NCAAF · 2 hours ago

College Football 2025: Big Ten Power Rankings Entering Week 6

Danny Mogollon

Host · Writer

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Here are our Big Ten Football Power Rankings going into Week 6 of the College Football season.

2025 Big Ten Football Power Rankings

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Oregon Ducks B1G Power Ranking: #1

TIER I – THE FAVORITES

A.P. Poll: No. 2 | Coaches Poll: No. 2 | SP+: No. 1

Record: 5-0 | Last Week: 3

Oregon 30, Penn State 24 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 76.6%

Best team? Maybe. Best win? Undoubtably. That was an impressive W at Penn State! The defense was fantastic, the offensive line opened holes in the running game and kept their quarterback mostly clean (no sacks), and QB Dante Moore (3 TDs, 0 INTs) rose to the occasion. It took overtime, but the Ducks were clearly the superior team. Is Oregon better than last season?

Ohio State Buckeyes B1G Power Ranking: #2

TIER I – THE FAVORITES

A.P. Poll: No. 1 | Coaches Poll: No. 1 | SP+: No. 2

Record: 3-0 | Last Week: 2

Ohio State 24, Washington 6 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 99.5%

Good god, this defense couldn’t have been more impressive. Arvell Reese is an athletic freak who matched Washington’s athletic freak QB, while Caden Curry (3 sacks, 5 TFLs) controlled the line of scrimmage. Ryan Day smartly kept things simple for Julian Sayin (22/28, 208 yards, 2 TDs), and the young quarterback was poised and raised the floor for what we should expect from him.

Penn State Nittany Lions B1G Power Ranking: #3

TIER I – THE FAVORITES

A.P. Poll: No. 7 | Coaches Poll: No. 6 | SP+: No. 3

Record: 3-1 | Last Week: 1

Oregon 30, Penn State 24 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 23.4%

That was arguably James Franklin’s worst loss in a big game. It was all set up for Penn State. Give them credit for fighting back, forcing overtime, and even taking the lead. However, make no mistake, they were outclassed on their home field. The entire offense, from Drew Allar to the O-line to their running back duo, disappointed. Even the defense was good (17 points allowed in regulation), but not elite. Still, they lost to Oregon in overtime, and I’m not sure how many teams can play the Ducks to a standstill.

Indiana Hoosiers B1G Power Ranking: #4

TIER II – CFP CONTENDERS

A.P. Poll: 8 | Coaches Poll: 9 | SP+: No. 4

Record: 5-0 | Last Week: 4

Indiana 20, Iowa 15 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 96.5%

It wasn’t a typical Curt Cignetti dominant win, but despite the close score, Indiana certainly outplayed Iowa. The Hoosiers outgained the Hawkeyes 386 yards to 284 yards, with a healthy 6.66 to 4.12 yards per play advantage. There were a couple of potential flaws that may have been exposed. The offensive line was overwhelmed at times, and without explosives, can IU finish drives against a top defense?

Michigan Wolverines B1G Power Ranking: #5

TIER II – CFP CONTENDERS

A.P. Poll: No. 20 | Coaches Poll: No. 20 | SP+: No. 15

Record: 3-1 | Last Week’s Rank: No. 6

Idle

This was a good time for Michigan to be idle. They were coming off a big win at Nebraska, and it’s an opportunity to work on things for many of their young players, most importantly, true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Additionally, several key players required an extra week to recover fully for what appears to be a critical October run.

USC Trojans B1G Power Ranking: #6

TIER II – CFP CONTENDERS

A.P. Poll: NR | Coaches Poll: NR | SP+: No. 12

Record: 4-1 | Last Week: 5

Illinois 34, USC 32 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 27%

Those defensive concerns reared their ugly heads as the Trojans couldn’t stop the Illini. If not for two fumbles inside the five-yard line (one very questionable), they could have given up well over 40 points. Illinois ran it on them and threw it on them. The offensive line, which was down two key starters (center, left tackle), didn’t quite get the push in the running game either. The biggest concern is their inability to win on the road, a problem that has persisted since last season.

Washington Huskies B1G Power Ranking: #7

TIER III – Top 25 POTENTIAL

A.P. Poll: NR | Coaches Poll: NR | SP+: No. 29

Record: 3-1 | Last Week: 9

Ohio State 24, Washington 6 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 0.5%

All things considered, the defense was solid. Especially considering the Huskies were without their best player, CB Tacario Davis, and lost their top edge rusher, Zach Durfee, in the first half. To give the Buckeyes a scare, Washington needed more from their offense, and three red zone trips (twice inside the 10-yard line) needed to net more than six points.

Illinois Fighting Illini B1G Power Ranking: #8

TIER III – Top 25 POTENTIAL

A.P. Poll: No. 22 | Coaches Poll: No. 22 | SP+: No. 25

Record: 3-1 | Last Week: 9

Illinois 34, USC 32 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 73%

As bad as their loss at Indiana was, that’s how impressive their bounce-back win over USC was. The Illini responded like a veteran team should. The offense, which put up 502 yards with a whopping clip of 12.3 yards per pass, was as good as any in Week 5. Luke Altmyer (20 of 26, 328 yards, 2 TDs) was especially sharp, and sophomore WR Collin Dixon (4 receptions, 90 yards) is emerging as a big-play weapon.

Iowa Hawkeyes B1G Power Ranking: #9

TIER III – Top 25 POTENTIAL

A.P. Poll: NR | Coaches Poll: NR | SP+: No. 34

Record: 3-2 | Last Week: 8

Indiana 20, Iowa 15 | Postgame Win Expectancy: 3.5%

I’m not going to say it was a vintage Iowa performance—Phil Parker’s defenses usually don’t allow 6.66 yards per play, and they lost the turnover battle. Yet, the Hawkeyes managed to hang around enough that they attempted a potential game-winning field goal with 2:01 remaining. The key to keeping it close was that the offense didn’t have a single three-and-out. The offensive line limited IU to one sack on 38 pass attempts, and the defense finished in the 76th percentile in havoc rate. It was the best I’ve seen the D-line play all season.

Nebraska Cornhuskers B1G Power Ranking: #10

TIER III – Top 25 POTENTIAL

A.P. Poll: NR | Coaches Poll: NR | SP+: No. 23

Record: 3-1 | Last Week: 10

Idle

The points of emphasis for the Huskers coming off their first loss of the season are a more balanced offense and stopping explosive runs on defense. Here’s the rub: many of us had questions about Nebraska in the trenches, and I’m not sure the pieces are in place to fix those issues this season. This week’s opponent (Michigan State) will be the best passing attack the Huskers have faced so far.