Big Ten Preseason Football Media Poll Released

[Alum-Ni]

Penn State picked as 2025 Big Ten favorite in the 15th annual cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Football Poll

For the first time ever, Penn State is viewed as the favorite to win the Big Ten conference.

www.cleveland.com

Big Ten Preseason Media Poll
1. Penn State (11) - 435 pts
2. Ohio State (10) - 431
3. Oregon (2) - 405
4. Illinois - 353
5. Michigan (1) - 346
6. Indiana - 305
7. Cockeye - 287
8. Nebraska - 277
9. USC - 269
10. Washington - 216
11. Minnesota - 192
12. Wisconsin - 159
13. Michigan State - 135
13. Rutgers - 135
15. UCLA - 134
16. Maryland - 91
17. Northwestern - 65
18. Purdue - 39

 

[Alum-Ni]

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith picked as overwhelming favorite for Big Ten preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Jeremiah Smith returns to lead Ohio State as the preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as voted on in the cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (WR) - 66 pts (21)
2. Drew Allar, Penn State (QB) - 38 (4)
3. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State (RB) - 15
4. Makhi Hughes, Oregon (RB) - 5
5. Kaytron Allen, Penn State (RB) - 4
6. Luke Altmyer, Illinois (QB) - 3
7. Dante Moore, Oregon (QB) - 2
7. Mark Gronowski, Cockeye (QB) - 2
7. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana (WR) - 2
7. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (QB) - 2
7. Justice Haynes, Michigan (RB) - 2
12. Logan Jones, Cockeye (C) - 1
12. Denzel Boston, Washington (WR) - 1
12. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (QB) - 1
12. Jonah Coleman, Washington (RB) - 1
12. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA (QB) - 1

 

[Kaladin]

 

[Alum-Ni]

Ohio State’s Caleb Downs picked as overwhelming favorite for Big Ten preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Caleb Downs return to lead Ohio State’s secondary as the Big Ten's preseason Defensive Player of the Year as voted on in the Cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State (S) - 72 pts (22)
2. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (DE) - 17 (1)
3. Dllon Thieneman, Oregon (S) - 15 (1)
4. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon (DE) - 14
5. Mikail Kamara, Indiana (DE) - 12 (2)
6. Gabe Jacas, Illinois (LB) - 8
7. Koi Perich, Minnesota (S) - 5
8. Sonny Styles, Ohio State (LB) - 4
9. Zane Durant, Penn State (DT) - 2
9. Jaishawn Barham, Michigan (LB) - 2
11. Aiden Fisher, Indiana (LB) - 1
11. Ernest Hausmann, Michigan (LB) - 1

 

[Alum-Ni]

Penn State’s James Franklin wins tight race for preseason Big Ten preseason Coach of the Year

Penn State head coach James Franklin enters the 2025 season as the Big Ten's preseason Coach of the Year as voted on in the Cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Coach of the Year
1. James Franklin, Penn State - 10
2. Bret Bielema, Illinois - 9
3. Ryan Day, Ohio State - 3
4. Sherrone Moore, Michigan - 2
5. Dan Lanning, Oregon - 1

 

[Kaladin]

 

[Alum-Ni]

Other Poll Notes:

Penn State picked as 2025 Big Ten favorite in the 15th annual cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Football Poll

For the first time ever, Penn State is viewed as the favorite to win the Big Ten conference.

www.cleveland.com

- Penn State is the fifth different team to be picked as the Big Ten favorite, joining Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State. However, this is the first time since 2014 that the Big Ten favorite hasn't been either the Buckeyes or the Wolverines

- While Penn State was picked to finish first in the Big Ten regular season, the vote was practically split on who would win the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6 in Indianapolis, with Ohio State edging out Penn State, 13-12

- Oregon (2) and Michigan (1) were the only other teams to receive first-place votes

- Illinois finished fourth in voting, while the Wolverines finished fifth. Both only received one vote higher than fourth place

- Purdue was the only team not to receive a single vote higher than 14th. This is the second straight year that the Boilermakers have been picked to finish last in the conference

- UCLA and Washington had the widest range of votes this year. The Bruins earned votes from ninth-place to 17th-place, while the Huskies earned votes from sixth-place to 14th-place

- Wisconsin, Maryland, Northwestern and Purdue each received last-place votes

- We also asked voters to state which Big Ten coach should be on the hot seat heading into 2025. Wisconsin's Luke #2ndChoice got 11 votes while Maryland's Mike Locksley and USC's Lincoln Riley got six votes

 

[ShortSideOption]

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith picked as overwhelming favorite for Big Ten preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Jeremiah Smith returns to lead Ohio State as the preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as voted on in the cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (WR) - 66 pts (21)
2. Drew Allar, Penn State (QB) - 38 (4)
3. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State (RB) - 15
4. Makhi Hughes, Oregon (RB) - 5
5. Kaytron Allen, Penn State (RB) - 4
6. Luke Altmyer, Illinois (QB) - 3
7. Dante Moore, Oregon (QB) - 2
7. Mark Gronowski, Cockeye (QB) - 2
7. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana (WR) - 2
7. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (QB) - 2
7. Justice Haynes, Michigan (RB) - 2
12. Logan Jones, Cockeye (C) - 1
12. Denzel Boston, Washington (WR) - 1
12. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (QB) - 1
12. Jonah Coleman, Washington (RB) - 1
12. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA (QB) - 1

Penn State with their QB and 2 RBs in the preseason top 5 is impressive.

 

[ShortSideOption]

Penn State’s James Franklin wins tight race for preseason Big Ten preseason Coach of the Year

Penn State head coach James Franklin enters the 2025 season as the Big Ten's preseason Coach of the Year as voted on in the Cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Coach of the Year
1. James Franklin, Penn State - 10
2. Bret Bielema, Illinois - 9
3. Ryan Day, Ohio State - 3
4. Sherrone Moore, Michigan - 2
5. Dan Lanning, Oregon - 1

Sherrone Moore?????

 

[Cornicator]

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith picked as overwhelming favorite for Big Ten preseason Offensive Player of the Year

Jeremiah Smith returns to lead Ohio State as the preseason Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year as voted on in the cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (WR) - 66 pts (21)
2. Drew Allar, Penn State (QB) - 38 (4)
3. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State (RB) - 15
4. Makhi Hughes, Oregon (RB) - 5
5. Kaytron Allen, Penn State (RB) - 4
6. Luke Altmyer, Illinois (QB) - 3
7. Dante Moore, Oregon (QB) - 2
7. Mark Gronowski, Cockeye (QB) - 2
7. Elijah Sarratt, Indiana (WR) - 2
7. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (QB) - 2
7. Justice Haynes, Michigan (RB) - 2
12. Logan Jones, Cockeye (C) - 1
12. Denzel Boston, Washington (WR) - 1
12. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (QB) - 1
12. Jonah Coleman, Washington (RB) - 1
12. Nico Iamaleava, UCLA (QB) - 1

Is there a bigger homer on Earth than the three Cockeye Media Members who gave 3 votes to Cockeye Cockeyes for Conference Offensive POY?

 

[Bootleg11]

Is there a bigger homer on Earth than the three Cockeye Media Members who gave 3 votes to Cockeye Cockeyes for Conference Offensive POY?

That's pretty pathetic. By all means vote for a player you cover if you really think that he could win it. But zero chance all 3 of those guys think Gronowski is going to be the OPOY. All that does is hurt any credibility you have outside of Cockeye City.

 

[nja13]

11. Ernest Hausmann, Michigan (LB) - 1

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Ohio State’s Caleb Downs picked as overwhelming favorite for Big Ten preseason Defensive Player of the Year

Caleb Downs return to lead Ohio State’s secondary as the Big Ten's preseason Defensive Player of the Year as voted on in the Cleveland.com preseason poll.

www.cleveland.com

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State (S) - 72 pts (22)
2. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (DE) - 17 (1)
3. Dllon Thieneman, Oregon (S) - 15 (1)
4. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon (DE) - 14
5. Mikail Kamara, Indiana (DE) - 12 (2)
6. Gabe Jacas, Illinois (LB) - 8
7. Koi Perich, Minnesota (S) - 5
8. Sonny Styles, Ohio State (LB) - 4
9. Zane Durant, Penn State (DT) - 2
9. Jaishawn Barham, Michigan (LB) - 2
11. Aiden Fisher, Indiana (LB) - 1
11. Ernest Hausmann, Michigan (LB) - 1

If Ernest Hausmann wins DPOY, I will eat poop out of a red solo cup.

 

[3rdLargestCity]

I thought USC, Rutgers, and Minny were too low.

Wisconsin way too high.

 

[Cornicator]

I thought USC, Rutgers, and Minny were too low.

Wisconsin way too high.

Minnesota has more questions with their QB and offensive line than at any other time since Fleck's 1st year. I will use Nebraska Football for comparative guidance to explain what is going on at Minnesota:


Let's say Dylan Raiola leaves Nebraska after 2024. Nebraska tries extensively to find a transfer QB, but lack of available NIL funds make it impossible.

These means Nebraska is left with a redshirt freshman replacement like Marco Davila.

Not only do Ben Scott and Benhart graduate, but Gottula unexpectedly transfers to Ohio State for a 7 figure money bag. Justin Evans also transfers to Rutgers because he wants to be closer to home and they have the major he wants to pursue as he's a genius wanting to study Bio Mechanics.

Suddenly, instead of an experienced offensive line, Nebraska would be subject to 4 new starters.

Cancel off the additions of Pritchett and Spindler. Instead, Nebraska gets a back up tackle from Washington, a one year starter at guard from Kentucky, A right guard from UCF on his 4th school, and a back up guard from Purdue with no starting experience.

I do think Minnesota's own offensive line development is good enough that they should be competent up front. But one MAJOR calling card of Fleck's teams going all the way back to 2019 is they get old and stay old up front.


Maybe PJ Fleck has got that boat rowing so well that they won't skip a beat. But he has never had to rebuild his offensive line with a brand new inexperienced starter at QB. I will honestly be shocked if they don't struggle this season.