Big Ten Dominates AP Top 25: Oregon and Ohio State Lead in Historic Showing

Big Ten places 4 teams in AP Top 25's top five for the first time, led by Oregon

Oregon leads Big Ten’s presence in AP Top 25 as four teams land in the top five for the first time; Indiana celebrates its undefeated streak.

 

Eugene, OR – This week, the Big Ten Conference made college football history by placing four teams in the top five of The Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll. The milestone reflects Oregon’s continued dominance and Indiana’s surprising, undefeated run. Oregon, unbeaten at 10-0, maintained its top position after a decisive 39-18 victory over Maryland. Ohio State followed closely, holding the No. 2 spot after its 45-0 win against Purdue.

 

Indiana, now ranked No. 5, reached a historic 10-0 start after narrowly defeating Michigan 20-15. Head coach Curt Cignetti acknowledged the lack of "style points" but praised his team’s resilience. The victory marks Indiana’s first single-digit win and underscores their surprising rise under new leadership.

 

With the second College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings pending release, eyes are on how the committee will assess the Big Ten. Oregon and Ohio State led the initial CFP rankings, while Penn State and Indiana had notable spots at No. 6 and No. 8.

 

The conference’s impressive performance echoes past achievements, with three teams making the top five 16 times throughout its storied history. This marks the first time four Big Ten teams have reached this level, positioning the conference for a potential playoff sweep. Meanwhile, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) remains the only other group to have accomplished a similar feat, last seen in 2014.

 

Indiana’s next challenge will be its matchup against Ohio State on Nov. 23, while Oregon prepares to face Wisconsin in a high-stakes game. The Big Ten’s current rankings set a compelling stage for the remaining season, signaling both fierce competition and high stakes for playoff contention.