By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
October 30, 2025
It is a bit lighter week than normal in the Big Ten, with just six conference games, and a much lighter week for the four West Coast schools, with only USC in action.
Washington enters the bye week as hot as anyone following a big win over Illinois last week, keeping their Playoff hopes alive.
Oregon embarks on its off week having won two in a row by a combined 77-17 score and remains on track for a Playoff push, but would need some help to return to the conference title game in Indy.
UCLA has just four games left, with only one more trip East, to Ohio State. The Bruins snapped back to reality against Indiana, but they can still finish strong and land a bowl bid with a couple of upsets down the stretch.
With the lighter load among the West Coast schools, I’ll touch on just four games this week, including USC’s visit to Nebraska and three other conference matchups.
The Ohio State-Penn State matchup has lost some of its appeal since its preseason buildup. Minnesota and Michigan State will try to establish things on the ground, and Maryland has a homecoming date with the No. 2 team in the land.
As for the two games I don’t preview this week, Illinois should make short work of Rutgers at home, and Michigan will have no problem with Purdue in the Big House.
Speaking of Michigan, at 4-1 in conference play, a visit from OSU at the end of the month could transform its season. Could the Wolverines once again pull something out of thin air and play for a conference title? Time will tell.
And with that, here is a look at the four Big Ten games we are highlighting, with my picks straight-up and against the spread.
Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Saturday November 1
9:00 AM PT, FOX
Line: Ohio State -20.5
Over/Under: 43.5
This rivalry has been a bit one-sided in recent years: Since 2016, OSU is 8-0 against PSU.
But while the results have been one-sided, the games have been nailbiters. The average margin of victory in those eight contests has been 6.75 points per game, with four one-score games. Two of them have been decided by a single point.
This one does not look like it will be that close. Ohio State owns the nation’s longest win streak 11 games, while Penn State has dropped four straight.
To make matters worse, the Nittany Lions have a backup QB under center with an interim coach at the helm. For Terry Smith, the Buckeyes are the biggest team he’ll face as a temporary coach to finish out the final five games strong.
The Buckeyes’ defense should completely stymie the Penn State offense. OSU is third in the nation in pass defense, and the Lions will not be able to move the ball on the ground if they can’t produce the threat of a passing attack.
On the other side of the ball, Julian Sayin and the OSU offense may struggle, but they won’t have to produce much. The QB has not been stellar, but he does lead the nation with a completion rate of 80%.
OSU will take what Penn State gives them and be fine with it.
Penn State should have no trouble getting up for Ohio State. The question is, can the Lions get up for subsequent games this season?
The Buckeyes will roll, and second-ranked Indiana is up next for the Lions, who have three winnable games after that. But at that point, will it even matter?
OSU wins and covers, but the total stays under.
Against the spread: Ohio State
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: Ohio State
No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers at Maryland Terrapins
No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers at Maryland Terrapins
Saturday November 1
12:30 PM PT, CBS
Line: Indiana -21.5
Over/Under: 50.5
The Terps will be looking to knock off a ranked opponent for the first time since 2022, and score the first upset of a top-two team in the nation since 1955.
Indiana has been rolling while the Terps have lost three in a row following a 4-0 start to the season.
Malik Washington is a gifted QB who can make plays for Maryland. He has thrown for 1,716 yards this season, the third most by a true freshman through seven games since 2018. Indiana will offer the toughest front seven to date for the young QB.
Dante Moore and Nico Iamaleava are also gifted QBs—perhaps more so—and both had all kinds of issues with this defense.
UMD does not have a good ground game, ranking 130th in the nation in rushing. They will not be able to move the ball at all on the ground, and the Hoosiers will be able to tee off on the passing attack, making it a long afternoon for the Terps and Washington.
The Terps have four pick-sixes this season and lead the nation with 2.0 interceptions per game. Fernando Mendoza is not one to turn it over much, and the QB will be happy just to put the ball in Roman Hemby’s gut and let the RB carve up his old team.
Maryland has outscored opponents 174-60 in the first three quarters this season. Indiana has outscored opponents 101-9 in the third quarter and 166-31 in the second half.
Maryland might keep it close early, but Indiana wins this one going away.
Against the spread: Indiana
Points Total: Over
Outright winner: Indiana
Michigan State Spartans at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Michigan State Spartans at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Saturday, November 1
12:30 PM PT, Big Ten Network
Line: Minnesota -3
Over/Under: 44.5
But this one also features a Michigan State team looking to reverse a five-game losing streak and a Minnesota squad that has been up and down in 2025.
The Gophers have been up at home and down on the road as they remain unbeaten in their five games at Huntington Bank Stadium.
Quarterback Aidan Chiles is starting to look a bit better for the Spartans, and Makhi Frazier is coming off a career-high 109 yards on the ground last week vs Michigan.
Finding an effective rushing attack will be key on Saturday, as Minnesota ranks 19th in the nation against the run. The MSU line will need to be more productive than they have been so far this season.
The big problem for MSU has been on the defensive side of the ball, where they have not been able to stop anyone. The Spartans are 118th in the nation, allowing 32.5 points per game.
The Gophers’ offense has not been great, but Drake Lindsey has been solid at QB, and the ground attack should be able to get going in this one.
And that is big for them, in the five wins this season Minnesota has run for 132.4 yards per game while being limited to 74 yards rushing per game in the three losses.
Minnesota will have a ground attack in this one and get bowl-eligible against Michigan State
Against the spread: Minnesota
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: Minnesota
No. 23 USC Trojans at Nebraska Cornhuskers
No. 23 USC Trojans at Nebraska Cornhuskers
Saturday November 1
4:30 PM PT, NBC
Line: USC –6.5
Over/Under: 59.5
The Trojans have lost two of their last three games while the Huskers are coming off a win over Northwestern and have won three of their last four games.
Still, the Trojans enter as a slight favorite on the road and look like the better team entering this matchup.
Nebraska has failed to reach 200 yards passing in three of their last four games and have turned it over five times in the last two games.
A big issue for the Huskers’ struggles in the passing game has been the offensive lines’ inability to keep Dylan Raiola upright and with time to throw the ball.
USC has shown the ability to get after QBs this season, ranking 15th in the nation with 3.0 sacks per game, and in their four wins this season, the pass rush has been effective. Another key for the Trojans in this one will be getting the run game working.
Against Notre Dame, the rushing attack never got going, but the Trojans have run the ball very well in Big Ten play. Nebraska’s defense has not been good against the run, and the Huskers have allowed 236 rushing yards per game in their two losses this season.
In order to take pressure off of Raiola, the Huskers will need to get their rushing attack going and land some quick screens to keep the Trojans from pinning their ears back.
Notre Dame and Illinois were able to find success against USC with the run game and getting big plays out of the ground attack. Nebraska will need to commit to sticking with the run game if they want to have a chance.
I think USC offense will get hot, and the Huskers will abandon the run game too early. The Trojans will force some turnovers and get a huge road win in Lincoln.
This one has the feel of a 30-24 kind of game, but I’ll go ahead and take the Trojans to cover the 6.5 in a competitive game.
Against the spread: USC
Points Total: Under
Outright winner: USC
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