The Big Ten scored a big victory last season, as the Ohio State Buckeyes were crowned FBS champions after a 34-23 win over Notre Dame. The conference also sent Penn State, Oregon, and Indiana into the CFP bracket, giving them the highest representation in the playoff ahead of the SEC (3), ACC (2) and the Big 12 (1). The Big Ten also underwent a significant facelift in 2024, with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington fleeing the Pac-12 to join the other 14 teams, bringing the conference membership to 18 teams. The additions did come with some challenges - cross-country journeys to face opponents are now commonplace, and teams like UCLA and USC buckled against difficult opponents, but the battle for conference supremacy with the SEC has evened out thanks to the inclusion of powerhouse programs like Oregon. The conference should have a healthy complement of playoff-ready teams once again, and we'll begin our preview with our All-Conference player selection for the upcoming season.
Note: The positional rankings are based on four-point passing touchdowns and half-point per reception format and may vary based on the format of your league. Visit our College Football Rankings page to customize the rankings to fit your league's format. The rankings are also subject to change as more information rolls in during fall camp, and up-to-date rankings can be found there.
Big Ten All-Conference Teams
First Team (positional rank in parentheses)
QB Demond Williams, Washington 
(11)
RB Darius Taylor, Minnesota 
(3)
RB Makhi Hughes, Oregon 
(9)
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State 
(1)
WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana 
(13)
TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (2)
Second Team
QB Jayden Maiava, USC 
(30)
RB Nicholas Singleton, Penn State 
(10)
RB Kamari Moulton, Iowa 
(21)
WR Denzel Boston, Washington (18)
WR Makai Lemon, USC (21)
TE Luke Reynolds, Penn State (8)
Third Team
QB Dante Moore, Oregon (33)
RB Jonah Coleman, Washington (22)
RB Waymond Jordan, USC (23)
WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State (22)
WR Nick Marsh, Michigan State 
(33)
TE Dorian Fleming, Maryland 
(9)
Big Ten Fantasy Sleepers
Aidan Chiles, Michigan State
In his first year as a starter in 2024, Chiles showed flashes of the potential that made him a top-100 four-star recruit coming out of high school. An emerging star at the receiver spot in Nick Marsh combined with fresh faces with a history of production elsewhere (Omari Kelly, Chrishon McCray) should provide several reliable targets for Chiles in his junior season. With another year of experience under his belt, along with another year of progression for the offensive system under head coach Jonathan Smith, Chiles has everything he needs to put together a big season for the Spartans.
Drake Lindsey, Minnesota
Lindsey enters his second season as the starter after limited action behind Max Brosner as a redshirt freshman. Lindsey's high school pedigree is spectacular, earning multiple state honors in Arkansas while throwing for 54 touchdowns and only four interceptions his senior year. Lindsey also trained with J.J. McCarthy in the offseason to hone his skills. The coaching staff believes in his potential, and his insertion could be the boost the Gophers need to get to the next level.
Jaivian Thomas, UCLA 
Thomas put together a quality season with limited opportunities in 2024 for Cal, running for 626 yards and seven touchdowns on just 100 attempts. The 5-foot-11 running back joined the Bruins in the offseason, and though he will face competition from the likes of Jalen Berger and Anthony Woods, Thomas is expected to lead the way in the UCLA backfield. With the dynamic Nico Iamaleava under center and a more experienced offensive line compared to last year, Thomas and the UCLA offense as a whole could be in line for a breakout season.
Eli Sanders, USC
There are many potential sleeper running backs who are one injury away from elite production, and USC has a recent history of running into injury trouble at the position. While JUCO transfer Waymond Jordan is the current frontrunner, Sanders moved from New Mexico with the intent to compete for the starting gig. He certainly proved himself in his previous tenure with the Lobos, rushing for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. If Jordan struggles or gets injured, Sanders could be a surprise entry into the Big 10 elite.
Collin Dixon, Illinois 
Dixon is one of the receivers expected to step up for the Fighting Illini in the absence of Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin. Though he will undoubtedly face competition from Malik Elzy and Hudson Clement, among others, Dixon developed a level of familiarity with quarterback Luke Altmyer after earning himself solid playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2024, catching 18 passes for 264 yards. With a 6'1 frame combined with versatility to play both outside and between the numbers, Dixon can provide big-play upside and reliability as a big target.
Trebor Pena, Penn State
While the Nittany Lions are a run-first team, they landed a big-time transfer target in Pena, who lit up the ACC as the league's fourth-best receiver in 2024 with 84 receptions for 941 yards and nine touchdowns behind Kyle McCord. Drew Allar is an efficient quarterback, but it's a bit of a downgrade for Pena at the position. He'll also have to contend with USC transfer Kyron Hudson and Troy transfer Devonte Ross for snaps. Despite the circumstances, Pena has a college resume that rivals both players and could become Allar's favorite target in a wide-open receiving room.
Big Ten Positional Battles of Interest
Nebraska Wide Receivers
New production is the name of the game for the Nebraska receiver room in 2025 as the Cornhuskers look to replace both of their top two starters from 2024 in Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor. Transfer receivers Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter are expected to lead the way for the Huskers, though there is certainly some intrigue due to the returning Jacory Barney Jr., along with highly-rated freshman Cortez Mills. With many expecting quarterback Dylan Raiola to step into a superstar role in 2025, the reliability of these new targets, along with their connection to Raiola, will be paramount to the success of the Nebraska offense.
Oregon Quarterbacks
While Dante Moore is expected to get the first crack at first-string duties with the Ducks, his coronation is far from a guarantee. Moore's play hasn't equated to his lofty recruiting status yet, and he struggled when he was given the keys during his tenure at UCLA. He's had a season to learn Oregon's system, but Austin Novosad has also been waiting his turn. Novosad was also heavily recruited, and he's opted to stay with the Ducks after watching Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel take the reins. Coach Dan Lanning will have no qualms about keeping this competition open, and Novosad could get his turn if Moore begins the season and falters.
Oregon Wide Receivers
Oregon has a lot of pieces to replace on offense. While Kenyon Sadiq has seemingly laid claim to the top spot at tight end, the wideout room is even more open now than it was at the start of the offseason. Gone are Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden to the NFL, which was expected to leave Evan Stewart as the clear top option out wide. Unfortunately, Stewart suffered a possible torn patellar tendon in early June and is expected to miss a significant portion, if not all of 2025. This leaves minimal returning production from a season ago, and the top name most are keeping an eye on is highly-touted freshman Dakorien Moore. While he's likely locked into a starting gig somewhere, there is far less clarity elsewhere. Among the candidates for a regular role this fall are Jeremiah McClellan, Malik Benson, Gary Bryant, Justius Lowe and Kyler Kasper. While that pecking order is still getting settled, it's certainly one worth keeping an eye on during camp, given that the room produced three wideouts with at least 45 catches, 600 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season.
Wisconsin Running Backs
The "Dairy Raid" was short-lived in Madison, with Phil Longo getting the boot this offseason and landing a job as the head coach at Sam Houston. In comes Jeff Grimes from Kansas, who is set to return Wisconsin closer to its roots in the running game, making this room more intriguing again from a fantasy perspective. Devin Neal, working under Grimes last year at Kansas, was the workhorse and compiled 216 carries for 1,266 yards and 16 rushing scores while adding 24 catches for another 254 yards and a score as a receiver. Tawee Walker was the lead back for Wisconsin last year, but he transferred out after the 2025 campaign, leaving the lead running back role here vacant. Darrion Dupree and Cade Yacamelli saw the most work among the returning backs from 2024, but Dilin Jones impressed during spring ball, leading to a true battle for carries this fall. This could be an intriguing room to watch if a true workhorse emerges, and the primary candidates are Jones and Dupree, who both enter their sophomore seasons with opportunity awaiting.
