2021 College Football Predictions For All 130 Teams: Spring

College football schedules and spring predictions for all 130 teams with the realistic best and worst case records and quick analysis.

Big Ten East

– Big Ten Weekly Schedule, Top Games To Watch
– Big Ten 2021 Pre-Spring Rankings & Breakdown

Indiana Hoosiers

Here’s the problem. Indiana should be better – and more experienced – but the Big Ten should be stronger overall, and if it is, the schedule is a killer. Can the Hoosiers beat Cincinnati? If not, it’s going to be a grind considering the Maryland game is on the road. They’ll go bowling, but it’s asking a lot to beat Penn State and Michigan again.

2018: 5-7 2019: 8-5 2020: 6-2
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Realistic Worst Case Record: 4-8
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 7-5

Sept. 4 at Iowa
Sept. 11 Idaho
Sept. 18 Cincinnati
Sept. 25 at WKU
Oct. 2 at Penn State
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 Michigan State
Oct. 23 Ohio State
Oct. 30 at Maryland
Nov. 6 at Michigan
Nov. 13 Rutgers
Nov. 20 Minnesota
Nov. 27 at Purdue
– Full Schedule Analysis

Maryland Terrapins

Good luck trying to figure this team out. Will it all really come together under Mike Locksley, or will it be another wildly inconsistent team? The offense explosion should be there to push through to a few wins over teams like West Virginia and maybe Rutgers and Illinois, but it’ll take upsets to get through anyone else.

2018: 5-7 2019: 3-9 2020: 2-3
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 5-7

Sept. 4 West Virginia
Sept. 11 Howard
Sept. 18 at Illinois
Sept. 25 Kent State
Oct. 2 Iowa
Oct. 9 at Ohio State
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 at Minnesota
Oct. 30 Indiana
Nov. 6 Penn State
Nov. 13 at Michigan State
Nov. 20 Michigan
Nov. 27 at Rutgers
– Full Schedule Analysis

Michigan Wolverines

Beat Washington, beat Washington, beat Washington. It’s a home game against a fantastic team from the Pac-12 – a win should mean a 4-0 start before going to Wisconsin. There’s a rough run of five road games in seven dates – including Penn State and Michigan State – but at least the Ohio State game is at home.

2018: 10-3 2019: 9-4 2020: 2-4
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Realistic Worst Case Record: 6-6
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 8-4

Sept. 4 Western Michigan
Sept. 11 Washington
Sept. 18 Northern Illinois
Sept. 25 Rutgers
Oct. 2 at Wisconsin
Oct. 9 at Nebraska
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 Northwestern
Oct. 30 at Michigan State
Nov. 6 Indiana
Nov. 13 at Penn State
Nov. 20 at Maryland
Nov. 27 Ohio State
– Full Schedule Analysis

Michigan State Spartans

Just how quickly can Mel Tucker turn this all around after a brutal 2020 start? The schedule isn’t all that miserable with no Wisconsin or Iowa from the West, but either take down Nebraska, Purdue and Maryland, or it’ll be tough to get to six wins and a bowl.

2018: 7-6 2019: 7-6 2020: 2-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Realistic Worst Case Record: 4-8
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 5-7

Sept. 4 at Northwestern
Sept. 11 Youngstown State
Sept. 18 at Miami
Sept. 25 Nebraska
Oct. 2 WKU
Oct. 9 at Rutgers
Oct. 16 at Indiana
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 Michigan
Nov. 6 at Purdue
Nov. 13 Maryland
Nov. 20 at Ohio State
Nov. 27 Penn State
– Full Schedule Analysis

Ohio State Buckeyes

Once again the talent level is head-and-shoulders above everyone else in the Big Ten, even if there’s a wee bit of an overhaul. There should be one bad day somewhere – maybe against Oregon, or Penn State, or even if everything crashes at Nebraska – but there’s no Wisconsin, Iowa or Northwestern from the West. Anything less than another Big Ten title will be a failure.

2018: 13-1 2019: 13-1 2020: 7-1
Realistic Best Case Record: 12-0
Realistic Worst Case Record: 9-3
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 11-1

Sept. 2 at Minnesota
Sept. 11 Oregon
Sept. 18 Tulsa
Sept. 25 Akron
Oct. 2 at Rutgers
Oct. 9 Maryland
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 at Indiana
Oct. 30 Penn State
Nov. 6 at Nebraska
Nov. 13 Purdue
Nov. 20 Michigan State
Nov. 27 at Michigan
– Full Schedule Analysis

Penn State Nittany Lions

Let’s just assume a bounce back to normal under James Franklin – the team really is that strong. The season starting at Wisconsin isn’t fun, but Auburn isn’t quite as nasty as it might seem. Going to Iowa is a problem, the Ohio State game is in Columbus, and ending at Michigan State might not be a layup.

2018: 9-4 2019: 11-2 2020: 4-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Realistic Worst Case Record: 6-6
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 9-3

Sept. 4 at Wisconsin
Sept. 11 Ball State
Sept. 18 Auburn
Sept. 25 Villanova
Oct. 2 Indiana
Oct. 9 at Iowa
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 Illinois
Oct. 30 at Ohio State
Nov. 6 at Maryland
Nov. 13 Michigan
Nov. 20 Rutgers
Nov. 27 at Michigan State
– Full Schedule Analysis

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

The Scarlet Knights are at least going to be more competitive now under Greg Schiano, but after opening up against Temple, Syracuse and Delaware, they won’t be favored in any other games until the regular season finale against Maryland. There will be an upset somewhere, but don’t assume a win at Syracuse.

2018: 1-11 2019: 2-10 2020: 3-6
Realistic Best Case Record: 6-6
Realistic Worst Case Record: 1-11
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 4-8

Sept. 4 Temple
Sept. 11 at Syracuse
Sept. 18 Delaware
Sept. 25 at Michigan
Oct. 2 Ohio State
Oct. 9 Michigan State
Oct. 16 at Northwestern
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 at Illinois
Nov. 6 Wisconsin
Nov. 13 at Indiana
Nov. 20 at Penn State
Nov. 27 Maryland
– Full Schedule Analysis

Big Ten West

– Big Ten Weekly Schedule, Top Games To Watch
– Big Ten 2021 Pre-Spring Rankings & Breakdown

Illinois Fighting Illini

New head man Bret Bielema is inheriting a decent base, but it’s going to take a while to build this thing up. It’s going to be a struggle to pull off a win over anyone but UTSA early on, but there should be a victory somewhere when everything goes right, like against Rutgers and/or Maryland at home.

2018: 4-8 2019: 6-7 2020: 2-6
Realistic Best Case Record: 7-5
Realistic Worst Case Record: 2-10
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 3-9

Aug. 28 Nebraska
Sept. 4 UTSA
Sept. 11 at Virginia
Sept. 18 Maryland
Sept. 25 at Purdue
Oct. 2 Charlotte
Oct. 9 Wisconsin
Oct. 16 OPEN DATE
Oct. 23 at Penn State
Oct. 30 Rutgers
Nov. 6 at Minnesota
Nov. 13 OPEN DATE
Nov. 20 at Iowa
Nov. 27 Northwestern
– Full Schedule Analysis

Iowa Hawkeyes

The talent should be there to make a push for the Big Ten West title, and not having to deal with Ohio State or Michigan from the East helps. With Indiana and at Iowa State, the season starts with a bang. Going to Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern in the back half of the season is a bear, but at least there’s a week off before dealing with the Badgers.

2018: 9-4 2019: 10-3 2020: 6-2
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Realistic Worst Case Record: 6-6
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 9-3

Sept. 4 Indiana
Sept. 11 at Iowa State
Sept. 18 Kent State
Sept. 25 Colorado State
Oct. 2 at Maryland
Oct. 9 Penn State
Oct. 16 Purdue
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 at Wisconsin
Nov. 6 at Northwestern
Nov. 13 Minnesota
Nov. 20 Illinois
Nov. 26 at Nebraska
– Full Schedule Analysis

Minnesota Golden Gophers

It’s not going to be a breeze for the Gophers. Part of the reason the 2019 team rocked two years ago was a forgivable non-conference schedule that allowed them to tune up. There isn’t that luxury this time around with Ohio State to start the season and a trip to Colorado a few weeks later. Fortunately, the Wisconsin and Nebraska games are at home, but they have to go to Northwestern, Iowa and Indiana in a brutal late run of three road games in four weeks.

2018: 7-6 2019: 11-2 2020: 3-4
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 4 Ohio State
Sept. 11 Miami University
Sept. 18 at Colorado
Sept. 25 Bowling Green
Oct. 2 at Purdue
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 Nebraska
Oct. 23 Maryland
Oct. 30 at Northwestern
Nov. 6 Illinois
Nov. 13 at Iowa
Nov. 20 at Indiana
Nov. 27 Wisconsin
– Full Schedule Analysis

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Where are all the superstar playmakers? They need to emerge fast with three road games in the first four including a trip to Oklahoma. If that wasn’t bad enough, Northwestern, Michigan, at Minnesota follows that up. If that wasn’t bed enough, the Huskers deal with Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa all in November.

2018: 4-8 2019: 5-7 2020: 3-5
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 5-7

Aug. 28 at Illinois
Sept. 4 OPEN DATE
Sept. 11 Buffalo
Sept. 18 at Oklahoma
Sept. 25 at Michigan State
Oct. 2 Northwestern
Oct. 9 Michigan
Oct. 16 at Minnesota
Oct. 23 OPEN DATE
Oct. 30 Purdue
Nov. 6 Ohio State
Nov. 13 SE Louisiana
Nov. 20 at Wisconsin
Nov. 26 Iowa
– Full Schedule Analysis

Northwestern Wildcats

The defending Big Ten West champs don’t have it all that bad over the first half of the season. There’s no Ohio State or Penn State to face, but there’s no facing Michigan or Wisconsin on the road. Home dates against Minnesota and Iowa should help keep the Cats in the West race.

2018: 9-5 2019: 3-9 2020: 7-2
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Realistic Worst Case Record: 5-7
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 8-4

Sept. 4 Michigan State
Sept. 11 Indiana State
Sept. 18 at Duke
Sept. 25 Ohio
Oct. 2 at Nebraska
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 Rutgers
Oct. 23 at Michigan
Oct. 30 Minnesota
Nov. 6 Iowa
Nov. 13 at Wisconsin
Nov. 20 Purdue (at Wrigley Field)
Nov. 27 at Illinois
– Full Schedule Analysis

Purdue Boilermakers

Can the Boilermakers get by Oregon State at home to open things up? If so, this should be a bowl season as long as they can hold serve more often than not in West Lafayette. There are just enough nasty games to keep this from being a special year, and there aren’t any major breaks over the second half of the campaign.

2018: 6-7 2019: 8-5 2020: 2-4
Realistic Best Case Record: 8-4
Realistic Worst Case Record: 3-9
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 6-6

Sept. 4 Oregon State
Sept. 11 at UConn
Sept. 18 at Notre Dame
Sept. 25 Illinois
Oct. 2 Minnesota
Oct. 9 OPEN DATE
Oct. 16 at Iowa
Oct. 23 Wisconsin
Oct. 30 at Nebraska
Nov. 6 Michigan State
Nov. 13 at Ohio State
Nov. 20 at Northwestern (in Wrigley Field)
Nov. 27 Indiana
– Full Schedule Analysis

Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin has a bad habit lately of gacking away a game it really, really shouldn’t, but at the very least it should be favored in every game but the date against Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago. Penn State and Michigan are on the slate, but they’re both coming to Camp Randall and there’s no Ohio State to face. Northwestern and Nebraska are home games, too.

2018: 8-5 2019: 10-4 2020: 4-3
Realistic Best Case Record: 11-1
Realistic Worst Case Record: 6-6
2021 Prediction, Spring Football Version: 10-2

Sept. 4 Penn State
Sept. 11 Eastern Michigan
Sept. 18 OPEN DATE
Sept. 25 Notre Dame (in Chicago)
Oct. 2 Michigan
Oct. 9 at Illinois
Oct. 16 Army
Oct. 23 at Purdue
Oct. 30 Iowa
Nov. 6 at Rutgers
Nov. 13 Northwestern
Nov. 20 Nebraska
Nov. 27 at Minnesota
– Full Schedule Analysis

Next: Big 12

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