Pre-Spring Preview for Big Ten Football Rankings in 2025

Oh, yeah, yeah. Ohio State is still very good at college football. Penn State is also involved. Michigan should be back on track, Oregon isn’t going anywhere, USC will be strong, Illinois will be a contender, Iowa…

Wait. Illinois? If you thought Indiana was fun last year, get ready for a Fighting Illini team full of experience coming off a ten-win season.

If you like that, Rutgers could be fantastic. Michigan State will be significantly stronger, Nebraska should build on its breakthrough year, and Indiana may not take a step back.

We’re already diving deep into all 18 Big Ten teams for 2025, but let’s start with the basics. How good do they all seem to be as spring football gets underway?

Consider this a rough draft of what to expect during the offseason. Here’s our preliminary 1-to-18 ranking of what should be a formidable Big Ten.

Big Ten Football Rankings: 2025 Season First Look

18 Purdue

Welcome to West Lafayette, Barry Odom. Now rebuild from scratch an already depleted lineup that suffered a severe body blow losing player after player in the portal.

2024 Record 1-11
2024 Rankings Final 90, Preseason 65
Top Transfer: Ryan Turner, CB from Boston College
Top Transfer Lost: Dillon Thieneman, S to Oregon
Season Opener: Ball State

17 Northwestern

The Wildcats move back into their normal stadium with a decent-looking veteran team. Getting QB Preston Stone (SMU) should improve the offense immediately.

2024 Record 4-8
2024 Rankings Final 72, Preseason 70
Top Transfer: Preston Stone, QB from SMU
Top Transfer Lost: Josh Thompson, OG to LSU
Season Opener: at Tulane

16 UCLA

The Bruins went with bulk transfers through the portal, but it’s a must for QB Joey Aguilar (App State) to take over right away. The D needs more work than the O.

2024 Record 5-7
2024 Rankings Final 48, Preseason 56
Top Transfer: Eugene Brooks, OG from Oklahoma
Top Transfer Lost: J. Michael Sturdivant, WR to Florida
Season Opener: Utah

15 Maryland

An outstanding haul from the portal helps an already good situation. The growing pains should be gone, but everything stumbles if QB Justyn Martin (UCLA) isn’t ready.

2024 Record 4-8
2024 Rankings Final 76, Preseason 42
Top Transfer: Rahtrel Perry, OT from Central Connecticut State
Top Transfer Lost: Roman Hemby, RB to Indiana
Season Opener: Florida Atlantic

14 Rutgers

LET’S GO. Rutgers is as experienced as any team in the country, it three-run home run-crushed the transfer portal, and it might be this year’s Indi… it’ll be better.

2024 Record 7-6
2024 Rankings Final 51, Preseason 51
Top Transfer: DT Sheffield, WR from North Texas
Top Transfer Lost: Wesley Bailey, EDGE to Louisville
Season Opener: Ohio

13 Washington

Year Two of the Jedd Fisch era will be better and more consistent if QB Demond Williams can step up even more after a huge finish. The portal was a net positive.

2024 Record 6-7
2024 Rankings Final 38, Preseason 23
Top Transfer: Tacario Davis, WR from Arizona
Top Transfer Lost: Thaddeus Dixon, CB from Washington
Season Opener: Colorado State

12 Wisconsin

Will the Luke Fickell era get going? There’s experience, but a quarterback has to emerge between Billy Edwards Jr. (Maryland) and Danny O’Neil (San Diego State).

2024 Record 5-7
2024 Rankings Final 59, Preseason 26
Top Transfer: Tyreese Fearbry, EDGE from Kentucky
Top Transfer Lost: Xavier Lucas, CB to Miami
Season Opener: Miami University

11 Nebraska

Nebraska finally got back over the bowl hump. Now it’s time to make some noise with a veteran team, a great group of transfers, and a superstar in QB Dylan Raiola.

2024 Record 7-6
2024 Rankings Final 46, Preseason 44
Top Transfer: Elijah Pritchett, OT from Alabama
Top Transfer Lost: Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE to Ole Miss
Season Opener: Cincinnati (in Kansas City)

10 Minnesota

The defense is a killer. It’s experienced, and transfers will help the offense, but the season is about the QB battle between Zach Pyron (Georgia Tech) and Drake Lindsey.

2024 Record 8-5
2024 Rankings Final 18, Preseason 29
Top Transfer: AJ Turner, RB from Marshall
Top Transfer Lost: Phillip Daniels, OT to Ohio State
Season Opener: Buffalo

9 Iowa

Could the offense REALLY be better than the defense? Wonderful QB Mark Gronkowski (South Dakota State) will push Brendan Sullivan to lead the veteran attack.

2024 Record 8-5
2024 Rankings Final 25, Preseason 25
Top Transfer: Mark Gronowski, QB South Dakota State
Top Transfer Lost: Leshon Williams, RB to Kansas
Season Opener: UAlbany

8 Michigan State

Expect a massive improvement. It starts with QB Aidan Chiles being more consistent. If he’s better, look out. Jonathan Smith did a fantastic job with the portal.

2024 Record 5-7
2024 Rankings Final 60, Preseason 37
Top Transfer: Joshua Eaton, CB from Texas State
Top Transfer Lost: Charles Brantley, CB to Miami
Season Opener: Western Michigan

7 Indiana

How do you follow that ? Do it again. QB Fernando Mendoza (Cal) is a perfect fit, enough key pieces return, and Curt Cignetti is still Curt Cignetti. IU will stay good.

2024 Record 11-2
2024 Rankings Final 7, Preseason 57
Top Transfer: Fernando Mendoza, QB from Cal
Top Transfer Lost: Donaven McCulley, WR to Michigan
Season Opener: Old Dominion

6 USC

The team took a hit in the portal – especially at receiver – and there aren’t enough stars coming in to offset the losses. QB Jayden Maiava needs to become elite.

2024 Record 7-6
2024 Rankings Final 20, Preseason 16
Top Transfer: Keeshawn Silver, DT from Kentucky
Top Transfer Lost: Duce Robinson, WR to Florida State
Season Opener: Missouri State

5 Illinois

Illinois has … expectations? After a ten-win season, and with almost everyone back, and with a strong haul of transfers, the Illini should push for something big.

2024 Record 10-3
2024 Rankings Final 13, Preseason 55
Top Transfer: James Thompson Jr. DT from Wisconsin
Top Transfer Lost: Zy Crisler, OG to Colorado
Season Opener: Western Illinois

4 Oregon

Nothing stops. There might be a little too much turnover on both sides of the ball, but the Ducks hit big in the portal, and QB Dante Moore should be a star.

2024 Record 13-1
2024 Rankings Final 2, Preseason 6
Top Transfer: Isaiah World, OT from Nevada
Top Transfer Lost: Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, QB Cal
Season Opener: Montana State

3 Penn State

It’s a good enough team to win it all. The defense might lose Abdul Carter and a few other stars, but the offense could be unstoppable if Drew Allar is a wee bit better.

2024 Record 13-3
2024 Rankings Final 4, Preseason 7
Top Transfer: Kyron Hudson, WR from USC
Top Transfer Lost: Harrison Wallace, WR to Ole Miss
Season Opener: Nevada

2 Michigan

Is the new guy ready? All eyes are on super-recruit QB Bryce Underwood, but Mikey Keene (Fresno State) could be the main man right away. Expect at least ten wins.

2024 Record 8-5
2024 Rankings Final 14, Preseason 5
Top Transfer: Justice Haynes, RB from Alabama
Top Transfer Lost: Dominick Giudice, OG to Missouri
Season Opener: New Mexico

1 Ohio State

OSU got more players who can step in and rock right away, but it’s asking too much to repeat the chemistry. QB Julian Sayin will be in the spotlight from the start.

2024 Record 14-2
2024 Rankings Final 1, Preseason 1
Top Transfer: CJ Donaldson, RB from West Virginia
Top Transfer Lost: Hero Kanu, DT to Texas
Season Opener: Texas

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