Joel Klatt Names Big Ten Team Poised To Make First College Football Playoff originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the 2025 college football season approaches, predictions are circulating about how various teams will perform this year.
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One of the topics on everyone’s mind is how many teams might qualify for the College Football Playoff for the first time in their program’s history. Last season, six teams achieved this milestone.
On his podcast, “The Joel Klatt Show,” Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt ranked the ten teams with the best chances of making their playoff debut this upcoming season. At No. 10, he placed the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are led by coach Matt Rhule. Last year, the Cornhuskers finished with a record of 7-6 and participated in a bowl game for the first time since 2016.
Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola to return and led the team in the upcoming season.Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
“They were right there in a bunch of games,” Klatt said. “They went 2-5 in one score games. Can they turn it around? They probably can. They are going to have a returning quarterback in Dylan Raiola, who was just a true freshman.”
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Klatt mentioned that he sees significant improvement throughout the Cornhuskers’ roster. However, he believes they might take a step back on the defensive line. On the other hand, he points out that the secondary has valuable experience.
For Nebraska to secure its first College Football Playoff appearance, Klatt feels that the schedule will be crucial. He predicts that the Cornhuskers have a chance to achieve a 7-1 record in their first eight games of the season. Achieving this will require them to win some close games, which has historically been a challenge for Nebraska.
November presents a more difficult schedule for the team. They will face the USC Trojans, whom Klatt identifies as a key opponent, as well as the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Iowa Hawkeyes, playing three of their four games that month against these tough teams.
If Nebraska can start the season strong, as Klatt believes is possible, and win two out of those three November games, they could end the season with a 10-2 record and a solid chance to make it into the College Football Playoff.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Big Ten Coach Who Will Elevate His Program to National Relevance
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
