Dec 15, 2025, 12:11 PM ET Four players from Ohio State Buckeyes are among 10 first-team picks from the Big Ten on the Associated Press All-America team released Monday, a group headed by repeat selection Caleb Downs of the Buckeyes and AP Player of the Year Fernando Mendoza of Indiana Hoosiers. The AP has named an All-America team every year since 1925, and Notre Dame's two first-team picks this season increased its all-time lead to 87.
The Big Ten title might have gone through the Week 10 meeting between the Penn State Nittany Lions' visit to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Instead, Penn State's season collapsed and it has fired James Franklin and the Lions lost their starting QB, Drew Allar, for the season. The Buckeyes have been unstoppable and largely unchallenged this season. QB Julian Sayin has been remarkably efficient, completing 80% of his passes with a 19-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
"Definitely bothers me," defensive lineman Kayden McDonald said. "If we want to be the best defense in the country, we can't let people score." As the midpoint of the 2025 season arrives, even the most dominant unit on the most dominant team is looking for areas to improve. This has largely been a season of imperfections and invalidated predictions. Don't stare directly at the preseason polls or you'll damage your eyes.
