The 2025 Big Ten regular season concluded with a rivalry week for the ages, solidifying the two participants for the Championship Game. The biggest story of the weekend was Ohio State’s decisive 27-9 victory over rival Michigan, snapping a long losing streak and securing their spot in the title game. Crucially, the Big Ten sends two undefeated teams—Ohio State and Indiana—into the Big Ten Championship Game, creating a historic 12-0 vs. 12-0 showdown for the conference crown and a guaranteed number one seed in the College Football Playoff.
Check Out All EasySportz College Football Content Here!
The Elite Tier: Undefeated and Dangerous
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0 Overall, 9-0 Conference): Coach Ryan Day deserves massive credit for navigating a season of personnel changes and still leading the Buckeyes to a perfect 12-0 record. Their defense, ranked best in the nation, dominated opponents all year, culminating in a critical road win against Michigan. Quarterback Julian Sayin developed into a potential Heisman finalist, making this team perhaps the most complete squad in the country.
2. Indiana Hoosiers (12-0 Overall, 9-0 Conference): The Hoosiers completed the most stunning turnaround in recent Big Ten history, achieving their first-ever undefeated regular season and a spot in the conference title game. Led by an efficient offense under QB Fernando Mendoza and an aggressive defense, Indiana proved their early success was no fluke. They finished with a dominant 56-3 victory over rival Purdue, entering the Championship Game with immense momentum.
Playoff and Major Bowl Contenders
3. Oregon Ducks (11-1 Overall, 8-1 Conference): Oregon proved their might in the Pacific Northwest, winning the rivalry showdown against Washington 26-14 to secure an 11-1 record. The Ducks were highly explosive offensively, led by Dante Moore, and are firmly positioned for a major at-large bowl or even a high seed in the College Football Playoff thanks to a stellar debut season in the Big Ten.
4. USC Trojans (9-3 Overall, 7-2 Conference): The Trojans finished strong, routing rival UCLA 29-10 in the final week to secure a 9-3 record. USC showed an ability to win shootouts and finished ahead of Michigan in the conference standings thanks to a head-to-head victory earlier in the year, establishing a strong foothold in the conference’s upper tier.
5. Michigan Wolverines (9-3 Overall, 7-2 Conference): Michigan’s season was defined by consistency and toughness, but ultimately ended in disappointment with the loss to Ohio State. Still, a 9-3 record is solid, and they will look to regroup for a top-tier bowl game. They proved they can win outside of Ann Arbor, but the season-ending rivalry loss lingers.
6. Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4 Overall, 6-3 Conference): Iowa’s success was built, as always, on a stout defense that kept them in every game. The Hawkeyes won six conference games, securing an 8-4 overall record and a respectable mid-table finish despite a few late-season bumps.
The Large Bowl-Bound Tier (7th – 12th)
7. Washington Huskies (8-4 Overall, 5-4 Conference): The Huskies adjusted quickly to life in the Big Ten, managing eight overall wins. They showed flashes of their former explosive identity but struggled against the top tier of the conference, losing their rivalry game to Oregon.
8. Illinois Fighting Illini (8-4 Overall, 5-4 Conference): Illinois had a solid campaign, achieving eight wins and bowl eligibility. They finished the year by defeating rival Northwestern 20-13, a critical win that caps a season where they ranked and were expected to compete for a Big Ten title.
9. Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-5 Overall, 5-4 Conference): Minnesota secured a winning record and bowl eligibility by defeating rival Wisconsin 17-7 in the final week. Their strong home record was key to their seven wins and securing a spot in the crowded 5-4 conference tier.
10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-5 Overall, 4-5 Conference): Nebraska reached bowl eligibility, securing seven wins, but struggled in the back half of the conference schedule. They finished 4-5 in Big Ten play and will focus on stability heading into the bowl season.
11. Northwestern Wildcats (6-6 Overall, 4-5 Conference): The Wildcats secured a 6-6 record and bowl eligibility, but fell short in their rivalry game against Illinois. They showed competitiveness in conference play, relying on a solid defense to grind out key wins.
12. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-6 Overall, 3-6 Conference): It was a season of turmoil for Penn State, which resulted in a mid-season coaching change. The team rallied late, winning its final three games, including a 40-36 victory over Rutgers, to barely sneak into bowl eligibility at 6-6.
The Rebuilding Tier (13th – 18th)
13. UCLA Bruins (3-9 Overall, 3-6 Conference): The Bruins had a brutal season, finishing 3-9 after a mid-season coaching change. They were soundly defeated in their rivalry game against USC, leaving the program searching for answers in the offseason.
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-7 Overall, 2-7 Conference): Rutgers showed improvement but fell just short of bowl eligibility. They secured five overall wins and two conference victories but couldn’t seal the deal in their final rivalry game against Penn State.
15. Wisconsin Badgers (4-8 Overall, 2-7 Conference): A disappointing year in Madison saw the Badgers finish 4-8, missing bowl eligibility. They struggled heavily in conference play, particularly on offense, and ended the year with a rivalry loss to Minnesota.
16. Michigan State Spartans (4-8 Overall, 1-8 Conference): Michigan State managed a final-week victory over Maryland to avoid finishing last in the conference. With four total wins, they struggled in the Big Ten but showed fighting spirit late in the season.
17. Maryland Terrapins (4-8 Overall, 1-8 Conference): The Terrapins started the season strong at 4-0 but collapsed completely in conference play, losing their final eight games to finish 4-8. They share the bottom tier with a single conference win.
18. Purdue Boilermakers (2-10 Overall, 0-9 Conference): The Boilermakers finished the year winless in conference play (0-9) and 2-10 overall, marking another difficult season in West Lafayette.
