The spring portal is closed, and while there may still be some movement for the players who remain in the portal, the vast majority of the big-time players have settled in their new homes. It's a good time to check back in on the power rankings and see how the spring portal affected things. Here's where teams are ranked leaving the spring and why.
The Buckeyes are still the clear number-one team in the Big Ten. There are sports writers and analysts who put Penn State above them, but I'm not sure why. The Nittany Lions did barely anything in the portal, and while their roster is great, without any huge additions, it's hard to see them overtaking the Buckeyes for the top spot.
Penn State didn't have to do much reloading in the portal as they have an exceptional group coming back next year. They could definitely challenge for the top of the Big Ten, but Ohio State and Oregon will have something to say about that.
The Ducks went 9-0 in the Big Ten last season, and they reloaded in the portal, achieving the top portal class for the Big Ten, according to 24/7 Sports. They added 5-star offensive line transfer Isaiah World and multiple 4-star transfers. They were already a dangerous team in the Big Ten, and they went into the portal and made a statement.
I don't think the Hoosiers' last season was a fluke. Curt Cignetti has the team in a good place. They also went into the portal and brought in the sixth-best class in the Big Ten, giving them ammunition for another run. They may not have accomplished all their goals last season, but Cignetti has them reloaded to make another run this season.
The Illini could deserve a higher ranking in this list, but since the focus is on the portal, Illinois disappointed in that regard. They finished towards the bottom in the Big Ten in portal additions. They went 6-3 last season in the Big Ten and are hoping to win it this next season. I just believe they needed to do a little more to make that case.
The self-imposed Michigan suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore shouldn't really affect the Wolverines, which maybe was Michigan's point. The Wolverines had a relatively disappointing season in terms of expectations. They won some huge games against Ohio State and Alabama but lost some confounding ones, too, like against Washington and Illinois.
Speaking of Washington, Jedd Fisch is in his second year, and he's known to really turn things around in year two. He's relentless and has done a great job in recruiting and the portal. Since they already stole a few big wins last year, I'd be surprised if they don't take another jump forward this year. We are also to the point in the Big Ten where it's a bit more muddy.
Matt Rhule seems like a good coach and has the program in a good place, but he's gone back-to-back years at 3-6 in the conference. That's just not great; it's not even really that mediocre. It's below that, and this year will need to be a jump forward. The good news is that the portal was great for Rhule and the Cornhuskers. They were the second-best team in terms of additions in the Big Ten behind Oregon.
Lincoln Riley is at a point in his career at USC where he has to make something happen this year. Could he make a big jump and be a top-3 team in the Big Ten? Certainly. Will he? It doesn't seem likely, as he's had more talented teams than he currently has for 2025 and didn't get there.
Speaking of middle-of-the-pack Big Ten teams, Iowa is perpetually on the cusp of being a top-5 team but never cracks it. The Hawkeyes finished 6th in the Big Ten last year and yet didn't reload in the portal. They were the second-worst team in the Big Ten in terms of portal additions. This year may be a step back, not forward.
It's annoying having the Golden Gophers ahead of the Badgers, but until Luke Fickell proves otherwise, it would be wrong to switch it. PJ Fleck has done a decent job with limited resources and talent. Seeing how he builds off a 5-4 Big Ten season will be interesting.
Lots of analysts are putting the Badgers lower in the power rankings than 12, and maybe it's because they will go into the season with the hardest Big Ten schedule. Therefore, plenty of losses will be on the table and up for grabs. However, with a new, re-tooled offense and a bigger defense, Fickell has made the right moves. The Badgers also finished third in the Big Ten in terms of portal additions behind Oregon and Nebraska.
The rest of this list was hard to figure out and rank. Plenty of teams will fight for 13th in the Big Ten. Michigan State may be better than Rutgers and Maryland, but not by light years. They added 20 players in the transfer portal, though most of them were 3-stars.
The Scarlet Knights don't look like they are going to be a great football program next year, but they are still not a bottom dweller like Purdue. They struggled to add any value from the portal, and the team isn't well-suited for a big season in the Big Ten.
If Nico Iamaleava leaves the drama behind him, he really could help the Bruins move way up these power rankings. The program needs help. It has not looked good at all since entering the Big Ten, and if it wasn't for Iamaleava, the transfer portal would have been a bust for them.
The Terrapins finished middle of the pack in portal additions. They are working with a new quarterback starter but a similar system, and since they weren't good last season, it's hard to have much hope for them to be great this season.
The bottom of the Big Ten is really struggling. The Wildcats and the Boilermakers almost look like a different league in terms of football. Northwestern was already set up for a rough season in the Big Ten, and they didn't help themselves at all in the portal. They finished last in helpful additions, only adding 13 3-star players.
The Boilermakers went 0-9 in the Big Ten last year and have absolutely done nothing to make someone believe they will have a different season in 2025.