The Big Ten football outlook is promising heading into the College Football Playoff. Three teams are in the top four of the latest US LBM Coaches Poll, presented by USA TODAY Sports.
Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State are all in position to make the College Football Playoff. Indiana is now the fourth team in the Big Ten pecking order after its loss to Ohio State, but with multiple SEC playoff contenders losing, Indiana is still very likely to make the field. The Big Ten is therefore likely to put four teams in the 12-team playoff, which is a clear-cut success for the conference and great news for its commissioner, Tony Petitti. USC clinched a bowl bid with its win over UCLA, but the Trojans will be sitting at home watching the College Football Playoff in January. They have a lot of work to do if they want to be in the playoff hunt in 2025.
Here is the full US LBM Coaches Poll:
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon Ducks | 11-0 | 1,375 (55) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 10-1 | 1,318 |
| 3 | Texas Longhorns | 10-1 | 1,267 |
| 4 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 10-1 | 1,175 |
| 5 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 10-1 | 1,150 |
| 6 | Georgia Bulldogs | 9-2 | 1,103 |
| 7 | Miami Hurricanes | 10-1 | 1,023 |
| 8 | Tennessee Volunteers | 9-2 | 972 |
| 9 | SMU Mustangs | 10-1 | 917 |
| 10 | Indiana Hoosiers | 10-1 | 867 |
| 11 | Boise State Broncos | 10-1 | 838 |
| 12 | Clemson Tigers | 9-2 | 780 |
| 13 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 8-3 | 621 |
| 14 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 8-3 | 596 |
| 15 | Arizona State Sun Devils | 9-2 | 592 |
| 16 | Ole Miss Rebels | 8-3 | 569 |
| 17 | Iowa State Cyclones | 9-2 | 473 |
| 18 | Tulane Green Wave | 9-2 | 434 |
| 19 | Texas A&M Aggies | 8-3 | 357 |
| 20 | BYU Cougars | 9-2 | 329 |
| 21 | UNLV Rebels | 9-2 | 205 |
| 22 | Army Black Knights | 9-1 | 165 |
| 23 | Memphis Tigers | 9-2 | 151 |
| 24 | Missouri Tigers | 8-3 | 148 |
| 25 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 8-3 | 132 |