2025 Nebraska Football Post Spring Projection: Part 2

Here is part two of the 2025 Nebraska Cornhuskers Post Spring Projection. If you haven’t read the first part, read it before this one here.

2025 Nebraska Football Post Spring Projection: Part 2

Minnesota Golden Gophers

2024 record: 8-5 (5-4 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 18, TBA

Location: Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.

To start the second half of the 2025 season, the Huskers will head up to Minneapolis, Minn. to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers are coming off a 8-5 campaign in 2024. It was an up and down season for Minnesota but in the end, coach PJ Fleck and the Gophers ended with a 8-win season. The offense was led by quarterback Max Brosmer, who threw for over 2,800 yards and 18 touchdowns but moved on to the NFL.

There is a lot of unknown with the Gophers at the quarterback position. It will most likely be a position battle between redshirt freshman Drake Lindsey and redshirt sophomore Dylan Wittke. Both quarterbacks have zero starting experience but will have some weapons at their disposal. One of those will be in the backfield with them with top rusher, junior Darius Taylor. Taylor rushed for nearly 1,000 yards with 10 touchdowns and is expected to have a big year in 2025.

That is in the realm of possibility, especially if coach PJ Fleck goes back to what the Gophers “bread and butter” was back to the days of Mohamed Ibrahim, specifically in the 2019 season. But where Minnesota will be the best is on the defensive side of the ball.

The Gophers were stout on defense last season. Finishing fifth in the country in overall defense, Minnesota’s defense should be back to a similar form in 2025. The loss of linebacker Cody Lindenberg to the NFL hurts for sure, but junior Maverick Baranowksi should lead the second level for the Gophers in 2025. The defensive line will be led by the defensive tackle tandem of seniors Jalen Logan-Redding and Deven Eastern. The two ate opposing run games alive and should be a tough group to block in the fall. Despite a few losses in the secondary, sophomore Koi Perich will be back for another season after a tremendous 2024 first team All-B1G campaign for the Gophers.

This game will not be easy for coach Matt Rhule and the Huskers. This game has the chance to be a major tipping point for Nebraska. If it can win this game, a potential double-digit win season could be brewing, however, the Huskers have not won in Minneapolis since 2015 and have not beaten the Gophers since 2018 in Lincoln. As it stands right now and until Nebraska beats Minnesota, this game will be chalked up as the second loss of the season.

Prediction: 20-17 MINN

Record: 5-2 (2-2 B1G)

Northwestern Wildcats

2024 record: 4-8 (2-7 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 25, TBA

Location: Memorial Stadium

After two straight road games, Nebraska will return back to Lincoln to take on the Northwestern Wildcats in the proclaimed, “NU v.s. NU” game. After an unexpected 8-5 2023 campaign, the expectations for the Wildcats were unknown for 2024. Unfortunately, things did not go well as they went 4-8 overall and only 2-7 in conference, finishing No. 16 in the end of season conference standings. Northwestern had the worst offense in the Big Ten last season and scored only 14 points or fewer six times. However, things could be looking up for the Wildcats.

Coach David Braun brought in FCS National Championship winning offensive coordinator Zach Lujan to be the play caller for Northwestern in 2025. To top it all off, the Wildcats also brought in former SMU starting quarterback Preston Stone to be start under center this fall. Lead running back Cam Porter will return for one more season in Evanston to help cap off the backfield. Defensively, Northwestern should be better (especially if the offense can stay on the field longer) with bringing in graduate linebacker Yanni Karlaftis to lead the defense. Karlaftis, much like his brother George, will have a major impact for the Wildcats in 2025.

This game will be close for most of the game, like it always is, and could go anyway. However, after a tough loss on the road, Nebraska should get back in the win column in this game. If this game was in Evanston, could be a whole different ball game, even if they play on a glorified practice field. With this win, Nebraska is bowl eligbile and has a chance to do more damage the remainder of the season.

Prediction: 38-27 NEB

Record: 6-2 (3-2 B1G)

USC Trojans

2024 Record: 7-6 (4-5 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 1, TBA

Location: Memorial Stadium

In the first season in the Big Ten conference, the USC Trojans had a tough season, but it didn’t start that way. The Trojans started off with back-to-back wins over No. 13 LSU Tigers and Utah State Aggies before their first Big Ten conference game which was against the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines. USC would go on to lose this game in dramatic fashion and it started a downfall the rest of the season, continuing with a road loss to Minnesota. The Trojans nearly missed bowl season, but the UCLA Bruins to get to that sixth win.

They went through two starting quarterbacks in 2024 with senior Miller Moss starting most of the season until he was benched for UNLV Rebels transfer quarterback Jayden Maiava. Maiava’s first start of the season came against Nebraska and he led them to a one-score victory over the Huskers.

Now looking at 2025, the Trojans are expected to be much better, especially with for Maiava with a full offseason of development. They also return two top receivers with junior Makai Lemon and sophomore Ja’Kobi Lane. USC also brought in the JUCO D1 Player of the Year junior running back Waymond Jordan Jr., who is expected to be lead back.

On the defensive side of the ball, it will be a second season under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and the expectations to be much improved from the times under Alex Grinch. USC brought in standout UCF Knights sophomore cornerback Chasen Johnson to help bolster up the secondary that should be strong in 2025.

This will be a very important game for both teams as both are trying to get back to competing for conference and national titles. The weather could play a factor in this game with it being November in the Great Plains and Nebraska could take advantage of it. With this game being at home, the Huskers have a tremendous opportunity to get a statement win over the Trojans. In front of the “Sea of Red”, Nebraska gets a huge win to improve to seven wins on the season to begin the final stretch of the final month of the regular season.

Prediction: 31-27 NEB

Record: 7-2 (4-2 B1G)

UCLA Bruins

2024 Record: 5-7 (3-6 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 8, TBA

Location: Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasedena, CA.

After losing former head coach Chip Kelly to the Ohio State offensive coordinator opening, the UCLA Bruins had to make a major decision of who was going to be the next head coach. They went with former star running back DeShaun Foster and it started out-Let’s just say rough-after a not great showing at Big Ten Media Days, barely getting past Hawaii on the road and losing five straight before landing a few upsets, including on the road against Nebraska.

However, things were not looking good for UCLA for 2025. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was fired and with a very tough schedule, it was unknown how things could go this fall. However, after a good offseason with a decent high school recruiting class and mananging to land the top prospect in the transfer portal with former Tennessee Volunteers sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava headlines a top-15 transfer portal class of 30 players.

Despite all the problems and sour taste left in the mouths of college football fans, Iamaleava is still a tremendous quarterback with a high ceiling that instantly upgrades the Bruins passing game. After a rough season under Ethan Garbers, Iamaleava could speed up the rebuild in Los Angeles. With the passing game more than likely being better, it will be important to improve the running game and the offensive line needs to be much better if the Bruins are to have success in 2025.

Foster and his staff were able to bring in some talent to help the rebuilding offensive front but it has yet to be seen if they will improved in 2025. Defensively, it will be important to build off some of the under-the-radar success the group had last season. The Bruins do lose both top tacklers with Carson Schewesinger and Kain Medrano, but with sophomore Jalen Woods and senior JonJon Vaughns, they should be able to light up the stat sheet.

This game will be tough for Nebraska, especially with it being on the road. The Huskers have a chance to get to eight wins in this game and the defense will have to be up to the task to stop Iamaleava. However, with the amount of unknown of how the Bruins will be in 2025, this will be chalked up as a close win for Nebraska to improve to 8-2 on the season.

Prediction: 28-20 NEB

Record: 8-2 (5-2 B1G)

Penn State Nittany Lions

2024 Record: 13-3 (8-1 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 22, TBA

Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA

The Penn State Nittany Lions head into the 2025 season with some hefty expectations after making the College Football Playoff Semifinals last season. The Lions return Heisman hopeful senior quarterback Drew Allar, star running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton and defensive tackle Zane Durant. It seems like it will be the final chance for coach James Franklin to lead Penn State to a national championship with the loaded 2022 class. They will have a shot at it for sure.

This year could be the year where the Nittany Lions could make a run especially after getting former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles for the same position. This Penn State team could and should be a dangerous team to face in 2025.

This game will not be easy for Rhule and the Huskers and even if the Rhule year three trend continues, it has yet to be seen that Nebraska could be considered in the same tier as the Nittany Lions. With that said, Penn State should be able to take care of business in a one-to-two score win in this one, especially with being at home.

Prediction: 28-17 PSU

Record: 8-3 (5-3 B1G)

Iowa Hawkeyes

2024 Record: 8-5 (6-3 B1G)

Date: Friday, Nov. 28, TBA

Location: Memorial Stadium

Like usual, Nebraska and Iowa face off in the “Hero’s Game” to cap off the regular season. Up to this point in the projection, the Huskers are sitting at a 8-3 record and more than likely are out of the College Football Playoff race, but still could make noise with a win over their main rival.

The Hawkeyes are coming off another 8+ win season and look to be reloaded with a new quarterback under center for the 2025 season. Iowa brought in South Dakota State senior quarterback Mark Gronowski and he could be a good change at the position that hasn’t been the greatest for the Hawkeyes as of late. You could also just say that about the offense too, but they still win games.

The wide receiver position is another unknown for the Hawkeyes. They have sophomore Reece Vander Zee and senior Jacob Gill returning and they brought in senior UT Chattanooga transfer Sam Phillips, who could be the deep threat that Iowa needs. With a new quarterback that could change the outlook of the offense, these weapons could be huge. Defensively, it should be the same as usual under defensive coordinator Phil Parker and special teams should be stout as normal as well.

This game will be close as usual. Nebraska has lost the last seven of eight against the Hawkeyes with its last win coming in 2022 in Iowa City. Whoever has the ball last wins this game and the Huskers might just be slightly better. Nebraska will end the regular season with a win and its first nine win season since 2016. With the win, the Huskers would most likely be playing in one of the better bowl games during New Year’s somewhere warm.

Prediction: 21-20 NEB

Record: 9-3 (6-3 B1G)