Week 11 Predictions – 2025
Last Week: After the Buckeye’s bye last week, they should be ready to not only to take the field but also begin their stretch run that starts with a victory over Purdue and ends with a second straight national championship. The initial playoff poll came out this week, and Ohio State finds themselves in first place. Speaking of first place, we have a new name at the top of our staff predictions leader board. Dave and Rick both went 5-0 on the week and that moved Coach Rick to the top spot in the standings. as he has gone 14-1 the past three weeks. Vaughn also continues his climb in the standings, as he has been 20-5 in the past 5 weeks. Keep up the great work gentlemen.
This Week’s Games: Ohio State takes the #1 team in the country back on the road to face Purdue. Not expecting a let up by the Buckeyes but it will be a tough ask for the Boilermakers to pull off an upset. …. #2 Indiana also goes on the road to Happy Valley for a game that was circled in August. Fast-forward to November and the Hoosiers are a two touchdown favorite. Can Penn State right the ship and pull off the biggest upset of the season to date? …. Staying in the Big Ten, the biggest game in the conference this weekend is Oregon at Iowa. Both teams are still on a path for the playoffs, which one will be victorious in this top 20 match-up? …. Texas A&M comes in at #3 this week but will have their hands full traveling to Missouri. Can the Tigers knock off the only remaining unbeaten team in the SEC? …. The fourth and final unbeaten team in college football is BYU and they take their perfect season to Lubbock to take on the Red Raiders. The winner will have a 98% chance of making the playoffs.
Buckeye Greats: As in the past, we will continue to include former Buckeye players in our prediction fun, and we are thrilled to have Vaughn Broadnax back with us as a regular participant for the 11th straight year.
Guest Picker: We have another guest picker this week as Mike Vandevelde has been following Buckeye50 and wanted to provide his predictions. Welcome Mike, and if YOU too would like to be a guest picker, feel free to drop us a line.
Let’s have some fun! Here we go with our Week 11 Picks – Good Luck to All – Gregg
(1)Ohio State @ Purdue
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): OSU over Purdue 42-3
Andy Steger: Ohio State has the number 1 ranked defense in the country allowing an average of 6.8 points per game. What is it we always hear coaches say about defense and running game? It travels well. Purdue lost their last 7 games in a row and with their offense relying heavily on their passing game with quarterback Ryan Browne I don’t see how Purdue has any chance in this game. Ohio State has to establish a decent run game to control the pace and time of this game, I think they will be able to do so because Purdue has the 91st worst rush defense in the country. Ohio State 42 Purdue 6
Cory Steger: Trips to Purdue can sometimes be scary for Ohio State, but don’t anticipate anything frightening happening this week. Purdue has lost seven straight, and to add insult to injury, they also lost starting tailback Devin Mockobee, who is out for the season with an ankle injury. Ohio State’s offense was terrific against Penn State, and it seems like Julian Sayin is getting better each week. The running game is still a concern, however, it seems offensive coordinator Brian Hartline has taken to using the passing game to help open up the running game, which worked against the Nittany Lions. Look for another all around performance from the Buckeyes in this one. Ohio State 42, Purdue 14
Dave Culver: xxxxx
Gregg Watson: There have been a couple years this century that the Buckeyes have walked into Ross-Ade Stadium expecting a big victory and found themselves limping out. Absolutely no way that happens this week. Only fear will be if they come out of the locker stiff, but even if they do, they will correct by the second quarter. The Buckeyes have three legitimate candidates for Heisman, tThe running game continues to improve, and the defense has been lights out all season. Go with the Buckeyes! Ohio State 44 Purdue 6
Jason Harris: Ohio State continues to dominate college football with a deliberate, efficient offense and the nation’s top defense, cruising through every opponent they play. Purdue comes in yet to secure a B1G win, and nearly pulled one out last week against Michigan. They have enough playmaking to be dangerous if the Buckeyes lose focus, but its lack of depth, down their top back and a tendency to wear down will be a problem. Expect Ohio State’s defense to smother the Boilermakers, the run game will finally break out and Julian Sayin continues to roll toward the Heisman and leads the Buckeyes to a comfortable win. Ohio State 48 Purdue 0
Joe Hylton: Ohio State
John Seibert: Through the years Ross-Aide Stadium has been somewhat of a house of horrors for Ohio State, with the Bucks only going 4-5 in West Lafayette since 2000. Some of those loses have been monumental upsets, most recently the 2018 loss when the unranked Spoilermakers blew out Urban Myers #2 ranked Bucks 49-20, so you might be able to understand why I might be leery of a 2-7 30 point dog. Ohio State has the more talented team, and on paper this game shouldn’t be close, but the game isn’t played on paper, and history has shown that in the wind and rain of west central Indiana in November strange things can happen. The Bucks win this one, and should win big, but I for one will not be surprised if this one is close into the fourth quarter. Ohio State 27 Purdue 17
Josh Watson: There’s a long-standing superstition about Ohio State traveling to Purdue — strange things tend to happen in Ross-Ade Stadium. But this Buckeye team doesn’t look like one prone to letdowns. At 8–0, Ohio State is firing on all cylinders: the offense is ruthlessly efficient, and the defense has given up just four touchdowns all season. Julian Sayin continues to look like a Heisman contender, posting an 80% completion rate with pinpoint accuracy and control. For Purdue, it’s been a rough first year under Barry Odom. The Boilermakers are still searching for an offensive identity and rank near the bottom of the Big Ten in both scoring and total defense. Their offensive line has struggled to protect the quarterback, and that’s a problem when facing a Silver Bullets front led by Caden Curry and Arvell Reese. Expect Ohio State to test Purdue early with tempo, spreading the ball between Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, before using Bo Jackson and CJ Donaldson to wear down the front. The Buckeyes’ depth will overwhelm the Boilers by the third quarter, turning this one into another November statement. Ohio State 45, Purdue 10
Mike VandeVelde: Ohio State
Steven Smith: Ohio State
Stefan Armintrout: Purdue can be tricky for the Buckeyes, but I don’t see that being the case this year. Ohio State is too talented on both sides of the ball for the Boilermakers to keep up. Ohio State wins big on the road. (Ohio State, 42-6)
Final Score: Ohio State 34 Purdue 10
(2)Indiana @ Penn State
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Indiana over PSU 31-24
Andy: This game would have been a good matchup a few weeks ago before James Franklin was let go. Ultimately I think Indiana is performing at an elite level both on offense and defense. Indiana has the number 1 scoring offense in the country with Fernando Mendoza running their offense who has thrown for 27 touchdowns so far (1st in the country) and the number 3 scoring defense in the country allowing just 10.7 points per game. I was pleasantly surprised with Penn State’s freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer against Ohio State. That said this offense was struggling this season before they lost their starting quarterback and their head coach. I don’t see any way Penn State wins this game, much less keeps this game close. Indiana 56 Penn State 10
Cory: It certainly seems that Indiana and Ohio State are on a collision course to meet in the Big Ten Championship game, but the Hoosiers still play two of their final three games on the road and need to stay focused. This week they travel to State College to face a reeling Penn State team that’s lost five straight. The Nittany Lions did show some signs of life against Ohio State in the first half last week, but ultimately gave up too many big plays defensively. If there’s one team in the nation that might be better at explosive plays than Ohio State, it’s Indiana. The Hoosiers are firing on all cylinders right now, and have started to add a new wrinkle to the offensive game plan – having quarterback Francisco Mendoza run the ball on designed runs. Penn State might keep it close since they are at home, but still see this one as a loss for them. Indiana 31, Penn State 21
Dave: xxxxx
Gregg: I figured, Buckeye50 would not need to be looking at anymore Penn State games this season. But for at least a half, they showed some life against the Buckeyes, let’s take a closer look into how they will do against Indiana. It was no surprise to see the Hoosiers in the #2 spot of the playoff poll this week. In fact, there were some out there suggesting they have the best overall win of the season and should be #1. They have played very efficiently this year and with the exception of their close 20-15 win over Iowa, they have been just as dominate as the Buckeyes. They appear to be on a path for their first trip to the B1G Championship game. I suspect they will use the OSU-PSU final score as the benchmark they want to match or beat so expect to see their starters play all four quarters regardless of the score in the game. Who knows, with a dominating win, they might just move to the top of the leaderboard next week. Indiana 45 Penn State 17
Jason: Penn State’s stunning five-game losing streak has derailed what was supposed to be a national title push, leaving the Nittany Lions scrambling for three more wins just to reach a bowl, and while they still have talent—especially on defense and at running back—the passing game has fallen apart without Drew Allar. Four of the five losses have been tight, one score games, save the game against the best team in America a week ago, but here comes the supposed #2. Indiana is surging behind explosive big plays, dominant third-down efficiency, and a balanced offense that has blown out nearly everyone and with Wisconsin and Purdue left, a win could all but book a Big Ten Championship trip. Indiana has been sharp, but their opponents have not. They are hanging their hat on Oregon in Autzen, which for now is a great win, but we will find out how good the Ducks really are in the weeks to come. Penn State has the pass defense and the athletes to pull the upset. If they are able to get off the field on third down, their strong running attack will shorten the game and push Indiana to the brink in the 4th quarter. They will be rejuvenated at home, and with the season on the line, the pride of the lion, pun intended, steps up and a late stop secures a Nittany Lion win to keep their bowl hopes alive. Penn State 24 Indiana 21
Joe-S-U: Indiana
John: Penn State fought hard, at least for a half, last week in Columbus. That might explain why a 3-5 team with no power 5 wins on the season is only a 14 point dog at home again an unbeaten Indiana team that many national sportswriters want to anoint as the greatest football team since the ’85 Bears. If the fans show up and give the Lions a home field advantage this one could be closer that many expect, as talent-wise I think PSU is better than Indiana. Outside of QB, this is still the same team that started the season ranked #2 in the nation after all. The big question is, does PSU have any heart left. I’m not picking the upset, but like OSU/Purdue I think this one is close late. Indiana 35 Penn State 31
Josh: The trajectory of these two programs couldn’t be more different. Indiana has become one of college football’s biggest surprises, climbing into the top three behind an explosive offense and a defense that swarms to the football. Meanwhile, Penn State has unraveled — four straight losses, an interim head coach, and a quarterback carousel that’s left the Nittany Lions reeling. With Drew Allar out for the year, Penn State has leaned on Ethan Grunkemeyer, who’s shown flashes of potential but hasn’t been able to sustain drives. The running duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton gives Penn State a glimmer of hope, but it won’t be enough against Indiana’s balanced attack. Malik Washington continues to impress for the Hoosiers, spreading the ball effectively and finding playmakers on the perimeter. This feels like a changing-of-the-guard type of game — one team surging toward playoff contention, the other staring down a full rebuild. Indiana 31, Penn State 17
Mike: Indiana
Steven: Indiana
Trout: I think it gets worse for the Penn State. Cignetti has shown he is willing to pile on points. And I don’t think the Nittany Lions have the drive to keep up with this Hoosier team. They may keep it close for a bit, but the Hoosiers walk away with a comfortable win. (Indiana, 35-17)
Final Score: Indiana 27 Penn State 24
(9)Oregon @ (20)Iowa
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Oregon over Iowa 28-17
Andy: Iowa is a hard place to play for many teams, Indiana who is excellent nearly was upset in Kinnick Stadium earlier this season. Iowa’s team is better on offense ranked 53rd in the country in total offense, they’re averaging close to 32 points per game this season, that combined with their scoring defense which is 4th best in the country allowing 12.4 points per game will give them a real chance to beat a talented Oregon team. The problem is a lot of teams traveling across multiple time zones this season have struggled on the road. I do think Oregon wins this game, but I think it will be close as Iowa is a tough team. Oregon 24 Iowa 21
Cory: Oregon has rebounded well following its loss at home to Indiana, with wins over Rutgers and Wisconsin, but now they’ve got a new challenge and that is a trip to Iowa. Oregon’s schedule was front loaded with a lot of easy team, but the back half of their schedule is tough and this week’s game with the Hawkeyes will be a big test. The Hawkeyes are 6-2 with their only losses coming to Iowa State, and Indiana. Oregon has to travel across the country for this game, and Iowa’s defense is really tough. Offensively, the Hawkeyes aren’t great but quarterback Mark Gronowski finds ways to make plays. I am not convinced yet that Oregon is actually as good as their record indicates, and think the loss to Indiana exposed some flaws in the team. I like Iowa in an upset here. Iowa 24, Oregon 21
Dave: xxxxx
Gregg: Quietly, Iowa has been a good team this year, this week they can move into the ‘great’ team status. I cannot explain the loss to Iowa State but few people remember the 20-15 game against Indiana (unless you had money on Indiana to cover). At home, the Hawkeyes are tough, the Ducks will miss the friendly confines of Eugene. This will be close one but I expect the Hawkeyse to shock Oregon and keep their hopes alive for the playoffs. Iowa 17 Oregon 14
Jason: Iowa, ranked No. 20 in the first CFP rankings, can position itself as the Big Ten’s third-best team and even make the Playoff if it beats Oregon and finishes strong against USC, Michigan State, and Nebraska—especially if Michigan takes another loss. To do that, the Hawkeyes must snap a drought against an Oregon team they haven’t beaten since 1949. The Ducks, ranked No. 9, have been solid, but inconsistent, without a signature win and will try to control Iowa’s run game behind one of the nation’s top defenses, while Iowa will lean on its improving offense, elite clock control, and No. 2 defense to dictate tempo. Ultimately, the Hawkeyes defense steps up when needed most, sending Oregon back to Eugene to lick their wounds and likely end the Ducks playoff hopes, while keeping their own alive. Iowa 27 Oregon 21
Joe-S-U: Oregon
John: Iowa has a pretty good defense. They managed to hold Indiana to a season low 20 points, and if they could have avoided two turnovers, they had a good shot at winning that game. The Ducks, even at 7-1 are a bit of an enigma. They can score a ton of points, just as Oklahoma State and Rutgers, but can also struggle at times, only scoring 21 at home against a bad Wisconsin team. I like Iowa at home to pull the upset. Iowa 27 Oregon 24
Josh: This matchup is a fascinating clash of styles. Oregon thrives on speed, spacing, and quarterback efficiency, while Iowa tries to drag every opponent into a physical, low-possession slugfest. The Ducks come in riding a wave of momentum, fueled by an offense that can score from anywhere on the field. Their vertical passing game and creative run designs have made them one of the hardest teams in the country to prepare for. Iowa’s defense is elite — fundamentally sound and built around gap integrity and discipline. But their offense remains an anchor holding them back. Unless they can find consistent rhythm on the ground and avoid turnovers, the Hawkeyes will have trouble keeping up with Oregon’s firepower. Expect Oregon to open up a close game late, using their athletic advantage to find space on the perimeter and stretch Iowa’s linebackers thin, but Iowa holds on for win. Iowa 24 Oregon 21
Mike: Oregon
Steven: Oregon
Trout: Iowa has been able to put up some points in games this year. They are definitely a little more well rounded than they have been in recent seasons. However, I still think Oregon is the better team. Hawkeyes will keep it close, but the Ducks pull away at the end. (Oregon, 27-17)
Final Score: Oregon 18 Iowa 16
(3)Texas A&M @ (22)Missouri
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Texas A&M 35-21 over Missouri
Andy: Texas A&M is a team that many sports writers consider the true number 1 team in the country this season. Missouri has an excellent team and coach Drink is really good, but Missouri lost their starting quarterback Beau Pribula who has 16 total touchdowns. If Beau Pribula was available for this game I would expect this game to be close, but A&M has a lot of momentum and despite having just a decent scoring defense I do think Missouri will be able to score on A&M, but I believe the Aggies will win. Texas A&M 31 Missouri 21
Cory: What a unique matchup. Two teams that recently joined the SEC and were considered to be pretenders for a long time, but now they both look like contenders and both of their head coaches are getting mentioned in potential job openings. Texas A&M has to travel to Columbia for this one, and the X-factor for this game is their quarterback Marcel Reed. Reed is a dynamic talent that can pass and run the ball well, but he struggles with consistency sometimes. The signal caller opposite of him, Beau Pribula, is also dynamic but struggles even more with consistency than Reed does. I think this game comes down to which QB makes fewer mistakes, and right now I have more confidence in Reed than Pribula. Texas A&M 35, Missouri 28
Dave: xxxxx
Gregg: Texas A&M may be the best team in the country and as Buckeye fans, we want them to win out and maybe knock out a couple of SEC teams out of the playoffs along the way. The Aggies will be wanting to make a statement in a effort to move up in the playoff polls. Missouri starting Tight End will be out but it doesn’t matter. Only one way the Tigers can win this one, bad weather. Texas A&M 41 Missouri 13
Jason: Texas A&M, No. 3 and unbeaten in the first CFP rankings, can all but secure a playoff spot by winning two of its final four games, but it’s chasing more than that. Missouri, ranked No. 22, is 6-2 despite lacking a signature win and now turns to third-string QB Matt Zollers after injuries, hoping a strong run game, elite time of possession, and its own pass rush can control the tempo. The Aggies’ fierce defensive front, led by Cashius Howell, should pressure Missouri’s leaky protection, and while the Tigers are tough at home and capable of grinding out the upset, A&M’s defense will ultimately prove too much to secure a big four-quarter road win. Texas A&M 31 Missouri 27
Joe-S-U: Texas A&M
John: Missouri is kind of like Indiana of old – they will tease you and look good against good teams, but can’t quite get over the hump against the elite. They played Vandy and ‘Bama both tight, but in the end, they came up one score short. They have to play this one with one hand tied behind their back, having lost their starting QB to a season ending injury last week. I think that will be too much to overcome against an A&M team that SEC shills will tell you should have been ranked #1 in this weeks playoff rankings. Texas A&M 31 Missouri 14
Josh: Few teams have looked more balanced this season than Texas A&M. The Aggies have leaned on elite quarterback play, physical line play, and a defense that creates havoc at every level. Sitting at 8–0, they’ve looked every bit the playoff contender many expected them to be. Missouri, on the other hand, continues to play scrappy football. Their offense has moved the ball well behind a veteran quarterback group, but turnovers and red-zone inefficiency have been costly. The Tigers’ defense will challenge A&M early, especially in the trenches, but over four quarters, the Aggies’ speed and depth should take over. This feels like one of those games that stays competitive into the third quarter before A&M’s relentless pressure and offensive versatility break it open. Texas A&M 38, Missouri 20
Mike: Missouri
Steven: Texas A&M
Trout: I’d like to see the Tigers win because I’d enjoy the chaos. But I don’t see that happening. I don’t think Missouri is that good. The Aggies also have some questions about them as well, but they are the better team. Texas A&M wins in a close, sloppy game. (Texas A&M, 23-17)
Final Score: Texas A&M 38 Missouri 17
(7)BYU @ (8)Texas Tech
Vaughn Broadnax (OSU-RB 1980-83): Texas Tech over BYU 31-28
Andy: This matchup is a great one because it is basically the two best teams in the Big 12 conference playing each other before the conference championship. Tech is top 5 and top 10 is most team stats on either side of the ball. BYU just keeps finding ways to win with their rushing attack. BYU has run the ball 322 times this season while throwing the ball just 214 times. They’ve done it with their dual threat quarterback Bear Bachmeier who has run for over 400 yards and 9 touchdowns and their star running back LJ Martin. Why am I spending so much time building up the BYU rushing offense? Because they’re one of the best in the country. However this weekend they matchup against the number 1 rush defense in the country allowing just an average of 74 rush yards per game and only 5 rushing touchdowns on the season. This matchup is strength on strength and I think Tech has the defense to not only slow down BYU, but beat them. Texas Tech 24 BYU 17
Cory: We’ll finally get to see if BYU is legitimate this week as the Cougars travel to No. 9 Texas Tech. BYU is undefeated but their only good win so far was over Utah in the Holy War. Texas Tech, on the other hand, is battle-tested with wins over Utah, Kansas State, Kansas, Houston, and Arizona State. In their last two games, the Red Raiders have outscored their opponents 85-20. Expect to see BYU come back down to Earth in this game. Texas Tech 42, BYU 31
Dave: xxxxx
Gregg: Texas Tech and their fans are really read for this one. GameDay makes their first trip to Lubbock since Michael Crabtree beat Texas. BYU has a freshman quarterback who has done will but he will not be up for this challenge. And he needs to get a better uniform number than 47! Texas Tech is beating their opponents by an average of 30 points which is second, only to Indiana. I expect a lot of scoring but the Red Raiders will will this one and remain in the top ten of the playoff standings. Hopefully BYU does not fall more than 5 spots. Texas Tech 38 BYU 31
Jason: BYU enters ranked seventh and unbeaten, but still searching for national respect despite four road wins and a rivalry victory at Utah. A win in Lubbock would change the conversation before a tough finish. Texas Tech, ranked eighth with only a close loss at Arizona State, can set itself up for a possible playoff bid if it keeps rolling. BYU protects the ball, pounds away on the ground, plays tough third-down defense, and rarely turns it over, but Texas Tech’s elite pass rush and stingy run defense can disrupt that formula. Expect the Cougars to hang around early, but the Red Raiders’ efficiency, pressure, and late-game playmaking should take over in the second half knocking the Cougars from the ranks of the unbeaten. Texas Tech 38 BYU 31
Joe-S-U: BYU
John: This is most likely a de facto play-in game for the CFP, as the Big XII getting two into the post season field feels like a reach at this point, especially if one has two losses. BYU with one loss might still be in the picture, but that make this a huge game for Tech at 8-1 as a loss probably eliminates them form both the Big XII title game and the CFP. The game is in Lubbock, which should give Tech the edge and potentially set up a rematch in the Big XII title game. Texas Tech 38 BYU 35
Josh: Quietly, this might be the best game of the weekend. Both BYU and Texas Tech enter the matchup ranked inside the top ten, both boasting impressive résumés and legitimate Big 12 title hopes. BYU has been the model of efficiency — sharp quarterback play, disciplined defense, and clutch red-zone execution. Texas Tech, meanwhile, has leaned on a suffocating defense and a quarterback in Behren Morton who’s played mistake-free football for the better part of a month. The Red Raiders have been especially good at home, turning Jones AT&T Stadium into one of the toughest environments in the Big 12. Expect a chess match early, with BYU trying to control time of possession while Texas Tech looks for explosive plays to tilt the momentum. In the end, the Red Raiders’ front seven and crowd energy might just be the difference in a tight, physical battle. Texas Tech 27, BYU 24
Mike: Texas Tech
Steven: BYU
Trout: This is a bit of a toss up. I think both teams could easily win this game. I’ll give the edge to Texas Tech. They seem to have a little more firepower offensively. Red Raiders win in a close one. (Texas Tech 28-24)