Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Summer Edition
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As summer begins, it’s really hard to not get excited about football. Yes, we all want to enjoy our barbecues, time off with kids, time outside and travel that comes with the season. At the same time, you start to get that itch to see the Michigan Wolverines take the field at the Big House, and for those counting, we’re under 80 days until Western Michigan.
In preparation, let’s rank each team in the Big Ten heading into the dog days of summer.
No. 18 – Purdue Boilermakers
The Barry Odom era got off to a rocky start after winning just two games last season. Odds are they will finish around that same mark again.
No. 17 – Michigan State Spartans
As the Pat Fiztgerald era begins in East Lansing, the Spartans are favored to win less than 4.5 games this year. The roster has been Frankensteined with transfers and there are a ton of questions heading into this season.
No. 16 – Rutgers Scarlet Knights
A new quarterback, only three offensive players that have more than 10 career catches to their name, and only two returning starters on the line make me question what the Scarlet Knights will show offensively this season. Greg Schiano brought in a new defensive coordinator, but I’m skeptical they will be bowl eligible.
No. 15 – Maryland Terrapins
Lots of excitement, and deservedly so, about quarterback Malik Washington in his second year as the starter. But some real flaws throughout the rest of the roster, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, could limit success.
No. 14 – Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin committed to Luke Fickell for 2026 and he picked up an interesting dual-threat quarterback from the portal in Colton Joseph. He’ll need to step up to Big Ten play fast for the Badgers, who have nowhere to go but up after scoring only 12.8 points per game last season.
No. 13 – Northwestern Wildcats
In all fairness, the Wildcats might finish worse than some of the teams below them. Their schedule this season is ridiculous, being the only Big Ten team to play all three of Oregon, Indiana and Ohio State on the road. But David Braun hired Chip Kelly as his new offensive coordinator and brought in former Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles from the portal.
No. 12- Nebraska Cornhuskers
Can Matt Rhule find a replacement for Dylan Raiola? The Huskers hope they have with UNLV transfer Anthony Coleandrea. But the real question lies on defense, where Nebraska is on its fourth defensive coordinator in five years.
No. 11 – Minnesota Golden Gophers
Some excitement exists for Minnesota this year. The Gophers killed it in the portal, earning some former blue chip receivers from the SEC to go with Darius Taylor out of the backfield. Will it be enough to keep the defense fresh? That’s the proven recipe for success under P.J. Fleck, but they haven’t had all wheels turning since 2020, the last time they had a top-50 offense.
No. 10 – Iowa Hawkeyes
Just like Minnesota, it’s about the offense in 2026 despite significant attrition on the defensive side of the ball. The Hawkeyes have the fewest returning players in the Big Ten, which could cause some skepticism. But Kirk Ferentz’s defense is almost always top-10 because of the way his teams play. They’ll continue to be a tough team to beat.
No. 9 – Illinois Fighting Illini
Another former Michigan State quarterback, Katin Houser, will be starting for a Big Ten team outside of East Lansing this season. He’s got big shoes to fill after the departure of Luke Altmeyer. There are some serious questions about returning experience on defense, but Bret Bielema has had pesky teams in Champaign. Expect this team to wins some games it shouldn’t.
No. 8 – UCLA Bruins
I’m really intrigued by UCLA, now coached by Bob Chesney, who brought several key players with him from James Madison. The highlight of that might be Wayne Knight, who rushed for more than 1,250 yards last season. UCLA could make a run in 2026.
No. 7 – Washington Huskies
If there is a sleeper team in the Big Ten, I think it’s either UCLA or Washington. There is a lot to like about the Huskies, as they had noticeable improvement defensively, kept quarterback Demond Williams Jr. and four starters on the offensive line. They host Penn State, Iowa and Indiana, with two tough road games at USC and Oregon. The time change stats for this conference are real, and if the Huskies can earn a few wins from that bunch, there’s room for a lot of optimism.
No. 6 – Penn State Nittany Lions
It’s so hard to tell what the Nittany Lions will be in 2026 after bringing the entire Iowa State football program with Matt Campbell. They have one of the easiest schedules in the conference, so they’ll likely make College Football Playoff noise. But I’m not sure their talent or resume will warrant enough for a spot, even if the Nittany Lions only have two losses to their name.
No. 5 – Michigan Wolverines
From Bryce Underwood, to John Henry Daley to Jordan Marshall and Andrew Marsh, this roster oozes with potential. But the Wolverines play a nasty schedule in 2026 and it’s the first year of new schemes under Kyle Whittingham. If things click, it could be grounds for a postseason appearance. If they don’t, I think the question is how quickly will it fall apart? A fascinating range of scenarios exist for Michigan.
No. 4 – USC Trojans
Jayden Maiava returns after being one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country in 2025, although several of his top receiving options moved on from the program. Can he continue to lead Lincoln Riley’s offense at the same pace? The Trojans have the top incoming high school recruiting class and have some exciting pieces on defense. This might be Riley’s best team in Los Angeles.
No. 3 – Ohio State Buckeyes
The trio at the top of the Big Ten is so tough to gauge, but I’m putting Ohio State here because of the risks I see. First, key contributors of the 2025 defense have departed. Then, there is the schedule — at Texas, at Iowa, at USC, at Indiana, and home vs Michigan and Oregon. There’s a real scenario where things unravel, even with guys like Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson. It’s no accident Ohio State’s O/U is set to 9.5 by many sportsbooks. It wouldn’t be shocking for them to drop a few, but with their schedule, they could still be in the CFP conversation as a three-loss team.
No. 2 – Indiana Hoosiers
You can’t underestimate Curt Cignetti, especially after last season. Despite losing Fernando Mendoza and a bunch of other top contributors, TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover comes in along with a myriad of stars from the portal. The Hoosiers have a five-week warm up before their first “real” test at Nebraska. That runway should allow one the best coaching staffs in the country the opportunity to get their guys warmed up. I like Indiana’s chances of being the top dog in the Big Ten again.
No. 1 – Oregon Ducks
I know I said what I said a moment ago about Indiana, but the Hoosiers wouldn’t play Oregon until the Big Ten Championship. I think top to bottom, the Ducks are the best team in the country, and they got even better by adding All-Big Ten safety Koi Perich. Quarterback Dante Moore returning was significant for an offense that boasts immense talent in the backfield and receiving corps. There is very little to not like about the Ducks and Nov. 7 at Ohio State could tell us all we need to know about their national championship chances in 2026.
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