Phil Steele predicts Big Ten football order of finish in 2025

The best and the worst in the Big Ten this football season, according to Phil Steele's predictions.

Phil Steele predicts the Big Ten football order of finish in 2025 / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We’re under 60 days until the first college football gets underway in 2025, which makes it officially Talkin’ Season.

Coming off two straight national championships and a historic conference realignment, the Big Ten is poised to call itself the best league in college football, but it will face some serious competition to make it a hat trick.

Where do things stand in the Big Ten as we prepare for fall camp? Phil Steele, renowned for his preseason football magazine, set about putting the conference’s teams in perspective heading into the season.

With his magazine set to hit shelves in the coming days, let’s take an early look at Steele’s predictions for how the Big Ten will look in 2025.

Phil Steele predicts Big Ten football order of finish in 2025

1. Penn State

2. Ohio State

3. Oregon

4. Michigan

5. Illinois

6. Indiana

7. USC

8. Nebraska

9. Iowa

10. Minnesota

11. Washington

12. Wisconsin

13. Rutgers

14. Michigan State

15. UCLA

16. Northwestern

17. Maryland

18. Purdue

— It’s not uncommon to see Penn State getting No. 1 consideration in the Big Ten this preseason, and for good reason, returning some of college football’s best continuity on offense with its quarterback and two star rushers back, and with Jim Knowles stepping in to lead what should be another talented defense.

— Ohio State sits at 1 or 2 in most Big Ten predictions and top-five nationally, but the reigning champs have some serious replacements to install. Both coordinators, their quarterback, their run game, and two elite edge rushers. But they return college football’s best wide receiver rotation, led by Jeremiah Smith, and a solid offensive line.

— After an undefeated regular season and Big Ten title, Oregon makes replacements of its own, including at quarterback and running back, and on the line they’ll work behind, but key transfers at those positions should keep the Ducks in the mix again in ‘25.

— We should see better offensive output from Michigan this season, depending on who inherits the QB1 role. It’s down to top recruit Bryce Underwood, veteran transfers Jake Garcia and Mikey Keene, or former recruit Jadyn Davis.

— Illinois won 10 games a year ago and returns the bulk of that experience, including quarterback Luke Altmyer, and faces a very winnable schedule.

— We’ll see how Curt Cignetti responds after Indiana lost so much of that surprise playoff team from last season, but gets key defensive contributors back and transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza to run this offense.

— USC fans likely aren’t pleased with being projected to finish around the middle of the Big Ten, leaving Lincoln Riley under huge pressure to right this ship quickly, and that means getting more consistency from an offense that lost a lot of close games last year.

— Dylan Raiola steps into Dana Holgorsen’s offense in 2025 hoping the duo can avoid another midseason slump as Nebraska looks to get back into contention.

— Purdue is starting almost from scratch after a 1-11 finish and a transfer exodus, but it brought over head coach Barry Odom from a successful run at UNLV to turn things around.

— Nico Iamaleava has the talent to save UCLA, but he won’t have anything like Tennessee’s caliber of skill players to lean on, and he gets a new offensive line.

— Washington is a potential sleeper in the Big Ten. Coming off a meager 6-7 run, Jedd Fisch gets quarterback Demond Williams in tandem with wideout Denzel Boston and lead rusher Jonah Coleman in an offense that could go places.

— Defensive and special teams consistency has been the Iowa calling card for years, but the question remains what Tim Lester’s new offense can do, now with transfer Mark Gronowski stepping in at quarterback.

More ... ESPN computer predicts Big Ten order of finish

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