The Pac-12 was historically known as the “Conference of Champions.” In football, the Southeastern Conference took that crown between 2000 and 2023. The SEC won 16 national championships in college football between 2000 and 2023; the number increases to 18 if we include the 2000 Oklahoma and 2005 Texas championships. The Big Ten has looked to take the crown in the last two years. Not only did they bring the biggest Pac-12 brands into the conference, but they have also won the last two national championships. Can Ryan Day or Sherrone Moore navigate Ohio State or Michigan to lead the conference to a third? Or can another coach emerge atop college football? Those are questions left for the 2025 season. For now, we will take a look at the top five returning 2025 Big Ten coaches.
Top Five Returning 2025 Big Ten Coaches
Just Missed…Salty Big Ten Coaches
Any good list needs an honorable mention. Before we get to our two names, let’s talk about who missed the list. Linoln Riley avoided this list, much in the way he ducked Oklahoma’s move to the SEC and may be getting the Trojans out of playing Notre Dame on an annual basis. What happened to one of the sharpest and brightest offensive minds in college football? We’re not sure, but he will not be here. Sherrone Moore is also not on the list. He is 2-0 against Ohio State in his young career, but we are still waiting for a long-term proof of concept. Moore will be out of at least two games this year for the Wolverines, following in Jim Harbaugh’s footsteps, due to NCAA violations. Maybe another good year and beating the Buckeyes get him on the list in 2026, but not in 2025.
#5 James Franklin, Penn State Nittany Lions
Mid-game James. Hats off to Scott Dochterman at The Athletic. His piece, last November, captured James Franklin as the coach at Penn State. Good, but just mid, never great. Penn State is, or should be, among the elite of college football. They are well-resourced, can own recruiting in Pennsylvania, the DMV, and the Northeast, and have an energetic fan base. Yet, time and again, Franklin is too busy making excuses for why the Nittany Lions continue to choke on the dust of Michigan and Ohio State. Penn State came up short in 2024 in the Big Ten Championship against Oregon. Sure, they got two wins in the College Football Playoff against SMU and Boise State, but was anyone really impressed?
We struggled to add him to the list initially. Moore and Riley, with a decent season, will surely replace him. For now, Franklin is stuck on this list, kinda like Penn State is stuck with him and his big contract.
#4 Dan Lanning, Oregon Ducks
Dan Lanning is one of the most energetic coaches in college football. The cigar-smoking Duck has jumped both feet into recruiting and is doing an excellent job of keeping the Ducks in the national conversation. After coming up short twice in the Pac-12, Lanning led the Ducks to an undefeated regular season in 2024 and captured the Big Ten Championship. Oregon was ready to kick it into high gear, but was ambushed in the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff.
The 2024 season encapsulated Lanning’s time in Eugene—lots of sizzle, but no real steak. Sure, a Big Ten championship is nice, but what do conference championships mean in the College Football Playoff Era? Should Lanning be higher on the list of 2025 Big Ten coaches? Absolutely, but we at Last Word feel that titles and ranking should be earned, not given. And given the resources Lanning and Franklin have, we need to see more to move them higher on the list.
#3 Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana has a new Hoosier Daddy. Unlike the salt that was thrown at the first four coaches, Curt Cignetti gets nothing but flowers after a stellar first year with Indiana. Indiana has been a perennial doorstop in the fall, something usually rarely seen or heard of in relevance when it comes to college football. Not so in 2024. Cignetti came out swinging after he was named the new Hoosier coach from James Madison. “I win. Google me.” Cignetti started by getting the Indiana crowd fired up, but he wasn’t done. “Purdue sucks, so does Michigan and Ohio State.” Ohio State may not have sucked, but the Hoosiers did get the best of Michigan 20-15 in November.
Cignetti transformed the mindset and led the Hoosiers to an 11-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. Sure, they lost to Notre Dame in the opening round, but the 2024 season is why Cignetti finds himself ahead of both Franklin and Lanning. Cignetti punched above his weight and resources—Won games he was not supposed to and surprised people. We look forward to seeing what’s to come in 2025.
#2 Bret Bielema, Illinois Illini
Bret Bielema is pure Big Ten. Who else in the conference would you be more likely to see and have a beer or three with at the local pub? Bielema knows who he is as a coach and continues to demonstrate that he can coach the hell out of his players. Bielema has a track record of success at Wisconsin and now Illinois. It is not flashy or sexy, but it can still be considered borderline erotic. He knows how to get under opposing teams’ skin, as Shane Beamer can attest. The Illini were 10-3 in 2024 and bring back a host of returners and should be in the hunt for an at-large spot in the College Football Playoff. We will be there for the press conference.
#1 Ryan Day, The Ohio State Buckeyes
Someone grab Lou Holtz. Ryan Day is on top of our 2025 Big Ten Coaches list. Sure, Day hasn’t beaten Michigan in 1,000+ days and didn’t even make the Big Ten Championship game in 2024. Thanks to an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff field, the Buckeyes went out and caused mayhem in college football. They blew the doors of Tennessee and Oregon before they could win a couple of fist fights against Texas and Notre Dame. The Buckeyes are well-resourced and consistently have one of the best rosters in college football year in and year out. You still have to be able to coach that talent. That is precisely what Day has done, and why he gives the Big Ten the best chance at a third straight national championship, and to help cement itself atop as the new Conference of Champions.
Main Image: Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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