Indiana's Curt Cignetti is
unanimous pick for top coach as AP unveils Big Ten midseason awards
[October 15, 2025]
By ERIC OLSON
Indiana was the surprise of the 2024 college football season, and
the question entering 2025 was whether the Hoosiers would backslide
in Curt Cignetti's second season.
So far, the answer is a resounding no.
The Hoosiers came off their College Football Playoff appearance by
startting 6-0 and, at No. 3 following their 30-20 road win over
then-No. 3 Oregon, have their highest AP Top 25 ranking in history.
A top-four playoff seed, and an accompanying first-round bye, are
real possibilities.
For all that, 10 AP writers who cover the Big Ten made Cignetti the
unanimous choice for top coach in the conference at the midway point
of the season.
Cignetti is 17-2 since arriving from James Madison, his only losses
coming last year against Ohio State and Notre Dame teams that ended
up in the CFP championship game.
The Hoosiers returned four starters on offense and four on defense,
brought in 23 transfers including quarterback Fernando Mendoza and
picked up where they left off.
Most surprising team
Northwestern is 4-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten and a winner of
three straight, including the 22-21 shocker at Penn State last week.
The Wildcats already have matched their 2024 overall and conference
win totals and are tracking toward a second bowl appearance in three
years under David Braun.
Picked 17th in the 18-team conference in the preseason, they're in
an eight-way tie for fourth and probably will be underdogs in four
of their last six games.
Most surprising player
Nebraska's Emmett Johnson, a backup until late last season, is the
second-leading rusher in the conference, and seventh in the nation,
with 108.3 yards per game and seven touchdowns. He also has caught
24 passes, second on the team, for 130 yards and a TD.
Top offensive player and top first-year transfer
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza swept the two awards for his
prolific production since transferring from California. His 17
touchdown passes lead the conference and are fourth nationally, and
he's averaging an impressive 9.3 yards per attempt. He has the
third-highest passer rating in the Big Ten and fourth-highest in the
country.
Top defensive player
Ohio State defensive end Caden Curry has been a dependable performer
since 2022 but has dramatically ramped up his production this
season. He's the Buckeyes' third-leading tackler with 31 stops,
including 9.5 for loss and six sacks. Pro Football Focus has him
listed as the Big Ten's highest-graded defensive end.
[to top of second column] |
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti watches warm ups before an NCAA
college football game against Oregon, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in
Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)
Top first-year freshman
Maryland quarterback Malik Washington gets the nod over Michigan QB
Bryce Underwood, who was the 247Sports No. 1 national recruit.
Washington, the No. 54 recruit, has outperformed Underwood despite
being hamstrung by the least productive ground game in the Big Ten.
Washington has attempted a Big Ten-high 220 passes, averaged 251
yards per game and thrown for 10 touchdowns with two interceptions.
Most disappointing team
Penn State was the unanimous choice following its colossal collapse.
The Nittany Lions brought back their quarterback and a pair of
1,000-yard rushers, and they were ranked No. 2 in the preseason.
Wins over soft opposition were followed by consecutive losses to
Oregon (home), UCLA (away) and Northwestern (home). The Lions were
favored by 21-plus points in the last two. James Franklin, who led
the Lions to a College Football Playoff semifinal last year, was
fired after the Northwestern game.
Hottest seat
Wisconsin fans have been calling for Luke Fickell's job for weeks as
they've watched the Badgers get outscored 126-34 over four straight
losses. Fickell was 57-18 with a CFP appearance in six seasons at
Cincinnati, and he won 13 of his first 21 games at Wisconsin. Since
then, the Badgers have lost nine in a row against power-conference
opponents. Because of injuries and ineffective play, there have been
three starting quarterbacks.
Biggest injury
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar sustained a college career-ending
leg injury last week against Northwestern. Allar led the Nittany
Lions to a CFP semifinal last year and returned with the hope of
making a run at a national championship. Those hopes are gone.
___
AP Sports Writers Greg Beacham, Dave Campbell, Larry Lage, Mike
Marot, Steve Megargee, Eric Olson, Anne M. Peterson, Joe Reedy,
Andrew Seligman and Noah Trister contributed.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
