2025 Big Ten Media Day: Penn State & Ohio State Top Early Poll

SportsGrid

Watch 2025 Big Ten Media Day: Penn State & Ohio State Top Early Poll - SportsGrid on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00And throughout July, we have had a sampling and a splattering of media days around the country,

00:06talking season in college football. First up, it was the Big 12 a couple of weeks ago

00:11in Frisco, Texas. Last week down there in Atlanta, it was SEC Media Days, a four-day extravaganza

00:19over the next three starting today and now already underway. ACC Media Days in Charlotte,

00:25Big 10 Media Days in Las Vegas. In fact, they've taken it out of Indianapolis and Chicago,

00:32a story for another day, but it's the expansion and a welcoming, of course,

00:36for a second straight year of the four West Coast schools, Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington.

00:43Big 10 Media Days starting this afternoon in Las Vegas. Yesterday, the preseason Big 10 Media

00:49poll was released. Now, not officially through the league office often, but through Cleveland.com,

00:55the official Big 10 preseason poll. And here is how it looked. Penn State checks in at number one.

01:05Yes, the Nittany Lions received more first place votes 11th than that of the reigning national champs

01:12Ohio State, who had 10 first place votes. So Penn State gets the nod over the Buckeyes. Oregon at three,

01:19Illinois at four, and Michigan with a single first place vote checking in at number five. Indiana, Iowa,

01:27Nebraska, USC, and then you see the other nine teams on your right side filling out the back half.

01:33Of course, you have to look at the top. Penn State with the great weight of expectation entering year

01:39number 12, I believe it is, of the James Franklin era in State College. And deservedly so that Penn

01:48State has that level of expectation. The Nittany Lions last year reached the college football playoff

01:53semifinal, had a second half lead against Notre Dame outside of some mistakes from Drew Aller.

01:59It might have been an all Big 10 title game between Ohio State and Penn State. And can Drew Aller take yet

02:05another leap in 2025. That is part of the promise of Penn State this year. So much returning talent

02:13in State College. Drew Aller, along with O.C. Andy Kotelnicki, both of his top running backs, Nick Singleton

02:20and Katron Allen. How about on the other side, key defensive pieces like Zane Durant and Danai Dennis Sutton

02:27and in the back end, guys like Zaki Wheatley, one of the best defensive backs in the country. Penn State is

02:33absolutely loaded. And they should be in contention for a Big 10 championship once again. Let's not

02:40forget, it wasn't the Buckeyes. It was the Nittany Lions and the Ducks squaring off in Indianapolis in

02:46early December for that Big 10 crowd. Oregon in its first year in the league undefeated. A perfect 13-0

02:54with a Big 10 title to boot and were the top seed in the CFP before being ousted in its lone game in the

03:01Rose Bowl by the eventual national champs in Ohio State. The Buckeyes, Nittany Lions and Ducks all

03:07expected to get back to the college football playoff. But just because Penn State is first in

03:13the preseason poll does not mean Penn State is the favorite to win a Big 10 championship. That is

03:19Ohio State. Probably has the two best players in the league in Columbus. Wide receiver star Jeremiah

03:25Smith, who is a Heisman favorite as a wide receiver. And on the other side, Caleb Downs. And yet,

03:33Ohio State has so many questions returning this year, namely at the quarterback position,

03:38Julian Sayan. More than likely, that starting signal caller for Ryan Day and company. But a new

03:44defensive coordinator in Columbus. Their former one, Jim Knowles, now in Happy Valley with Penn State.

03:50So who enters the fold? Matt Patricia? Yeah, that Matt Patricia now calling the plays defensively

03:57for Ohio State. Oregon breaking in a new quarterback. Dante Moore, the UCLA transfer that had experience

04:05during his lone year in Westwood, sat behind Dylan Gabriel a year ago. Michigan has the easiest Big

04:1310 schedule. If Sharon Moore and the Wolverines breaking in a new quarterback, more than likely,

04:17Bryce Underwood as well. Do not win nine games and sail over their win total of eight and a half.

04:23Bad year in Ann Arbor. USC has a lot to prove under Lincoln-Riley. A great start to the Lincoln-Riley

04:32era. Not so great the last few years. Iowa is consistent. Nebraska always has optimism.

04:38And you better keep your eye on Illinois. A 42-to-1 price. The schedule manageable for Brett

04:45Bielema and company who bring back so much talent as well, including a couple of guys that will speak

04:52today in Las Vegas. Luke Altmaier and one of the best O-linemen in the conference in J.C. Davis.

04:59So much to come from college football this week. The early line returns tomorrow,

05:038 a.m. Eastern on Sportsbook.

Category

Transcript

Recommended