Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 1

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The 2026 college football season continues to pick up steam as Week 2 looms. Wisconsin became the second team in the Big Ten to lose a game after being blown out by No. 3 Notre Dame, while Michigan State, Washington and Michigan eked out gritty wins. As conference play approaches and key non-conference games appear on the horizon, InsideNU updated its Big Ten power rankings.

1. Ohio State (AP No. 1, Coaches No. 1)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 1

Ohio State looked like the best team in the nation during their 56-3 win over Ball State. Led by a monster Jeremiah Smith performance (eight receptions, 151 yards, two touchdowns in one half), the Buckeyes consistently moved the chains on offense, finding yardage through the air and on the ground. They also silenced the Cardinals offense, holding them to just 165 scrimmage yards. They look dominant but have to go through a top-five team in Texas on Saturday.

2. Indiana (AP No. 5, Coaches No. 5)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 3

A dominant 52-16 win over North Texas, led by quarterback Josh Hoover’s four passing touchdowns, helped Indiana move up to 1-0 as they seek to defend their national championship. The Hoosiers were extremely efficient on offense, scoring on eight of their nine offensive possessions. Despite losing starting cornerbacks A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe to injury, Indiana is in good shape going into its nonconference matchup against Howard.

3. Oregon (AP No. 6, Coaches No. 6)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 2

Oregon fell four spots in the AP Top 25 after a frustrating weekend game against Boise State. Even though Boise State is considered one of the best Group of 5 teams and a candidate to make the College Football Playoff, Oregon made a number of missteps on Saturday. They looked the shakiest out of the top 10, incurring unnecessary, costly penalties while struggling with a leaky red zone defense and an initially sluggish offense. Despite Dante Moore’s strong play (378 passing yards, three touchdowns), it took an explosive second half to beat the Broncos 34-27. Oregon can rebound from its shaky win with a bounce-back victory against a disappointing Oklahoma State team.

4. USC (AP No. 14, Coaches No. 14)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 4

USC beat San Jose State 42-26 in Week Zero before returning to action on Saturday to shut out Fresno State 39-0. The Trojans haven’t put a foot wrong throughout their first two appearances, pairing an explosive Jayden Maiava-led offense with great defensive outings. Their 116 total yards conceded against Fresno State is the least they’ve allowed since 2008. The Trojans are holding steady in the AP Top 25 Poll, but another encouraging showing in Week 2 against Louisiana could help them inch their way toward the top 10.

5. Penn State (AP No. 16, Coaches No. 16)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 7

Penn State easily handled Group of 5 opponent Marshall, shutting them out in a 45-0 home victory. Rocco Becht threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns as the Nittany Lions tallied 17 unanswered first-quarter points. Becht and Penn State look very strong, but their dominance should be expected against one of the more mediocre teams in the FBS. Penn State gains ground here after missteps from Washington and Michigan. They’ll face two more G5 teams, Temple and Toledo, at home before beginning conference play against Wisconsin.

6. Washington (AP No. 19, Coaches No. 19)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 5

Although it was ugly, Washington beat its intrastate rival, Washington State, in a 24-10 victory in Week 1. The Huskies’ defense rendered the Cougars clueless, holding them to zero third-down conversions on 11 attempts. What was less exciting was Washington’s offense, which remained stagnant throughout the game. The Huskies struggled to get rhythm throughout the game, especially with Washington losing its top two running backs, Quaid Carr and Jayden Limar, to injury. The Huskies struggled too much to chalk Saturday’s win as comfortable or truly exciting. Washington slipped two spots in the AP Top 25 poll because of these worries, and they’ll need to lean on strong quarterback play from Demond Williams Jr. to fix them. Washington will face Utah State, which lost 29-17 to FCS opponent Idaho State, in Week 2.

7. Iowa (AP No. 21, Coaches No. 21)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 8

Iowa shut out FCS side Northern Illinois in a dominant 40-0 victory, led by a 183-yard, two-touchdown game from running back Kamari Moulton. Led by an elite defense and a deep offensive line, Iowa remains one of the forces to reckon with in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes will face Iowa State on Saturday for the Cy-Hawk Trophy in Week 2. Although Iowa is ranked and Iowa State is facing a down year, this intrastate rivalry is the type of game you throw out the record books for.

8. Michigan (Coaches No. 24)

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 6

It goes without saying that Bryce Underwood and Michigan struggled mightily against Western Michigan. The Wolverines managed just 13 points, six of which came through a controversial call that put a second of game time on the clock after a failed Hail Mary attempt. Underwood had arguably his worst performance in a Michigan uniform on Saturday. Pro Football Focus charted Underwood for five turnover-worthy plays, including an interception and a lost fumble with less than two minutes to go. Michigan has several issues — a porous offensive line and a weak run game among the most prominent — but they have to address their quarterback issue first. They looked woeful, to say the least. They’ll need to get back on track with a win against No. 11 Oklahoma on Saturday.

9. Northwestern

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 9 (tie)

The Wildcats did well to fend off South Dakota State in their 34-18 victory, but their performance wasn’t convincing. Between the huge opening drive led by Aidan Chiles and the 80-yard rushing touchdown by Joseph Himon II, scattered but glaring moments of offensive complacency surfaced. Penalties and third-down struggles kept Northwestern in a real grind with the Jackrabbits. They need a win against Colorado, fresh off a nail-biter victory over Georgia Tech, to keep their ground in the highly competitive Big Ten. Until then, they remain solidly in the middle of the conference pack.

10. Nebraska

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 9 (tie)

Ohio led Nebraska for a significant portion of the game before Nebraska rode a 35-point surge to beat the Bobcats 49-21. Running back Jamal Rule tallied 169 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries and two receptions, while UNLV transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea tossed for 275 yards. Despite those bright spots, their win was far from convincing, as they have defensive worries and miscues when it comes to penalties to deal with. They should get back to their best in a Week 2 game against Bowling Green.

11. Illinois

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 11

Katin Houser’s four all-purpose touchdowns pushed Illinois past UAB in a 42-23 Week 1 victory. Houser’s offensive dominance helped mask a defense that struggled to make tackles and adapt to a new defensive scheme. Illinois had its fair share of concerns as the Fighting Illini conceded 413 total yards and lost experienced guard Brandon Henderson to a leg injury. They travel to Durham to face Duke, which eked out a 17-3 win over Tulane on Saturday.

12. UCLA

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 13

UCLA convincingly beat Cal 45-24 off a 21-point surge in the final quarter. Anthony Woods ran for two scores and 118 yards on just eight carries as the Bruins dominated on the ground, grinding out six total touchdowns from their rushing game. A 21-point win against a Power Four team is an exciting way to start the season, even if that win came with Nico Iamaleava’s accuracy struggles and a struggle to contain Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. New coach Bob Chesney starts the season with real momentum as they face San Diego State and Purdue at home before traveling to College Park to face Maryland, where the Bruins could easily end up undefeated.

13. Minnesota

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 12

The Golden Gophers dismantled FCS side Eastern Illinois 59-7 behind strong quarterback play from Drake Lindsey and a pair of punt return touchdowns from Javon Tracy. Minnesota did its job by taking down a far weaker FCS side, and Lindsey looked excitingly accurate and poised under center. It’s hard to say what Lindsey and the Golden Gophers can do against conference opponents, but we’ll learn a little more when they host Mississippi State in Week 2.

14. Wisconsin

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 14

Wisconsin kept No. 3 Notre Dame on its toes for a surprising amount of its Week 1 loss. Colton Joseph’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Coleman helped the Badgers tie the game up 10-10 in the second frame. After some buffering, Notre Dame eventually powered its way past the Badgers, outscoring Wisconsin 28-3 in the second half en route to a 41-13 blowout win. Wisconsin showed flashes of genuinely troubling the Fighting Irish, but multiple preventable mistakes, like a 55-yard pick-six and a muffed kickoff return that gave Notre Dame possession at Wisconsin’s 13-yard line, kept the Badgers from truly competing with Notre Dame. They’ll face an easier opponent on Saturday against FCS opponent Western Illinois.

15. Maryland

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 15

Maryland took care of business against FCS opponent Hampton, routing them 62-0 to stretch their non-conference winning streak to 19 games. Despite quarterback Malik Washington’s struggles with accuracy, Maryland leaned on an explosive run game to generate 646 total yards. Maryland will travel to Storrs to play UConn in Week 2, where we’ll learn more about what Maryland’s offense is capable of doing against FBS-level teams.

16. Michigan State

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 16

The Spartans looked mortal in Saturday’s 30-20 win over Toledo. The Spartans needed a late 11-point rally in the final frame to overtake them. Despite leading by 12 at halftime, Michigan State’s offense stalled significantly, allowing Toledo to mount a comeback. Rockets running back Connor Walendzak slashed through the Spartan defense with 13:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. Spartan quarterback Alessio Milivojevic’s touchdown throw to Rodney Bullard Jr. helped them regain the lead for good; Michigan State’s win was far from promising. Michigan State will face Eastern Michigan, another Mid-American Conference team, before traveling to face a top-three Notre Dame squad.

17. Purdue

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 18

Thanks to a strong outing from Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne (317 passing yards, three touchdowns), Purdue easily dismantled FCS team Indiana State in a 44-19 victory. The Boilermakers still weigh in as one of the worst teams in the conference on paper, but Saturday’s outing was encouraging. They looked their best in the second half, and FAU transfer wide receiver Asaad Waseem’s six-reception, 107-yard debut will give Purdue some hope going into a tricky patch of their schedule. They’ll face Wake Forest on Saturday before facing UCLA and Notre Dame in the month of September.

18. Rutgers

InsideNU Preseason Ranking: 17

Rutgers football suffered one of the worst losses in its modern history during Week 0 when UMass, nearly two years removed from its last win, dominated Rutgers in a 37-21 victory. Despite KJ Duff’s 196-yard, three-touchdown performance, Rutgers’ offense stalled in the first half, where they came away with just one touchdown. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan tossed three interceptions to two touchdowns before exiting the game with an injury, and AJ Surace will take his place in Friday’s game against Boston College. The Scarlet Knights land squarely in the cellar of Big Ten football with their Week 0 defeat.

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