Summer Showdown: Breaking Down the Big Ten Hierarchy with Conference Tier Rankings Ahead of the 2025 Season
As the college football calendar turns toward the heat of summer, the Big Ten enters one of its most anticipated offseasons in recent memory. With the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington now a season behind, the once regionally focused conference has transformed into a sprawling football empire. Programs across the league are jockeying for position, rebuilding rosters, and retooling game plans in hopes of gaining an edge ahead of what promises to be a high-stakes 2025 campaign.
The traditional powers remain at the top—for now. Michigan, fresh off a historic three-year run that included a national title in 2023, still boasts one of the nation’s deepest rosters. But with Jim Harbaugh now in the NFL and several key veterans gone, the Wolverines face a transition period that could open the door for rivals. Ohio State, which has reloaded through both recruiting and the transfer portal, looks hungry to reclaim its place atop the conference. Head coach Ryan Day is under pressure to deliver, especially after consecutive losses to Michigan have slightly dulled the program’s shine. Meanwhile, Penn State continues to lurk just behind the top two, with an elite defense and growing confidence around quarterback Drew Allar’s development.
The entry of West Coast programs added new layers of intrigue. USC and Oregon, two of the Pac-12’s marquee brands, are now fully immersed in the Big Ten grind. USC’s offense under Lincoln Riley continues to light up scoreboards, but defensive issues remain a sticking point. Oregon, on the other hand, appears more Big Ten-ready in both scheme and physicality, and many around the league see the Ducks as a legitimate contender in their first true year as a full-fledged conference rival.
Traditional middle-tier programs like Wisconsin, Iowa, and Maryland are all looking to take the next step. Wisconsin, in particular, has shown signs of transformation under Luke Fickell, modernizing its offense while maintaining the physicality the program is known for. Iowa continues to ride its signature brand of defense and special teams, but the offensive woes must be addressed if the Hawkeyes are to remain competitive in a deeper, more complex conference race.
Elsewhere, the rebuilds are in full swing. Nebraska is drawing attention with renewed energy under Matt Rhule and promising young talent. Michigan State, now with a new coaching staff after a turbulent 2024 season, faces a long road back to contention. Programs like Purdue, Minnesota, and Indiana are caught in various stages of transition, with coaching stability and quarterback play determining their trajectories. Meanwhile, Northwestern, after defying expectations in 2024, aims to prove its resurgence wasn’t a fluke.
Summer is where championship runs begin, and this one will be especially crucial in a Big Ten that no longer has a clear-cut structure. The lines between contenders and challengers are blurring. As workouts intensify, rosters finalize, and coaches fine-tune their systems, the conference pecking order remains fluid—and fiercely competitive. The 2025 season promises fireworks, and the summer showdown is just the opening act.
