Big Ten Football: Every team's returning production ranking ahead of 2025 season
As he does every year around this time, ESPN's analytic guru Billy Connelly released the returning production for every college football team ahead of the 2025 football season. He takes into account what every team loses, returns, and gains from the transfer portal when making it.
With the addition of Delaware and Missouri State, there are now 136 teams in the FBS this season. Looking at Big Ten teams, there are two teams in the top 10 for returning production, while a couple of the elite Big Ten teams are toward the bottom of the entire country.
Below you can see where every Big Ten teams rank the conference, overall, and then we break it down by what the returning production is for both offense and defense -- with overall numbers there too.
1. Illinois 76% (3rd overall)
Offense: 78% (5th overall)
Defense: 75% (8th overall)
2. Rutgers 71% (7th overall)
Offense: 80% (2nd overall)
Defense: 62% (38th overall)
3. Wisconsin 64% (25th overall)
Offense: 67% (34th overall)
Defense: 62% (39th overall)
4. Michigan 64% (29th overall)
Offense: 63% (47th overall)
Defense: 64% (28th overall)
5. Michigan State 63% (30th overall)
Offense: 72% (17th overall)
Defense: 55% (64th overall)
6. Penn State 63% (33rd overall)
Offense: 72% (14th overall)
Defense: 53% (73rd overall)
7. Minnesota 62% (40th overall)
Offense: 50% (83rd overall)
Defense: 73% (11th overall)
8. Indiana 61% (44th overall)
Offense: 61% (55th overall)
Defense: 60% (45th overall)
9. Nebraska 60% (50th overall)
Offense: 68% (30th overall)
Defense: 53% (74th overall)
10. Northwestern 58% (57th overall)
Offense: 54% (76th overall)
Defense: 62% (35th overall)
11. Iowa 57% (65th overall)
Offense: 67% (35th overall)
Defense 48% (95th overall)
12. Washington 52% (84th overall)
Offense: 48% (91st overall)
Defense: 55% (65th overall)
13. Maryland 51% (85th overall)
Offense: 48% (89th overall)
Defense: 54% (71st overall)
14. USC 46% (97th overall)
Offense: 50% (85th overall)
Defense: 43% (108th overall)
15. Ohio State 46% (101st overall)
Offense: 47% (92nd overall)
Defense: 45% (103rd overall)
16. Oregon 43% (109th overall)
Offense: 41% (109th overall)
Defense: 46% (101st overall)
17. UCLA 43% (111th overall)
Offense: 53% (78th overall)
Defense: 33% (124th overall)
18. Purdue 32% (127th overall)
Offense: 27% (130th overall)
Defense: 37% (118th overall)
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Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent is also the managing editor for Maryland On SI. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.