With the Big Ten now establishing itself as the premier conference in college football, there are a number of teams that will have a legitimate shot to make a run at the College Football Playoff in 2025. It starts with the usual suspects, including Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and Penn State, but there’s also a few others who could legitimately position themselves as one of the 12 playoff teams at the end of the regular season.

Here are three Big Ten teams that are still looking for their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff and could see it happen in 2025.

1. Nebraska

With the return of starting quarterback Dylan Raiola, along with a somewhat favorable schedule that avoids matchups against Ohio State and Oregon, the Cornhuskers could certainly achieve 10 wins in the regular season.

During his time at Temple, head coach Matt Rhule achieved his first breakthrough season in year 3, helping the Owls reach 10 wins. During his time at Baylor, Rhule took the Bears from a one win season to an 11 win season in year 3. Given the weapons he has in Lincoln, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Rhule produce the same result at Nebraska in 2025.

2. USC

USC finds itself at a bit of a crossroads with head coach Lincoln Riley. Although Riley achieved great success during his five seasons at Oklahoma (55-10 overall record), he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype in southern California. After an 8-5 start in 2023, the Trojans took a step back in 2024, finishing at 7-6 on the year. Another step back could put Riley squarely on the hotseat in 2026, and it seems like there’s a sense of urgency to get things turned around now.

Veteran QB Jayden Maiava figures to be the starter this fall, and the Trojans added some noteworthy pieces via the transfer portal. The biggest challenge is the schedule itself, with matchups against Michigan, at Notre Dame, at Nebraska, and at Oregon. If the Trojans can find a way to get to at least nine wins with that schedule, it’s possible they could find a way into the College Football Playoff.

3. Illinois

Head coach Bret Bielema managed to lead the Fighting Illini to a 10-win season in 2024, with noteworthy wins against Nebraska, Michigan, and South Carolina (Citrus Bowl). Illinois returns veteran QB Luke Altmyer, and the Fighting Illini made 10 additions via the transfer portal during the off-season. Can they recreate the magic from 2024 and improve to become a playoff team in 2025? It’s possible, but they’ll need to navigate a difficult schedule that includes matchups against USC, Ohio State, at Washington, and at Wisconsin.

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