Hello there and welcome to the Big Ten Power Rankings! Each week we’ll rank how the teams across the conference are playing, in the hopes of seeing just who is a contender, and who is a pretender over the course of the season.
The rules are few, but resolute:
Teams are ranked by how they’re playing at that time. Not body of work, not rankings in the polls, but simply how each team is playing at that point in the season.
The approach to the rankings is not necessarily on the field results (though those
do count, as an obvious, tangible data point), but more generally if the two teams played at a neutral site 100 times, which team would win 51 times (or more).
These rankings are subjective. As the author I get to follow the rules as closely or loosely as I want to, and if you don’t like the rankings, you’re wrong.
The 2025 season is upon us, and hopes are high for teams across the country. Everyone is undefeated, so just how do we see things before the season gets going? Let’s get to it!
1. Penn State
The Lions are coming off a deep run in the playoffs, where they came up just short from playing for a national championship and ended the season 13-3 (8-1 in the Big Ten). While some key pieces have headed to the NFL, the core of the team is back, and with (hopeful) upgrades at wide receiver, Penn State is considered a top 5 team capable of winning it all this year.
2. Ohio State
The Buckeyes caught fire in the playoffs last year, lambasting everyone en route to the national championship with a 14-2 (7-2) record. But the 2024 OSU squad was a senior-laden team, and will be resetting at many positions in 2025. Expect Brutus to be a tough team regardless, but also don’t be surprised if they’re not quite as dominant as in years past.
3. Oregon
The Ducks lead off what I’ll call Tier 2 – highly capable, playoff contender teams, but potentially lacking the national championship ingredients. After a perfect regular season in 2024, the Ducks flamed out in the first round of the playoffs, being demolished by Ohio State in their rematch and ending 13-1 (9-0). Dillon Gabriel is gone, but as always I fully expect Dan Lanning to put together a solid team. The White Out in late September should be a good one.
4. Illinois
Following a 10-3 (6-3) season and a win over South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the Illini return a bunch of production from last year, and are widely considered to be a playoff-caliber team. It’s highly possible that Illinois makes the trip to Indianapolis at the end of the season, and puts themselves in B1G champion contender discussions.
5. Michigan
I’m putting Michigan in Tier 3 – good production returning, and a favorable schedule, but generally a team I don’t think will make much noise come playoff time, if they do squeak in. That being said, Big Blue is coming off an 8-5 (5-4) record with a win over Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, has recruited well, and does have a pretty easy schedule. We’ll see how it shakes out come postseason selection time.
6. Indiana
The Hoosiers also flamed out in the playoffs, losing to Notre Dame after, just, all the smack talk, going 11-2 (8-1) on the year. Seeing the Hoosiers rise so quickly only to have their wings melt and come plummeting back to Earth was entertaining, if nothing else. But can Curt Cignetti get Indiana back to the playoffs again? Remains to be seen.
7. USC
Doesn’t it just feel like one of these years USC will reclaim its former glory? Maybe not back-to-back Heisman winners necessarily, but at least being a strong postseason team. I think they can make a push for it this year, looking to build on a 7-6 (4-5) year and their win over Texas A&M in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.
8. Nebraska
This is Year 3 for Matt Rhule, who historically has made a huge jump at his previous stops by his third year. As it is, Year 2 saw a 7-6 (3-6) record and a win over Boston College in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The Cornhuskers are certainly dark horses for the playoffs, but I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they do make it. I would be shocked if they go far in the playoffs, but hey, I’ve been wrong before.
9. Iowa
Coming off an 8-5 (6-3) record, with a loss to Missouri in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl, it’s possible Iowa takes another step this year. Not unlike Michigan, the Hawkeyes have a favorable schedule and have been recruiting well enough that they could insert themselves into at-large discussions. But I don’t see a team well-rounded enough to escape the regular season without 3 or more losses, which would make it hard to make the playoffs.
10. Minnesota
Here’s Tier 4, the teams that should be bowl-caliber, but not much else. I’m kinda down on Minnesota for no particular reason. They ended the year 8-5 (5-4) with a win over Virginia Tech in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, but when looking at the teams above them I struggle to see a lot of upward mobility.
11. Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights ended last season 7-6 (4-5) with a loss to Kansas State in the Rate Bowl. *shrug* Greg Schiano has turned Rutgers into a solid if not-particularly-threatening squad, good enough to mess with some teams in Tier 3 (or maybe even Tier 2!) but not much else.
12. Wisconsin
After a 5-7 (3-6) finish to the season with no bowl game, Luke Fickell is on the hot seat. That’s actually why I wouldn’t be surprised if the Badgers made some upward moves in these rankings, as the team plays like it has something to lose. In the long run, though, I don’t see a fantastic season ahead for Wisconsin.
13. Washington
The Huskies are another team that could very well make some moves up this board, potentially building on their 6-7 (4-5) record and loss to Louisville in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl . . . but I don’t think they’re going to push toward the upper reaches of the conference.
14. UCLA
This is Tier 5, and to me from here to the bottom there’s not much to look forward to this season. The Bruins are a fun team to figure out, as they bring in controversial quarterback Nico Iamaleava from the portal, and may try to just be entertaining if nothing else. But that might be all they are as they try to improve on a 5-7 (3-6) record.
15. Michigan State
Another 5-7 (3-6) squad, Sparty could very well be on an upward trend, but that’s largely because they were near the bottom to begin with.
16. Maryland
The Terps went 4-8 (1-8 (ouch)) in 2024. It really seems like Maryland should be better at football than they are, and as always I expect September Maryland to at least get the juices flowing a bit. But I also expect cold weather Maryland to return, and for the Terps to settle back in after potentially moving up for a couple weeks.
17. Northwestern
There’s not much to say down here . . . this very well could be its own tier but for the fact that college football is fun and enigmatic and upsets happen. Still, I expect if other teams end up down here its more due to their own shortcomings than anything the Wildcats did, especially if they repeat their 4-8 (2-7) record.
18. Purdue
Maybe this will be the year that the Boilermakers move up! Maybe . . . but maybe not. Then again, last year Purdue went 1-11 (0-9), so maybe let’s just start with doubling up that win column?
No squiggles yet, as right now they’d just be dots. Until next week, compadres!.
On to Week 1!
