2025 Week 9 Football Release

BIG TEN FOOTBALL RELEASE - WEEK 9  |      STANDINGS      |      SCHEDULE      |     MEDIA GUIDE     |      WE GIVE BLOOD DRIVE

• Week nine of the 2025 college football season features seven games. The conference slate begins with three Saturday noon matchups and concludes with Michigan and Michigan State’s annual rivalry game at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, and USC will all enjoy byes this week, with the complete schedule appearing to the right.  

• Nine of the Big Ten’s 18 teams are mentioned in this week’s AP or US LBM Coaches Polls, announced on Sunday. The AP poll includes No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 6 Oregon, No. 23 Illinois, and No. 25 Michigan with USC and Minnesota receiving votes. At No. 1, Ohio State leads eight Big Ten teams in the coaches’ poll (No. 2 Indiana, No. 6 Oregon, No. 23 Illinois, and No. 25 Michigan); USC, Iowa, Washington, and Northwestern also received recognition. 

• Two Big Ten teams remain undefeated through eight weeks of the 2025 season. Indiana and Ohio State rank among the six NCAA FBS teams sporting perfect records entering week nine. 

• The Big Ten announced its Football Players of the Week, presented by IFS.ai on Monday, with Ohio State’s Julian Sayin earning Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week honors. In a 34-0 win over Wisconsin, Sayin had a career high 393 yards passing and career-high tying four touchdown passes. He completed 36 of 42 passes and currently is second in the nation in passing efficiency. 

• Iowa’s Xavier Nwankpa claimed Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording 10 tackles (seven solo), an interception and a forced fumble to help the Hawkeyes defeat Penn State. His pressure on the quarterback with 1:20 remaining forced an incomplete pass and secured the victory. 

• UCLA’s Matten Bhaghani won Special Teams Player of the Week by hitting two field goals to help UCLA defeat Maryland. Bhaghani hit his final field goal from 23 yards out with two seconds remaining, giving the Bruins a 20-17 victory. 

• After Indiana’s 38-13 win over Michigan State, the Hoosiers climbed to No. 2 in the AP poll, the highest ranking in program history. Indiana is set to take on UCLA, winners of three straight Big Ten contests, in Bloomington at noon ET on FOX.  

• Through seven games, Nebraska leads the nation with only three passing touchdowns allowed and 123 passing yards allowed per game. The Huskers are matched up against another top 25 defense in Northwestern, who ranks 22nd in yards per game (305.3) and is coming off four straight wins. 

• Minnesota recorded nine sacks in its 24-6 win over Nebraska last Friday night, tied for the most by any team in a single game this season. The Gophers are set to take on Iowa on Saturday at 3:30, who boast the sixth best scoring defense in the country.  

• Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is tied for the NCAA lead with 21 passing touchdowns so far this season. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Oregon’s Dante Moore are tied for second with 19 each.  

• Washington’s Jonah Coleman scored his 12th rushing touchdown of the season on Saturday against Michigan, which leads the nation. Iowa’s Mark Gronowski sits at third overall and is tied for most rushing touchdowns amongst quarterbacks this season with 10.  

• Iowa’s Aaron Graves and Washington’s Jonah Coleman were named finalists for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy on Oct. 22, with each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2025 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. Now in its 36th year, the Campbell Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top football scholar-athlete.

• The 2025 Discover Big Ten Championship Game will be held on Saturday, December 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will be broadcast by FOX. The winner will represent the conference as the Automatic Qualifier (AQ) to the College Football Playoff. 

• Abbott and the Big Ten Conference are kicking off Season 2 of the  We Give Blood drive. Students, fans, alumni and communities across the country are backing their favorite Big Ten schools by donating blood. Every donation can help save up to three lives - and bring your school one step closer to winning $1 million to advance student or community health. The top school will be announced at the 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game on December 6, 2025.

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