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ESPN ranks Big Ten Football teams from first to last after Week 14

IMG_6598by: Nick Kosko8 hours agonickkosko59

ESPN ranked the Big Ten football teams from first to last after Week 14 of the regular season. Ohio State and Indiana are set to square off for the conference crown.

ESPN used its FPI metric to come up with these Big Ten rankings. FPI is a tool that ESPN uses largely for predictive purposes. In other words, it’s not trying to reproduce conference rankings. Instead, the goal is to project moving forward for the conference.

Keeping all of that in mind, here’s how ESPN ranked the Big Ten teams coming out of Week 14. Let’s dive in.

1. Ohio State

Ohio State broke their losing streak against Michigan and clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship. At 12-0, this is the top team in the country.

Julian Sayin is in the Heisman discussion, Ryan Day is all business and this is the best defense, arguably, in the country. Next up is Indiana.

2. Indiana

RIch Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana also finished 12-0 on the season and is second in the Big Ten rankings per ESPN’s FPI. The Hoosiers will take on the Buckeyes for the conference crown this weekend in their own backyard, practically.

Curt Cignetti and crew have thwarted everyone in their path, and beat Oregon and Penn State on the road! This is a true national title contender this season compared to a Cinderella story in 2024.

3. Oregon

The Ducks beat rival Washington on the road to end the season 11-1. They’ve all but locked up a playoff spot once again.

They won’t repeat as Big Ten champions, but this is a team that could make a run in the CFP bracket. Dan Lanning will want to make sure they don’t go one and done like last season.

4. USC

Lincoln Riley and USC ended the season on a high note and were 9-3 this regular season. They missed out on the College Football Playoff, but this was a nice second season in the Big Ten.

Riley and the Trojans seemingly have something cooking again and the future looks bright. As in, the immediate future. But 2026 has to be CFP or bust.

5. Penn State

(Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

The Nittany Lions ended the year with three straight Big Ten wins and bowl eligibility under Terry Smith. THe finale was a thrilling win over Rutgers with a seemingly fluke and timely defensive touchdown.

Smith might have a case for the permanent head coaching job too with how he kept the team together after James Franklin was fired. Penn State played inspired football down the stretch.

6. Michigan

The Wolverines could’ve done the funniest thing ever by beating Ohio State a fifth straight time. Early on, it looked like it would turn into another sloppy Wolverines’ win.

But Sherrone Moore and crew won’t claim Big Ten supremacy this year. There’s plenty to build upon after a 9-3 season, but they have some work to do to catch back up to their rivals.

7. Iowa

The Hawkeyes dominated Big Ten rival Nebraska to end the season and finished 8-4. The ever steady Kirk Ferentz had this team in the upper half of the conference once again.

Now it’s onto whatever bowl game. If this is your flavor of Big Ten football, have at it! Expect another seven to nine wins next year too.

8. Washington

Washington QB Demond Williams Jr.
Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. against the Wisconsin Badgers. (Photo by: © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)

The Huskies ended with a loss to Oregon but went 8-4 this year, not too shabby. Jedd Fisch’s second year with Washington in the Big Ten was an improvement.

Moving forward, a 10-win type of season could be in the cards. Based on Fisch’s projections into the future, Washington is in good shape.

9. Illinois

Illinois was a College Football Playoff dark horse earlier this season. Unfortunately, that did not come to pass after a successful 2024 campaign.

They at least ended the season with a win over Northwestern and an eight-win season. We’ll see where they fall in next year’s Big Ten pecking order.

10. Nebraska

The Huskers are bowl bound again but this season certainly had what-ifs. Dylan Raiola got hurt and was lost for the season and Matt Rhule’s name was floated for the Penn State gig, but later signed an extension.

Is Raiola’s 2026 in Lincoln? That’s now a topic of conversation. If Nebraska is going to rise in the Big Ten, they’ll need their QB back.

ESPN ranks Big Ten Football teams after Week 14

11. Northwestern
12. Wisconsin
13. Rutgers
14. Minnesota
15. Michigan State
16. Maryland
17. UCLA
18. Purdue