Ranking all 18 Big Ten football teams from worst to first after spring practice
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Spring practice has wrapped across the Big Ten, and the picture heading into the 2026 college football season is coming into focus. The conference enters the fall riding three consecutive national championships from three different programs, and with Ohio State, Oregon, and defending champion Indiana each projecting as legitimate title contenders, the Big Ten’s grip on college football shows no sign of loosening.
Four new head coaches debut in conference play this fall, with Kyle Whittingham at Michigan, Matt Campbell at Penn State, Pat Fitzgerald at Michigan State, and Bob Chesney at UCLA each tasked with rebuilding programs that have underachieved in recent years.
The depth behind the top tier is as formidable as it has been since the conference expanded to 18 teams, with USC, Washington, and Iowa all capable of disrupting the pecking order on any given Saturday. With rosters largely set and the transfer portal window closed, here is how all 18 teams stack up entering the summer.
MORE: SEC football post-spring 2026 power rankings
18. PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
More than 1,000 days have passed since Purdue last won a Big Ten game, and nothing about the 2026 schedule suggests that changes anytime soon. A non-conference slate featuring Wake Forest and Notre Dame arrives before league play even begins.
The transfer portal overhaul continues, but winning in this conference requires more than roster movement and good intentions. Until the Boilermakers actually put wins on the board against Big Ten competition, the bottom rung is where they stay.
17. RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS
Wide receiver KJ Duff and running back Antwan Raymond give Greg Schiano two of the more productive skill players at their respective positions in the conference, and that duo alone keeps Rutgers relevant in conversations about the Big Ten’s middle tier.
The problem is everything around them. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is gone, and Dylan Lonergan inherits an offense with too many unresolved questions on both sides of the ball to project meaningful progress. A revenge spot against Boston College offers an early confidence boost, but the path through Big Ten play remains steep.
16. MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
Fifty-plus new faces populate the roster in East Lansing, and the task of fusing them into something coherent falls on a first-year staff still installing its identity. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic earned the starting job the hard way, completing 64 percent of his passes across nine appearances at the end of 2025, and spent the spring actively recruiting alongside his coaches.
Year 1 transitions in the Big Ten rarely go smoothly, and a September road trip to Notre Dame does nothing to ease the degree of difficulty. The defense controlled most of the Spring Showcase action, which offers some optimism, but this program is still very much a work in progress.
15. MARYLAND TERRAPINS
Accuracy issues plagued quarterback Malik Washington during the Spring Showcase, with errant throws sailing over targets and one spiked checkdown drawing the most attention. New offensive coordinator Clint Trickett wants Washington to use his legs more in 2026, and his connection with wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. flashed genuine promise throughout camp.
Freshman edge rusher Zion Elee drew consistent attention up front and could contribute immediately. The depth chart has real questions beyond the skill positions, and Washington’s consistency will ultimately determine how far this group goes.
14. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
The most significant offensive overhaul in Evanston in years centers on Chip Kelly’s arrival as offensive coordinator and transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles, who brings Big Ten experience after stints at Oregon State and Michigan State. Running backs Caleb Komolafe and Joseph Himon II return as the backbone of what figures to be a run-first attack.
Road trips to Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State loom as the schedule’s most punishing contests. Northwestern has the coaching infrastructure to be dangerous at home in the newly rebuilt Ryan Field, but surviving the back half of the conference slate is another matter entirely.
13. MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
P.J. Fleck’s ceiling in 2026 runs directly through quarterback Drake Lindsey, who looked composed and in command during spring sessions. Wide receivers Javon Tracy and Jalen Smith anchor the pass-catching corps, with portal addition Noah Jennings drawing consistent buzz as a legitimate third option. True freshman quarterback Owen Lansu turned heads in the spring game, going 5-of-7 for 110 yards and a touchdown, giving the Gophers some intriguing depth behind Lindsey.
The ground game remains a work in progress, which has been a familiar refrain in Minneapolis. Fleck has the talent to push toward the top half of the conference, but the offense needs to take a tangible step forward for that to happen.
12. WISCONSIN BADGERS
An aggressive offseason overhaul brought 34 transfers to Madison, headlined by quarterback Colton Joseph, the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year out of Old Dominion who figures to be the most athletic signal-caller the program has seen in years. Running back Abu Sama III arrived from Iowa State and flashed throughout spring with a combination of vision and physicality that fits Jeff Grimes’ wide-zone scheme.
The offensive line began to cohere over 15 practices, which matters for a unit that underwent significant turnover. There is genuine upside here, but the Badgers need the pieces to mesh quickly once fall camp opens.
11. UCLA BRUINS
A program-reset mandate brought Bob Chesney to Westwood after back-to-back seasons guiding James Madison to a 21-6 record and a College Football Playoff appearance. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava returns with something to prove after an underwhelming 2025 debut and emerged from spring as a more vocal, assertive leader under the new system. Edge rusher Sahir West was among the defensive standouts during spring sessions.
The offensive line remains unsettled heading into fall, which is the most pressing concern. Chesney has the tools to make UCLA relevant again in the Big Ten’s middle tier, but Year 1 transitions demand patience.
10. NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
Matt Rhule’s rebuild got a notable shot of confidence this spring with the arrival of quarterback Anthony Colandrea, the UNLV transfer and former Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, who brings 31 collegiate starts and the kind of swagger Lincoln has been missing. The spring game showed his dual-threat upside but also the turnover tendencies that shadowed him last season.
Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s tempo-based system fits Colandrea’s skill set, and the offensive line surrendered just one sack over the final spring scrimmage. Nebraska has legitimate momentum, but managing the gunslinger tendencies of its new quarterback will be the defining story of the fall.
9. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
Three years of stability under Luke Altmyer are over, and the Illini enter 2026 navigating that transition for the first time. Transfer quarterback Katin Houser, who threw for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns at East Carolina in 2025, won over his teammates quickly with a quick release and composed presence that drew praise from offensive lineman Christian Martin.
Houser brings a different dimension with his legs and his ability to exhaust defenses through his progressions. The schedule sets up favorably enough for Illinois to reach a bowl game, but how quickly Houser absorbs one of the most demanding offensive systems in college football remains the central question heading into fall.
8. IOWA HAWKEYES
One of the most pressing quarterback situations in years greets Kirk Ferentz as he enters his 28th season in Iowa City. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown spent the spring locked in a battle that offensive coordinator Tim Lester openly acknowledged could extend into the regular season. Wide receiver KJ Parker was the standout of the open spring practice, hauling in multiple contested deep balls and flashing the kind of game-breaking ability Iowa’s offense has lacked.
The defensive line is the other major concern after losing five productive linemen from last season’s 9-4 squad. Transfer defensive tackle Kahmari Brown from Elon showed well during spring and gives coordinator Phil Parker something to build around up front. Iowa almost always finds a way to be competitive, but the program needs answers at quarterback and along the defensive front before anyone can project a ceiling for 2026.
7. WASHINGTON HUSKIES
A drama-filled offseason that saw quarterback Demond Williams Jr. briefly enter the transfer portal before honoring his commitment sets the backdrop for what figures to be a pivotal third season under Jedd Fisch. Williams spent the spring building chemistry with a completely overhauled receiver room, with wide receiver Rashid Williams emerging as the most reliable option downfield.
The receiver depth remains the most pressing concern heading into fall, with Fisch openly acknowledging the offense needs players to step up at that spot. Defensive tackle Armon Parker, who missed two full seasons to knee injuries, flashed his potential this spring and projects as a key piece of Ryan Walters’ front. Washington has the talent to make noise in the standings if Williams builds on his sophomore breakthrough.
6. USC TROJANS
Coach Lincoln Riley enters Year 4 under mounting pressure to deliver a CFP appearance, and the spring gave him genuine reasons for optimism. Quarterback Jayden Maiava, who led the Big Ten in passing yards in 2025, had what Riley called a “fantastic” spring, showing improved ball security and a command of the offense the Trojans have long needed from their most important player. USC returns more starters than any team in the FBS and added the No. 1-ranked recruiting class, giving Riley his deepest roster since arriving in Los Angeles.
Linebacker Desman Stephens emerged as a defensive anchor, and the receiver group showed consistent energy throughout camp. The schedule is unforgiving, with road trips to Oregon and Indiana looming. If Maiava’s spring form carries into fall, this is the year Riley finally gets the Trojans into the playoff picture.
5. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Sophomore Bryce Underwood arrives at his second season with a new coaching staff, a team captaincy and the weight of a program trying to reclaim its place among the Big Ten’s elite. Kyle Whittingham was emphatic that Underwood’s modest spring game numbers understated his actual growth, pointing to improved footwork, mechanics, and decision-making as the real story.
The program is installing new schemes on both sides of the ball, and the offense looked vanilla by design during the spring game. Running back Jordan Marshall provides a proven ground option while the passing game develops around Underwood, and five-star freshman running back Savion Hiter flashed his potential throughout camp. The infrastructure Whittingham is building points clearly toward a program trending upward.
4. PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Head coach Matt Campbell’s first spring in Happy Valley generated genuine optimism despite a rain-soaked Blue-White practice with roughly 30 players limited or absent. Quarterback Rocco Becht, a fifth-year senior entering his fourth season as Campbell’s starter, moved well and threw better than expected given his injury recovery, with Campbell describing him as functioning like an offensive coordinator on the field. Ohio State transfer running back James Peoples and Iowa State transfer Carson Hansen gave the backfield early credibility.
The challenge is real. Campbell is simultaneously installing two new schemes and integrating 55 new players alongside 52 holdovers, with new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn also working to get his system entrenched. That said, the schedule sets up as well as a first-year staff could ask, with Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon all absent from the 2026 slate, giving Campbell a legitimate runway to make his mark in State College.
3. INDIANA HOOSIERS
Defending the national championship looks different than anything Curt Cignetti has faced in his head coaching career. Fernando Mendoza is gone to the NFL as the No. 1 overall pick, replaced by TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, who completed just 6 of 13 passes in the spring game. Cignetti is not worried, noting that both Kurtis Rourke and Mendoza looked unsteady in their own spring debuts before becoming stars.
Running backs Khobie Martin and Turbo Richard both flashed throughout camp, with Lee Beebe Jr. expected back from a knee injury to round out one of the deeper backfields in the conference. Indiana overhauled the roster significantly with 17 transfers and 19 early enrollees from the 2026 class, but Cignetti has earned every benefit of the doubt after going 27-2 over the past two seasons. How quickly Hoover absorbs one of the most demanding offensive systems in college football will determine whether the Hoosiers can defend their title.
2. OREGON DUCKS
Coach Dan Lanning has built Oregon into a perennial contender, and the 2026 spring gave every reason to believe the Ducks are positioned for another deep run.
Quarterback Dante Moore, who threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, turned down a projected top-five NFL Draft selection to return to Eugene with unfinished business after a brutal CFP semifinal loss to Indiana. Lanning pointed to Moore’s command and decision-making at the line of scrimmage as the most notable areas of growth this spring.
The debut of backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, the Nebraska transfer who connected with a returning Evan Stewart for a 76-yard touchdown in his first action as a Duck, was the most compelling subplot out of Eugene. Oregon’s defense recorded nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss in the spring game, with eight starters back on that side of the ball. The Ducks are the most credible threat to Ohio State’s grip on the conference.
1. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
The reigning Big Ten regular-season power enters 2026 still chasing its first conference title since 2020, and Ryan Day has the roster to finally end that drought. Quarterback Julian Sayin showed the dual-threat dimension the coaching staff has been developing, while sophomore Tavien St. Clair threw for 166 yards and connected with five-star freshman wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. for a 40-yard touchdown in the spring game, reinforcing why Ohio State may have the deepest quarterback room in the country.
Jeremiah Smith, widely considered the best player in college football, returns as the centerpiece of what figures to be one of the most dangerous offenses in the sport. The defense was the headliner on a rainy afternoon in Columbus, with North Carolina transfer linebacker Beau Atkinson collecting a sack and a tipped interception, and edge rusher Kenyatta Jackson Jr. delivering back-to-back sacks.
Cornerback Devin Sanchez held his own in one-on-one coverage against Smith, offering a glimpse of the next great Ohio State defensive back. Pass protection remains the one concern exiting spring. With home games against Oregon and Michigan on the schedule, 2026 looks to be the year the Buckeyes reclaim the conference throne.
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