Final 2025 Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State, Indiana Set the Pace, While Others Regroup for 2026
The 2025 Big Ten regular season is officially in the books, and what a ride it was. From Indiana’s historic rise to Oregon’s continued dominance, this year delivered everything from playoff-caliber football to hard-fought rebuilds and gut-wrenching near-misses. As the conference prepares to send its best to the postseason, we’re breaking down where each team stands after the dust has settled.
Here are the final Big Ten power rankings for the 2025 regular season.
1. Ohio State (12-0)
Last week: 1
**Next up: Big Ten Championship vs.
Indiana (Saturday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.) **
This is the Ohio State we’ve come to expect: dominant, disciplined, and peaking at the right time. The Buckeyes snapped their Michigan skid with a statement win and now return to the Big Ten title game for the first time since 2022. With a perfect regular season and a spot in the College Football Playoff nearly locked in, Ryan Day’s squad is once again the standard in the Big Ten.
2. Indiana (12-0)
Last week: 2
**Next up: Big Ten Championship vs.
Ohio State (Saturday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.) **
What Indiana has done this season is nothing short of remarkable. For the first time in program history, the Hoosiers are headed to the Big Ten Championship Game - and they didn’t just sneak in.
They earned it with an undefeated regular season. This title game is practically a home game, just 52 miles from campus in Indianapolis.
Regardless of the outcome, Indiana is in prime position for a first-round bye in the CFP. That’s not just progress - that’s validation.
3. Oregon (11-1)
Last week: 3
Next up: Idle
The Ducks stumbled once - and only once - all season, and it came against one of the nation’s two undefeated teams. That’s forgivable, especially considering they’re now headed to their third College Football Playoff and second straight as a Big Ten member. Oregon’s transition into the conference has been seamless, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
4. USC (9-3)
Last week: 5
Next up: Idle
USC was one win away from its first CFP appearance, but a loss to Oregon kept the Trojans on the outside looking in. Still, a nine-win season is nothing to scoff at. With the talent on this roster, expectations will always be sky-high - and while this year was solid, it might not fully satisfy a fan base that’s used to chasing championships.
5. Michigan (9-3)
Last week: 4
Next up: Idle
Michigan did what the odds said they would: won the games they were favored in, lost the ones they weren’t. But for a program that made three straight CFP appearances not long ago, back-to-back years without a playoff spot feels like a step back. The Wolverines are still a top-tier team, but the margin for error in the Big Ten is razor-thin - and Michigan came up just short.
6. Iowa (8-4)
Last week: 7
Next up: Idle
Four losses by a combined 15 points. That’s how close Iowa was to something special.
The Hawkeyes battled with the best in the league - including three of the top four teams - and came up just shy each time. Add in a rivalry loss to Iowa State, and it’s easy to see how this season could’ve gone differently.
Still, Kirk Ferentz had his group fighting every week, and that counts for something.
7. Illinois (8-4)
Last week: 8
Next up: Idle
Illinois closed the season with a win over a tough Northwestern team, but a head-scratching loss to a struggling Wisconsin squad kept them from reaching double-digit wins. That stings. Still, eight wins is nothing to hang your head about, and Bret Bielema continues to build something sturdy in Champaign.
8. Washington (8-4)
Last week: 6
Next up: Idle
In many ways, Washington’s season mirrored USC’s - a solid campaign with a few missed opportunities. A young quarterback showed promise, but a loss to 4-8 Wisconsin looms large.
That one game kept the Huskies from reaching 10 wins. The foundation is there, but the margin for error in this league is brutal.
9. Nebraska (7-5)
Last week: 9
Next up: Idle
Back-to-back seven-win seasons may not light up the scoreboard, but for Nebraska, it’s progress. After seven years without a bowl game, the Huskers are going bowling again. It’s not flashy, but it’s a step forward - and in Lincoln, that’s worth something.
10. Penn State (6-6)
Last week: 12
Next up: Idle
What a rollercoaster. Penn State started the year ranked No. 2, then lost six straight and fired James Franklin.
But credit where it’s due - the Nittany Lions dug deep and won their final three to secure a bowl berth. It’s not the season anyone expected in Happy Valley, but at least it didn’t end in total collapse.
11. Minnesota (7-5)
Last week: 13
Next up: Idle
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Golden Gophers got it done. A seventh straight bowl berth in a full season is a testament to P.J.
Fleck’s ability to keep the boat afloat, even in choppy waters. Narrow wins over Purdue and Michigan State sealed it, but they’ll take it.
12. Northwestern (6-6)
Last week: 10
Next up: Idle
Few saw this one coming. Northwestern is bowl-bound, and that’s a win in itself.
David Braun’s first year at the helm saw the Wildcats outperform expectations and avoid the kind of collapse many predicted. It’s not quite the Fitzgerald era, but it’s a strong start to a new chapter.
13. Rutgers (5-7)
Last week: 12
Next up: Idle
Rutgers came up just short of a bowl berth after falling to Penn State in the finale. It’s a step back after two straight postseason appearances, but the Scarlet Knights are no longer the Big Ten’s doormat. Still, missing the postseason stings - and this offseason will feel longer because of it.
14. Wisconsin (4-8)
Last week: 15
Next up: Idle
The Badgers closed strong with two November wins, but this was still a historically rough season in Madison. Four wins won’t cut it, and now the pressure’s on to prove that keeping Luke Fickell was the right call. The pieces are there - it’s time to put them together.
15. UCLA (3-9)
Last week: 16
Next up: Idle
It was a rough year in Westwood, but a three-game win streak in the middle of the season keeps UCLA out of the basement. Still, 3-9 is a long way from where this program wants to be. The Bruins have work to do.
16. Michigan State (4-8)
Last week: 17
Next up: Idle
The Spartans snapped an eight-game losing streak with a season-ending win over Maryland, but that’s about the only silver lining. With Jonathan Smith out and Pat Fitzgerald reportedly taking over, the next chapter begins now - and it’s a critical one for the program’s future.
17. Maryland (4-8)
Last week: 16
Next up: Idle
Maryland started 4-0. Then came the freefall - eight straight losses to end the season.
That’s a brutal way to go out. Mike Locksley is sticking around, but it’s clear something has to change.
This team had momentum early, and it vanished in a hurry.
18. Purdue (2-10)
Last week: 18
Next up: Idle
Purdue’s season went off the rails fast. After two early nonconference wins, the Boilermakers dropped 10 straight and finished winless in the Big Ten for the second year in a row.
The only bright spot? Basketball season is here.
The Big Ten gave us a little bit of everything this year - dominance, drama, and a few surprises that will shape the conference for seasons to come. As the postseason approaches, all eyes are on Indianapolis, where Ohio State and Indiana will battle for the crown. But for everyone else, the countdown to 2026 starts now.