Summer is underway, and each passing day gets us closer and closer to the start of the college football season. June has prospective recruits visiting college campuses, July will have The Big Ten Media Days, and then August will have stories and news trickling out from teams about their respective depth charts are shaping up for the 2025 season.

While every team within The Big Ten has its share of non-conference opponents throughout the season, with most games falling in the first weeks of the season, the conference match-ups will start to materialize before the end of September. While not serving as elimination games, getting off to a good start within the conference can only help in the race for one of the coveted College Football Playoff berths.

September 20th: Michigan at Nebraska (3:30pm ET kickoff, CBS); Illinois at Indiana (Kickoff and network TBA)

Nebraska won the first two games versus Michigan as B1G opponents back in 2012 (Nebraska 23, Michigan 9) and 2013 (Nebraska 17, Michigan 13), but the Wolverines have been on the winning side of the ledger the last four times the teams have played, with Michigan decisively beating Nebraska 45-7 in Lincoln in 2023. For a program that earned its first bowl game visit since the 2016 season, this could be a barometer game for Matt Rhule and his coaching staff in seeing how far the Cornhuskers have come, and possibly how much further they may need to go to ascend to the level of the perceived conference elite.

Last season, the Indiana Hoosiers were the surprise team of The Big Ten, under their first year of coaching by Curt Cignetti. While Illinois had a tremendous 10-3 season under Bret Bielema in 2024, this game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington could provide some clues as to how much either team will factor into the conference championship race.

September 27th: Ohio State at Washington/USC at Illinois (Kickoffs and networks TBA); Oregon at Penn State (7:30pm ET kickoff, NBC/Peacock)

Both Ohio State and Washington will begin their Big Ten conference schedules in this contest at Husky Stadium. This will be their first meeting as conference opponents, as Ohio State last visited Husky Stadium in 2007 (Ohio State 33, Washington 14) when Washington was still a member of The Pac-12. As Jedd Fisch begins his second year at the helm for Washington, this game against the defending national champions will be scrutinized to see how the program is developing. Ohio State will begin conference play in their first road trip of the 2025 season.

USC will be making their first trip to Champaign as a member of The Big Ten, as the Trojans easily handled Illinois 55-3 as a Pac-12 member back in 1996. USC will have already played at Purdue (September 13th, 3:30pm ET CBS/Paramount) and Michigan State (September 20th). It will be interesting to see how Illinois plays after the aforementioned game at Indiana on September 20th.

The most anticipated game of The Big Ten season in September is the night game featuring Oregon at Penn State. A rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship Game, the Penn State faithful are understandably excited about a “White Out” contest against one of the premier Big Ten teams, and it will be interesting to see how Oregon handles what promises to be a raucous environment when the game kicks off. This will be the first time Oregon has played at State College since October 3, 1964, when the Ducks defeated the Nittany Lions, 22-14.

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Washington announced that Chun began his duties today. He served as AD at Washington State for six years.

READ: Reports: Oregon State, Washington State finalize settlement with outgoing Pac-12 teams

“It is truly an honor for my family and I to join the University of Washington family, and I look forward to doing my part to help elevate the athletics program and the University,” Chun stated in a release. “I am grateful to President (Ana Mari) Cauce for the opportunity and will work closely with our campus partners, our coaches and our staff to help our student-athletes have an incredible experience at UW. Our transition to the Big Ten is a critical step in our journey and great things lie ahead for the Huskies!”

The current president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and co-chairs the Pac-12 ImPACt Leadership Council, Chun has over two decades of experience in college athletics.

He became the first Asian-American athletics director to lead a Power Five program upon his appointment at Washington State in 2018.

READ: Cincinnati hires Brad Wittke as chief of staff

Chun oversaw Washington State when he “was named the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year, ten different WSU sports programs made NCAA tournament appearances and the school won six Pac-12 Championships” and led the Cougars to “record levels of donor support.”

Chun was appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee earlier this year.

“I am excited about forming an elite partnership and special relationship with Pat Chun. It was critical for us to hire an extraordinary leader who is all about the W.  Pat is about work, winning and the state of Washington. He is someone who is extremely knowledgeable and on the cutting edge of the new frontier of college football. Most of all, he is a proven winner. He knows what it takes to compete and win consistently at the highest levels. And he brings intimate knowledge of the Big Ten from his time at Ohio State. I look forward to sharing ideas together, to learning together, to winning together and to bringing multiple championship trophies to Montlake together,” Washington head coach Jedd Fisch stated in a release.

READ: SEC’s 2025 schedule format features 8-game conference slate

Chun also worked at Ohio State from 1997-2012 elevating as high as Executive Associate Athletics Director. After the Buckeyes Chun led Florida Atlantic for five-plus years.

“Pat has a track record of success and a wealth of experience – from 15 years in the Big Ten and service on national groups guiding the future of college sports, to securing community support and a commitment to the well-being of student-athletes. He knows our state, is highly respected in national athletics circles and has an eye for talent. I’m so happy he’ll be joining us to lead UW Athletics into the future,” Washington University President Ana Mari Cauce stated in a release.

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Saban, who announced his retirement following his and the Crimson Tide’s eighth appearance in the College Football Playoff, will put on a headset and pick up a microphone for ESPN “primarily as an analyst on the set of College Gameday”, according to a release.

READ: Reports: Mike Elston departs Michigan, follows Jim Harbaugh to Los Angeles Chargers

“ESPN and College Gameday have played such an important role in the growth of college football, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to join their team,” Saban stated in a release. “I’ll do my best to offer additional insights and perspectives to contribute to College GameDay, the ultimate Saturday tradition for college football fans.”

Saban’s retirement sent shock waves around college football, and it also tipped a domino in the coaching carousel that has seen at least three head coaches take openings in succession of one another.

Kalen DeBoer departed Washington for the opening at Alabama, Jedd Fisch left his post at Arizona for the Huskies opening and Brent Brennan took the position with the Wildcats after coaching at San Jose State.

According to a release, Saban will “also contribute to ESPN’s extensive, multi-day NFL Draft coverage, and make appearances tied to SEC Media Days across ESPN platforms, including SEC Network.”

“Nick Saban is a singular, iconic presence in college football,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated in a release. “He is also an extremely gifted communicator, who will immediately add even more credibility, authority and entertainment value to ESPN, including our esteemed College GameDay show.”

READ: Penn State Lands Commitment from Four-Star Linebacker

Saban’s first assignment and additional details “will be announced at a later date,” according to a release.

ESPN’s College Gameday completed its 30th season on the road and 37th overall after last season. It finished as the “second-most watched season since 2011 and fourth-best all time,” according to a release.

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According to Field Yates of ESPN, Belichick will enter the world of college football after 12 years in the NFL. He is the son of longtime NFL coach and great Bill Belichick.

READ: NCAA responds to Tennessee and Virginia lawsuit

Steve Belichick called plays defensively the past five seasons in New England. During the 2019 season, the Patriots led the NFL allowing the fewest points and total yards.

Steve Belichick worked with new Washington head coach Jedd Fisch in 2020 when Fisch worked as the quarterbacks coach in New England.

READ: Rattler goes 4-for-4 with TD, National beats American 16-7 in Senior Bowl

According to ESPN, Steve Belichick and his younger brother Brian Belichick “were offered an opportunity” to remain with the Patriots but Steve Belichick chose Washington.

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Rogers originally transferred to Washington in December 2023 and entered the transfer portal upon Kalen DeBoer’s departure for Alabama.

READ: Reports: LSU to name Cortez Hankton, Joe Sloan co-offensive coordinators

Rogers decides to remain with the Huskies, who will be coached by former Arizona leader Jedd Fisch.

READ: Reports: Germie Bernard transfers to Alabama

Rogers is the second-leading passer in all-time Southeastern Conference history. He’s passed for 12,315 yards and 94 touchdowns in 43 games.

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Niumatalolo joins the Spartans program after he was named director of leadership at UCLA prior to last season.

READ: Reports: Caleb Downs to transfer to Ohio State

He succeeds former head coach Brent Brennan, who took the opening at Arizona in wake of Jedd Fisch’s departure for Washington.

“We are thrilled that Coach Niumatalolo has accepted the opportunity to lead our football program,” San Jose State athletics director Jeff Konya stated in a release. “He is a proven winner and brought the Naval Academy to unprecedented heights by winning eight or more games in nine seasons during his tenure. It’s impressive when you see that he had success against national brands like Notre Dame, Virginia, Kansas State and Pittsburgh, and even finished ranked inside the top 25 twice. We believe he is the right fit to build off the foundation laid here at San José State and will have the Spartans competing for Mountain West championships on a consistent basis.”

Niumatalolo is the all-time leader in wins at Navy where he went 109-83 over 15 seasons from 2007-22. The Midshipmen won six bowl games under Niumatalolo, a school record.

READ: Ohio State hires Bill O’Brien as next offensive coordinator

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, San Jose State zeroed in on Niumatalolo who “is expected to target an offensive coordinator for some type of wide-open and pass-heavy system.”

Niumatalolo’s contract is a five-year agreement, according to Thamel.

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Brennan will replace former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch, who took the opening at Washington after Kalen DeBoer departed for Alabama.

READ: Michigan RB Donovan Edwards to return in 2024

“I am so blessed and excited to come back to the University of Arizona,” Brennan stated in a release. “This incredible university is special to my family and I as it’s where I started as a coach as part Coach (Dick) Tomey’s legacy. I can’t wait to meet the players, families, fans, alumni and supporters and build on the success the players and staff have started. Bear Down and Go Cats!”

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Brennan arrives at Arizona on a five-year deal.

Brennan comes with almost 10 years experience as a head coach. He’s served as leader of the Spartans program since 2017.

READ: Reports: Washington WR Germie Bernard enters transfer portal

Brennan led San Jose State to three bowl game appearances, most in program history. He also guided the Spartans to a 7-6 record this season and a 7-5 mark in 2022, recording the first back-to-back seasons over .500 for the first time since 1991-92.

“I am incredibly excited to announce Brent Brennan as the next Head Football Coach at the University of Arizona,” Arizona Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke stated in a release. “Brent is an exceptional leader with a background of championship success on the field, on the recruiting trail, and as leader in the community.  With strong connections to the Tucson community and an appreciation for the rich legacy of our program under legendary Head Coach Dick Tomey, Brent’s vision to continue the upward trajectory of Arizona Football is rooted in the historical excellence of the program. As we begin a new era, Brent Brennan is the ideal leader for our student-athletes, staff, campus and Southern Arizona community as we write the next great chapters of Arizona Football.” 

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According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Bernard intends to transfer from the Huskies program.

READ: Washington hires Arizona’s Jedd Fisch as next head coach

Bernard’s move isn’t the first since Washington underwent a head coaching change. Kalen DeBoer took the opening at Alabama in wake of Nick Saban’s retirement, and Arizona’s Jedd Fisch was hired to replace DeBoer with the Huskies.

Bernard was Washington’s fifth-leading receiver. He brought in 419 receiving yards and two touchdowns across 34 receptions.

READ: Reports: Former Alabama WR Isaiah Bond transfers to Texas

Both Bernard’s receiving yards and receptions were career highs.

The Las Vegas native spent the 2022 season at Michigan State before choosing to transfer to Washington.

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Fisch arrives to the Huskies program after former head coach Kalen DeBoer took the opening at Alabama in wake of Nick Saban’s retirement.

READ: Reports: Former Alabama WR Isaiah Bond transfers to Texas

“It is truly an honor to join The University of Washington and do my part in carrying on the tradition of a storied football program and world-class university,” Fisch stated in a release. “The unbelievable success of the Huskies the last two seasons demonstrates what UW is capable of and I cannot wait to compete for Big Ten and national championships with tremendous young men and an outstanding coaching staff that we will assemble. I am grateful to President (Ana Marie) Cauce and to Troy Dannen for their confidence in me and I’m thrilled to be a Husky. Our work has already begun.”

Fisch spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Wildcats team. He joined Arizona after stints in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018-19 and New England Patriots in 2020.

Fisch was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and Dodd Trophy after last season. He led the Wildcats to a 10-3 season, including an Alamo Bowl victory, for the first time since 2014 marking a stark change since going 1-11 in 2021.

READ: Michigan’s Blake Corum, J.J. McCarthy declare for NFL Draft

Arizona’s 2021-23 improvement of nine wins is the largest margin over a span of three seasons in program history.

“In seeking a new head coach, we wanted to move quickly but thoroughly and sought out a coach who would build on our foundation, bring energy to the program, has a track record of success, is an elite recruiter and was someone who young men wanted to play for,” Washington athletics director Troy Dannen stated in a release. “We found all of those characteristics and more in Jedd Fisch. It became clear through our conversations that he shares our values and our vision for UW Football, and he is the right coach at the right time as we transition to the Big Ten Conference. On behalf of the Husky Family, I want to welcome Jedd, Amber, Zaylee, Ashlee and Kendall to Seattle, and I cannot wait to see what comes next.”

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All three of those ranked games will be previewed later, and there are 12 ranked teams that will play on the road this week. 

PODCAST: Week 11 Recap: Are things getting any clearer?

No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Michigan will play on the road, while No. 2 Ohio State, which dropped one spot in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, will round out its home schedule against Minnesota. 

Jordan Travis and No. 4 Florida State will face North Alabama in a game in which the Seminoles will be heavily favored. The Seminoles are riding a 16-game winning streak and have already clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game. 

Here are several games to watch this week. 

No. 22 Utah at No. 17 Arizona 

The first of two Pac-12 Conference matchups this week will focus on key positioning for possible conference title implications. 

Arizona has been one of the hottest teams entering the middle of November. The Wildcats are on a four-game winning streak and have clinched their most wins at 7-3 since the 2017 season. 

Wildcats head coach Jedd Fisch has heard his name involved and tossed around the coaching carousel as teams are already letting go of some coordinators and some head coaches. 

But Fisch isn’t focused on his coaching prospects. To him, his focus is on Arizona football and upending the reigning Pac-12 champion Utah, which has the third-best scoring defense in the conference behind an average of 17.8 points per game. 

“That’s this time of year. When you’re successful and your team’s playing well that’s what happens,” Fisch said. “I think our only focus is beating Utah. This is a great team coming in. I told our team yesterday that you have a chance to — they are the reigning champions. They’re the two years reigning Pac-12 champions. We need everybody focusing on one thing and one thing only and that is Utah football and trying to have the best Arizona football program we can have to go beat Utah’s football team, and we are going to give them everything that we have. We are going to empty the tank, and we need a full house to do that.” 

No. 1 Georgia at No. 18 Tennessee 

Another test stands in the way for Georgia, which will play this week as the top-seeded team in the CFP rankings after overtaking the Buckeyes. 

The Bulldogs earned a top-10 win last weekend when they beat Ole Miss 52-17. Georgia held the Rebels to three points in the second half, and its defense withstood the test of Ole Miss’ offense led by quarterback Jaxson Dart. 

READ: Big Board: Week 12

This week, Georgia will go up against Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III and the Volunteers offense, which ranks fourth in the Southeastern Conference averaging 454.8 yards per game. 

The Volunteers will present a unique challenge to Georgia. Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart kept team strategy close to the vest, as he hopes his team can maintain its perfect 10-0 record against a team that has an upset on its mind. 

“I don’t think you can simulate their pace,” Smart said. “They’re really good at what they do. They’re fast at what they do. We try to, but I don’t really delve into how we practice publicly so we keep that in house but it is tough to simulate.” 

No. 5 Washington at No. 11 Oregon State 

The second Pac-12 matchup of Preview Thursday this week could serve as a sort of Pac-12 championship preview. 

The Beavers enter Saturday’s game at 8-2 and 5-2 in Pac-12 play. They’ve claimed a two-game winning streak having beaten Colorado and Stanford to climb to their highest ranking of the season. 

Oregon State will need some help, though. No. 6 Oregon stands in the way of the Beavers at 6-1 in the conference, and the Ducks’ only loss came to No. 5 Washington. 

The Huskies have been doing some skating recently, and they’ve kept their perfect 10-0 record among six unbeaten teams left in college football. 

READ: Georgia climbs to No. 1 in third CFP rankings

Washington has won each of its past six games by 10 points or less, and they’re atop the Pac-12 standings. 

Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer can see the conference championship on the horizon, and he wants his team to continue taking care of business. 

“I’m proud of the direction we’re going,” DeBoer said. “We put ourselves in a spot now where, I mean, every game does matter but it really has a heightened level of importance, and we’re excited about that. I think our guys really play well when the lights are bright, and that goes into the week of preparation, the energy. They bring it every single day and so big week ahead against a really, really good football team that’s playing really well and well coached, and so we know we have a great challenge going on the road again.” 

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That number dropped by one after then-No. 6 Oklahoma fell 38-33 to unranked Kansas last Saturday afternoon. The Sooners gave up a season-high rushing total and allowed four rushing touchdowns. 

PODCAST: Lance Leipold is the Exact Opposite of Deion Sanders

It will remain interesting to see where the College Football Playoff rankings select each of the remaining undefeated teams. Currently, Liberty is the only unranked unbeaten team in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. 

Here are some noteworthy quotes as focus turns from Week 9 to Week 10.   

Dave Doeren, NC State 

NC State picked up a statement win on Saturday. 

The Wolfpack defeated Clemson 24-17, and they did so behind two touchdown passes from quarterback MJ Morris. 

On ESPN College GameDay, former Utah wide receiver Steve Smith said he thinks NC State is already looking forward to basketball season, calling the program a “basketball school.” 

Well, NC State head coach Dave Doeren heard Smith’s pregame comments, and had a response come postgame. 

“Tell Steve Smith in the studio this ain’t a basketball school,” Doeren said. “He can kiss my a–.” 

Jedd Fisch, Arizona 

Arizona picked up what could be seen as the second-best win of the win earning a 27-24 win over then-No. 11 Oregon State. 

The Wildcats went into halftime tied at 10 apiece with the Beavers. They outgained Oregon State 232 yards to 190 in the second half and averaged 6.4 yards per play. 

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita completed 78% of his passes and threw three touchdowns during the win. He added 275 yards through the air. 

READ: Stat Pack: Week 9

Wildcats head coach Jedd Fisch was ecstatic postgame after the win, and he said he saw the game down the middle until the end. 

“One of those games that almost everything was equal: 30 rushes, 29 rushes, 62 plays, 62 plays, 27 first downs, 24 first downs, whatever it might have been,” Fisch said. “But the final score was a field goal game and that’s what it felt like it was the whole time, and I’m glad that we came out on top. Hats off to our team. I think our team had a fantastic resilience about themselves.” 

Pat Narduzzi, Pitt 

Pitt is in trouble with having its first losing season in six years. 

The Panthers are 2-6 to start the season, and they’ve lost their past two games and six of seven. 

Their fortunes didn’t change last Saturday as the Panthers dropped a 58-7 ballgame to No. 14 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish shut out Pitt in the first half 17-0 before turning on the jets for four offensive touchdowns and two defensive scores. 

READ: Oregon climbs to No. 6 in latest AP Top 25 poll

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi took responsibility for the loss postgame on Saturday. Furthermore, he took to X and posted more of his thoughts sharing where his team is at this point in the season. 

“I am 100% responsible for (Saturday)’s loss,” Narduzzi posted. “Like I said after the game, it starts with me. I didn’t do a good enough job coaching today. Put it on me! I remain committed to finishing the season strong with our team!” 

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