Beware. The strength-of-schedule rankings are based on how a B1G team’s opponents in 2025 performed in 2024. In 2024, this same exercise showed Oregon having a more difficult schedule than Ohio State before the season. This turned out to not the case at the conclusion of the regular season. Who knew about Indiana, and new coach Curt Cignetti? (I should have googled him)
The calculation of the percentage of opponents’ records in 2024 was calculated by 247Sports using out-of-conference, and in-conference opponents. I used The Sporting News Composite Top-25 preseason rankings. The Sporting News used 11 rankings in its composite with all rankings from well-known college football sites. Even Mr. FishDuck took time from his study of Football Spreads to examine my B1G rankings which could impact his gaming fun.
This analysis will focus on the B1G’s six ranked teams. 2. Ohio State. 3. Penn State. 6. Oregon, a high of 3rd in the Sports Illustrated ranking and a low of 11th in the USA Today ranking. 14. Illinois. 19. Michigan. 21. Indiana. In Others Receiving Votes, Nebraska was ranked 30th, and Iowa was ranked 36th.
No. 3 Penn State, 21. Indiana, and 36. Iowa are on OBD’s 2025 schedule. Through 2028, this season is the only season that OBD misses both Michigan and Ohio State.
The rankings of not ranked likely non-contenders are from 18th, easiest, to 1st, most difficult.
Tied 16. Nebraska. .507. 14. Maryland – .540; Tied-10 Washington -.580; Tied-10 USC; Tied-8 Minnesota .583; Tied 8 Michigan State; 6. Northwestern – .593; 5. UCLA – .596; 4. Iowa – .614. 3. Purdue – .626. 2. Wisconsin – .644. 1. Rutgers – .647.
Based on the 2025 schedules, Nebraska looks to be the team with the best opportunity to improve upon its 7-6 record in 2024. A visit to Penn State is the only game the Huskers play against a 2024-25 Playoff team.
A’Mauri Washington pressuring Luke Altmeyer. (Photo by Craig Strobeck)
From going 7-6 in 2024, Rutgers‘s schedule is completely flipped from the Scarlet Knights having the B1G’s easiest schedule. In 2025, No. 6 OBD trips to New Jersey, and Rutgers is on the road versus No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Penn State, and No. 14 Illinois. A Bowl in 2025? Not likely.
Poor-Due and I-need-a-whiskey Wisconsin? Good luck. Purdue plays at Notre Dame, and also plays Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. Welcome to the B1G Coach Odom.
Wisconsin plays nine Teams that won eight or more games in 2024; Alabama; Illinois; Indiana; Miami (Ohio); Michigan; Minnesota; Ohio State; and Oregon. Mercy!
How do the Ranked Teams’ Schedules Stack Up, Saving Oregon for Last?
No. 2 – Ohio State – Schedule rank 7th – .592. Ohio State’s strength-of-schedule is goosed by opening against No. 1 Texas in Columbus, the out-of-conference game of the 2025 season. Ohio State plays No. 3 Penn State in Columbus and and No. 14 Illinois and No. 19 Michigan on the road. FanDuel odds have TOSU at the top of the B1G.
No. 3 Penn State – Schedule rank 12 – .566. I ain’t Lion when I say out-of-conference, it’s Cupcake City in Happy Valley: Nevada, Florida International, and FCS Villanova. PSU does make a trip to Columbus but plays OBD and Indiana at home. FanDuel has PSU 3rd, behind OBD. Currently, OBD is -3.5 at Penn State.
No. 14, Illinois – Schedule rank 15 – .521. The Illini trip to Indiana but play No. 2 Ohio State and NR USC at home. They return 16 starters from the 2024 team, including QB Luke Altmeyer, that went 10-3 with a bowl win over the higher-ranked South Carolina.
This is the B1G’s conference champion sleeper pick in 2025 with Illinois missing Penn State, Oregon, and Michigan on their 2025 schedule.
Oregon will have more rest time before meeting Penn State again… (Photo by Eric Becker)
No. 19 Michigan – Schedule rank 18 – .457. Michigan has one opponent in 2025 that finished with more than seven wins, The Ohio State University. Michigan does play at Oklahoma but the Sooners last season lost to Navy. This easy schedule in 2025, the only B1G team under .500, should help a Michigan team that finished strong with wins over Ohio State and Alabama and a flip of 2025’s top QB recruit from LSU.
No. 21. Indiana – Schedule rank Tied-16 – .507. Indiana plays at Penn State and Oregon but its B1G schedule is lightweight in back-to-back seasons and the out-of-conference schedule is once again a joke. If Cal transfer, QB Francisco Mendoza, can approach QB Kurtis Rourke’s play in 2024, Indiana has a shot of again winning ten games in 2025.
No. 6. Oregon – Schedule rank 13 – .542. The game at Penn State on September 27th stands out as OBDs toughest contest in 2025. After its out-of-conference pastry punching, Penn State is off the week before playing OBD with Oregon coming off of The Civil War game versus Oregon State.
PSU returns its QB and many of the players who helped the Nittany Lions to the Playoffs in 2024. Penn State is ranked No. 1 in several of the preseason composite rankings. Will three warm-ups, sure win games before OBD visits help or hurt PSU’s game preparation for OBD? Heading into the game, PSU will be 3-0 and OBD should be 4-0. Neither team will face a Blue Chip Roster opponent before their contest at Beaver Stadium, September 27th.
Indiana is the other Playoff team OBD will play, as Oregon plays back-to-back games versus Playoff teams, with the game in Autzen on October 11th. Oregon has the week off after Penn State and before Indiana. Indiana likewise has the week off after playing at Iowa, before the visit to Eugene.
This time it is in Seattle for the Ducks and Demond Williams to meet. (Photo by Craig Strobeck)
Oregon travels to the Eastern time zone twice in 2025 with PSU being the on-paper much more difficult opponent than Rutgers. It’s the same for OBD’s two trips to the Central time zone, at No. 36 Iowa and Northwestern. No Michigan and no Ohio State in 2025. The longest stretch of games without an off week comes at the start of the season with five games in a row finishing at Penn State. No absurd eight games in a row that OBD was saddled with in 2024.
OBD gets “old friend” USC in Autzen but finishes at Washington. The Huskies return a very good QB in Demond Williams. Jr. and were a tough out at home in 2024, going undefeated at Husky Stadium. The Apple Cup loss happened in Lumen Stadium.
If Dante Moore is as good as he is hyped to be by players coming out of practice and with Danno being No. 1 in B1G portal picking, Oregon has an excellent shot at defending its conference title.
Jon Joseph
Aiken, South Carolina
Top Photo by Eric Becker
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Jon Joseph grew up in Boston, Massachusetts but has been blessed to have lived long enough in the west to have exorcised all east coast bias. He played football in college and has passionately followed the game for seven decades. A retired corporate attorney Jon has lectured across the country and published numerous articles on banking and gaming law. Now a resident of Aiken South Carolina, Jon follows college football across the nation with a focus on the Conference of Champions and the Ducks.