Big Ten Power Rankings updated after Week 1

The Big Ten Power Ranking after Week 1 are here courtesy of our On3 panel of experts. Just one week down? Boy that was a ride.

The top dogs Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State all got wins the first week, some looking more impressive than others. Perhaps these will be the top three all season long, but that’s why you play the game, to paraphrase the New York Jets version of Herm Edwards.

Below are the Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 1, as compiled by On3 experts.

1. Michigan (1-0)

Michigan made it look pretty easy with a 30-3 win over East Carolina. It was the first game without Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines, and they’ll have to do it two more times.

JJ McCarthy looked as good as advertised and Blake Corum was solid in his return from injury. How about the defense nearly pitching a shutout and Roman Wilson catching three touchdowns?

2. Ohio State (1-0)

The Buckeyes are still the second best team in the conference, but boy was the first game shaky. Of course, this is because Ohio State is expected to be nearly flawless all year long.

Kyle McCord was up and down in his debut as Ohio State quarterback, but at least the defense bogged down Indiana in a 23-3 win. It’s a conference win, so the Buckeyes will take it to open the year. But another team is hot on their tail.

3. Penn State (1-0)

That would be the Nittany Lions, who trounced West Virginia in Week 1. Now is WVU a top tier Big 12 team this year? Well no, not exactly. But Drew Allar looked impressive.

Penn State cruised to a 38-15 win on the back of Allar and Nick Singleton ran it 13 times for 70 yards and a score. Now that this team is developing in maturity, perhaps they can challenge the top two and soar up the rankings.

4. Wisconsin (1-0)

The Badgers got off on the right foot with a 38-17 win over Buffalo to open the season. That’s a decent start for the Luke Fickell era, although he didn’t seem so thrilled over the weekend.

The hard-nosed coach wants to bring Wisconsin back to the top fast. The run game with Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen is not one to be trifled with. Now if Tanner Mordecai can not throw two picks in a game, Wisconsin’s offense could be really dangerous.

5. Iowa (1-0)

Is that an offense we see for the Hawkeyes? In all seriousness, Cade McNamara was a revelation in Week 1 compared to the last few seasons in Iowa.

It wasn’t perfect by any means, since it was just a 24-10 win over Utah State. But he tossed two scores and running back Kaleb Johnson popped on into the end zone as well. As long as it improves week-to-week with this defense, a Big Ten title game appearance is in the cards.

6. Minnesota (1-0)

It was a tight one, but a good fourth quarter propelled PJ Fleck and the Gophers over Nebraska in Week 1, 13-10. It’s a conference game, so Minnesota deserves a little more credit in the opener despite the low scoring game.

On one hand, Minnesota’s defense forced three interceptions. But on the other hand, the Gophers didn’t take too much advantage of a lot of Husker mistakes. Athan Kaliakmanis threw 44 times and the run game never got going. Not a recipe for long term success for the Gophers.

7. Rutgers (1-0)

Rutgers opened its season with a Big Ten win, a rarity since the team joined the conference in 2014. In fact, the Scarlet Knights haven’t had a winning season since that inaugural year in the Big Ten.

Maybe this is the start of something different in Greg Schiano’s 4th year of his second stint. The defense looked dominant, albeit against a rebuilding Northwestern squad. Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt looked comfortable and made smart decisions, something that could save Rutgers in close and winnable games this season.

8. Maryland (1-0)

The Terrapins had Towson in Week 1, winning 38-6. By virtue of a conference win, Rutgers edged out Maryland this week, but that new-school Big Ten rivalry should be interesting if both teams continue at this trajectory.

The Terrapins arguably have the best quarterback in the conference, if you put Taulia Tagovailoa over JJ McCarthy. He tossed for 260 yards and three touchdowns, which is pretty much just another day at the office. Maryland could be a scary team this year down the line.

9. Michigan State (1-0)

Mel Tucker and company got off on the right foot with a 31-7 win over Central Michigan. It seems like the successful 2021 season was a lifetime ago based on the Spartans falling down last year.

Maybe the Spartans have a new answer at quarterback with Noah Kim. Not only that, Nathan Carter showed out at running back. Now if Jalen Berger could just really get it going, the Spartans could have a dangerous, wear-you-down-type of offense.

10. Illinois (1-0)

Bret Bielema and the Fighting Illini had to scrape and claw their way to a 30-28 win over Toledo. Despite being up 30-19 in the fourth quarter, Toledo made it a ball game.

It’s one game, so don’t put too much stock into it. Luke Altmyer had a decent game throwing: 211 yards, two touchdowns and one pick. The run game was also balanced. But an uneven fourth quarter like that might not bode well down the line.

11. Indiana (0-1)

Poor Hoosiers. The 23-3 loss to Ohio State had its positives, like limiting the Buckeyes offense. However, Indiana couldn’t get anything going offensively of its own.

The Hoosiers had less than 100 yards passing combined between Brendan Sorsby and Tayven Jackson and Christian Turner was the leading rusher with 29 yards off seven carries. Nothing went right on the opening Saturday of the season.

12. Nebraska (0-1)

As far as where Indiana and Nebraska fall in the bottom half of the rankings, the teams could be interchangeable. Both suffered a Big Ten loss in the opening game, but the Huskers had more chances in a winnable game.

It was a bad fourth quarter for Matt Rhule’s debut. And the fact that transfer quarterback Jeff Sims threw three interceptions isn’t a good sign. Guess what’s next? Colorado and Deion Sanders which suddenly looks like a pressured packed environment in Boulder.

13. Purdue (0-1)

Purdue dropped one to Fresno State, 39-35, so not the best start for the Ryan Walters era either. Getting outscored in the fourth quarter at home is not good.

Texas transfer Hudson Card looked solid at quarterback and the run game was there when needed. But Walters, a defensive coach, did not have the unit ready. Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene carved up the Boilermakers all night long.

14. Northwestern (0-1)

What else can we say about the Wildcats going into the 2023 season? The hazing scandal rocked the program and left Pat Fitzgerald without a job this year.

David Braun did all he could in a short time this summer, but the Wildcats’ offense was nearly shutout by Rutgers. Plus, the defense couldn’t get off the field on time consuming drives. It might be a really long season in Evanston.

With one week down in the Big Ten, you better buckle up for a long and exciting season. The top of the rankings get a lot of respect, but the teams in the middle might be able to make some noise.