When will MSU lose their first game? Predicting every Big Ten team's first loss

When will Michigan State and every other Big Ten team lose their first game this season? I have my answer for all 18 teams in the Big Ten here.

CBS Sports did a fun article the other day that predicted when each Big Ten team would lose its first game. If you missed that article from Brad Crawford, he has the Spartans dropping their first game of the year against USC in late September.

So, I figured I'd also take a swing at predicting out all of the Big Ten team's first losses this year. Also, this is a little teaser for my full game-by-game predictions for every Big Ten team that will be coming out in the next few days as well. Without further ado, here's a little taster for those full season predictions with my guess at the first loss for each Big Ten squad this season.

Illinois

First Loss: Ohio State on October 11

There's a lot of buzz around Illinois this preseason and I believe they are going to live up to the hype with a strong 6-0 start to the year. That would include notable wins over Duke and Indiana on the road, and USC at home before falling to the Buckeyes in a top 10 matchup from Champaign, Ill.

Indiana

First Loss: Illinois on September 20

I anticipate Indiana to be good again this season, but not College Football Playoff good. So with that being said, I have Illinois coming into Bloomington, Ind. and leaving with a win to serve as the Hoosiers first loss of the season in week four.

Iowa

First Loss: at Iowa State on September 6

Iowa is a mixed bag for me as I could see them anywhere from 6-6 to 10-2 this year. One of those notable flip games will be their week two rivalry clash with the Cyclones of Iowa State. With a new starting quarterback for the Hawkeyes, I like Iowa State to win this year's battle of the flagship schools in Iowa.

Maryland

First Loss: at Wisconsin on September 20

Maryland is going to plow through a very weak non-conference slate to get to 3-0 to start the season. But their Big Ten opener at Wisconsin in late September is where I see things start to get much tougher for the Terps. This will be the first of many losses in Big Ten play for Maryland this season.

Michigan

First Loss: at Oklahoma on September 6

A true freshman heading to a riled up Norman, Okla. to face one of the best defensive minds in all of college football? Yeah, I think I'm going to ride with the Sooners in this early season massive non-conference matchup between Michigan and Oklahoma. That isn't saying I expect this one to be a blowout, but I think this is an easy pick for the Wolverines' first loss of the year.

Minnesota

First Loss: at Ohio State on October 4

If the Golden Gophers can get past a relatively tough road trip to Cal in week three, then I like them to get through the first month of the season undefeated. Assuming Minnesota gets past Cal and handles business in their early season home games, then I have their first defeat coming at Ohio State in early October.

Nebraska

First Loss: Michigan on September 20

There's a chance Nebraska could start the season 10-0. I know, that sounds a bit jarring, but if you look at the schedule, you'll see what I mean and how they will be either favored or a slight underdog in each of those first 10 games. Now, I also need to see it before I believe with the Cornhuskers, and that's why I have their first loss coming to the Wolverines in week four. But don't be shocked if they are this year's Indiana who is in the College Football Playoff mix late into the season.

Northwestern

First Loss: at Tulane on August 30

Scheduling a road game at Tulane to open the season may be fun for fans that are making the trip to New Orleans but it is not ideal for a Wildcats' team that will be battling to make a bowl game. Tulane will be favored in this opener and I fully expect an inspired effort from the Green Wave to jump start their pursuit for a College Football Playoff bid.

Ohio State

First Loss: Texas on August 30

The defending national champions will open the season with a loss -- not something that happens very often but I believe the Longhorns will get the better of the Buckeyes in this massive season-opening clash. From that point on, I'm not expecting the Buckeyes to lose much more this year -- hinting at my full prediction on them in the coming days.

Oregon

First Loss: at Penn State on September 27

Traveling across the country to play a night road game against one of the best teams in the country -- oh, and during a white out, too? Yeah, that is going to be a tall task for the Ducks as I see the Nittany Lions handing Oregon it's first official Big Ten loss since joining the league last year.

Penn State

First Loss: at UCLA on October 4

This one is a little out there, but just let me explain myself before you close the tab. The Nittany Lions will be coming off an emotional battle against Oregon the week prior and traveling across country to UCLA, who will be improved in year two under DeShaun Foster. It's a bold take -- I know -- but I anticipate the Nittany Lions getting picked off at some point this year and this feels like the perfect trap game in early October.

Purdue

First Loss: USC on September 13

Purdue is going to get off to a fast start with wins over Ball State and Southern Illinois, but then comes in USC and that's where things will get tough. I find it highly unlikely the Boilermakers will beat the Trojans in week three, but if they do somehow pull off the upset, then the first loss will come the following week in a road trip to Notre Dame. That's a rough back-to-back set of games...

Rutgers

First Loss: Miami (OH) on September 6

Is it obvious that I'm not high on the Scarlet Knights entering the 2025 season? To be fair, it's a mixture of a projected step back for Rutgers combined with a MAC contender in Miami (OH) coming to town that sets up this perfect upset trap for the Scarlet Knights. For Rutgers' sake, I hope I'm wrong about this one as this would be a rough early season loss regardless of the Red Hawks' upper tier MAC status.

UCLA

First Loss: Utah on August 30

One of the sneaky top games of opening weekend this year is UCLA hosting Utah from the Rose Bowl. I anticipate this to be a great game, but have the Utes coming out with the victory and sending the Bruins to 0-1 to start the year.

USC

First Loss: at Illinois on September 27

The Trojans will be sizable favorites in each of their first four games this year, and very well may not be truly tested until a week five road trip to Illinois. I hope our Spartans will have something to say about this prediction (they play at USC the week prior), but I don't have USC losing its first game until that battle with the Fighting Illini in late September.

Washington

First Loss: Ohio State on September 27

The Huskies have a nice runway into a monster matchup with the Buckeyes in late September. Certainly, the Apple Cup rivalry game the week before could pose some problems, but I believe Washington gets the win there before falling in a battle with Ohio State the next week.

Wisconsin

First Loss: at Alabama on September 13

Wisconsin should handle a pair of lower tier opponents in Miami (OH) and Middle Tennessee State to open the season, which means their first defeat will come on the road at Alabama in week three. The Badgers were stomped at home against Alabama last year and I don't anticipate things going much better this year in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Michigan State

First Loss: at USC on September 20

Could Michigan State knock off USC to open the year 4-0? Sure, that's certainly possible. Could they also lose week two against Boston College for an even earlier first loss of the year? Yes, that's also possible. I have the Spartans getting past the Eagles in a home marquee non-conference battle and dropping their first game of the year a few weeks later in their Big Ten opener at USC.

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Predicting MSU football, rest of Big Ten team's first loss in 2025