Week 1 Big Ten Power Rankings

# 1- Ohio State Buckeyes

This one should be self-explanatory, as they are the defending national champions and certainly looked like it on Saturday against the Texas Longhorns. There still might be some concerns on the offensive side of the ball with new quarterback Julian Sayin, but they still have Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. Plus, their defense looks exceptional and had Arch Manning looking lost all day on Saturday. This year is starting to look like a repeat of last year, except hopefully for Buckeye fans, there is also a Big Ten championship alongside the national title this season.

#2- Penn State Nittany Lions

Drew Allar’s return for his senior season certainly appears to be a boost for the Penn State offense. Their run game left a lot to be desired on Saturday, but the offense overall looked the part of a contender. On the defensive side, they allowed only 203 yards and forced three turnovers. If the defense continues at that clip, it will be a happy season in Happy Valley.

#3- Oregon Ducks

The Ducks came out on Saturday and did precisely what they needed to do. Their passing game, with Dante Moore at the helm, looked promising, the run game amassed 253 yards, even with every running back on the depth chart being utilized, and the defense only allowed 13 points, albeit against an FCS opponent in Montana State. Overall, everything went exactly as planned for the Ducks with no huge surprises.

#4- Illinois Fighting Illini

This is the potential dark horse team in the Big Ten this year. Luke Altmeyer looked great on Friday for the Illini with three touchdowns and 217 yards on just 21 attempts, 17 of which were completed. There is also the emergence of a two-headed monster in the run game with Aidan Laughery and Kaden Feagin, who combined for 175 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The defense also looked impressive, only allowing 163 yards to Western Illinois’ offense. There is a lot to like this season for the Illini.

#5- Michigan Wolverines

It was a little dicey at times on Saturday against New Mexico, but Michigan found a way to put the game away late. Bryce Underwood looked decent in his college debut with 251 yards and one touchdown. The real star in the making is going to be Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, who rushed for 159 yards and three touchdowns. The defense was “meh” for most of the evening, even though they did force three interceptions. We’ll know more about this Wolverines team’s potential after next week’s game against Oklahoma.

#6- USC Trojans

This was the biggest positive surprise of the weekend in the Big Ten. The Trojans looked like a legit contender this weekend and played great on both sides of the ball. Keep an eye on Jayden Maiava this season, who seems primed for a breakout with a 295-yard and two touchdown performance on Saturday. Lincoln Riley might finally have the team he’s been looking for at USC.

Tier Two: Good Teams With Some Flaws

#7- Indiana Hoosiers

Bold prediction: The Hoosiers will not finish the season ranked. As equally surprising as USC playing great was how bad Indiana looked. California transfer Fernando Mendoza was less than impressive, with zero touchdowns and a completion percentage of just over 50%. Their pass defense was good, but their run defense was atrocious, allowing 9.5 yards per rush. There’s a lot to fix for week two at Indiana if they want to be competitive in the Big Ten this year.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

New year, same Hawkeyes. Great defense, solid running, non-existent passing game. The only thing less exciting than watching Iowa play football is watching paint dry. It’s got the job done over the years, though, and more than likely will this year once again. Just don’t expect many fireworks from Iowa this year.

9. Minnesota Golden Gophers

PJ Fleck might have a Quarterback in Drake Lindsey. The Freshman threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Couple that with Darius Taylor on the ground and a really solid-looking defense, and this Golden Gophers team could be one team in the Big Ten to watch as a sleeper.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska continues to be disappointing. Dylan Raiola is an incredibly talented Quarterback, two touchdowns on Thursday night, but it seems that Nebraska can never get over the hump. Maybe this year will be different, but Thursday night’s performance versus Cincinnati left a lot to be desired.

Tier 3: Might Make A Bowl Game

11. Maryland Terrapins

Malik Washington looked impressive with a three-touchdown performance. Other than that, nothing much to elaborate on with the Terrapins. The defense recorded six interceptions, which is a plus. Yeah, there’s really not much to say about Maryland.

12. Wisconsin Badgers

Losing Billy Edwards Jr. sucks, and the rush game looked average at best Friday night. The defense looks good again, but that won’t be enough without some offensive spark. Could be another disappointing season in the Luke Fickell era.

13. Michigan State Spartans

Aidan Chiles and Makhi Frazier both offer promise for the offense, and the defense looked impressive. Just not ready to be contenders with the rest of the Big Ten. Wouldn’t be shocked to see them make a bowl game, though.

14. Washington Huskies

Very similar to Michigan State. Much improved with Demond Williams Jr and Jonah Coleman both looking impressive, but they don’t have the defense that Michigan State has. Might make a bowl game, but not going to contend for the Big Ten title.

Tier 4: Everyone Else

15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

They had a horrible defense, and they were fortunate to find a way to win. Athan Kaliakmanis, along with receivers Ian Strong and DT Sheffield, will provide a small silver lining this week.

16. Purdue Boilermakers

Defense and offense both looked improved from last year. Plus, Ryan Browne looked good under center, and Arhmad Branch was second in receiving yards. Still, not expecting much from the Boilermakers this year in the Big Ten.

17. UCLA Bruins

Year two in the Big Ten will be worse than year one. This defense is atrocious, the offensive line is non-existent, and Nico Iamaleava is still missing targets. It will not be a sunny year in Los Angeles for the Bruins.

18. Northwestern Wildcats

There’s nothing to say here, except that at least their players will be getting a good degree. What happened on the football field was anything but good.

End Of My Big Ten Rant

It looks like the College Football Playoff Championship may once again run through the Big Ten. It was a solid showing for the conference in week one, and it looks to be a solid season in the making. We will see if we have any big surprises in week two.