My Reaction To The 2024-2025 Big Ten Football Schedule Release | College Football 2023

2024-2025 SCHEDULES by the time this video releases the Big Ten will have released their 2024 and 2025 schedules as of yesterday afternoon and boy I along with many of you I imagine have plenty of thoughts to offer especially on the protected rivalries the way that the scheduling system works and as a symptom of those things some teams totally got the long end of the stick and the short end of the stick so we're going to be discussing all of that today and I'm going to go through USC and UCLA especially because they're the reason why this is happening they are the two add-ons that are coming and joining the Big Ten in 2024 we'll see if Washington Oregon or other teams decide to join Notre Dame and Miami getting American Association of University status is ringing a lot of bells in people's minds that maybe they will join the Big Ten but there's no confirmation yet these schedules could totally change depending on what teams join or maybe lack thereof and no one joins and it's just USC and UCLA but they're here so why not talk about it especially since 2024 is already a big year of change I want to discuss this I'm very excited for 2024 the new Big Ten the new college football playoff so we're going to be talking about all of that so make sure to watch the whole video through subscribe to the channel if you have not already comment your thoughts on the 2024 and 2025 schedules for the Big Ten down below and hit the notification Bell so you can get notified about more Big Ten in college football content period amen let's begin it off with USC and UCLA talking about the new schools that are going to join the Big Ten and then we'll talk about schools that have been contenders either in their past conferences or in the Big Ten and how the schedules in 2024 and 2025 especially but also their protected rivals or lack thereof yes there is one team with no protected Rivals affects their ability to compete and yeah let's just Dive Right In okay first and foremost I want to talk about UCLA and USC both teams have each other as protected Rivals that's it and I like this this isn't like you know Texas A M joins the SEC and LSU all of a sudden becomes their rival or Texas A M joins and oh look well they're all of a sudden Rivals with Alabama now creating new rivalries is awesome and I think that it's something that you know maybe this protected rivalry future will evolve especially as the Big Ten and the SEC I know Greg Sankey claims the sec's done at 16. but I highly doubt this or if they're done with 16 what's going to eventually happen is they're going to invite bigger schools in and kick the smaller schools maybe like Vanderbilt out and just leave it at 16 but kick out the teams that are inferior athletically in exchange for those that are superior when athletically with a better Athletic program they might move even more away from academics the whole college football landscape could but I think that the Big Ten obviously seeing that Washington and Oregon are interested potentially and again Notre Dame and Miami gaining AAU status is huge I imagine the Big Ten is probably aiming for that 20 team spot which I think is a sweet spot and adding Notre Dame is good Washington and Oregon give you UCLA and USC some more natural geographical rivals and teams to compete with and then Miami well it doesn't necessarily make sense neither did USC or UCLA geographically but it gives the Big Ten another footprint in a major media Market which I hate that money's driving the sport now some would say it's ruining it but it is the reality and I'm just a 20 year old adult slash someone called kid so I can't change much but I can't talk about it so I like that for now especially since this is the first few years of them being in the Big Ten there's no forced rivalries there's just tradition they're protecting it by protecting the USC UCLA rivalry and not forcing any rivalries on these two teams I love that however their schedules are extremely hard they're very challenging they do not have cupcake schedules one bit when you look at UCLA's 2024 schedule for example you see at Hawaii hosting Fresno State to open up the season and then wow a road game at LSU in Tiger stadium and that's not where the fun ends folks because they have a road game at LSU but then they also play a road game at Iowa and Michigan and then they host Minnesota Nebraska and Ohio State those are just some of the conference games that I'm listing that have my interest they also play a road game at Rutgers Indiana and they do host North Western that's a tough schedule that's much tougher than the schedule that UCLA is going to be playing in 2023 where they don't face anyone in the non-conference and they just play at Utah at Oregon State at USC and they really don't host anyone the toughest team that they host will probably be the Washington State Cougars so a huge schedule upgrade for UCLA and then 2025 it gets even worse because they open up against Georgia now that game could be canceled it is the future but opening up against Georgia August 30th when they'll have Dylan raiola on the roster and he might even be starting at that point that is just going to be brutal for a team like UCLA they then play on the road at UNLV host New Mexico before jumping in and the conference games have their dates have not yet been determined so after I talk about the non-conference there are no dates for these games keep that in mind at Illinois at Michigan State at Nebraska at Penn State of course that rivalry game this time on the road at USC and they have home games against Maryland Purdue Rutgers and Wisconsin you will UCLA's schedule is brutal it's the definition of brutal and then USC is the same thing they face LSU in a neutral site at Allegiant stadium in 2024 to open up the season September 1st which will be a Sunday and they play Notre Dame they'll play Notre Dame November 30th on in 2024. so those are two good non-conference opponents and they have Road games at Purdue and Penn State and that's just 2024. I have the 2024 schedules up there because those are those are the closest to us it makes the most sense to talk about though since we have a better idea of what the teams will be like in 2024 than 2025 but they also play at Northwestern in Maryland and they play at UCLA I did not list the rivalry games in the bullet points up there just because we already know they're going to be playing each other annually we know those are going to be the protected rivalries and then they host Illinois Iowa Michigan and Wisconsin in 2024. and then in 2025 they host Ole Miss to open up the season play at Notre Dame October 18th with the game in between those with against Georgia Southern which will be a blowout obviously and they play at Minnesota at Ohio State at Rutgers at Wisconsin hosting Indiana Michigan State Nebraska Penn State and of course UCLA just a brutal schedule and I think looking at the amount of road games the weather is going to be dramatically changing and just the amount of Defense the round robin scheduling what it has done is beautiful it's absolutely beautiful it has not perfectly leveled the playing field as we're going to see with protected rivalries but it the disparity is so much less and with all the defenses like Iowa Minnesota Penn State Michigan Ohio State especially against those teams and look even teams like Rutgers have been able to field competent defenses in Illinois is on the rise there it will be hard for Kelly's and Riley's spread air raid spread option no huddle whatever you want to call it it's going to be very hard for those offenses to smoothly function in the Big Ten and for those teams defenses Lord have mercy I expect Michigan Penn State and Ohio State to probably rush for 200 or more yards against those defenses unless it can get figured out the schedules are brutal but the former Pac-12 teams with their offensive Firepower I just said it might not be able to work smoothly but I do expect them to win most years and win big some years especially USC with their Elite recruiting and Lincoln Riley as their head coach so now getting those two PENN STATE 2024-2025 programs out of the way let's go through and just talk about a few Big Ten teams and react to their schedules so Penn State remember that team that I said had no protected Rivals well Penn State's one of them in my opinion they at least should have protected the Michigan State Penn State rivalry which was played nearly every year since Penn State joined the conference they they fight for the land grant trophy since I think they're the only two Big Ten universities that got land grants from the government and there's a history behind that rivalry and it's been very competitive Penn State and Michigan State have gone back and forth for basically the past decade Penn State under Franklin has struggled against Michigan State but they've beaten Michigan State as well they've beaten them pretty soundly some years 2019 2020. 2016 when they won the Big Ten and they've also lost to them in heartbreaking fashion in 2017 18 2021 I also beat Michigan State last season got crushed by them in 2015 so it's been competitive in recent memory and it typically has closed out the year at least it did in 15 16 21 22 and I think it closed out Michigan State season in 2020 though not Penn States as they went on to play Illinois so Penn State they get a huge benefit with no protected Rivals I mean that right there it's a that's a massive benefit I don't know what else to say because they don't have to play Ohio State yearly they don't have to play Michigan yearly they don't have to play Michigan State yearly they get a nice rotation to a certain degree that means they're not exactly knowing what they get every year like there's no Michigan or Ohio State where you know what their identity is but I think the pros outweigh the cons especially since you know schedules are at least a general idea years in advance and coaches aren't going to be preparing for a game years or even a year down the road anyway they're going to be preparing for the next game up James Franklin knows that I think their schedule is easy let's check this one out this is going to be incredible just just listen very closely to Penn State's absolutely powerful list of opponents at West Virginia that's like going into a barn but you don't even have to set the barn on fire because it's burning and Neil Brown will probably be fired after this year hosting the mighty Bowling Green Falcons and the even mightier Kent State golden flash who's who lost all of their good players one of them to Penn State and Dante cephas it gets even better Road games at Indiana at Purdue at Rutgers at Wisconsin keep in mind this is 2024. that is a weak Road game slate Wisconsin will probably be the only competent opponent out of all of them maybe Purdue but even so Penn State by far out talents all of those teams on recruiting alone their home slate Michigan State Nebraska Northwestern Ohio State USC the only team the only team who has better Talent Far and Away than Penn State in the 2024 schedule is Ohio State may have them at home there's no Michigan on the road which could be a death sentence and often was for James Franklin when he played in a full big house I mean I just don't see the negative outside of History tradition or enjoying rivalries I don't see a negative for not having a protected rival for Penn State the the Ohio State game is by far the biggest game of the year the USC game is Big too of course but USC has to travel a long distance it's gonna be in October or November so the weather is going to be dramatically different too and Penn State is a good defense Nicholas Singleton and katron Allen both will probably be back in 2024 and they'll probably be able to run through that Alex Grinch defense so Penn State if this year isn't the year talking about 2023 and I don't think it is but in 2024 is Penn State better win 11 or 12 games in 2024 their schedule is set up perfectly for it their biggest road games will be at Wisconsin and Purdue and they host Ohio State USC and Michigan State probably as their biggest home games their 2025 slate is tougher I will give them that it is more challenging they play at Iowa at Maryland at Michigan and at Michigan State and at USC as well and they host Minnesota and UCLA Illinois and Rutgers it's an overall harder schedule but they don't play Ohio State anymore so so there's no longer playing Michigan in Ohio state every year for Penn State which is a huge break and a good one for James Franklin I don't know if it's welcomed by the fan base I certainly don't welcome not playing at least one team every year whether it should have been Michigan State or Ohio State's Up For Debate but having Ohio State play both Michigan and Penn State every it was probably too hard in the eyes of Gene Smith and I can't imagine anyone volunteering to play two of the best teams in the Big Ten annually can't imagine that so perfectly understandable let's talk about Nebraska now and this will be shorter because Nebraska has Iowa as a protected rival their schedule is more moderate you know it's it's better to talk about the things that are outliers here in Nebraska's schedule is not exactly an outlier they're gonna play in the Heroes game probably at the end of the year as is the tradition and this was a rivalry game I think before Nebraska joined the Big Ten now there were years where it was on a Hiatus obviously but over the past few seasons pardon me this game has been amazing from Nebraska choking it away in 2021 to Nebraska coming out of nowhere and burning one of the better secondaries in the nation in 2022 there's history behind that rivalry so I'm glad they kept it around their 2024 schedule there are games at Iowa UCLA and Penn State I'm telling you I'm telling you I love this round robin schedule and I'm loving the protected rivalries there's also an interesting concept here I'm going to link several articles down below the concept's called the flex protect plus so there are games that are played two years in a row they're called to play opponents that'll be played both home and away in 2024 and 2025. for Penn State that was Michigan State Rutgers and USC for Nebraska to Minnesota and UCLA with Iowa being the game that'll be played every single year unless there is a major change being made Nebraska's 2024 schedule opens up against UTEP Colorado and Northern Iowa all of those are dated the August 31st September 7th and September 14th the conference games of course need I remind you do not have dates attached to them but there are Road games at Iowa Northwestern Penn State Purdue at UCLA and home games against Indiana Michigan State Minnesota and Wisconsin in 2025 their schedule opens up against Akron September 6th a road game at Cincinnati September 13th and a weirdly placed October non-conference game against the Louisiana Monroe warhawks and then the conference games consist of Road matchups against Maryland Minnesota Ohio State and USC and home games against Illinois Iowa Michigan and Rutgers and the Bruins so obviously the 2025 schedule with both Michigan and Ohio State and USC that is a brutal schedule I mean even some of the Scott Frost teams that had tough schedules I don't know if they've seen a schedule like that but I think all in all because there's only one protected rival and it's not one of the big three or more importantly the the big two maybe two and a half seeing that Penn State's been recruiting better and they have been a part of that big three it's just Michigan and Ohio State have been more so at the top historically and in recent memory I don't think Nebraska exactly got the short end of the stick here maybe it was shorter than a lot of other teams but you got one you got one protected rival now with Iowa what's fascinating is they on the contrary have three protected Rivals they have Nebraska Minnesota and Wisconsin and I think that that could be a blessing and a curse the blessing is the more protected Rivals you have that OHIO STATE 2024-2025 aren't Ohio State Penn State Michigan I imagine the probability that you're going to be playing those teams is less so hooray unless you're an Iowa fan that does not like the ferences the pharences are going to have more wins more winning seasons they're going to preserve some of that big ten west schedule but on the flip side of it if you want good games if you like big important games you're going to be missing out the other flip side of it of course is Minnesota Nebraska and Wisconsin are all teams that are on the rise there are no cupcake guaranteed games for the Iowa Hawkeye guys either and that matters because Iowa isn't this they don't have this massive Talent advantage over any of their protected Rivals they don't so blessing in disguise also maybe a curse in Disguise but for Iowa at least you get to play three games every year and the more rivalries as long as they actually matter the better but there is one rivalry game of course that we all know that is truly the one that's the most important you don't need more than one rival if you have this rivalry and that's what has been on the screen in front of you for a minute or so the game Ohio State and Michigan only need that rivalry now as a Michigan fan and we'll get to Michigan in a few minutes I think they need Michigan State too and I think to a certain degree Ohio State needs a little bit of Penn State or maybe if you think that's too tough of a slate to have Ohio State facing both Michigan and Penn State maybe you can throw in Illinois and rejuvenate the live book trophy which is an adorable Turtle I'm excited that that game is coming back in 2024. but all in all Ohio State only wanted one protected rival understandable Penn State has none and to face Michigan and Penn State yearly would put Ohio State in a tougher position schedule-wise than the rest of the conference instead they just have Michigan and that kind of evens everything out however they don't get the easy way out because Penn State you know not having a protected rival there's an upside and downside to that both in terms of scheduling and terms of wanting quality games and Elite rivalries Ohio State schedule look I would say it's a moderate I don't think it's getting the easy way out like Penn State or having a challenging slate either I think it's in the middle it's kind of like Nebraska and like the other schools that we've talked about I look at Ohio State and I'd also say like USC and UCLA those those are moderate Big Ten Conference schedules I'd say UCLA just given Talent would probably lean toward hard but you USC definitely moderate given their talent and given the fact they do have a protected rivalry that has some competency to it Ohio State's schedule in 2024 consists of Southern Miss Western Michigan and Marshall in the non-conference so that's not tough there again as I've mentioned already several times no dates determined yet for the Big Ten games Ohio State though has Road games at Michigan State at Minnesota at Penn State and at UCLA and they have a home game against Illinois which is a rivalry game technically there is a trophy the Ally book trophy as I've already mentioned they also host Iowa Michigan for the game Northwestern and Rutgers so they play both Michigan and Penn State this season and by this season I mean like the first season of the 16 team Big Ten with round robin schedules and no divisions and they also play a road game at UCLA award they'll be traveling several thousand miles to a state with totally different weather and they also you know Huntington Bank Stadium is not an easy place to win maybe Michigan State with their new secondary coach can get things figured out so there is some places for resistance against Ohio State and then in 2025 I'd say this is apparent right here first of all Ohio State opens up against Texas who the way they've been recruiting they could be a power in 2025 they open up against them August 30th they only have two scheduled non-conference games but they'll get that sorted out they currently have another one against UConn October 18th they have Road games in conference against Illinois Michigan Northwestern Purdue and Wisconsin and they have home games against Indiana Maryland Nebraska and USC where Lincoln Riley has went into the shoe and won before in 2017 with Baker Mayfield that was the first year that he was the head coach at Oklahoma he'll be back and his offenses we've seen what they can do Ohio State's defense which has struggled against the pass and Elite quarterbacks better be ready first and foremost before we move on when it comes to Ohio State's schedule I just want to say this and this is a credit to Ryan Day the way Ohio state has recruited even with the spots of resistance and the toughness on some of these schedules our Ohio State fans scared does anyone think that this schedule prevent like prevents Ohio State from doing anything no absolutely not not one bit even if Ohio State were to somehow face Michigan Penn State and USC all in the same year which would be insane and is unlikely to happen their talent is so Above the Rest of the Big Ten it it is outer worldly even compared to Michigan who's beaten them and beaten them soundly the past two seasons and will probably do the same to a lesser degree in my opinion this season I mean I'm a Michigan fan I think Michigan's winning it all this year and I think they're going to beat Ohio State this year not by a 15 or 22 Point margin I think it will be closer but I think home field advantage in a schematic match-up and more experience will help the problem is Ohio state has Superior Talent which goes into coaching as much as Michigan's development is credited to coaching and the round robin schedule benefits Ohio State because you lose to Michigan in the past you're out of the championship game because the West representative goes instead of you now Ohio State can lose to Michigan and they can rematch again and for a team that has that much talent even if Ohio State makes mistakes you're going to see them going places that because of the East-West setup that was so horrible it kept them out it denied opportunity for a team with that much talent to do something and instead now with the Pac-12 kind of breaking apart USC and UCLA leaving it for the Big Ten potentially Oregon and Washington depending on what we hear could be likely now Ohio State's going to have more opportunity you're giving more Talent more opportunity to succeed and do things and that's going to be good for the Big Ten not just for winning championships and making the Big Ten championship game more fun and competitive instead of a a consolation prize for the East it's also going to help in the college football playoff landscape it's going to give the Big Ten a better chance at winning national titles because you'll be able to put Ohio State Penn State Michigan potentially all in the same year forward for a playoff run up next three of the Michigan State MICHIGAN STATE 2024-2025 Spartans now Michigan state has a protected rival in Michigan and I think their schedule ranking is hard Michigan State in getting Michigan it was more Talent than they do and MIchigan hit the nil era the transfer portal era while they were on the rise and that helped Michigan State initially hit this on the rise that's why there was so much hype around the program in the 2022 preseason but then the five and seven year losing to Indiana getting destroyed by Michigan Ohio State Washington Minnesota losing in a heartbreaker to Penn State all those things just erased all the Goodwill of 2021 now I don't think that's smart I think Tucker should still get credit for that year and I don't think Tucker is as bad as a head coach as a lot of people are making him out to be granted I didn't think he was as great of a head coach as people said he was after 2021 I've been less reactive when it comes to Tucker than a lot of people have and I think that Michigan State even with a tough schedule in 2024 and 2025 in a tough schedule overall they face Michigan Penn State and Ohio State in the same year in 2024 with only one protected rival that is a slap in the face that's a slap in the face from the Big Ten but I think Michigan States got it I'm not saying they're beating all those three teams in fact there's a good chance to lose to all those three but Michigan State as an anonymous coach said they're recruiting better at the high school level they have enough talent to be competitive and beat any team in the Big Ten I still have a lot of respect for Mel Tucker in Michigan State I think they're going to be better this year in 2023 not to get the years confused which this video might be doing that but whatever I like to give Michigan State and other teams credit when it's due in 2024 the Spartans open up against Florida Atlantic Louisiana and then they travel on the road to Boston College which road game against Power five opponent might look intimidating but Michigan stayed off of talent alone should beat the Eagles they have Road games at Maryland rival Michigan Nebraska and Penn State which that will still be a rivalry due to the trophy but it won't be this annual thing which I again think is sad I think Penn State I think the reason Penn State didn't get a protected rival is their two biggest Rivals were Ohio State and Michigan State and both already had Michigan so that would have given Michigan State or Ohio State the shorter end of the stick so it was just simpler to give Penn State no protected Rivals maybe Maryland since Maryland's only protected rival is Rutgers who's a even by Talent much weaker than the Terrapins are they at least should have given Penn State Maryland or some team I mean Maryland and Penn State are technically rivals so why not give it there but whatever anyway back to the main point their schedule in 2024 is crazy again I mean their their Road matchup you got Michigan Penn State at home you have Ohio State on top of Purdue Rutgers and Indiana and Illinois so a lot of easy home games but still the Ohio State game and that's 2024 very hard schedule for Tucker and Company in 2024. in 2025 the Spartans host Western Michigan Youngstown State and Boston College they have Road matchups at Indiana Iowa Minnesota USC and Wisconsin and then they host Michigan Penn State UCLA and Northwestern so I'd say Michigan State 2023 I think they're going to have the toughest schedule in the country 2024 and 2025 they're facing like the teams that are probably going to be at least three out of the top four teams excluding Michigan State whether they're in the top four or not we'll have to see it's more likely than not they'll be outside of that but USC Penn State Michigan and Ohio State are the going to be the assumed top tier of the conference moving forward because they're going to have the best overall Talent best recruiting and they're probably going to have the best records at least in the few initial years and even looking at things from a 2022 and 2023 perspective they're going to have the best records overall most likely history still has yet to be written for 2023 2024 and 2025. I'm just making a way too early prediction in very light very light mechanical pencil but whatever this still I think is a slap in the face like getting again three of the presumed top four programs two years in a row and on top of that you're currently getting the big Ten's best program as an annual rival and I don't know Michigan state has a really tough slate they have it hard that's for sure so I'm rooting for Michigan State to overcome adversity in this and kind of way too early prediction here too but I think tuck can do it and then finally we have the Michigan Wolverines and this may come as laughable but I do have their schedule ranking as hard it's not as hard as Michigan State no but having Ohio State and MSU as protected Rivals when both have bludgeoned Michigan over the past two decades and Harbaugh has struggled against them yes it is hard they also play on the road at USC in 2024. so that of course is factored in there and then look I know I know this isn't conference but they play Texas and Oklahoma when both have recruited extremely well and both will be in the SEC in 24 and 25. they play them in 2024 and 2025. so kudos to Michigan for going from a cupcake schedule of playing the Little Sisters of the Poor and the homeless every year to now playing the inverse of that outside of Oklahoma I don't know what's going on with that defense there but that defense is like mac level we'll see if Brent venables can get that fixed I think the schedule is hard I think it's harder than Ohio States because you have that extra protected rival and Michigan State for all the jokes about them I don't think they're a pushover they're not a Rutgers they're not an Indiana they're not a Northwestern they're not even a Maryland or a Purdue or in Illinois they're better than those they're a middle of the road maybe above average Big Ten program and that's what they have been will be in my opinion I think there's actually a better chance they ascend rather than descend from that level just given their donor base given their talent the way they've been recruiting I mean even I can't explain enough about Michigan State the respect that I have for them and Ohio State I know that there's elements of my fan base that are just insane about those two schools but you gotta respect what's successful and you have to respect what's beaten you and both have been true even if they haven't beaten Michigan and even if maybe in the future Ryan day and Mel Tucker just really struggle against Harbaugh but they do well against every other team still got to give them respect Michigan in 2024 has games at USC Michigan State and Ohio State now tell me that that is not tough you have Road games as Michigan Road games at USC at Ohio State that is tough now correction the Michigan State game the Michigan State Games at home for 2024 and it's yeah it's at home for 2024 it's correctly described as on the road in 2025. so I apologize for that little error there and then they host Maryland Michigan State Minnesota and UCLA in 2024. so playing both USC and UCLA in 2024 traveling to Ohio State hosting Minnesota and Michigan State both whom should be competent I like the direction both of their players are heading teams are heading on average and also a game against Wisconsin and don't forget the game against Texas September 7th either and then the 2025 schedule Road game against Oklahoma September 6th Road games at Indiana Iowa Maryland at Nebraska at Michigan State and then a hosting Ohio State and Penn State in the big house along with Northwestern and Purdue so Michigan's schedule at least for 2024 and 2025 is certainly a challenging one but as a Michigan fan I like it bring it on to the state of Michigan make it hard for Michigan and Michigan State do it and I guarantee you that they will surprise people it'd be the same thing if it were Ohio State heck as much as some people say I don't like Penn State it'd be the same thing for Penn State Big Ten is resilient just like the SEC in my opinions it's it's it's those two against the world right now and those two conferences with expansion are winning the big twelves being wise kind of staying out of it picking up the scraps and I think there'll be an underrated conference and we'll have to see where the Pac-12 and the ACC go but those are my thoughts overall on the big tens 2024 and 2025 schedules so thank you all for watching very much I appreciate your patience I love talking about this I'm passionate about it because this is changes to my Conference changes to the sport changes that affect my team and the teams that I respect and the teams that are good in the conference like USC Penn State uh Ohio State my own Wolverines the Michigan State Spartans I mean PJ Flex Minnesota I think is a team on the rise and going from a weak division like the west where you can mess around and still win big games and get double digit wins and then there's changes and it's exciting it's fun and I can't wait to experience this all with you guys so God bless subscribe if you haven't already whether you're listening on Spotify or YouTube and I'll see you guys soon bye