The college football season is right around the corner, and it is going to be an exciting one in the Big Ten. The conference is loaded with good teams, and there are high expectations after back-to-back national championships. Michigan won it all in 2023, and Ohio State captured the crown last season. There should be a good amount of teams that are still alive and contending for a national championship at the end of the 2025 season, and it will be exciting to see if another team from this conference can pull it off.
In terms of contenders in the Big Ten, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon are the teams that you can essentially write in to make the College Football Playoff. All three teams made it last year, and they are all expected to be among the best teams in the country this year as well. Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and USC are all teams to watch, too. The Hoosiers and Wolverines both have CFP experience, and they are hoping to make it again. USC and Illinois are looking for their first appearance.
Every year, the Big Ten has some of the best defenses in the country, and that will be no different this season. Defense wins championships, and teams in this conference take that mantra seriously. There are a lot of important positions on that side of the football, but it all starts with getting pressure on the quarterback. Here are the top-five pass rushers in the Big Ten ahead of the 2025 season:
5. TJ Guy, Michigan
The Michigan football team had one of the best defenses in the country last season, and the Wolverines are expected to have an elite unit once again this season. The pressure that Michigan was able to get on the QB last year is a big reason why the defense had so much success. The team did lose some elite defensive linemen to the NFL like Mason Graham and Josiah Stewart, but the Wolverines are still in good hands this year, and one guy who will have a huge role defensively is TJ Guy.
Last season was Guy’s first year having a big role on this Michigan football team, and he didn’t disappoint. He finished the season with 32 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. This season, he is going to be on the field even more. All of his coaches and teammates have been raving about him during the offseason, and it looks like a big year is coming.
4. Gabe Jacas, Illinois
Watch out for the Illinois football team next season. In every Big Ten position group ranking ahead of the 2025 season, you are going to see the Fighting Illini near the top. Not a lot of people are talking about this team because it isn’t traditionally a football power, but Bret Bielema has this team in a great spot ahead of the 2025 season. Remember, Illinois won 10 games last season, and they are expected to be even better this year. The Coaches Poll was released yesterday, and the Fighting Illini are ranked #12. This team is good, and Gabe Jacas is one of the best players.
Gabe Jacas had a massive year in 2024 as he finished the season with 74 total tackles, eight sacks and three forced fumbles. He is a remarkable force for this Illinois team, and he is going to have a major impact on this defense. His ability to get to the QB makes everyone’s job easier.
3. Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Dani Dennis-Sutton is going to be one of the most exciting players to watch in the Big Ten this season, and the Penn State football team is going to be one of the best teams in the country. The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 3 in the preseason Coaches Poll, and guys like Dennis-Sutton are why. Penn State had a lot of talent that could’ve went to the NFL after last season, but a lot of them came back to chase a national title. Dennis-Sutton is one of them. He is one of the top pass rushers in the Big Ten and the country.
Last season was an impressive one for Dani Dennis-Sutton. He ended up racking up 42 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, three passes defended, two forced fumbles and one interception. He can truly do it all, and it’s going to be exciting to see what kind of strides he took during this offseason. He is going to be a nightmare for opposing offenses.
2. Derrick Moore, Michigan
The Michigan football team is going to have a terrific pass rusher duo this season as Derrick Moore is also back and ready to wreak havoc in opposing backfields. Moore and Guy might not have flashier stats than some of these other guys on the list, but they also had to share the field with some of the best defensive players in the entire country last year. This year, the show is going to be theirs, and they both showed in Michigan’s bowl game against Alabama that they are ready.
Michigan ended the 2024 season with a win against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl, and their NFL players did not participate in that one. The defense didn’t miss a beat, and that is why people are so optimistic about the 2025 season. The Wolverines are going to be good on defense, so the offense will remain the question.
1. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon
The best pass rusher in the Big Ten ahead of the 2025 season is Matayo Uiagalelei, who plays for the Oregon football team. The Ducks spent most of last season ranked #1 in the country, and they are expected to be one of the best teams in the nation once again. Last year, their season ultimately came to an end because the defense was completely carved up against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Performances like that can’t happen again, and it starts up front in the trenches.
Matayo Uiagalelei had a huge year for Oregon last season as he finished with 38 total tackles, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one pass defended and one interception. He always filled up the stat sheet, and he is one of the best players in college football.
The top pass rushers in the Big Ten are going to be exciting to watch this season, and they will be among the best defensive players in the country.
