The defending league champion was the 2016 Penn State Nittany Lions football team.
[2] Ohio State defeated Wisconsin, 27–21, in the 2017 Big Ten Football Championship Game.
Penn State defeated Wisconsin, 38–31, for the Big Ten Football Championship Game.
[12] Ohio State was defeated by eventual national champion Clemson, 0–31, in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs at the Fiesta Bowl.
Coaches Honorable Mention: ILLINOIS: Nick Allegretti, James Crawford, Jaylen Dunlap, Stanley Green; INDIANA: Chris Covington, Jonathan Crawford, J'Shun Harris, Wes Martin, Luke Timian, Ian Thomas, Haydon Whitehead; IOWA: Nathan Bazata, James Daniels, Anthony Nelson, Ben Niemann; MARYLAND: Derwin Gray, J. C. Jackson, Darnell Savage; MICHIGAN: Chris Evans, Tyree Kinnel, Mike McCray, Josh Metellus, Quinn Nordin, Brad Robbins; MICHIGAN STATE: Luke Campbell, David Dowell, Kevin Jarvis, Justin Layne, Brian Lewerke, L. J. Scott, Josiah Scott, Khari Willis; MINNESOTA: Thomas Barber, Emmitt Carpenter, Carter Coughlin, Tyler Johnson, Steven Richardson, Ryan Santoso, Rodney Smith; NEBRASKA: Drew Brown, Jerald Foster, Nick Gates, JD Spielman (WR, KR); NORTHWESTERN: Garrett Dickerson, Nate Hall, Charlie Kuhbander, Tyler Lancaster, Samdup Miller; OHIO STATE: Jerome Baker, Marcus Baugh, K. J. Hill, Jalyn Holmes, Damon Webb, Mike Weber, Chris Worley; PENN STATE: Christian Campbell, Curtis Cothran, Grant Haley, Juwan Johnson, Shareef Miller; PURDUE: Ja'Whaun Bentley, Danny Ezechukwu, Lorenzo Neal, David Steinmetz, Jacob Thieneman; RUTGERS: Tariq Cole, Gus Edwards, Kiy Hester, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Dorian Miller; WISCONSIN: Quintez Cephus, Ryan Connelly, Joe Ferguson, Alex Hornibrook, Leon Jacobs, Natrell Jamerson, Olive Sagapolu.
Media Honorable Mention: ILLINOIS: Nick Allegretti, Blake Hayes, Stanley Green; INDIANA: Chris Covington, Jonathan Crawford, Chase Dutra, J'Shun Harris, Wes Martin, Robert McCray, Luke Timian, Ian Thomas, Haydon Whitehead; IOWA: Nathan Bazata, James Daniels, Ben Niemann, Nate Stanley; MARYLAND: Antoine Brooks, Jermaine Carter, Derwin Gray, J. C. Jackson, Ty Johnson, Darnell Savage; MICHIGAN: Zach Gentry, Lavert Hill, Tyree Kinnel, Patrick Kugler, David Long, Mike McCray, Sean McKeon, Josh Metellus, Quinn Nordin, Donovan Peoples-Jones; MICHIGAN STATE: Luke Campbell, Matt Coghlin, Chris Frey, Jake Hartbarger, Kevin Jarvis, Justin Layne, Brian Lewerke, Mike Panasiuk, L. J. Scott, Raequan Williams, Khari Willis; MINNESOTA: Emmitt Carpenter, Carter Coughlin, Donnell Greene, Tyler Johnson, Steven Richardson, Ryan Santoso, Rodney Smith; NEBRASKA: Drew Brown, Jerald Foster, Nick Gates, De'Mornay Pierson-El, JD Spielman; NORTHWESTERN: Garrett Dickerson, Nate Hall, Charlie Kuhbander, Tyler Lancaster, Samdup Miller; OHIO STATE: Damon Arnette, Jerome Baker, Marcus Baugh, Johnnie Dixon, Jordan Fuller, K. J. Hill, Jalyn Holmes, Dre'Mont Jones, Mike Weber, Chris Worley; PENN STATE: Troy Apke, Jason Cabinda, Christian Campbell, Parker Cothren, Grant Haley, Juwan Johnson; PURDUE: Markus Bailey, Kirk Barron, Ja'Whaun Bentley, Danny Ezechukwu, Da'Wan Hunte, Lorenzo Neal, Josh Okonye, Gelen Robinson, Joe Schopper, David Steinmetz; RUTGERS: Tariq Cole, Damon Hayes, Kiy Hester, Dorian Miller, Trevor Morris; WISCONSIN: Quintez Cephus, Ryan Connelly, Joe Ferguson, Alex Hornibrook, Leon Jacobs, Natrell Jamerson, Olive Sagapolu, Derrick Tindal.
Currently, the NCAA compiles consensus all-America teams in the sports of Division I-FBS football and Division I men's basketball using a point system computed from All-America teams named by coaches associations or media sources.
Note: All stats current through January 1, 2018 * Tom Allen was hired to replace Kevin Wilson in December 2016 at Indiana and coached the Hoosiers in their 2016 bowl game.