By Mark Pszonak
Most of the attention has been given to the top early season out-of-conference games, but there are plenty of conference games that will be vital in determining the playoff chase in 2025. Here are the top five games to watch in the Big Ten this season.
1. Ohio State at Michigan (Saturday, November 29th)
The skinny: This game has long had a bit of everything, but with the recent drama involving Ohio State’s inability to defeat Michigan, even more juice has been added to the recipe. This has become must-watch reality television due to the multitude of storylines, both on and off the field.
2. Penn State at Ohio State (Saturday, November 1st)
The skinny: If you’re just talking about football, this very easily could have been #1 on this list. Expectations in Happy Valley are through the roof in 2025, but they will quickly deflate if they can’t beat the Buckeyes in Columbus.
3. Oregon at Penn State (Saturday, September 27th)
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The skinny: A very interesting late September in-conference game that could play a huge role in the remainder of the conference season. For Penn State this will be their first P4 game of the season, while Oregon will have already played Oklahoma State, Northwestern and in-state rival Oregon State. Will that be an advantage for the Ducks? And lets not forget that this will be Penn State’s annual White Out game.
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4. Ohio State at Illinois (Saturday, October 11th)
The skinny: Head coach Bret Bielema wants the Illini to be taken seriously this season, but they can accomplish that on their own if they can beat Ohio State at home in what could be the biggest game in Champaign in a long, long time. However, they first have to get past USC and Indiana to make this game vital.
5. Indiana at Oregon (Saturday, October 11th)
The skinny: One of the biggest questions of the 2025 season in the Big Ten is if Indiana was a one-hit wonder in 2024 or a program that needs to be reckoned with. By the end of October 11th everyone will know as the game in Eugene follows Big Ten games against Illinois and Iowa.
