Updated post-spring Big Ten football power rankings for 2025 season, per ESPN SP+

ESPN's Bill Connelly released his updated post-spring SP+ power rankings earlier this week.The metric's update provides a valuable look at the sport's landscape after a busy offseason of transfer movement.

While much will change once the games kick off in late August, SP+ is an important reference point as we work to judge each team's quality.

As a reminder, here is Connelly's disclaimer on how the metric ranks each team.A reminder on SP+: Its a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency.

It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a resume ranking, and, along those same lines, these projections arent intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the year.

These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.In the case of the Big Ten, the updated SP+ rankings provide further clarity on how the conference lines up, now entering year two post-expansion.

After Oregon's dominant first season as a conference member, the other three new programs, USC, UCLA and Washington, enter 2025 with expectations of a breakthrough.

At the same time, the Big Ten's traditional powers enter the year looking to either maintain or reestablish their standing.Wisconsin, which falls into that latter category, is working to reverse an extended trend of subpar performance.

Without any games for another three months, SP+ is our best tool to compare how the Badgers compare to their conference mates.

Furthermore, it can be compared to our own post-spring Big Ten power rankings to establish a full preseason picture.With that, here is where every Big Ten team falls in the post-spring SP+ rankings, including each team's offensive and defensive breakdown.18.

Purdue BoilermakersSP+ Rating: -10.0 (No.

101 overall)Offensive Rating: 20.8 (No.

111)Defensive Rating: 30.8 (No.

90)Purdue is one of the biggest risers between the pre- and post-spring rankings, jumping 15 spots from No.

116 to No.

101.

That can be attributed to further roster movement, as new head coach Barry Odom completely overhauls the program.

Still, Purdue is on the outside of the nation's top 100 teams.17.

Northwestern WildcatsSP+ Rating: -6.1 (No.

87 overall)Offensive Rating: 17.7 (No.

129)Defensive Rating: 23.8 (No.

39)Northwestern, a team that utilizes the transfer portal less than most others in the conference, holds the same ranking as it did before the spring session.

SMU transfer quarterback Preston Stone will be key to the Wildcats' success.16.

Maryland TerrapinsSP+ Rating: -1.1 (No.

70 overall)Offensive Rating: 24.2 (No.

93)Defensive Rating: 25.3 (No.

48)Maryland needs to take a major step forward on offense if it is to return to bowl eligibility.

With UCLA and Michigan State taking big steps forward from pre- to post-spring, the Terrapins are ranked among the conference's worst entering the year.15.

Michigan State SpartansSP+ Rating: -0.2 (No.

64 overall)Offensive Rating: 21.6 (No.

107)Defensive Rating: 21.9 (No.

32)Michigan State inched forward in the SP+ update, increasing its overall rating from minus-2.2 to minus-0.2.

The play of quarterback Aidan Chiles will be critical to the Spartans' chances, as SP+ projects the team's offense as one of the nation's worst.

Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire14.

UCLA BruinsSP+ Rating: 2.9 (No.

51 overall)Offensive Rating: 26.5 (No.

72)Defensive Rating: 23.7 (No.

37)UCLA's spring addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava helped it jump considerably in SP+, up from minus-0.8 (No.

69 overall) to 2.9 (No.

51).

The Bruins showed strong form over the second half of the 2024 season.

They should be a trendy pick for a breakout season.Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire13.

Rutgers Scarlet KnightsSP+ Rating: 4.7 (No.

45 overall)Offensive Rating: 28.9 (No.

50)Defensive Rating: 24.2 (No.

43)Rutgers again projects as a top-50 team nationally, an impressive standing for a program that fell far below that mark for an extended stretch from 2015-22.

The team's biggest challenge, other than replacing star running back Kyle Monangai, will be a schedule that includes Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State.12.

Minnesota Golden GophersSP+ Rating: 6.0 (No.

40 overall)Offensive Rating: 22.8 (No.

100)Defensive Rating: 16.8 (No.

14)Minnesota was downgraded in the latest SP+, falling from 7.9 (No.

37) to 6.0 (No.

40).

That slight dip allowed two Big Ten teams to jump it in the standings.

With the difference between each team appearing small, this standing represents the conference's crowded middle tier.11.

Washington HuskiesSP+ Rating: 6.4 (No.

39 overall)Offensive Rating: 28.8 (No.

52)Defensive Rating: 22.4 (No.

32)Washington, like UCLA, should be a popular pick to break through in 2025.

The team has far more continuity than it did last season.

It also appears to have a rising star quarterback in Demond Williams Jr.

This is where public perception will differ from SP+'s projection.

The metric is still skeptical of the Huskies' quality.Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire10.

Wisconsin BadgersSP+ Rating: 7.2 (No.

37 overall)Offensive Rating: 26.5 (No.

73)Defensive Rating: 19.3 (No.

24)Wisconsin jumped from 6.1 (No.

41) up to 7.2 (No.

37).

The team appears to have made significant roster upgrades this offseason, especially at quarterback and along the defensive line.

That leads to an improved outlook on paper.

However, major questions still exist.

That is especially the case at left tackle, where starter Kevin Heywood went down with a season-ending injury.9.

Nebraska CornhuskersSP+ Rating: 8.9 (No.

34 overall)Offensive Rating: 26.3 (No.

75)Defensive Rating: 17.4 (No.

17)SP+ forecasts a clear area where Nebraska must improve if it has any chance to reach nine wins: the offensive side of the football.

A lot will hinge on whether former five-star recruit Dylan Raiola takes a step forward as a sophomore.

If he fulfills his top-end recruiting ranking, Nebraska could be in line for a breakthrough.Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire8.

USC TrojansSP+ Rating: 11.0 (No.

30 overall)Offensive Rating: 36.2 (No.

13)Defensive Rating: 25.2 (No.

47)2025 will be a pivotal season for Lincoln Riley's tenure at USC.

The team should take a further step forward on defense under top coordinator D'Anton Lynn.

Oddly, the questions come on offense, where the Trojans were good-but-not-great in 2024.

The offense must return to elite if the team is to make a College Football Playoff run.Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire7.

Iowa HawkeyesSP+ Rating: 11.4 (No.

28 overall)Offensive Rating: 26.9 (No.

68)Defensive Rating: 15.5 (No.

10)Iowa will go as far as its offense can take it.

The team welcomes in top transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski, who should be the program's best player at the position since Nate Stanley.

The Hawkeyes' running game is the bigger question after star Kaleb Johnson left for the NFL.Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire6.

Indiana HoosiersSP+ Rating: 12.2 (No.

23 overall)Offensive Rating: 32.1 (No.

30)Defensive Rating: 19.9 (No.

25)SP+ portrays Indiana's 2024 season as not a crazy anomaly.

Looking at 2025, it projects top-30 units on both sides of the football -- a balance that we've almost never seen from the Indiana program.

While another 11-1 regular season is extremely unlikely, seven or eight wins would further establish the program's strong floor under Curt Cignetti.5.

Illinois Fighting IlliniSP+ Rating: 14.3 (No.

19 overall)Offensive Rating: 32.3 (No.

28)Defensive Rating: 18.0 (No.

20)Illinois has the combination of a veteran team, largely comprised of returning production from a stellar 2024 group, and the conference's easiest schedule.

Those factors combine to create CFP expectations for a program that has never held a top standing.4.

Michigan WolverinesSP+ Rating: 21.5 (No.

10 overall)Offensive Rating: 31.8 (No.

32)Defensive Rating: 10.3 (No.

3)Michigan has high expectations entering year two under Sherrone Moore.

One of the nation's top defenses should give the team a high floor.

The Wolverines' ceiling relies on an offensive breakthrough, potentially with top 2025 recruit Bryce Underwood under center.Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire3.

Oregon DucksSP+ Rating: 24.7 (No.

7 overall)Offensive Rating: 40.5 (No.

4)Defensive Rating: 15.8 (No.

11)Oregon is projected to take a step back after going 13-1 in 2024.

While the team has a ton of new faces on both sides of the football, it still profiles as one of the nation's best.

That is largely due to years of top-end recruiting, plus an offensive system that excels regardless of who is under center.Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire2.

Penn State Nittany LionsSP+ Rating: 27.7 (No.

3 overall)Offensive Rating: 40.6 (No.

3)Defensive Rating: 12.9 (No.

6)Penn State enters 2025 with national title expectations, and rightfully so.

Star quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen are back to lead the team.

Also, look for Syracuse transfer wide receiver Trebor Pena to be one of the more underrated signings of the spring period.

Overall, the Nittany Lions hope that their run to the semifinal last season is the ignition point the program has been searching for since it last won the Big Ten title in 2016.Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire1.

Ohio State BuckeyesSP+ Rating: 29.5 (No.

1 overall)Offensive Rating: 39.6 (No.

7)Defensive Rating: 10.1 (No.

2)Ohio State enters 2025 as the top team in the country after its national title run a season ago.

The Buckeyes saw significant talent leave for the NFL draft after that title run.

But like Alabama under Nick Saban, Ohio State has another wave of top talent ready to take over.

Now, all the team has to do is finally beat Michigan.Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes WireContact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinioThis article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Big Ten football 2025 post spring power rankings per ESPN SP+.

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