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100 Yards with Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman
Marcus Freeman took Notre Dame to the national championship game in his third year as head coach. He goes 100 Yards with FOX 32's Tina Nguyen and talks about sustaining success at an iconic football program.
If you’re a fan of successful college football, then you might be in luck. There’s a chance to see some very good college football in 2025 around Chicago.
Notre Dame is a contender. Illinois is expected to contend for a CFP. Northern Illinois is motivated. Northwestern is reloaded.
What should we make of all this?
Here are some last-minute predictions for the college football season.
Notre Dame’s going to go far
But, the question is, how far? That’s hard to discern.
The one question Notre Dame still needs to answer is: Can CJ Carr be the guy? The first-year starter at quarterback was recruited to be the guy, and has an entire season under his belt in South Bend.
There’s no question this roster is set to compete, and compete now.
It’s not just the 18 returning starters who played in a national championship game; it’s the players who fill in the roles outside them. Five-star pass rusher Bryce Young looks the part and could be primed for a breakout year, as is tight end Eli Raridon. Boubacar Traore is healthy at the viper position, which will prove to be one of the boosts for a top-rated defense.
Things were great for the Irish last year (outside of a certain Week 2 performance).
Things will be great for the Irish in 2025, too.
I won’t predict Notre Dame will win the National Championship, there’s too much we don’t know to predict that far ahead, but you can’t ignore the fact that this Irish team has as good a chance as any in college football this season to win it all. Take those disagreements elsewhere.
Season prediction: 11-1 record, Berth in the College Football Playoff Semifinals
Northern Illinois rides out of the MAC in style
Thomas Hammock, in his seventh year at the helm of his alma mater, will oversee major changes to his Husky program.
NIU football will move from the MAC to the Mountain West in 2026. This puts a target on the team’s back, but NIU wants to leave the MAC as a champion. Hammock’s teams have always outperformed when expectations are placed upon them. That should be the case in 2025.
Although the transfer portal has affected the Huskies, they should still have a solid running game behind a strong offensive line. What does work in NIU’s favor this year is a new offensive scheme, highlighted by first-year offensive coordinator Quinn Sanders. His teams averaged 44 points per game at the University of Charleston.
Expected starting quarterback Josh Holst adds a running element to the offense, and a tandem of running backs will allow a green receiving corps to get its feet under them. This will help in games where points are hard to come by, like what happened to NIU midseason in 2024.
Some inexperience might hold them back from a MAC title, but giving a Thomas Hammock-coached team added motivation will win them some games in their final year in the MAC. And, they'll put points on the board on the way out.
Season prediction: 9-3 record, earning bowl berth
Illini ride their QB, defense to the CFP
Illinois is a CFP team. They’re a preseason No. 12 overall, and the Illini deserve the high billing and a chance to follow through on it.
But, they still need to follow through.
To get there, the Illini will need a receiver to emerge as the primary threat for quarterback Luke Altmeyer. That can happen. Collin Dixon and Hank Beatty return as the most experienced pass catchers, but junior Malik Elzy could make the jump the Illini need. But, trust Altmeyer. He's made massive strides in Year 1 vs. Year 2 in Champaign, and Year 3 should bring more growth.
The defense should take care of business. This leads to an 11-win season, which includes a quality win head coach Bret Bielema can hang his hat on.
This includes a win over a ranked Indiana team on the road or a win at home over a highly ranked Ohio State. My gut tells me Illinois will win one of those games, but not both.
That gets the Illini to at least the CFP’s first round. What happens after that depends on who their opponent is.
Season prediction: 11-1 record, Berth in the College Football Playoff First Round
Northwestern slowly, but surely, shows improvement
A 4-8 season was, by David Braun’s standards, unacceptable. The coaching staff moved in a way that reflected those standards in the offseason.
In comes quarterback Preston Stone, wide receiver Griffin Wilde, cornerback Fred Davis and offensive lineman Evan Beerntsen, to name a few. Beernsten is one of a few names of experienced offensive linemen who transferred into Evanston this year.
This gives NU a more experienced roster, especially at the quarterback position. That was something that hampered the Wildcats in so many ways last season, especially in a Big Ten Conference that had four participants in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
The ‘Cats don’t have an easy schedule in 2025. Oregon, Michigan, Tulane, Penn State and USC loom for a Northwestern program that now boasts a team that’s played a lot of football.
That experience might not be enough to lift NU into the top of the Big Ten. But, they should be in a position to earn a second bowl berth under Braun with a more experienced roster and a coaching staff that’s settled into Evanston after getting tested in 2024.
Season prediction: 7-6 record, winning their bowl game