Big Ten Preseason Poll: Penn State, Ohio State, USC Trojans Surprising Rank

In a recent preseason poll for the Big Ten, the Penn State Nittany Lions were picked to win the conference over the Ohio State Buckeyes. Other surprising rankings include the USC Trojans at No. 9, falling behind the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Illinois Fighting Irish, and other teams.

Ohio State Buckeye head coach Ryan Day addresses his team after the spring game at Ohio Stadium on April 12, 2025. | Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a recent preseason poll conducted by Cleveland.com, the Penn State Nittany Lions were picked to win the Big Ten over the Ohio State Buckeyes. After winning the College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes are expected to be one of the top teams in the country again in 2025.

Penn State and Ohio State hold a majority of the first-place votes, and Oregon and Illinois were the only other teams receiving any.

The USC Trojans were picked to finish No. 9 in the Big Ten. USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans struggled in their first season as members of a new conference, but will they see no improvement in 2025?

After the 2024 regular season, USC finished with a losing record in the Big Ten and were No. 9 in the conference standings. The Trojans especially struggled in one-score games, often losing leads in the second half.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against Texas A&M | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Here is the full poll from Cleveland.com:

No. 1 Penn State
No. 2 Ohio State
No. 3 Oregon
No. 4 Illinois
No. 5 Michigan
No. 6 Indiana
No. 7 Iowa
No. 8 Nebraska
No. 9 USC
No. 10 Washington
No. 11 Minnesota
No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers
No. 13 Michigan State
No. 14 Rutgers
No. 15 UCLA
No. 16 Maryland
No. 17 Northwestern
No. 18 Purdue

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The Penn State Nittany Lions and Ohio State Buckeyes appear to be the top teams in the conference as both programs, along with the Oregon Ducks, are competing for position in the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin prior to the NCAA football game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana is coming off of a CFP appearance, while Michigan and Illinois are expected to progress in 2025. Will USC stay put in the middle of the pack? The Trojans beat Nebraska in 2024, but will the Cornhuskers and coach Matt Rhule pass them in 2025?

Out of the four newcomers to the conference, there is a gap between Oregon and USC, followed by Washington and UCLA.

USC Trojans' Expectations

While some expected the Trojans to experience growing pains while transitioning into the Big Ten, but will they continue in year two?

Riley benched quarterback Miller Moss, now with Louisville, in favor of Jayden Maiava towards the end of 2024, and the transfer quarterback showed promise with the Trojans. His record as the starter in Southern California is 3-1, his only loss coming against Notre Dame.

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (8) participates in pregame warmups against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

USC brought in transfers along the defensive line, and the offense features one of the best wide receiver duos in the country in Ja'Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon. Still, the voters at Cleveland.com see the Trojans as the ninth-best team in the Big Ten.

Fortunately, Riley an his team will have a chance to prove themselves on the field. USC has games scheduled against Nebraska, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Oregon, giving the Trojans plenty of opportunities to knock off some teams in the standings.