaking on The Paul Finebaum Show, the veteran analyst highlighted the season-opening clash between Ohio State and Texas as a pivotal moment. “Take Ohio State or Texas. Both of those could get in with nine [wins] because they play each other to start the year,” Finebaum stated, suggesting that an early loss won’t doom either team’s playoff chances due to the strength—or relative weakness—of their remaining schedules.

[Mike West]

Thanks Jon for the splendid intro to a week that should draw some good ratings for the B1G.  Question(to all actually): how would you stack the TV lineup? 

Oregon v PSU at noon or White Out?

 

I think Fox would prefer Ohio State v the Fuskies at 9am Pacific, but won’t do it because everyone on the West Coast would complain about the precedent. So I’m guessing CBS picks that game up. 
 

If Illinois was based in Chicago, they’d get the High Noon slot.  Again, a precedent setter we on the left coast would object to. 
 

So I’m guessing Indiana v Iowa gets the Noon game, and Ohio State goes live at 3:30 (because God forbid they’d play at 10:30 EST which would give the conference a pretty good ratings day noon to midnight).  USC will get stuck sharing air time with either of those time slots because OBD will wrap up at 7:30 EST with Penn State like they did hosting the Buckeyes.

 

What do you prefer, and what do you think will actually happen?

[1Funduck]

Here's your top games for that most beautiful Saturday:

Also, price of  'Tix as low as'

 

Alabama @ Georgia $442

 

Oregon @ Penn St.  $199

 

OSU @ UW     $166

ND @ Arkansas $172

 

USC @ Illinois.  $45

 

 

Money talks. These are the games people want to see in this order preseason. Therefore, the B1G game will scream Noon kickoff, but Penn St only has Nebraska as its other big home game for 2025. There is no reason that Penn ST and Oregon won't be both top 5 come 9/27/25. It's a MONSTER!! Sunset is at 7:09 on that day. A 7:00pm kickoff would be enormous! It would get the most eyeballs. I believe the highlight game is obviously Georgia/Alabama.

 

So, what time is that game going to be? That's the question. I truly hope that U$C/Ill plays Big noon and Oregon / PSU plays night game. I have a hard time seeing Washington playing the 9:00am game. It would be a mild travesty if Oregon plays 9:00am EST as well as Jet Lag. Actually, ridiculous might not be a strong enough word.

 

[GatOrlando]

On 5/4/2025 at 1:12 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

I too like the idea, but ... The other day with a come hither look, my spouse asked if I'd like to walk upstairs and make a little love?

 

I replied: 'I think I can do one, but not the other.'

Ahh just like the scene from the infamous movie "The Room". "I didn't do it, it's not true!! It's bull crap!! Hi Jon"

[Jon Joseph]

Thank you, Mike, and Funduck, for the great comments.

 

I think that one of the four Week 5 B1G games will be moved to Friday night. It cannot be the Indiana at Iowa game. Due to the proximity of Childrens Hospital to Kinnick Field, Iowa City does not allow Iowa to play Friday night games at home. 

 

The Iowa game is out for Friday night. Illinois will not be happy if one of its two premier home games, USC (the other B1G home game is vs. Ohio State), is played on Friday night, especially after going on the road against Indiana in Week 4. 

 

USC plays Michigan State in LA the week prior, and Troy will push back on having to travel to the Central time zone, and playing on Friday night. However, Oregon had to do this last season, playing at Purdue on Friday night after playing a huge game versus Ohio State.

 

So, and unfortunately for OBDers traveling to Beaver Stadium, I think we could very well see OBD at the Nits on Fox at Noon; Indiana at Iowa on CBS at 3:30; USC at Illinois 7:30 (6:30 local) on NBC.

 

Ohio State at UW is a fit for Friday night. Ohio State is off the week before tripping to Seattle, and UW travels only as far as Pullman to play Wazzu in Week 4. I do not think Ohio State would be against a Friday night game, as it would have the Buckeyes returning a day earlier before its Week 6 game vs. Minnesota. 

 

UW plays at Maryland in Week 6, so before traveling to the Eastern time zone, the Huskies should be OK with a Friday night game against Ohio State. A game that would sell out on Saturday, Friday, or Tuesday night. 

 

However, other than the city-mandated impediment to the Hoosiers at the Hawkeyes game being played on Friday night, I'm probably giving too much weight to what the teams think about the timing of the games. In 2024, Ohio State was saddled with SEVEN Big Noon kick-off games. Michigan, which refuses to play on Friday nights simply because it doesn't want to, seems to be the one B1G team that influences when its games will kick off. 

 

Alabama at Georgia is ripe for the 7:30 Eastern kickoff on ABC with the Full ESPN Monty beginning with GameDay in Athens. The only B1G contest that could challenge this game for viewer numbers is Ohio State vs. Michigan.

 

The other Penn State home game besides Nebraska that could be White Out material is the Week 11 game vs. Indiana. However, Fox had no problem in 2024 having Ohio State and Penn State start at Noon, with the PSU game vs. UW being the White Out game. 

 

I'm certain that Tony Petitti has had his ears filled by B1G programs complaining about the game times and viewership compared to ESPN/ABC's far better kick-off times strategy. Whether he can do anything about starting times before 2031 is doubtful. 

 

Let's Play Ball!

 

[30Duck]

On 5/5/2025 at 6:10 AM, 1Funduck said:

It would be a mild travesty if Oregon plays 9:00am EST as well as Jet Lag. Actually, ridiculous might not be a strong enough word.

Yeah, it's a low bar, but 6:00 in the morning won't happen.