logo
All eighteen Big Ten programs ranked by APR. Where is Ohio State?

All eighteen Big Ten programs ranked by APR. Where is Ohio State?

USA Today8 hours ago

All eighteen Big Ten programs ranked by APR. Where is Ohio State?
The Ohio State football program has had some elite success on the field over the course of its history, but it doesn't get nearly the notoriety it deserves in the classroom. Yes, it is the defending College Football Playoff national champion, but does it shuck aside academic efforts for glory on the gridiron?
It's not easy being a student-athlete, especially with all of the travel and responsibilities that come with being a big-time college football player, so simply being able to juggle it all is commendable. Gone are the days of going to college just to be an athlete and letting the chips fall where they may with academics, because the NCAA now keeps track of how students are progressing towards graduating with a metric called Academic Progress Rate.
So, what exactly is APR? Straight out of the NCAA's handbook, APR is defined specifically as:
The APR, or Academic Progress Rate, holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term.
A good APR standing can be a big deal. Programs must remain above a four-year average APR of 930 to compete in postseason play and not face penalties. In fact, Akron (APR of 914) just became the first program since 2014 to receive an academic-related postseason ban. This means the Zips will be unable to play in any bowl games, should they qualify. A lesser impact, but if needed, APR can also be utilized to break ties when it comes to bowl eligibility. If 5-7 teams are needed to finalize the schedule, the highest APR often earns the bid.
A perfect 1,000 score is hard to attain, and in fact, only one program achieved that metric, and it does indeed reside in the Big Ten, go kudos to the league. Five Big Ten programs reside in the top 20 of APR scores, so besides winning the last two College Football Playoff national championships, the league is also getting it with the books and test taking.
Here's a look at all 18 Big Ten programs and how they rank from worst to first with APR rankings. All metrics include the four-year composite of the 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 school years. Included is the ranking from last year for comparison.
No. 18 - Oregon Ducks
APR Score: 946
2024 APR: 942 (No. 17)
Oregon has had a lot of success on the field, winning the regular-season title and Big Ten Championship game last year, but it has some work to do when it comes to its peers in the conference with APR. Oregon is not in danger of missing out on the postseason, but there needs to be more focus on progressing student-athletes towards graduation.
Get more Oregon coverage on Ducks Wire
No. 17 - Penn State Nittany Lions
APR Score: 947
2024 APR: 947 (No. 16)
Penn State is still not elite on the football field, and it isn't anywhere near there off the field with the studies either. It's hard to juggle everything when you are trying to put a winner on the field, but there could be a more concerted effort with graduating players that reside in Happy Valley.
Get more Penn State coverage on Nittany Lions Wire
No. 16 - Maryland Terrapins
APR Score: 962
2024 APR: 942 (No. 18)
This is a bit surprising with all the emphasis Maryland puts on academics. Sometimes what happens with a school's athletes doesn't mirror the rest of the student body, and to be clear, the Terps aren't falling all over themselves, but the improvement shown since last year needs to continue.
No. 15 - UCLA Bruins
APR Score: 967
2024 APR: 972 (No. 12)
It's hard to really know what to think about this metric for UCLA. The Bruins have a very good academic reputation, but despite a lack of success on the football field, the APR rate is not what you'd expect. The last year or so has been one of transition, so maybe that's had an impact. Still, this is a bit surprising.
Get more UCLA coverage on UCLA Wire
No. 14 - Michigan State Spartans
APR Score: 968
2024 APR: 974 (No. 10)
Ho hum. Michigan State hasn't been anywhere near the top of the league on the field the last few years, and with all of the transfers we've seen come into the program, it hasn't done as much as its colleagues in the rest of the Big Ten. Stability seems to help APR, so maybe we'll see this climb if the coaching staff can stick around.
Get more Michigan State coverage on Spartans Wire
No. 13 - Illinois Fighting Illini
APR Score: 971
2024 APR: 967 (No. 15)
Brett Bielema has done a fantastic job turning around the fortunes of the Illini on the football field, and he's actually seen some modest improvement in APR score as well. Yes, it could be better for an academic institution like Illinois, but progress is being made on and off the field.
No. 12 - Purdue Boilermakers
APR Score: 972
2024 APR: 976 (No. 9)
Purdue has been absolutely horrible at playing the game of American football, and it's seen its APR decline a little bit as well. When you can't win on the field, you'd think there would be better luck winning off of it. Again, though, with the instability of the coaching staff, maybe it's taken a toll.
No. 10 (tie) - USC Trojans
APR Score: 976
2024 APR: 976 (No. 8)
USC is a very good private school, so I'm a bit surprised the Trojans weren't in the top five here. You'd expect a little more from Lincoln Riley when it comes to winning football games, and that also translates to opening up the books and getting after it.
Get more USC coverage on Trojans Wire
No. 10 (tie) - Nebraska Cornhuskers
APR Score: 976
2024 APR: 972 (No. 14)
Nebraska is the lone school that is not an AAU Member and might be looked down on by other Big Ten institutions when it comes to academics. However, the 'Huskers have improved quite significantly in the classroom and are showing a little forward momentum between the lines as well.
Get more Nebraska coverage on Cornhuskers Wire
No. 8 (tie) - Washington Huskies
APR Score: 978
2024 APR: 982 (No. 7)
Washington is a great school for academics, and you'd expect a little more in Seattle when it comes to graduating players. We'll give new head coach Jed Fisch a little time to see if he can make some improvements inside the arena and beyond.
Get more Washington coverage on Huskies Wire
No. 8 (tie) - Rutgers Scarlet Knights
APR Score: 978
2024 APR: 972 (No. 13)
Greg Schiano doesn't get enough credit for how he is turning this program around. Not only are more wins coming when games are played on Saturday, but the APR rate also continues to climb. He believes in discipline and structure and that seems to be shining through in all areas.
No. 6 (tie) - Iowa Hawkeyes
APR Score: 982
2024 APR: 974 (No. 11)
Iowa is right about where it is when it comes to competing in the league when games are played. The Hawkeyes always seem to be slightly above average, and that's the case with efforts to graduate players as well. Honestly, I'm a little surprised with the type of kid Iowa graduates that the Hawkeyes aren't a little higher here. 982 is good, but not great for the program.
Get more Iowa coverage on Hawkeyes Wire
No. 6 (tie) - Indiana Hoosiers
APR Score: 982
2024 APR: 983 (No. 6)
Indiana made a significant jump in being competitive under new head coach Curt Cignetti last year, but the jury is still out on how all the transfers he got to come to Bloomington will impact the APR rate in the future. Will there be a trade-off of wins to graduating players? Time will tell.
No. 5 - Wisconsin Badgers
APR Score: 991
2024 APR: 993 (No. 4)
Wisconsin has done very well graduating its players over the years, and that has continued under Luke Fickell so far with just a modest decline. Nobody will care, though if he can't start winning at a greater clip inside Camp Randall Stadium.
Get more Wisconsin coverage on Badgers Wire
No. 4 - Minnesota Golden Gophers
APR Score: 992
2024 APR: 992 (No. 5)
I am not surprised at all that Minnesota does well here. P.J. Fleck is a guy who seems to get the big picture. He's able to get the most out of his teams and also gets them to understand that there is more to life outside of football.
No. 3 - Northwestern Wildcats
APR Score: 993
2024 APR: 996 (No. 2)
It's no surprise that Northwestern graduates players at a pretty high rate, but I am a little taken aback that the Wildcats don't lead the league here. If you consider yourself the best academic institution in the Big Ten, one would want to believe that players are working towards graduation better than any other program.
No. 2 - Michigan Wolverines
APR Score: 996
2024 APR: 993 (No. 3)
This feels about right. Michigan is one of the best academic schools in the Big Ten, and there's a clear emphasis on graduating players. That will most likely continue at a place that continues to place such an emphasis on scholastic achievement.
Get more Michigan coverage on Wolverines Wire
No. 1 - Ohio State Buckeyes
APR Score: 1000
2024 APR: 1000 (No. 1)
The college football world was probably shocked to see Ohio State leading the country in APR. It's not that Ohio State is a low-level institution, and it continues to up academic standards and perceptions, but it's not exactly a Northwestern, Duke, or Stanford. Ryan Day and his staff really need to be getting more credit for winning on the field while still graduating all of their players. It's truly remarkable for the football factory that Ohio State is.
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How much pressure is Kalen DeBoer under in 2025? Joel Klatt weighs in on Alabama coach
How much pressure is Kalen DeBoer under in 2025? Joel Klatt weighs in on Alabama coach

USA Today

time35 minutes ago

  • USA Today

How much pressure is Kalen DeBoer under in 2025? Joel Klatt weighs in on Alabama coach

How much pressure is Kalen DeBoer under in 2025? Joel Klatt weighs in on Alabama coach How much pressure is Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer facing in 2025? Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt has some thoughts on DeBoer entering Year 2 in Tuscaloosa, which he shared Monday on his popular video podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast." Klatt discussed 10 head coaches under pressure entering the 2025 season. For DeBoer, who went 9-4 in his first season as Alabama's coach last year, Klatt said he thinks that fans are still trying to be patient with Nick Saban's successor. "At this point, the fan base right now, just trying to be patient with Kalen DeBoer," Klatt said. "Year 1 was, let's face it, a little underwhelming for DeBoer. They were 9-4. First time not winning 10 games since 2007. That was obviously Nick Saban's first year. They're not going to sit around and wait for these 8-win, 9-win seasons." Klatt acknowledged that DeBoer was at a place where he's expected to win. "And not just win, but win big and win at the highest level of college football," he added. "Can't miss the playoff, in particular as we have expansion to 12 and we're going to be moving in 2026 and beyond to 14 or most likely 16 (teams)." Alabama missed the playoff last season in large part because of a 24-3 blowout loss to an Oklahoma Sooners team that had won only one conference game all year before the Crimson Tide's Nov. 23 debacle in Norman. 'He's got to win that game': Joel Klatt on the biggest game Kalen DeBoer faces in 2025 Where things could get "a little uncomfortable" for DeBoer in Year 2, Klatt believes, isn't in the Crimson Tide's Sept. 27 game against Georgia in Athens. Instead, Klatt believes the biggest pressure on DeBoer will be in Alabama's 'Third Saturday in October' rivalry clash with Tennessee on Oct. 18 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. "That's the moment on the schedule," Klatt said. "Home losses, first of all, are not good, and then they would be starting really tough and in a schedule that's really more backloaded. Obviously you've got Georgia, so let's just say that if you're losing to Tennessee, you've probably lost to Georgia. So that would be your second loss in the SEC. Then you still have to go to South Carolina and host LSU. "If you were to lose to Tennessee, who doesn't have Nico Iamaleava, and now you're about to go play LaNorris Sellers and Garrett Nussmeier, I think South Carolina and LSU are both better teams than Tennessee. John Mateer is better than any option that Tennessee has at quarterback, so you still have to play Oklahoma. You still have the Iron Bowl." In that scenario, Klatt believes a loss to Tennessee -- something Alabama hasn't suffered to the Vols at Bryant-Denny Stadium since 2003 -- would put the Crimson Tide in a position to have to run the table to avoid another 9-3 season and reach the College Football Playoff. "We saw what 9-3 did last year, even in the SEC," Klatt said. "We thought for a lot of years that in a 12-team playoff, a 9-3 (SEC) team would go to the playoff, and guess what? That didn't happen. So the pressure would go through the roof for Kalen DeBoer." Klatt closed his segment on DeBoer up by saying: "That Tennessee game at home, he's got to win that game. So the pressure index for Kalen DeBoer (is) they're trying to be patient, but patience would wear out real fast if they were to lose that game at home to Tennessee." Alabama opens the 2025 season at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee against Florida State on Aug. 30. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ABC. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinions.

George Clooney-Produced Ohio State Abuse Doc Gets Date, Trailer From HBO
George Clooney-Produced Ohio State Abuse Doc Gets Date, Trailer From HBO

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

George Clooney-Produced Ohio State Abuse Doc Gets Date, Trailer From HBO

HBO's documentary about a sexual abuse scandal in the Ohio State University athletic department has a premiere date. The premium outlet will debut Surviving Ohio State, which counts George Clooney among its producers, on June 17 (it will also stream on Max). The film features several survivors of abuse at the hands of Dr. Richard Strauss, an Ohio State athletics doctor from 1978-98, telling the stories of what happened to them and how they have tried to hold the university accountable for Strauss' actions. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Industry' Creators on How Their Storytelling and Characters Have Evolved (in Bleepable Ways) and HBO's "Fantastic Notes" How George Clooney's 'Good Night, and Good Luck' Is Preparing to Go Live on CNN Billy Joel Doc Makers Lament Ailing Subject Couldn't Make Tribeca Opening Night but Insist "He's Going to Be Fine" HBO has also released a trailer for the documentary; watch it below. Emmy and Oscar winner Eva Orner (Taxi to the Dark Side, Out of Iraq) directed the documentary and produces with Clooney, his Smokehouse Pictures partner Grant Heslov and David C. Glasser of 101 Studios. The film is based on a 2020 Sports Illustrated story by Jon Wertheim that detailed the allegations against Strauss, including those by former All-American wrestler and UFC champion Mark Coleman, who is also featured in the documentary. Other Ohio State athletes interviewed in the film include Adam DiSabato, Michael DiSabato, Will Knight, Al Novakowski, Rockey Ratliff, Dan Ritchie and Mike Schyck. Wertheim is an executive producer of Surviving Ohio State along with David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Ron Burkle, Corey Salter, Colin Smeeton, Marc Rosen and HBO's Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller and Bentley Weiner. Smokehouse Pictures and 101/Sports Illustrated Studios produce. Surviving Ohio State has been several years in the making. Clooney and Heslov announced the project (then conceived as a docuseries) in 2021. HBO and director Orner signed on in June 2022. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise

Ohio State AD Ross Bjork reacts to NCAA House Settlement, outlines basic framework
Ohio State AD Ross Bjork reacts to NCAA House Settlement, outlines basic framework

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Ohio State AD Ross Bjork reacts to NCAA House Settlement, outlines basic framework

In case you missed it, a judge approved the NCAA House Settlement late last week, not only setting aside distribution payouts for former athletes, but also paving the way for direct payment to student-athletes. Name, Image and Likeness will still be in play, but now anything over $600 will need to be approved by an NCAA Clearinghouse, meaning some of the larger deals will be harder to broker and more in the open, or else, face penalties of some sort. This impacts all schools, big and large, but significantly restructures and reorganizes efforts in recruiting, NIL, and roster management at the biggest of schools and football factories like Ohio State. So then, wouldn't it be interesting to see what those in the suits on the banks of the Olentangy have to say about the development that was a long time coming? Sure it would. And, on that note, Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork did provide a statement to the media in preparation for a further press conference later this week that puts a straw man template in place for the position he'll take to lead the OSU program through the changes coming. 'The signing of the House settlement Friday by Judge Claudia Wilken will reshape collegiate athletics. Ohio State and schools around the country will now be permitted to directly compensate student-athletes through revenue sharing, which is actually institutional NIL rights," Bjork said in a statement. "The Department of Athletics will fully fund the revenue sharing program, which will total $20.5 million and includes funding for additional scholarships for both women's and men's sports. We remain committed to maintaining the student-athlete model, offering 36 intercollegiate sports and providing scholarships to all 36.' There will be more to come at the presser later this week, but we can take a couple of things from his statement. First, the revenue sharing program will be fully funded by the Department of Athletics. Maybe this was a foregone conclusion, but it does raise questions on several logistics like the proverbial how, when, and where this will all happen. Secondly, the amount of funding looks like it has been outlined. Maybe things will change a little north or south of this number (again, we'll find out more Thursday), but the total looks to be $20.5 million. Also, and very important, many had to wonder if this new model would mean the loss of scholarships and other athletic programs of some of the non-revenue sports. It looks like there will be an effort to keep all 36 sports with both men and women, all funded through the model. Maybe that's too optimistic, maybe not -- we'll have to again take a wait and see approach and wait to hear, see, and feel more. This is a nugget of interesting news, and this is, of course, only the tip of the iceberg of what we'll find out in the coming days, weeks, and months. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X. This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State AD Ross Bjork reacts to House Settlement approval

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store