Once again, Ohio State and the Big Ten continue to perform at an extremely high level when it comes to the NCAA’s academic progress rate. The Buckeyes once again led the way in the multi-year APR in the conference, and were one of just two programs to have a perfect APR score over multiple years.
First, some housecleaning on how the NCAA defines APR:
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“The APR, or Academic Progress Rate, holds institutions accountable for the academic progress of their student-athletes through a team-based metric that accounts for the eligibility and retention of each student-athlete for each academic term.”
And if you care about how the sausage is made, here’s how APR scores are calculated:
Each student-athlete receiving athletically related financial aid earns one point for staying in school and one point for being academically eligible.
A team’s total points are divided by points possible and then multiplied by 1,000 to equal the team’s Academic Progress Rate.
In addition to a team’s current-year APR, its rolling four-year APR is also used to determine accountability.
Though it doesn’t happen very often, there are real consequences to programs not performing well with APR scores. In fact, programs must maintain an average APR of 930 to compete in postseason play. We’ve seen teams be ineligible before because of not meeting that standard, and the APR score has been the tiebreaker in receiving lower-level bowl invites when there aren’t enough teams with at least six wins.
Recently, the NCAA released a new four-year composite, which includes the 2024-25 school year. Below is the official 18-team ranking for the Big Ten, and also a comparison of how each team did compared to last year’s rankings. Beat your Scarlet and Gray chest Ohio State fans.
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Aug 30, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterbacks Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) and Drew Allar (15) share a moment together following the competition of the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Nevada 46-9. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 957
2025 APR: 947 (No. 17)
It was an underachieving year on the field for Penn State last year, but it clearly has work to do in the classroom as well when it comes to matching the rest of the Big Ten. We are … last place.
No. 17 – Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) receives the snap Nov. 8, 2025 during a Big Ten Football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
2026 APR Score: 958
2025 APR: 946 (No. 17)
All that Nike money can’t buy elite success in the classroom, apparently. C’mon, Oregon … Just do it!
No. 16 – Maryland Terrapins
Nov 22, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley walks the sidelines during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins t SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 960
2025 APR: 962 (No. 16)
The Terrapins are stuck in neutral and have seemingly gone into their shells with any kind of progress in APR.
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No. 15 – UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins take the field for warm-ups before the NCAA college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
2026 APR Score: 961
2025 APR: 967 (No. 15)
UCLA is still searching for the necessary competitive level in the Big Ten, and it has yet to get anything “Bruin” in regards to an improved APR either.
No. 14 – Michigan State Spartans
Sep 28, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) is tackled by Michigan State Spartans in the first half at Spartan Stadium on Saturday.
2026 APR Score: 967
2025 APR: 968 (No. 14)
Michigan State improved by just one point and is still much closer to the bottom of these rankings than the top. It’s anything but a Spartan effort, but we’ll see what kind of impact new head coach Pat Fitzgerald has.
No. 13 – Purdue Boilermakers
Nov 8, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Barry Odom looks on during the third quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 968
2025 APR: 972 (No. 12)
To be fair, it’s hard to do well in these APR rankings with a lack of continuity in the coaching staff, and that’s what we saw in West Lafayette. Purdue just Purd-didn’t here.
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No. 12 – Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema motions during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
2026 APR Score: 973
2025 APR: 971 (No. 13)
Much like on the field, the Illini are showing progress in the classroom, too. However, with the academic profile of Illinois, you would expect a little better showing with APR. I-L-L, A-P-R.
No. 11 – Washington Huskies
The Washington Huskies take the field prior to the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Husky Stadium in Seattle on Sept. 27, 2025.
2026 APR Score: 977
2025 APR: 978 (No. 8 – tie)
A slight, one-point increase, but a drop when compared to other programs and an institution that again, should probably be doing better because of the high academic expectations. Washington should be Jedd Fisching for more in the upcoming years.
No. 10 – USC Trojans
Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) talks with Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 978
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2025 APR: 976 (No. 10 – tie)
Lincoln Riley is still trying to find the right culture and players to have USC be a title contender in the Big Ten, and there’s still some work to do in order to get back on the Trojan horse with the APR rating as well.
No. 9 – Nebraska Cornhuskers
Dec 31, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule gestures against the Utah Utes in the first half during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 979
2025 APR: 976 (No. 10 – tie)
This part of the rankings is a lot like watching youth soccer. Everyone is around the ball, clustered together, and Nebraska is as corny as the rest of the middle of the pack.
Nov 22, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Greg Schiano celebrates with Rutgers Scarlet Knights defensive back Jacobie Henderson (10) (obscured) against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the second quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 982
2025 APR: 978 (No. 8 – tie)
We have a lot of respect for head coach Greg Schiano here on Buckeyes Wire, and he does pretty well in the classroom as well. There’s room for improvement to be sure, but if they keep chopping wood like he wants, eventually, maybe Rutgers will break through.
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No. 8 (tie) – Indiana Hoosiers
Nov 28, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the third quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 982
2025 APR: 982 (No. 6 – tie)
Not only has Indiana gotten better in the game of American football, but the Big Ten has shown improvement in APR, so the Hoosiers dropped a little in the rankings despite performing the same. Something tells me nobody in Bloomington cares, as they are still living in a dream state.
No. 6 – Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell is shown during their game Friday, August 30, 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Western Michigan 28-14.
2026 APR Score: 987
2025 APR: 991 (No. 5 – tie)
It wasn’t a great year on the field for Wisconsin over the last two years, and they are pretty proud of their academics in Madison. If Luke Fickell doesn’t start showing progress in either area, he might be badgered right out of town.
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No. 5 – Iowa Hawkeyes
Dec 31, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz reacts after beating the Vanderbilt Commodores in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 992
2025 APR: 982 (No. 6 – tie)
Iowa may have settled for just being a pretty good football program over the last three decades, but Kirk Ferentz and the program have the eye of a hawk when it comes to a ten-point improvement in the APR score. Well done.
No. 4 – Northwestern Wildcats
Aug 30, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Preston Stone (8) passes against Tulane Green Wave during the second half at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
2026 APR Score: 993
2025 APR: 993 (No. 3)
Look, this is a really good score, but is anyone else surprised that the academic school in the Big Ten isn’t first in APR scores? Maybe the Wildcats do more with less on the field and less with more in the classroom?
No. 3 – Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck reacts in the first half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.
2026 APR Score: 995
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2025 APR: 992 (No. 4)
P.J. Fleck doesn’t get enough credit for what he has done in Minneapolis with the program on the field. But he’s not just doing good things there; he has the program just five points away from a perfect score. All that rowing of the boat has this program on solid footing, the best it has been consistently for a long, long time.
No. 2 – Michigan Wolverines
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 28: Kyle Whittingham speaks at a news conference introducing him as the new Michigan Wolverines head football coach at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on December 28, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Dustin Markland/Getty Images)
2026 APR Score: 996
2025 APR: 996 (No. 2)
An almost perfect score is nothing to sneeze at in Ann Arbor, but as haughty as Michigan fans are about their academics, it has to make their egos Maize and Blue to lose to Ohio State on the field and then inside the classroom with APR scores. Neener neener.
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Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to players on the sideline during a timeout in the first half of the NCAA football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Oct. 11, 2025.
2026 APR Score: 1000
2025 APR: 1000 (No. 1)
What Ohio State is doing on and off the field doesn’t get enough publicity. To be able to win at the rate the Buckeyes are on the field, all while being just one of two programs to have a perfect multi-year APR score, is hard to believe. Yes, Ryan Day and the ‘eyes truly have it right now.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State again leads ranking of all Big Ten football programs in APR