The AP Top 25 Preseason Poll released Monday, Aug. 11. Penn State football earned the second spot on the rankings behind Texas. There was a five-point difference between the Longhorns and the Nittany Lions. Both teams bumped up three spots from their 2024 finish.
Penn State wasn't the only Big Ten school to make the Top 25. Ohio State and Oregon received first-place votes, and three other conference rivals were ranked as well. Here's how the six schools placed and how many preseason Top 25 opponents they're slated to meet this fall.
Penn State's No. 2 spot sparked controversy for some and disappointment for others. Paul Finebaum expressed his distaste for the Nittany Lions' second-place start when head coach James Franklin has failed to prove he can win big games. Others, like Heather Dinich, can't think of one reason why Penn State shouldn't be the No. 1 team in the preseason.
Regardless of which side you lean on, Finebaum had a point when it came to the Nittany Lions' 2025 schedule. The college football analyst was most displeased with their non-conference slate of Nevada, FIU, and Villanova. On top of that, Penn State is only facing three Top 25 teams as of right now. It faces Oregon Week 5, Ohio State Week 10, and Indiana Week 11. While there are only so many ranked Big Ten school to go around, no non-conference challenges doesn't help its case when facing criticism.
The No. 3 Buckeyes fell well behind the Nittany Lions in terms of points and first-place votes compared to how close other preseason polls had the two. Ohio State will meet four current Top 25 teams in the fall, starting with No. 1 Texas in Week 1. It'll also face No. 12 Illinois in Week 7, No. 2 Penn State in Week 10, and No. 14 Michigan in Week 14.
The Ducks only received one first-place vote and fell behind Clemson, Georgia, and Notre Dame as well as the top three teams. They tumbled down four spots compared to where they finished in 2024. In 2025, Oregon has two games against preseason Top 25 teams. No. 2 Penn State in Week 5 is its first against a top ranked team followed by No. 20 Indiana in Week 7.
The Fighting Illini just scraped into the top half of the poll, moving up four spots from where they were at the end of 2024. The No. 12 Illinois team meets No. 20 Indiana in Week 4 and No. 3 Ohio State in Week 7. Those are the only two currently ranked teams it'll face this fall.
Michigan landed 14th on the preseason poll with South Carolina in between the Wolverines and the Fighting Illini. Michigan will also face two ranked teams: No. 18 Oklahoma in Week 2 and No. 3 Ohio State Week 14.
The Hoosiers are the last of the Big Ten at No. 20, but this is a 10-spot drop from where they were at the end of 2024. Indiana meets No. 12 Illinois in Week 4, No. 7 Oregon in Week 7, and No. 3 Penn State in Week 11.