Big Ten football power rankings ahead of fall camp
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Big Ten Media Days is now in the books and fall camp is right around the corner for each program. Most teams are going to be opening camp next week and the unofficial start of the college football season is underway.
With football in the air, it’s time to do a power rankings for the Big Ten Conference.
It’s worth noting this is not a prediction of how the teams are going to finish this season, but rather how the roster talent and coaching staffs stack up against one another.
18. Purdue Boilermakers
The Boilermakers haven’t won a Big Ten game since 2023 and until Purdue can find some answers, it’s going to be tough sledding. Barry Odom is entering his second season at the helm, and while he had success at UNLV, the Big Ten is a different animal.
Purdue gets Ryan Browne back at quarterback this season, but he has yet to show he’s the answer. Can the Boilermakers find a way to win a Big Ten game this season? That’s the question that needs to be asked first.
17. Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State made wholesale changes by firing Jonathan Smith and bringing in Pat Fitzgerald, the former Northwestern head coach. Fitzgerald will likely need a few years, but he should bring stability to the Spartans’ program after a few really poor seasons under Smith.
The Spartans bring back quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who replaced Aidan Chiles last year. MSU also went out and landed UConn running back Cam Edwards, who ran for over 1200 yards last year. But overall, the talent level just isn’t there yet for the Spartans to make any sort of run in the Big Ten.
16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The good thing going for Rutgers is that it has two All-Big Ten players in running back Antwan Raymond and wide receiver KJ Duff. But the Scarlet Knights need a quarterback, and Greg Schiano will likely be replacing Athan Kaliakmanis with Boston College transfer Dylan Longeran.
The Scarlet Knights made some moves via the transfer portal to beef up their defense, mostly looking at the Group of Five. Will that translate to Big Ten football? To be seen. Rutgers won’t be an easy out this season, but the Scarlet Knights are quite there yet to compete at a high level.
15. Maryland Terrapins
Maryland is an intriguing team this season, but Mike Locksley has won four games in back-to-back seasons. However, he has brought in some elite talent into College Park.
Rising sophomore Malik Washington is back for his second season after starting as a true freshman. Washington’s ceiling is sky high and Maryland’s defense has some playmakers. Linebacker Daniel Wingate is back to lead the defense, along with Zahir Mathis, and incoming five-star edge Zion Elee.
14. Northwestern Wildcats
We’ve come to learn that the Wildcats are going to be a scrappy team under David Braun. He has done more with less and he chose to make an interesting hire by adding Chip Kelly as the team’s offensive coordinator this season.
Northwestern returns star wide receiver Griffin Wilde this year. Former Michigan State and Oregon State quarterback Aidan Chiles will be throwing to him. The once highly-touted prospect was benched last season in East Lansing. The ‘Cats hope they resurrect Chiles’ career.
13. UCLA Bruins
Don’t look now, but the Bruins are trending upward. UCLA made the move to bring Bob Chesney from James Madison, after he took the Dukes to the College Football Playoff.
Coming to UCLA, he brought a plethora of players from JMU with him. Star running back Wayne Knight is now with the Bruins and will add great value to UCLA’s run game. Former five-star quarterback Nico Iamaleava is back for another season, too.
It’s going to take Chesney a year or two, but UCLA’s future is promising.
12. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Matt Rhule has yet to live up to expectations since taking over as the Nebraska head coach. The Huskers have won seven games in back-to-back seasons, and entering 2026, Nebraska lost prized quarterback Dylan Raiola to Oregon.
Raiola’s replacement is UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea, who is a scrambling threat. However, errors were costly during his time at Virginia. The Cornhuskers also lost start running back Emmett Johnson, who is now at the NFL.
Losing its top two stars won’t be easy to fix for Rhule, who needs to win this season.
11. Wisconsin Badgers
Another Big Ten head coach on the hot seat is Luke Fickell, but the Badgers built a $25 million roster this season and hope resides around Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph, who is a dual-threat signal-caller. Joseph was prolific at ODU, but once again, how does that translate to Big Ten football?
The Badgers’ defense should be sound once again this season. But, for Fickell, it’s dependent on how well the offense comes together this season.
10. Illinois Fighting Illini
Bret Bielema has done quite well with Illinois, leading the Illini to nine wins a season ago. Illinois lost some key veterans from last season, most notably quarterback Luke Altmyer. Former Michigan State and East Carolina signal caller Katin Houser takes the reigns and he will have some solid returners to throw the ball to.
Illinois’ top running backs return as well, but it’s the defense that is the question mark. Illinois hired Montana head coach Bobby Hauck to take over as defensive coordinator and there are a lot of new faces this season. It will be interesting how quickly the new unit gels.
MORE: Ranking every projected Big Ten starting QB in 2026
9. Minnesota Gophers
After a pair of eight-win seasons, Minnesota continues to gain buzz. PJ Fleck is a good coach, but he hasn’t been able to get the Gophers fully over the hump. Former freshman Drake Lindsey returns for his sophomore campaign after breaking several Minnesota freshmen records.
Lindsey struggled against the better teams in the Big Ten, and that will have to get corrected for Minnesota to get to where it wants to be. To help Lindsey, star running back Darius Taylor is also back for another season.
8. Iowa Hawkeyes
It’s hard to take Iowa overly serious this season, but the Hawkeyes are always a respectable team in the Big Ten. Once again, the run game and defense will be the staples of the team this season.
Iowa lost veteran Mark Gronowski to graduation and Kirk Ferentz is filling the void with two inexperienced gunslingers. It’s hard to believe Iowa’s passing attack will be very good this season, so the Hawkeyes are going to lean into their old, hard-nose ways.
7. Washington Huskies
Washington was an explosive football team last season with Demond Williams Jr. and Jonah Coleman in the backfield.
However, Coleman isn’t there any longer and star wide receiver Denzel Boston is gone. UW struggled to beat the good teams on the schedule with both of those players, so how well will the offense fare without them?
Washington’s defense is expected to be in the top-25 this season in Ryan Walter’s second season as defensive coordinator. Edge rusher Jacob Lane is back, among others, to lead the way.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions
After a top-five ranking to begin the season, the 2025 season was disastrous for Penn State. It resulted in James Franklin losing his job and it’s now the Matt Campbell era in State College.
Campbell led successful seasons for Iowa State and he brought plenty of players with him to PSU. Quarterback Rocco Becht, who was a 3,000-yard passer in the Big 12, will enter the season as the Nittany Lions’ gun-slinger.
The Nittany Lions’ defense should be good enough this season, but their success will be determined by how well the offense gels.
5. Michigan Wolverines
It’s also a new era in Ann Arbor with Kyle Whittingham taking over. Whittingham coached Utah for 21 seasons as its head coach and inherits a ton of talent at Michigan. Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood is back, but he will have to show signs of progression in Year 2.
With a pair of new coordinators, Michigan made wholesale changes entering this season. The Wolverines’ defense should be good under former BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill, but Michigan will only go as far as Underwood takes it.
4. USC Trojans
USC has yet to make a College Football Playoff and this is the year Lincoln Riley needs to make it happen. Riley gets prolific quarterback Jayden Maiava back for another season, along with running backs King Miller and Waymond Jordan.
USC re-tooled its defense this season, going out and landing long-time coach Gary Patterson to help the defense. The Trojans’ schedule isn’t easy, but with the amount of talent, it’s time for USC to show it can contend.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
Replacing Fernando Mendoza and Elijah Sarratt, among others, stings, but Curt Cignetti has proven he knows how to win — just Google him. He went out and landed one of the top passers in the Big 12, landing quarterback Josh Hoover to take over.
Hoover has an elite line, has wide receiver Charlie Becker, and landed Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh to throw to.
The Hoosiers have to gel together, but Indiana has the makings of another good roster.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
It’s always reload for a program like Ohio State. Not only do the Buckeyes get Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith back, but Ryan Day landed five-star receiver Chris Henry Jr., who will likely be the next great playmaker for the Buckeyes.
It will be interesting to see how Ohio State’s defense comes together; returning just two full-time starters from last year, new players will have to emerge. As we know, Ohio State recruits with the best of them, so there will be new stars emerging in Columbus.
1. Oregon Ducks
Oregon has yet to win the Big Ten since it came to the conference, but this is the year to do it. Dante Moore returns, and he could be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The Ducks has worked to make their defense better and Oregon has the playmakers for Moore on the offensive side of the football.
Oregon did lose both of its coordinators from last year, both going on to take head coaching jobs, but the talent is real in Eugene, and Oregon has a real chance to make big noise in 2026.
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