Big Ten Contenders: A Look Around The Conference

Entering Week 5 of the college football season and the second week — for most teams — of conference play, the Big Ten has pushed seven teams into the AP Poll Top 25 rankings. The poll isn’t gospel, but it certainly is an indicator of just how competitive the Big Ten is this year.

It’s not just the classic contenders anymore, either. Several less historically dominant programs are fighting for the spot atop the conference as well. Michigan finds itself right in the middle of the fight after a 1-0 start to conference play.

Here are the contenders — other than the Wolverines —  in this Big Ten thus far this season…

This one shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the Buckeyes have spent almost the entire season ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, earning their spot at the top after beating then-No. 1 Texas in the first game of the season.

After winning the national championship last season, Ohio State brought back two of the best players in the country. Sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and junior safety Caleb Downs are both game-changing players. The Buckeyes trot out a young quarterback of their own in sophomore Julian Sayin.

Ohio State is a very polished team, as it is every year, and is the odds-on favorite to win the conference. While the Buckeyes aren’t unbeatable, it’ll take quite an effort to take them down.

The Nittany Lions have spent the entire season within the top 5, but unlike Ohio State, they haven’t truly been tested. Penn State is 3-0, but it has yet to play a Power Four opponent, with its wins coming from Nevada, Florida International, and Villanova.

At this point in the season, not much is known about what the Nittany Lions will look like against stronger competition, but this weekend will clear that right up. No. 3 Penn State is set to take on No. 6 Oregon in a battle of two powerhouses on Saturday.

Senior quarterback Drew Allar is the player to watch for on the Nittany Lions. He hasn’t had an eye-popping season so far, but they haven’t needed him to have one. He is their engine, the team goes where he goes.

The Ducks offense has looked unstoppable this season, thanks in no small part to sophomore quarterback and Detroit native Dante Moore. Through four games, he has racked up 962 yards on 74.7% completion for 11 touchdowns and only one interception. Complementing Dante Moore, Oregon also boasts elite pass catchers like freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore and junior tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

It’s not just the offense, either. Oregon’s defense, particularly its pass rush, has looked quite good to start the year. We’ll learn a lot about the team this Saturday in the aforementioned trip to Penn State, but nothing they’ve shown so far this year indicates that they’re not up for the task.

After a breakout season under first-year head coach Kurt Cignetti last year, the Hoosiers have built on their sudden success.

There were certainly questions surrounding Indiana’s status as a legit Big Ten contender, but the Hoosiers squashed those in Week 4 with a monster 63-10 decimation of then-No. 9 Illinois. Their offense is currently putting up 54.8 points per game, good for second in the country.

Indiana historically isn’t a Big Ten powerhouse, but it’s out to prove that last season’s College Football Playoff berth was no fluke.

The Trojans’ 2024 season was disappointing, as they earned just a 6-6 record after peaking at No. 11 in the AP Poll in Weeks 2 and 3. Because of last season’s struggles, many predicted a middle-of-the-pack finish for USC in 2025.

So far this season, however, the Trojans are 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten. Junior quarterback Jayden Maiava has thrived in the full-time starter role and has his offense rolling, ranking just behind Indiana at third in the country for points per game with 52.5.

Prior to their whooping at the hands of Indiana, the Fighting Illini were a top-10 team in the AP Poll. There were certainly questions surrounding whether they deserved that ranking, but the voters believed the hype. 
Indeed, Illinois is 0-1 in Big Ten play, but that doesn’t make it less dangerous. With senior quarterback Luke Altmyer under center, they can still compete with almost anyone in the country.