The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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The Hoosiers will not be sneaking up on anyone this year. Most of the James Madison transfers that followed Cignetti remain, headlined by de- fensive lineman Mikail Kamara, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, linebacker Aiden Fisher and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds, all of them All-Big Ten honorees last season. IU hit the portal for a quarterback and landed Cal's Fernando Men- doza, who threw for more than 3,000 yards last season. 6. Washington (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) Former Michigan assistant Jedd Fisch took over a ragtag bunch last season that returned only one starter from the national runner-up team in 2023. It was rocky at times, but the Huskies still made a bowl game and set a foundation for what could come next. Now, Washington enters the year as a dark horse in the Big Ten and could be a threat for a playoff run, especially if it can take down Ohio State at home early in the season. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr., a true dual-threat talent, is the key to all of it along with lead tailback Jonah Coleman. Fisch and his staff hit the portal hard for help on defense, headlined by an all-conference talent in cornerback Tacario Davis. 7. Illinois (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) After a 10-win season in 2024, head coach Bret Bielema might be on the verge of reaching the level he attained with Wisconsin during his heyday with the Badgers. Illinois has now won eight-plus games in two of the last three years and enters the 2025 season with a respectable amount of talent back from last year's team. Some have labeled them a candidate to be this year's Indiana, a playoff team, but their success would not be as surprising. Nine starters return on offense, including quarterback Luke Altmyer who is coming off a career-best season. Top pass catchers Pat Bryant and Zahkari Franklin need to be replaced, but stars Gabe Jacas and Xavier Scott headline a talented defense. 8. USC (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) Head coach Lincoln Riley has taken some of the criticisms to heart, espe- cially on defense, over the last few years as USC transitioned to the Big Ten. The Trojans went 7-6 last year, with their five Big Ten losses coming by a combined 19 points. The close-game struggles suggest a bounce back could come, but they still might be a year away from playoff contention. Interestingly enough, the team's outlook comes down to what it gets from the quarterback position, which is usually a known commodity under Riley. Former UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava is getting the nod and could be a player who pivots the year in either direction. 9. Nebraska (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) The Cornhuskers have been on the verge of a breakout for years, but the pieces are in place for that vision to come to fruition this season. Matt Rhule has specialized in Year 3 statements, having played for conference titles at both Temple and Baylor in his third year on the job. A lot would have to go right for that to happen here, but QB Dylan Raiola could be in for a sophomore leap with some better pieces around him. The defense is a question mark, but the schedule is manageable. 10. Iowa (7-5, 5-4 Big Ten) Believe it or not, the Hawkeyes might actually have more defensive questions than offensive ones heading into this year. Iowa took a step forward on offense in 2024 and in the offseason added quarterback Mark Gronowski via the transfer portal. He helmed South Dakota State to back-to-back FCS national titles and brings 10,308 passing yards to the table. Iowa hosts Penn State and Oregon, and if it backfills what it lost on defense, it could be another sleeper team. 11. Wisconsin (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) After a failed attempt at bringing the Air Raid — or Dairy Raid — to Madison, head coach Luke Fickell is going back to the basics following a 12-13 mark in his first two seasons on the job. Last year ended a 22-year bowl game streak, so the sense of urgency is high to get things turned around. Wisconsin brought in former Maryland dual-threat QB Billy Edwards Jr. to lead the offense, and an experienced defense could help them out of a rut. Road trips to Alabama and Michigan early could test morale. 12. Minnesota (7-5, 4-5 Big Ten) Relative to traditional program standards, P.J. Fleck has kept the Gophers relevant with eight or more wins in three of the last four seasons and four of the last six overall. And yet, his résumé is filled with tons of "what ifs" and baffling losses. Another seven- or eight-win season is possible this year, but the schedule is a bit unforgiving with road games at Cal, Ohio State, Iowa and Oregon all on the docket. Redshirt freshman QB Drake Lindsey's play could be the difference in fighting for a bowl berth, or something more. 13. Michigan State (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) Head coach Jonathan Smith appears to be taking the slow-burning ap- proach with the rebuild in East Lansing, but he has a potential star at quar- terback in Aidan Chiles, and a bona fide star at wide receiver in Nick Marsh. There are major question marks on the offensive and defensive lines, but the Spartans have enough talent and a schedule that could help them make their first bowl appearance since the 2021 season. 14. UCLA (5-7, 3-6 Big Ten) UCLA had to change coaches late in the winter last season after Chip Kelly left for Ohio State. DeShaun Foster took over a tough situation — and over- came an odd Big Ten Media Days session — to lead the Bruins within one game of bowl eligibility at 5-7. There is optimism they can improve on that mark this year after landing controversial quarterback Nico Iamaleava out of the transfer portal. He started for a CFP team at Tennessee last year but transferred this spring after an NIL negotiation that went sideways. 15. Maryland (4-8, 1-8 Big Ten) Mike Locksley and the Terrapins had six players taken in the 2025 NFL Draft, the most since the 1986 season. It is going to be incredibly difficult to replace that, in addition to some of the transfers out of the program. The start of another Maryland rebuild could make for some tough sledding this year, and a bowl berth would be a massive accomplishment for the pro- gram. The team will go as far as freshman quarterback Malik Washington and a defense with one remaining starter take them. 16. Rutgers (4-8, 1-8 Big Ten) The Scarlet Knights were a program some thought make take the step that Indiana did last season as a sleeper playoff team before injuries derailed one of the most talent-rich teams they have had in a while. A decent amount returns from last year, and the offensive line is one of the best in the confer- ence. But they must face Iowa, Washington, Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State. Making a bowl game would be a good outcome. 17. Northwestern (3-9, 1-8 Big Ten) David Braun inherited a tough situation in Evanston coming off the controversial end to the Pat Fitzgerald era, but last year was a disappointment even by North- western standards. Most of its losses were non-compet- itive, and the offense was one of the worst in the FBS. The offense should pull a little more of its weight this year, and the defensive line is stout. 18. Purdue (2-10, 0-9 Big Ten) The Boilermakers are in much more capable hands with veteran head coach Barry Odom leading the program now rather than Ryan Walters, but that does not make the job any easier in Year 1. There are more than 50 new players in the program, so the chemical makeup of the roster has been altered completely. They could surprise, but it would still be a bit of a shock to see them in a bowl game, especially with as many as 11 transfers starting on the defensive side of the ball. Big Ten Championship Game Prediction: Penn State 27, Michigan 20 Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith shattered all of Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter's Ohio State fresh- man records with 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touch- downs last season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL THE WOLVERINE 2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 119