Buckeyes Back on Top: Ohio State Leads Six Big Ten Teams in Week 1 Polls
For the first time since 2021, Ohio State is back at No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls after grinding out a 14–7 win over preseason No. 1 Texas in Columbus. It wasn’t pretty, but Ryan Day’s team leaned on its defense and a poised debut from Julian Sayin to set the tone for the 2025 season. With the Buckeyes starting on top, the path to defending their national title is officially underway.
The Big Ten made as much noise as anyone in Week 1. Oregon, fresh off a 59–13 dismantling of Montana State, remains firmly in the top six and looks every bit like a playoff contender. Penn State looked dominant in a 46–11 rout of Nevada and climbed to No. 2 in both polls, setting up a season-long collision course with Ohio State. Michigan’s new era under Bryce Underwood started with a steady 34–17 win over New Mexico, keeping the Wolverines inside the top 15. Illinois rolled Western Illinois 52–3 behind Luke Altmyer and Hank Beatty’s record-breaking punt return, while Indiana impressed with a 27–14 win over Old Dominion to solidify their place in the rankings. In total, the Big Ten now has six ranked teams: Ohio State (1), Penn State (2), Oregon (6), Michigan (15), Illinois (11), and Indiana (23).
Nationally, LSU surged into the top three after outlasting Clemson 17–10 on the road in Charlotte. Georgia did what Georgia does, cruising to a 45–7 win over Marshall, while Miami delivered one of the weekend’s biggest headlines, taking down Notre Dame 27–24 behind a strong defensive effort. Florida State also shocked the pollsters with a 31–17 win over Alabama, handing the Tide one of their lowest poll positions in over a decade (No. 21 AP / No. 20 Coaches).
Even outside the top 10, Week 1 had fireworks. Iowa State stole the spotlight overseas with a 24–21 win over Kansas State in Dublin, SMU and Texas A&M both rolled to stay inside the top 20, and South Carolina outlasted Virginia Tech in Atlanta. The opening weekend lived up to its billing, with ranked matchups, rivalry sparks, and the polls already shifting heavily.
AP Top 25 – Week 1 (2025)
| RK | TEAM | REC | PTS | TREND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State (55) | 1-0 | 1636 | ↑2 |
| 2 | Penn State (7) | 1-0 | 1558 | – |
| 3 | LSU (3) | 1-0 | 1514 | ↑3 |
| 4 | Georgia | 1-0 | 1410 | ↓1 |
| 5 | Miami | 1-0 | 1360 | ↑5 |
| 6 | Oregon (1) | 1-0 | 1302 | ↓1 |
| 7 | Texas | 0-1 | 1293 | ↓6 |
| 8 | Clemson | 0-1 | 1135 | ↓4 |
| 9 | Notre Dame | 0-1 | 1068 | ↓3 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 1-0 | 882 | ↑3 |
| 11 | Illinois | 1-0 | 855 | ↑1 |
| 12 | Arizona State | 1-0 | 850 | ↑1 |
| 13 | Florida | 1-0 | 737 | ↑2 |
| 14 | Florida State | 1-0 | 705 | NR |
| 15 | Michigan | 1-0 | 686 | ↑1 |
| 16 | Iowa State | 2-0 | 566 | ↑6 |
| 17 | SMU | 1-0 | 561 | ↑1 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | 1-0 | 519 | – |
| 19 | Texas A&M | 1-0 | 424 | – |
| 20 | Ole Miss | 1-0 | 393 | ↑1 |
| 21 | Alabama | 0-1 | 360 | ↓13 |
| 22 | Tennessee | 1-0 | 339 | ↑2 |
| 23 | Indiana | 1-0 | 257 | ↑3 |
| 24 | Texas Tech | 1-0 | 247 | ↑1 |
| 25 | Utah | 1-0 | 227 | NR |
Others receiving votes: BYU 102, Auburn 94, Georgia Tech 67, USC 64, Louisville 59, TCU 49, Missouri 42, USF 25, Tulane 18, Nebraska 13, Kansas State 7, UNLV 4, Liberty 4, James Madison 4, Duke 4, Navy 2, Virginia 2, Baylor 2, Memphis 2, Pittsburgh 2
Dropped from rankings: Kansas State (17), Boise State (25)
Coaches Poll – Week 1 (2025)
| RK | TEAM | REC | PTS | TREND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State (59) | 1-0 | 1666 | ↑1 |
| 2 | Penn State (6) | 1-0 | 1574 | ↑1 |
| 3 | Georgia (1) | 1-0 | 1518 | ↑1 |
| 4 | LSU (1) | 1-0 | 1469 | ↑5 |
| 5 | Oregon | 1-0 | 1381 | ↑2 |
| 6 | Texas | 0-1 | 1339 | ↓5 |
| 7 | Miami | 1-0 | 1304 | ↑3 |
| 8 | Clemson | 0-1 | 1067 | ↓2 |
| 9 | Notre Dame | 0-1 | 1038 | ↓4 |
| 10 | Arizona State | 1-0 | 957 | ↑1 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 1-0 | 915 | ↑2 |
| 12 | Illinois | 1-0 | 909 | – |
| 13 | Michigan | 1-0 | 725 | ↑1 |
| 14 | Ole Miss | 1-0 | 668 | ↑1 |
| 15 | Florida | 1-0 | 638 | ↑2 |
| 16 | SMU | 1-0 | 602 | – |
| 17 | Tennessee | 1-0 | 563 | ↑1 |
| 18 | Iowa State | 2-0 | 518 | ↑3 |
| 19 | Florida State | 1-0 | 491 | NR |
| 20 | Alabama | 0-1 | 390 | ↓12 |
| 21 | Indiana | 1-0 | 369 | ↑2 |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 1-0 | 363 | ↑1 |
| 23 | Texas Tech | 1-0 | 253 | ↑1 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 1-0 | 251 | NR |
| 25 | BYU | 1-0 | 163 | ↑2 |
Others receiving votes: Utah 117, Louisville 95, Missouri 88, Kansas State 79, Tulane 45, USC 41, Auburn 41, TCU 33, Iowa 23, Navy 17, Georgia Tech 17, Nebraska 13, Memphis 11, South Florida 9, Duke 5, Kansas 4, Washington 3, Vanderbilt 2, FIU 1
Dropped from rankings: Kansas State (20), Boise State (25)
Photo Credit: The Columbus Dispatch