In Phil Steele's annual preseason preview magazine, he released his Big Ten rankings. To determine the order, he uses a combination of last season's production, schedule strength, and his Plus/Minus Power Ratings.
Penn State football earned the No. 2 spot on Steele's ranking, sitting in between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon.
Phil Steele ranks Penn State No. 2 on preseason Big Ten rankings
The Nittany Lions fell just behind the Buckeyes with a 127.87 rating to Ohio State's 128.19 rating. While Penn State went further in the Big Ten playoffs, eventually falling to the Ducks in the title game, the Buckeyes went all the way to becoming the national championship winning team.
Ohio State did lose many of its players to the NFL with 14 having entered their named into the 2025 NFL Draft. This included offensive linemen Donovan Jackson and Josh Simmons, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, and defensive tackle Tyleik Williams. Even with star players heading to the pros, the pressure is still on the Buckeyes to meet high expectations.
On the flip side, the Nittany Lions have high expectations and a strong group of returners, many of whom returned with the intention of winning the national title. There's no doubt that Ohio State will still have a great season, especially if quarterback Julian Sayin takes no time to get the ball rolling. However, there's more experience out of Penn State, which speaks to how close these two teams landed on Steele's list.
Even though Oregon defeated Penn State in the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game, the Ducks weren't close behind the Nittany Lions on Steele's rankings. Unlike the 0.32 difference between first and second, Penn State has a 4.31 advantage over Oregon. The Ducks received a 123.56 rating largely due to a new quarterback taking the reigns and the lack of success in last season's College Football Playoffs run. They fell in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal game to Ohio State, 41-21.
Here is Steele's complete Big Ten rankings list with team ratings: