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Where Indiana football stands in 2025 preseason Big Ten media poll

headshotby: Alec Lasley07/21/25allasley
NCAA Football: Western Illinois at Indiana
Sep 6, 2024; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti in the first quarter against the Western Illinois Leathernecks at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Ahead of Big Ten Media Days beginning, the preseason media poll was released on Monday and according to Cleveland.com‘s annual poll, Indiana football lands at No. 6 in the league.

The Cleveland.com poll has served as the Big Ten’s unofficial media poll over the last 14 seasons since the conference dropped its ‘official’ preseason poll. It is conducted by beat writers covering all 18 teams in the league. 24 voters took part in the 2025 preseason voting.

Indiana is coming off of a season in which is was 11-2 and went to the College Football Playoff. It was following a preseason that had Indiana picked 17th in last year’s poll.

“Now, I can tell you, normally at these things I stand up here and we’re picked to win the league. It’s just usually how it’s been,” Curt Cignetti said at 2024 Big Ten Media Days. “I have been picked next to last twice, which we’re picked 17th out of an 18-team league, and I get it. The two times we were picked next to last, in 2022, we won the conference championship, and in 2017 we inherited an 8-45 team and won eight in a row and played JMU the last game of the year for the conference championship.

“Now, I’m not into making predictions, that’s just a historical fact. I know you guys have been waiting for me to say something crazy. That wasn’t quite crazy.”

The Hoosiers aim to repeat its historical season. Cleveland.com also polled its voters to predict the number of Big Ten teams that would make the 12-team College Football Playoff.

“Penn State made all but one ballot, while OSU and Oregon made all but two,” Stephen Means wrote. “Every ballot featured Ohio State making it, while all but one featured Oregon. Illinois and Michigan were both featured on nine ballots and one featured Indiana.”

Indiana takes the stage during Big Ten Media Days on Tuesday in Las Vegas.

TRENDING (On3+): Big Ten Media Days Preview — Storylines to follow for Indiana football

Cleveland.com preseason media poll

RankTeam (1st place)PointsAverage Rank
No. 1Penn State (11)4351.60
No. 2Ohio State (10)4311.76
No. 3Oregon (2)4052.80
No. 4Illinois3534.88
No. 5Michigan (1)3465.16
No. 6Indiana3056.80
No. 7Iowa2877.52
No. 8Nebraska2777.92
No. 9USC2698.24
No. 10Washington21610.36
No. 11Minnesota19211.32
No. 12Wisconsin15912.60
No. 13Michigan State13513.60
No. 13Rutgers13513.60
No. 15UCLA13413.64
No. 16Maryland9115.36
No. 17Northwestern6516.40
No. 18Purdue3917.44

***Poll courtesy of Cleveland.com***

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