BIG TEN MEDIA WEEKLY RELEASE
• Illinois sits atop the Big Ten standings with a 10-2 record in conference play. Purdue and Wisconsin are right behind at 9-3, while Michigan State follows with an 8-3 record.
• The Big Ten has a nation-leading five teams ranked in the top 20 of both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. Purdue leads the league at No. 3 in both the AP and USA Today polls, followed by No. 13/13 Illinois, No. 14/14 Wisconsin, No. 16/16 Ohio State and No. 17/17 Michigan State. Indiana and Iowa are among the teams receiving votes.
• As of Feb. 6, the Big Ten has a nation-leading seven teams among the top 35 of the NET Rankings, including six among the top 25. No. 5 Purdue leads the conference, followed by No. 13 Illinois, No. 17 Ohio State, No. 19 Wisconsin, No. 22 Iowa, No. 23 Michigan State, and No. 33 Indiana.
• As of Feb. 6, the Big Ten’s 112 total Quadrant 1 games in the NET Rankings lead all conferences. The Big Ten also leads all conferences in total Q1 and Q2 games (172) and is second in Q1 wins (40).
• A national-best seven Big Ten squads are among the top 35 of KenPom’s Feb. 6 ratings. Purdue leads the league at No. 5, followed by No. 15 Illinois, No. 20 Ohio State, No. 21 Iowa, No. 22 Michigan State, No. 31 Wisconsin, and No. 35 Indiana.
• In Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology, the Big Ten has five teams projected as top five seeds, including four teams projected as top four seeds, both the most among all conferences. Purdue is projected as a No. 1 seed, while Michigan State (No. 3 seed), Illinois (No. 4 seed), Wisconsin (No. 4 seed), and Ohio State (No. 5 seed) all earn top marks. Indiana and Iowa are both projected as No. 7 seeds, giving the Big Ten seven total teams projected in the field, which is tied for the most among all conferences.
• Illinois junior center Kofi Cockburn was named the Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday. Cockburn averaged 27.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.0 steal, 1.0 block, and 0.5 assists per game last week, highlighted by a 37-point effort in an 80-67 win over No. 11 Wisconsin, tying the season high for most points in a Big Ten game.
• Nebraska guard Bryce McGowens was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday. McGowens averaged 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 assist last week, including 24 points against Michigan, his fourth consecutive game scoring at least 20 points.
THE 2025 INDIANA FOOTBALL DIGEST HONOR ROLL – SECTIONAL SEMIFINALS
ON THE LOOSE (Top running performances) Knox’s Myles McLaughlin carried the ball 54 times for 410 yards with six touchdowns and threw a 37-yard strike for a seventh score in the Redskins’ 50-35 win over Griffith. He now has 11,006 yards for his career and is the...