Ranking Big Ten defenses ahead of the 2025 season
Ranking Big Ten defenses ahead of the 2025 season
Earlier this month, the Oregon Ducks announced the date for the annual spring scrimmage, which will take place on April 26 at 1 p.m. in Autzen Stadium. While this information is important for Duck fans and their spring vacation plans, it's also important for the college football calendar.
It's a turning of the page. We are no longer in the offseason, floating about while focusing on the additions of incoming recruits via the transfer portal. Now, we're in spring preview season, and the next several weeks will be spent ramping up toward the start of the Ducks' spring practices in March.
To start preview season, we want to examine the Big Ten Conference as a whole. With the Ohio State Buckeyes winning the national championship in 2024 and four Big Ten teams making the College Football Playoff, it was quite a year for the conference. That shouldn't change going into the 2025 season. Three of the top six teams in ESPN's 'Way-Too-Early' top 25.
After diving into individual skill positions on offense, we're now switching to the defensive side of the ball. Historically, the Big Ten has been a very strong defensive conference, led by bulk up front and talent on the backend.
There will be many strong defenses in next year's Big Ten but just a handful of elite. Here is where I see each defense shaking out next fall.
Check out our offense, quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end rankings here.
No. 18 — Purdue Boilermakers
2024 PPG Allowed: 39.92024 YPG Allowed: 452.7
Notable Departures: Dillon Thieneman, Will Heldt, Cole Brevard, Nyland Green, Kydran JenkinsNotable Additions: Ryan Turner
Analysis: Purdue got hit hard in the transfer portal this year, losing their two best defensive players in Dillon Thieneman and Will Heldt. We'll see if Barry Odom can turn things around, but it will be a long road to relevance for the Boilermakers.
No. 17 — Maryland Terrapins
2024 PPG Allowed: 30.42024 YPG Allowed: 378.1
Notable Departures: Jonathan Akins, Kevis Thomas, Brandon JacobNotable Additions: Jamare Glasker
Analysis: Maryland struggled mightily in 2024 on the defensive side of the ball, and they didn't do much this offseason to improve at all under Mike Locksley going into 2025. At this point, it feels like a major change is needed if the Terrapins are going to find their footing in the Big Ten.
No. 16 — Northwestern Wildcats
2024 PPG Allowed: 26.32024 YPG Allowed: 361.8
Notable Departures: Theran Johnson, Xander MuellerNotable Additions: Fred Davis II
Analysis: Northwestern looked great in Ryan Braun's interim year as a head coach, but they struggled in 2024, giving up a lot of yards and points on the defensive side of the ball. They also lost a couple of great players in the transfer portal to make matters worse.
No. 15 — Michigan State Spartans
2024 PPG Allowed: 26.12024 YPG Allowed: 332.0
Notable Departures: Joshua Eaton, Charles Brantley, Jordan TurnerNotable Additions: Joshua Eaton, David Santiago
Analysis: The Spartans got a couple of nice pieces out of the portal this year, but they lost both Joshua Eaton and Charles Brantley. We will see if Jonathan Smith's year-two Michigan State team can improve from 2024, but I don't expect them to be dominant on the defensive side of the ball any time soon.
No. 14 — Rutgers Scarlet Knights
2024 PPG Allowed: 25.42024 YPG Allowed: 393.8
Notable Departures: Antonio White Jr., Shaquan LoyalNotable Additions: Bradley Weaver, Cam Miller
Analysis: Greg Schiano has done a good job with Rutgers over the last couple of years, and they've managed to hold their own in the Big Ten for the most part. On the defensive side of the ball, they picked up a couple of nice additions in Bradley Weaver and Cam Miller, but we'll see if that's enough to get them into contention in the Big Ten.
No. 13 — Wisconsin Badgers
2024 PPG Allowed: 23.12024 YPG Allowed: 342.7
Notable Departures: Xavier Lucas, James Thompson Jr., Hunter Wohler,Notable Additions: Tyreese Fearbry, Parker Petersen, Michael Garner, Mason Reiger, Jay'viar Suggs
Analysis: Luke Fickell is a solid defensive coach, and he just signed a nice long contract that keeps him in Wisconsin for the next several years. We will see if he is able to turn around the defense for the Badgers, especially after losing Xavier Lucas, arguably the best player on that side of the ball.
No. 12 — UCLA Bruins
2024 PPG Allowed: 25.32024 YPG Allowed: 340.8
Notable Departures: Jaylin Davies, Kain Medrano, KJ WallaceNotable Additions: Nico Davillier, Andre Jordan Jr., Benjamin Perry
Analysis: UCLA has a lot of things to clean up across the roster, but the defense was at least decent in 2024, led by Carlos Schwesinger, who is back again this season. While they lost some decent players this year both in the transfer portal and to graduation, the Bruins should be able to hold their own against bad and mediocre teams in the conference next year.
No. 11 — Illinois Fighting Illini
2024 PPG Allowed: 21.72024 YPG Allowed: 373.2
Notable Departures: Seth ColemanNotable Additions: James Thompson Jr., Tomiwa Durojaiye
Analysis: Illinois had one of the better defenses in the conference last year in the grand scheme of things, and while they weren't able to hold down the top teams like Penn State and Oregon, they did play very well against a majority of the Big Ten. They also added a couple of really nice players in the transfer portal, and should be in the upper-middle class of the conference next year.
No. 10 — USC Trojans
2024 PPG Allowed: 24.12024 YPG Allowed: 377.1
Notable Departures: Bear Alexander, Easton Mascarenas, Mason CobbNotable Additions: Keeshawn Silver, Jamaal Jarrett, DJ Harvey, Bishop Fitzgerald
Analysis: It's always hard to guess what you're going to get from a USC defense. While they have a lot of talent on that side of the ball, there are some lapses every year that leave you scratching your head. The Trojans are losing some talented players like Bear Alexander and Easton Mascarenas this offseason, but they did well in the transfer portal to add some quality pieces, and they should be able to improve in 2025.
No. 9 — Washington Huskies
2024 PPG Allowed: 23.82024 YPG Allowed: 328.4
Notable Departures: Thaddeus Dixon, Khmori House, Elijah Jackson, Carson Bruiener, Alphonzo TuputalaNotable Additions: Tacario Davis
Analysis: Despite losing some key players like Thaddeus Dixon and Carson Bruiener, Washington did well to add Tacario Davis via the transfer portal, and they should be improved in 2025 as they look to rebuild towards some relevancy in the Big Ten.
No. 8 — Michigan Wolverines
2024 PPG Allowed: 19.92024 YPG Allowed: 307.0
Notable Departures: Will Johnson, Mason Graham, Kenneth GrantNotable Additions: Tre Williams, Damon Payne, Troy Bowles
Analysis: There are a lot of major pieces on this Michigan defense that will need to be replaced in 2025, including Will Johnson, Mason Graham, and Kenneth Grant. However, the foundation is very solid in Ann Arbor, and with some solid transfer pick-ups, the Wolverines could be stout next year.
No. 7 — Iowa Hawkeyes
2024 PPG Allowed: 17.82024 YPG Allowed: 318.4
Notable Departures: Jay Higgins, Nick Jackson, Quinn SchulteNotable Additions: Bryce Hawthorne, Jonah Pace, Iose Epenesa
Analysis: While Iowa's offense may consistently struggle to put points on the board, they manage to be successful each year, thanks to a solid defense year in and year out. That shouldn't change in 2025, with a couple of nice transfer additions and a 5-star freshman coming into the mix.
No. 6 — Minnesota Golden Gophers
2024 PPG Allowed: 16.92024 YPG Allowed: 285.7
Notable Departures: Coleman Bryson, Cody LindenbergNotable Additions: Steven Curtis
Analysis: Minnesota had to have one of the surprise defenses in the Big Ten a year ago, giving up under 300 yards per game and fewer than 17 points per game. They lost a couple of solid players in Coleman Bryson and Cody Lindenberg, but the coaching is good and the arrow is pointing up.
No. 5 — Nebraska Cornhuskers
2024 PPG Allowed: 19.52024 YPG Allowed: 317.9
Notable Departures: Princewill Umanmielen, James Williams, Jimari Butler, Mikai Gbayor, Isaac GiffordNotable Additions: Williams Nwaneri, Dasan McCullough, Andrew Marshall
Analysis: The Cornhuskers lost a lot of talent via the transfer portal this year, namely Princewill Umanmielen and James Williams, but they also were able to add a guy like Williams Nwaneri to the mix. Nebraska was solid defensively last year, and if they can continue to gel and ascend under Matt Rhule, they should improve in 2025.
No. 4 — Penn State Nittany Lions
2024 PPG Allowed: 16.52024 YPG Allowed: 294.8
Notable Departures: Abdul Carter, Jaylen Reed, Kobe King,Notable Additions: King Mack
Analysis: Penn State had one of the best defenses in the nation a year ago, but they have to deal with losing a star like Abdul Carter, who quite possibly could go No. 1 in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Nittany Lions did manage to add King Mack from Alabama in the transfer portal, though, and they still have a great foundation to build on under James Franklin's coaching.
No. 3 — Oregon Ducks
2024 PPG Allowed: 19.42024 YPG Allowed: 315.9
Notable Departures: Jordan Burch, Jeffrey Bassa, Derrick Harmon, Jabbar MuhammadNotable Additions: Dillon Thieneman, Bear Alexander, Theran Johnson, Jadon Canady
Analysis: Oregon lost a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball this year, and replacing guys like Jordan Burch and Derrick Harmon is no small task. However, the Ducks brought in some of the best transfer portal players available, namely Dillon Thieneman, and have a very solid young core of blue-chip players who are looking to step into the spotlight this year.
No. 2 — Indiana Hoosiers
2024 PPG Allowed: 15.62024 YPG Allowed: 257.2
Notable Departures: Jamier Johnson, Shawn Asbury II,Notable Additions: Amariyun Knighten
Analysis: Indiana's offense might have stolen the show last year under Curt Cignetti, but the defense was arguably just as impressive, holding opposing teams to just over 15 points and 250 yards per game. A lot of those defensive stars are returning for another year with the Hoosiers as well, so we could see a similar season in Bloomington.
No. 1 — Ohio State Buckeyes
2024 PPG Allowed: 12.92024 YPG Allowed: 254.6
Notable Departures: Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau, Cody Simon, Lathan RansomNotable Additions: Devin Sanchez
Analysis: There was no question as to who was at the top of this list. Even though they lose superstars like Jack Sawyer, Cody Simon, and Lathan Ransom, the Buckeyes return Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, Eddrick Houston, and Davison Igbinosun to a defense that led the nation a year ago. Until someone can beat them, Ohio State will reign supreme.
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