Big Ten football fans are just a couple of weeks away from the start of the 2025 college football season. With those season openers nearly here, get caught up on all the latest news and rumors from around the conference for powerhouse programs like Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Oregon, Indiana, and USC.
Ohio State
-Ohio State has yet to name its starting quarterback. However, various reports continue to point to sophomore Julian Sayin winning the job despite Lincoln Kienholz having some big fans in and around the team.
-It should not come as much of a surprise, but long-time Ohio State hater, Paul Finebaum, is picking against the Buckeyes in their season opener against Texas. “They don’t have the same team, and that national championship hangover is going to catch up with them. We’ll see in about two and a half weeks when Texas goes up there and walks out of that stadium a winner,” he told ESPN this week.
Michigan
-Friday was judgment day for the Michigan football program, as the advanced scouting scandal that has hovered over the team for the last couple of years got an official ruling. The school was hit with several fines that could surpass $30 million. Head coach Sherrone Moore had another game added to his multi-season suspension. However, the team will not get any postseason bans or see their 2023 title vacated.
-While the program will get some bad news on Friday, there was great news earlier this week. Massachusetts four-star QB Peter Bourque passed on offers from Penn State and Georgia and committed to Michigan. He ranked in the back half of the top QBs in the 2027 class.
Oregon
-Freshman Da’Juan Riggs is behind both Makhi Hughes and Noah Whittington on the running back depth chart. However, he revealed this week he is aiming to carve out a role as an impact pass-catching back in 2025. “Them using me at wide receiver and running back is actually a humongous opportunity to show everybody I’m not just a running back. I could do more than just that,” he said [via Sports Illustrated]
-Oregon head coach Dan Lanning revealed this week that former five-star recruit Jurrion Dickey will no longer be in the receiver mix and has been suspended indefinitely for undisclosed reasons.
Penn State
-College players hoping to go to the Cleveland Browns is a rarity, but Drew Allar admitted this week that the possibility in 2026 would be “special” to him since Browns season tickets have been in his family for decades.
-“They are not the second-best team in college football here on Aug. 13,” popular ESPN talking head analyst Chris Russo said this week. “You know why? History. They never, ever, ever respond. And that has to go into the equation when you’re doing these rankings. That is a joke.”
UCLA
–UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster revealed that the adjusted offensive scheme has greatly benefitted one particular position. “I would say, probably the tight ends,” he told the media on Wednesday.
-The transfer portal has truly become the free agency of college spots. And the Bruins took advantage this week when they added Tulsa offensive lineman Tai Marks. He spent two previous seasons at Colorado State and the last three at Tulsa.
USC
-USC legend Matt Leinart believes USC has more than enough talent to reach the college football playoffs early next year if it fixes one big issue from 2025. “They were close in a lot of games, they need to learn how to finish the last couple of minutes this year and put teams away by making the big play when it matters most… If they can flip that script, you’re looking at a team that can win nine games, maybe 10 games, and get into the playoffs,” he told Bleacher Report.
Illinois
-While he won’t lead the offense in 2025, potential future starter Carson Boyd has made the most of soaking in eight months’ worth of Bret Bielema’s offense. “In high school, we had a real good football team, so we had a lot of athletes everywhere to where I could just distribute the ball and they made plays. But I would say when I first got here in the spring, I kind of learned more about Football 101 about field position, how important third down is, and stuff like that. I would say just my ball knowledge as a whole expanded a lot in the spring,” he said [h/t 247 Sports].
-It was revealed this week that Illinois will be without four-star freshman John Forster in 2025 due to a season-ending injury.
Indiana
-Safety Louis Moore scored a big court win this week. The player challenging the NCAA’s five-year eligibility rule was granted a temporary restraining order that allows him to practice for the final weeks before their 2025 season opener.
-Indiana has several holes to fill on defense after stars left for the NFL. However, the transfer portal has seemingly been very beneficial, and Mikail Kamara has reportedly been a big standout in camp this summer.
Nebraska
-Cornhusker legends Johnny Rodgers and Ndamukong Suh landed on the AP’s all-time All-America this week.
–Nebraska punter Archie Wilson went viral this week as he broke down explaining missing his family back home in Australia. “That part is hard, I mean … I’m sorry. Yeah, I love them a lot,” he continued through tears. “I have two little brothers and a mom and a dad, and that’s the tough part about being here. I love them a lot and I miss them.”
Purdue
-Receiver Michael Jackson III has the tough luck of sharing a name with one of the biggest pop artists of all time, but the added coverage has not slowed down what has reportedly been a big summer for him. He is expected to be Purdue’s No. 1 receiver in 2025.
