Is Indiana The Team To Beat In Early 2025 Big Ten Power Rankings?

Indiana whitethorn person conscionable won nan nationalist title connected Monday nighttime – which was nan Big Ten’s 3rd consecutive title – but it’s ne'er excessively early to look ahead. Here’s a way-too-early Big Ten apical 5 for nan 2026 season:

Big Ten Football: Early Top 5

No. 5 Michigan

Former Utah caput coach Kyle Whittingham took complete successful Michigan and instantly sewage to business, locking successful nan talents of backmost Bryce Underwood, who accounted for 17 full touchdowns and 9 interceptions successful his freshman season. 

Naturally, pinch nan presence of a caller coaching staff, nan Wolverines did suffer a fistful of notable players to nan transportation portal (running backmost Justice Haynes, protect backs TJ Metcalf and Jayden Sanders and more). 

But they besides were rather successful themselves successful nan portal, headlined by Whittingham bringing on a trio of Utah stars successful separator John Henry Daley, protect backmost Smith Snowden, protect lineman Jonah Leaea and tight extremity JJ Buchanan. 

It’ll beryllium a caller era successful Ann Arbor, truthful there’ll apt beryllium immoderate early increasing pains, but betwixt nan wide talent connected nan roster and erstwhile way grounds of Whittingham, nan Wolverines should beryllium successful coagulated style – though their ceiling remains wished by nan maturation of Underwood. 

No. 4 USC

As we saw this twelvemonth pinch Fernando Mendoza starring Indiana to a nationalist championship, elite backmost play wins titles. At USC, pinch nan return of Jayden Maiava, nan Trojans person 1 of nan best, and astir proven, gunslingers successful nan country. 

Maiava led nan Big Ten pinch 3711 passing yards while registering 24 touchdowns to conscionable 10 interceptions. Head coach Lincoln Riley is an violative mastermind who excels pinch a talented backmost – particularly 1 pinch nan peculiar accomplishment group that Maiava possesses. 

Then again, a backmost tin only transportation a squad truthful far. Defense is half of nan conflict – and nan Trojans were lacking severely successful that class a twelvemonth ago. 

Fortunately, USC bolstered nan protect statement done nan portal and added immoderate firepower successful nan secondary (Iowa State transportation Jontez Williams is nan No. 2-rated cornerback successful nan portal, per 247 Sports) – but that astir apt isn’t enough. The Trojans will request to onshore immoderate much players aliases upwind up reliving their 2025 season. 

No. 3 Oregon

Oregon mislaid a fistful of value pieces to nan portal – not to mention some of its coordinators, which surely played a domiciled successful nan transportation departures.

But Dan Lanning besides happened to lure Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei backmost to Eugene, giving nan Ducks possibly nan nation’s champion one-two pass-rush punch. 

Then, Oregon deed nan portal to onshore Minnesota’s Koi Perich, nan No. 1 information disposable and No. 12 subordinate overall, on pinch a fewer different pieces that adhd depth. 

And, of course, there’s nan biggie: Dante Moore is back. He threw for 3565 passing yards (completed 71.8 percent of his passes), tossed 30 touchdowns and conscionable 10 interceptions. The Ducks stay firmly astatine nan apical of nan league. 

No. 2 Ohio State

Yes, we get it: Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith each return, and some person different twelvemonth of acquisition nether their belts. But, arsenic antecedently mentioned, that’s only 50 percent of nan game. 

And though Ohio State’s defense bared perfectly nary resemblance whatsoever to nan porous USC portion this past season, nan Buckeyes do besides person a protect problem – albeit a different one. Ohio State returns conscionable astir nary of its protect starters from nan 2025 season, which usually spells trouble. 

But aft we saw a mostly-inexperienced Ohio State defense upwind up being nan stingiest portion successful nan state successful 2025, there’s nary logic to judge nan aforesaid won’t hap successful 2026. Pair that pinch nan accustomed occurrence successful nan portal (No. 4 haul frankincense far), and nan Buckeyes are erstwhile again successful nan premier tier of nan conference. 

No. 1 Indiana

How is nan No. 1 staying adjacent to Indiana’s name? It’s a logical question. Fernando Mendoza, nan reigning Heisman-Trophy victor and driving unit successful nan Hoosiers’ title run, is disconnected to nan NFL. Wide retired Elijah Sarratt is gone, arsenic is prima linebacker Aiden Fisher. 

But nan Hoosiers bring backmost their full violative statement speech from halfway Pat Coogan, should return nan mostly of their secondary and person nan No. 7 transfer-portal people successful nan country. 

TCU transportation Josh Hoover, who is nan No. 11-rated backmost successful nan portal and has appeared successful 36 collegiate games, is group to return complete nan reins from Mendoza. And, mind you, Hoover is much knowledgeable and much proven than Mendoza was erstwhile he arrived successful Bloomington. 

Now, to clarify, nan Hoosiers caught lightning successful a vessel pinch Mendoza. But, they besides did pinch Sarratt and Fisher. So, clearly, it’s not conscionable bully fortune, but it’s besides nan oculus of Curt Cignetti and his staff. 

Toss successful Indiana holding onto some of its coordinators successful Mike Shanahan (offensive) and Bryant Haines (defensive), and it appears nan Big Ten is poised to tally done Bloomington for rather immoderate time.