Michael Cohen
College Football and College Basketball Writer
With the defending national champions out of the way on Day 1 (Ohio State) and the trendy picks to win this year’s conference title taking center stage on Day 2 (Oregon and Penn State), the third and final session of this year’s Big Ten Media Days event will be headlined by Michigan and the league’s Los Angeles contingent.
As always, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding the Wolverines given the potential debut of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, the self-imposed suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore and the program’s best recruiting class since 2017, long before former coach Jim Harbaugh toppled Ohio State for the first time. Underwood, a true freshman, won’t be in attendance next week, but his growing status as a potential figurehead for the program is among the chief storylines in college football this fall.
And would it really be Hollywood if USC and UCLA didn’t make the short trip to Las Vegas dripping with plotlines? From the explosive recruiting that is keeping the Trojans afloat to the Bruins’ splash addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who will be representing UCLA at the league’s event, there is always something to discuss when it comes to football in Southern California.
Those are certain to be among the topics of conversation when the Big Ten absorbs the national spotlight next week during its three-day media spectacle in Las Vegas, a locale that reflects the conference’s coast-to-coast membership. For the second consecutive year, each day of the event will feature the head coach and key players from six programs:
Day 1: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Rutgers
Day 2: Minnesota, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, Washington, Wisconsin
Day 3: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, UCLA, USC
To preview the event, FOX Sports analyzed every team ahead of the 2025 campaign. Here’s what to expect from Day 3 at Big Ten Media Days:
[Day 1: Big Ten Media Days Preview] [Day 2: Big Ten Media Days Preview]
Iowa
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz seems on through the first half towards the Maryland Terrapins. (Picture by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Photos by way of Getty Photos)
Final yr: 8-5 general, 6-3 Large Ten
Postseason: 27-24 loss to Missouri within the Music Metropolis Bowl
Head coach: Kirk Ferentz, twenty seventh season, 204-124 at Iowa
Coordinators: Tim Lester (offense); Phil Parker (protection)
Recruiting: No. 39 nationally, No. 11 within the Large Ten
Switch portal: No. 60 nationally, No. 17 within the Large Ten
Key storyline: 5 turnover-filled years have handed because the final time Iowa loved above-average play on the quarterback place, the place a revolving door of Spencer Petras, Alex Padilla, Cade McNamara, Deacon Hill and Brendan Sullivan left a lot to be desired from 2020-24, intensifying the strain on defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s unit to compensate for wince-inducing offense.
The final time a Hawkeyes quarterback threw not less than twice as many touchdowns as interceptions in a single season — a modest ratio by fashionable requirements — got here within the 2019 season when Nate Stanley tossed 16 scores and 7 INTs, main Iowa to a formidable 10-3 file. However the addition of former South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski by way of the switch portal has triggered some renewed optimism over what the Hawkeyes can moderately count on from their offense.
Gronowski’s award-winning profession with the Jackrabbits included two nationwide titles, the Walter Payton Award, given to essentially the most excellent offensive participant on the FCS degree, 49 profession victories to tie the FCS file for wins by a quarterback and greater than 12,000 yards of whole offense. Such a formidable physique of labor was sufficient for Gronowski to be ranked the No. 10 quarterback on this yr’s switch portal cycle and certainly one of solely two FCS signal-callers within the prime 50 at that place. If he transitions properly to the Large Ten, then Iowa might be within the combine for a berth within the School Soccer Playoff.
Michigan
Bryce Underwood #19 of the Michigan Wolverines prepares to obtain the ball through the second half of the Michigan Maize vs Blue Spring Soccer Sport. (Picture by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Photos)
Final yr: 8-5 general, 5-4 Large Ten
Postseason: 19-13 win over Alabama within the ReliaQuest Bowl
Head coach: Sherrone Moore, second season, 9-5 at Michigan
Coordinators: Chip Lindsey (offense); Wink Martindale (protection)
Recruiting: No. 6 nationally, No. 3 within the Large Ten
Switch portal: No. 35 nationally, No. 11 within the Large Ten
Key storyline: In traditional Michigan vogue, the three gamers representing the Wolverines at Large Ten Media Days might be linebacker Ernest Hausmann, edge rusher Derrick Moore and tight finish/full again Max Bredeson, who’s making his second consecutive look. And whereas all of these people might be starters and key contributors for Michigan this season, the listing just isn’t precisely a who’s-who of this system’s most recognizable gamers.
The truth is, that honor would seemingly go to somebody who has but to log his first collegiate snap: five-star freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 general recruit within the nation. Underwood’s determination to flip his dedication from LSU to Michigan final November catalyzed a whole revitalization of the Wolverines’ recruiting efforts beneath first-year head coach Sherrone Moore, the handpicked successor to Jim Harbaugh, with scores of elite gamers keen to affix him in Ann Arbor. That Michigan wound up No. 6 within the nationwide recruiting rankings for the 2025 cycle — its highest end in eight years — and is at the moment on tempo for an additional top-10 class in 2026 speaks to Underwood’s gravitational pull.
With an undisclosed harm to Fresno State switch Mikey Keene sidelining him for a lot of the spring, coupled with the torn ACL suffered by Davis Warren throughout final yr’s bowl sport, the deck has all however cleared for Underwood to win the beginning job in fall camp. He’s sure to be a major subject of debate in Las Vegas with out being wherever close to the desert.
Michigan State
Aidan Chiles #2 of the Michigan State Spartans runs the ball through the sport towards Illinois. (Picture by Michael Hickey/Getty Photos)
Final yr: 5-7 general, 3-6 Large Ten
Postseason: None
Head coach: Jonathan Smith, second season, 5-7 at Michigan State
Coordinators: Brian Lindgren (offense); Joe Rossi (protection)
Recruiting: No. 57 nationally, No. 16 within the Large Ten
Switch portal: No. 28 nationally, No. 8 within the Large Ten
Key storyline: Although there are many roster-specific questions surrounding Michigan State getting into the 2025 marketing campaign — from the potential development of cellular quarterback Aidan Chiles to the rising expertise of broad receiver Nick Marsh (41 catches, 649 yards, 3 TDs); from the search to enhance an anemic cross rush that completed tied for 108th in sacks to an offensive line that’s nearly totally rebuilt — it’s troublesome to disregard what really feel like bigger philosophical questions getting into 12 months 2 beneath head coach Jonathan Smith, previously of Oregon State.
Relating to roster-building efforts, the Spartans have but to obtain the new-regime bump that always follows teaching adjustments. Smith’s first highschool recruiting class ranked forty second nationally and thirteenth within the Large Ten; his second dropped to 57th nationally and sixteenth within the Large Ten. His first switch portal class peaked at No. 12 nationally thanks largely to Chiles and star proper finish Jack Velling, each of whom adopted Smith from Oregon State, however his most up-to-date switch haul ranked twenty eighth nationally and eighth within the Large Ten.
On the sector, the place Michigan State by no means received back-to-back video games after September, the Spartans struggled on each side of the ball throughout Smith’s debut marketing campaign: the offense ranked a hundred and tenth in yards per sport (333.4); the protection completed tied for 77th in scoring (26.1 factors per sport). Smith’s forte has all the time been participant retention and improvement, evidenced by the wonderful work he did in guiding the Beavers to 3 consecutive profitable seasons from 2021-23, however the progress at Michigan State stays onerous to search out.
Purdue
Barry Odom poses with Athletic Director Mike Bobinski as he’s launched as the brand new soccer head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers. (Picture by Justin Casterline/Getty Photos)
Final yr: 1-11 general, 0-9 Large Ten
Postseason: None
Head coach: Barry Odom, first season, 0-0 at Purdue
Coordinators: Josh Henson (offense); Mike Scherer (protection)
Recruiting: No. 91 nationally, No. 18 within the Large Ten
Switch portal: No. 47 nationally, No. 14 within the Large Ten
Key storyline: There are pure parallels to be drawn between the rebuilding approaches employed by first-year Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti forward of the 2024 marketing campaign — a method that ended with the Hoosiers reaching the School Soccer Playoff — and what Barry Odom is trying with Purdue after becoming a member of the Boilermakers from UNLV, the place he guided the Rebels to 19 wins during the last two seasons.
Cignetti upended Indiana’s roster with alacrity by bringing in dozens of recent gamers by way of the switch portal and restocking the Hoosiers’ cupboard with a few of his greatest and most trusted troops from James Madison alongside the best way.
Odom attacked the rebuild at Purdue, which reached the Large Ten Championship sport as lately as 2022, in almost an identical vogue. He added upwards of fifty transfers through the winter and spring home windows mixed, together with eight who performed for him at UNLV and might help set up the correct tradition. Much more transfers headed within the different route by leaving Purdue as Odom and his newly fashioned workers washed away remnants of the Ryan Walters period, a disastrous two-year run wherein the Boilermakers solely received 5 video games and endured a winless convention slate in 2024.
However in contrast to Cignetti, who benefited from a velvet-soft schedule final fall, Odom is diving right into a briar patch that features video games towards USC, Notre Dame, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State and Indiana. Something greater than two or three victories could be a formidable debut.
UCLA
UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster walks on the sector through the UCLA Soccer Spring Showcase. (Picture by Ric Tapia/Getty Photos)
Final yr: 5-7 general, 3-6 Large Ten
Postseason: None
Head coach: DeShaun Foster, second season, 5-7 at UCLA
Coordinators: Tino Sunseri (offense); Ikaika Malloe (protection)
Recruiting: No. 42 nationally, No. 12 within the Large Ten
Switch portal: No. 20 nationally, No. 5 within the Large Ten
Key storyline: If second-year head coach DeShaun Foster was trying to find a method to generate buzz about UCLA, an oft-sleepy program endlessly within the shadow of USC, its extremely profitable crosstown rival, then diving headfirst into the Nico Iamaleava saga definitely completed that purpose. Having guided Tennessee to the School Soccer Playoff throughout his first season because the Volunteers’ beginning quarterback in 2024, Iamaleava made nationwide headlines in April when his determination to skip one of many staff’s spring practices — reportedly due to a dispute concerning his NIL compensation — prompted head coach Josh Heupel to take this system in one other route.
The transfer despatched Iamaleava, who threw for two,616 yards with 19 touchdowns and 5 interceptions final fall, into the switch portal at a time when most main applications had already settled their quarterback rooms forward of the upcoming marketing campaign. For Iamaleava, a former five-star prospect and the No. 3 general recruit within the 2023 cycle, it rapidly grew to become clear {that a} return to his residence state of California may be the best choice, though the Bruins had already landed a switch quarterback in former Appalachian State standout Joey Aguilar.
However Foster acknowledged {that a} homegrown child of Iamaleava’s expertise might be a recruiting boon for this system, so he determined to take the danger. Information of Iamaleava’s impending arrival despatched Aguilar again into the portal, the place Heupel and the Volunteers have been already trying to find a substitute. It was the fashionable school soccer equal of a commerce wherein each applications are hoping they received the higher finish of the deal. And it implies that UCLA and Tennessee, Iamaleava and Aguilar, are sure to be in contrast on a weekly foundation this season.
USC
USC head coach Lincoln Riley coaches on the sideline throughout a sport between Notre Dame and USC. (Picture by Melinda Meijer/ISI Photographs/Getty Photos)
Final yr: 7-6 general, 4-5 Large Ten
Postseason: 35-31 win over Texas A&M within the Las Vegas Bowl
Head coach: Lincoln Riley, fourth season, 26-14 at USC
Coordinators: Luke Huard (offense); D’Anton Lynn (protection)
Recruiting: No. 13 nationally, No. 4 within the Large Ten
Switch portal: No. 18 nationally, No. 4 within the Large Ten
Key storyline: The fascinating irony surrounding USC for this upcoming season, the fourth beneath head coach Lincoln Riley, is that a very powerful developments may be going down off the sector relatively than on it. Few folks count on the Trojans to maintain tempo with applications like Penn State, Oregon and Ohio State on the prime of the Large Ten in 2025. There are too many questions alongside the offensive line, an excessive amount of inexperience within the secondary and never sufficient distinction markers on the talent positions for USC to contend simply but.
However away from the sector, the place Riley overhauled his personnel division and considerably altered his recruiting philosophy, the Trojans are completely buzzing within the 2026 recruiting cycle, scoring high-level gamers at a fee unseen since former coach Pete Carroll was profitable nationwide championships 20 years in the past. With 31 commitments by mid-July, together with one five-star prospect and 20 four-star prospects, USC sits atop the 247Sports Composite rankings forward of Georgia, Texas A&M, Notre Dame and Alabama. The Trojans have already earned verbal pledges from 17 in-state recruits, which is greater than Riley’s earlier two recruiting courses mixed, together with seven of California’s prime 23 gamers.
General, USC’s class encompasses a staggering 10 prospects rated among the many prime 100 gamers nationally and 16 among the many prime 200 nationally. It’s an inflow of expertise that would drastically reshape this system’s trajectory if Riley and his workers can maintain the group collectively till the early signing interval in December. And which means the Trojans have to win sufficient video games between from time to time to stay the most well liked faculty on the path.
Michael Cohen covers school soccer and school basketball for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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