8 Bold Predictions for the 2024 Big Ten Football Season

The Big Ten has added many new teams and is now spread out coast to coast. Is this a good thing? We are about to find out. I expect some crazy things to happen this season and wish the Big Ten was still the Big Ten, but that was gone decades ago. So sit back and enjoy what should be an exciting ride.

1) Nebraska is Back!

Nebraska will have one preseason top-20 opponent and welcome back most of its Big Ten-caliber defense from last season. This leads them into this campaign with optimism akin to what we’ve not seen for some time—much of that due to five-star freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola becoming one of the faces of their program early this spring. The schedule is not difficult; they will get attention when they humble Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes early in the season, and they should be undefeated going into a matchup in Columbus against the Buckeyes. Check her for all your latest College Football news!

Nebraska Cornhuskers Pump Up (2024-25)

2) North Carolina and Virginia to the Big Ten talks will ramp up

With Florida State and Clemson possibly leaving the ACC, which I think will happen, North Carolina and Virginia to the Big Ten will look more and more plausible. It would be the best fit for both schools and having North Carolina and Virginia on the Basketball side of things would be huge for the Big Ten.

SEC and Big Ten BOTH WANT North Carolina and Virginia! Is the B1G a better fit for these schools?

3) The Indiana Hoosiers will play in a Bowl game

Curt Cignetti will lead Indiana ahead of schedule in his inaugural season with a bowl trip. He has barely made headlines among other Big Ten newcomers in the head coaching ranks – Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Washington’s Jedd Fisch, and Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith being more prominent examples. Still, they are only more prominent in the name only. What sets Cignetti apart? His offense creates pressure against opponents quickly while simultaneously drawing in talent from rival teams. His enthusiasm is contagious he coaches with energy and love for his players

Cignetti brought his defensive staff from James Madison University (JMU) to Bloomington, leading them to become national leaders in turnover numbers last season. Prior to coaching JMU, Cignetti held coaching stops at Alabama and NC State, making recruiting within Power leagues no foreign concept to him. By following Big Ten schedules, he can map a realistic path towards bowl season and potentially eight wins. Cignetti can flat-out coach, and the Hoosiers suddenly look like they may be contenders in the not-to-distant future in the Big Ten.

IS HOOSIER FOOTBALL READY for PRIME TIME? Curt Cignetti is TURNING HEADS at BIG 10 MEDIA DAY!

4) The Hot-seat is about to get blazing hot for Lincoln Riley

Riley came to USC as a supposed saviour but has come up well short of that in his short time at USC. Trojans fans are not known for their patience, and with Calen Williams at Quarterback, much was expected, and the Trojans fell painfully short.

The Trojan’s schedule is tough, and they will struggle to clear a .500 season this year; I am not saying he will be fired, but he better get it turned around by next season, or he could be in trouble.

Lincoln Riley talks about USC’s progress on the defensive line

5) Michigan will struggle under the new head coach. Will they make it to .500

The Wolverines are the defending National Champions; of course, questions surround the legitimacy of that title. But beyond that, they have a new head coach. Who is the starting quarterback? The Wolverines schedule is tough down the stretch, and Michigan looks like it is headed for a spanking by the rival Ohio State Buckeyes.

This is Why Michigan’s Offense Will be EXPLOSIVE This Season…

6) Iowa Hawkeyes to make the College Football Playoff

Iowa usually wins nine games in a season, but this team with a new offensive coordinator could become a playoff team if the offense can pick it up. The Hawkeyes are always loaded on defense; if the offense can get it going, the schedule is set up nicely with just a toad game at Ohio State to play. Ten or eleven wins is more than possible.

Iowa Football Can SURPRISE Teams AGAIN In 2024

7) Penn State will come up just short again, and James Franklin could be in trouble

Penn State is a team that should end up in the College Football Playoff. The schedule is not overly tricky; the question is James Franklin capable of getting this team over the hump? He hasn’t in the past, and a loss at Ohio State will not make fans in Happy Valley very happy. This season has to end for James Franklin, or his job could be in jeopardy.

Penn State Football Hype Video (2024-2025) ᴴᴰ

8) Michigan State will surprise Michigan

Michigan State will play a Big 3- Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan- but will not play Penn State. First-year coach Jonathan Smith boasts a roster that features portal players like Aidan Chiles as the starting quarterback he hopes will make an immediate difference during 2024. While there will undoubtedly be challenges along the way on Saturdays in 2024, things should go smoothly for one Saturday afternoon as the Spartans will beat Michigan and make a serious run at a bowl game.

Michigan State Football 2024-25 Hype Video