Big Ten power rankings: Michigan surges to the top

5. Illinois (2-0)

The Illini didn’t hold anything back as they won both of their opening week games by 43 points or more. Kylan Boswell has emerged as the go-to scorer. But freshman David Mirkovic is proving to be a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the floor. We will see what Illinois is made of on Veterans Day with their clash with the top 10-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders.

6. Wisconsin (2-0)

John Blackwell is nothing short of special. The Badgers are certainly on pace to be a team to be reckoned with in the Big Ten. They took a huge step in the right direction by reaching over 95 points in both of their games thus far. Blackwell might have a fun running mate with Nick Boyd, who had 25 points against Northern Illinois.

7. Indiana (2-0)

Coach Darian DeVries has the Hoosiers flying high after their massive win over Marquette this past weekend. It was a statement win for the program and the Hoosier fans. Not to mention they made 12 three pointers in the 100-77 victory in Chicago. Is Indiana back?

8. Iowa (2-0)

Bennett Stirtz isn’t going to go quiet much this season. That has been the story for Iowa thus far. After the Hawkeyes’ 101-69 win against Robert Morris — which saw Stirtz score 19 points — he followed it up with 25 points in a 77-58 win against Western Illinois, a game that saw Stirtz play all 40 minutes. He’s shown he can handle playing in a bigger league thus far. He will have to lead the Hawkeyes to a big game with Xavier coming into Carver-Hawkeye Arena this week.

9. Ohio State (2-0)

After a combined 220 points were scored in the Buckeyes’ opener against IU Indy, Bruce Thornton settled things down as Ohio State beat Purdue Fort Wayne 94-68. His 38 points were an impressive night for the senior guard. App State (Nov. 11) and Notre Dame (Nov. 16) visit Columbus this week.

10. Oregon (2-0)

The Ducks need Jackson Shelstad to stay healthy. They came all so close to an awful loss in the season opener, as a last-second basket by Takai Simpkins helped Oregon escape defeat against Hawaii, 60-59. They looked far better against Rice, 67-63, but it was still too close for comfort. The Ducks could continue to slip in the Big Ten power rankings the longer Shelstad is limited.

11. Nebraska (2-0)

Nothing too exciting for Nebraska yet. But winning games is important. Let’s see what they can do against Oklahoma this week.

12. USC (2-0)

It’s still early to say the Trojans are in contention in the Big Ten. But with the talent they have, they could sneak up on some teams. The best thing for USC is that they are winning games—soundly at that.

13. Minnesota (2-0)

Niko Medved’s crew is off to a flying start. Cade Tyson has proven to be a heck of a scorer for the Gophers. Not to mention Jaylen Crocker-Johnson might be a double-double machine. A road trip to Missouri might make or break this group.

14. Northwestern (2-0)

Still too early to say if the Wildcats are real or not. The early schedule doesn’t have much for them to prove themselves. But they are holding steady after a 2-0 start to the season.

15. Washington (2-1)

This is the team that many thought could surprise in the Big Ten, myself included. Falling short in Waco against Baylor hurts, but the Huskies still have plenty ahead of them. Including a rivalry clash with Washington State. Learn the name Hannes Steinbach quickly.

16. Maryland (1-1)

Losing at home to Georgetown is disappointing for this Terrapins team. Coach Buzz Williams will have to go back to the drawing board moving forward. The room for error isn’t great.

17. Rutgers (1-0)

The non-conference schedule is manageable through the first several weeks for Rutgers. But can this team actually compete once it ramps up?

18. Penn State (2-0)

Great start for the Nittany Lions. However, the opponents aren’t bringing down the house. Navy and LaSalle come into Bryce Jordan this week. Can Penn State keep winning, or are they going to keep a hold on the final spot in the Big Ten power rankings for a while?