Big Ten Roundup (Sept. 4): Week 1 Big Ten Football Power Rankings

Week 1 of the Big Ten football season is in the books. After each week this season, we'll be publishing a new set of power rankings, letting you know who is a top dog in the conference, and who is bringing up the rear. From Michigan to Northwestern, here's everything you need to know about 2023 Big Ten football after the first round of games.

Daniel Olinger | Sep 4, 2023

Big Ten Roundup (Sept. 4): Week 1 Big Ten Football Power Rankings /

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Rutgers defeated Northwestern 24-7 on Sunday afternoon, which officially wrapped up the Week 1 slate in the Big Ten.

Some teams like Michigan and Wisconsin cruised to remarkably easy wins over inferior competition. Some teams like Purdue and Illinois were caught in dog fights with top tier Group of 5 squads. And some teams like Northwestern are just really bad.

Following each week of Big Ten football, I'll publish a new set of power rankings, letting you know who should hold top status in the conference, and who is rounding out the bottom.

Here's everything you need to know in today's Big Ten Roundup:

1. Michigan (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 30-3 Vs East Carolina

Week 2 Matchup: Vs UNLV

The shirts and pre-snap tribute to coach Jim Harbaugh, who lest we forget is currently serving a self-imposed three-game suspension from Michigan, were really, really stupid. But there's also no denying that Michigan currently has an incredible football team. J.J. McCarthy looked great, as did the defense, so nowhere for the Wolverines to be but No. 1 after the first week of football.

2. Ohio State (1-0, 1-0 B1G)

Week 1 Result: W, 23-3 @ Indiana

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Youngstown State

Many would argue Penn State deserves this spot, and that's certainly valid. The Buckeyes' offense was stuck in the mud in Bloomington, and Kyle McCord and Co. only converted two of 12 third down attempts in the game. But the Ohio State defense looked unbreakable on the road against a Big Ten opponent, and given Ryan Day's track record, the team will probably figure out its slow starting offense eventually.

3. Penn State (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 38-15 Vs West Virginia

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Delaware

A 23-point win over a Big 12 team looks mighty impressive until you remember a) Penn State was up just 14-7 at half, and b) that West Virginia team is bad. In my estimation, the real argument for the Nittany Lions surpassing the Buckeyes might be Drew Allar. The new quarterback looked stellar in his first start, throwing for 325 yards and three touchdowns.

4. Wisconsin (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 38-17 Vs Buffalo

Week 2 Matchup: @ Washington State

Air raid Wisconsin might take some time to get the wheels churning, as quarterback Tanner Mordecai threw for just 189 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his Badger debut. However, that's a solid Buffalo team that coach Luke Fickell's squad played, so some shaky reps are understandable, and not enough to bump Wisconsin off its perch as the West's best team.

5. Iowa (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 24-14 Vs Utah State

Week 2 Matchup: @ Iowa State

After two drives when Iowa led 14-0, it looked like the dreadful offense might have turned the corner. The Ferentz-coached offense then proceeded to do what it usually does for the rest of the game — punt and struggle to score points.

okay so Iowa might not have the best offense in the country pic.twitter.com/XzFlQurxqd
— Lucy Rohden (@lucy_rohden) September 2, 2023

Seems like Cade McNamara and Co. still have some things to work on.

6. Maryland (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 38-6 Vs Towson

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Charlotte

The least impactful Big Ten football game of Week 1. Maryland did what you're supposed to do against an FCS foe. Not much else to say here.

7. Illinois (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 30-28 Vs Toledo

Week 2 Matchup: @ Kansas

Why keep Illinois in the top half of the rankings despite very nearly losing to a Group of 5 team? Well it wasn't just any Group of 5 squad. It was a defending MAC champion in Toledo that returned its superstar quarterback in DeQuan Finn. The Rockets were one of the best teams that any Big Ten squad played in week 1.

Furthermore, while Illinois obviously needs to improve off its week 1 performance, quarterback Luke Altmyer showed some impressive stuff in his Big Ten debut. It's been a long time since there was a quarterback who could make throws like this in Champaign.

Only beating Toledo 30-28 is prob not as good as you wanted to see Illinois play in its season opener, but I can't remember the last time that team had a QB who could make a throw like this in a clutch point of the game. pic.twitter.com/RTKPMYpwKs
— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) September 3, 2023

8. Michigan State (1-0)

Week 1 Result: W, 31-7 Vs Central Michigan

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Richmond

The final score can't deceive us. We all saw on Friday night that coach Mel Tucker's team was trailing the Chippewas 7-3 nearing halftime. There's still a chance Michigan State has fixed some things in 2023, but it definitely looks like the Spartans are going to be pretty similar to what they were in 2022.

9. Purdue (0-1)

Week 1 Result: L, 35-39 Vs Fresno State

Week 2 Matchup: @ Virginia Tech

Losing a home game and season opener to a Mountain West team is very bad, but as I detailed in yesterday's roundup, that might have had more to do with Mikey Keene and Fresno State. The Bulldogs are an awesome Group of 5 squad, and one that could beat more Big Ten teams than just Purdue.

Coach Ryan Walters needs to figure out this defense, and Purdue might clearly be rebuilding after its great winning seasons of the last two years, but this is far from a bottom rung squad in the Big Ten.

10. Minnesota (1-0, 1-0 B1G)

Week 1 Result: W, 13-10 Vs Nebraska

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Eastern Michigan

A win is a win, but it felt much more like Nebraska just shot itself in the foot than Minnesota did anything impressive. It was a brutally ugly Thursday night game, and one that made both teams look pretty uninspiring altogether.

11. Nebraska (0-1, 0-1 B1G)

Week 1 Result: L, 10-13 Vs Minnesota

Week 2 Matchup: @ Colorado

As you can read in the above, Nebraska's offense looked very bad, and its fortune in these close games somehow got even worse. And things might get uglier as they're on the road again in week 2, and are traveling to take on one of their greatest historic rivals, who is just coming off arguably the most impressive win of week 1.

12. Rutgers (1-0, 1-0 B1G)

Week 1 Result: W, 24-7 Vs Northwestern

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Temple

Rutgers might actually deserve to be ranked way higher than this. It's just impossible to tell because that Northwestern team is so, so bad, that anyone who plays them this year will probably look a whole lot better. Great season opener for quarterback Gavin Wimsatt is notable, though.

13. Indiana (0-1, 0-1 B1G)

Week 1 Result: L, 3-23 Vs Ohio State

Week 2 Matchup: Vs Indiana State

My co-worker Jack Ankony and I have written several stories and recorded a podcast all saying essentially the same thing — the defense, offensive line and skill position players all looked pretty good for Indiana.

But if your quarterbacks look that bad, there's just no way you're going to win. If Indiana can figure out how to get a competent passing game, they'll shoot up the power rankings fast. If not, they're going to be stuck here at the bottom.

14. Northwestern (0-1, 0-1 B1G)

Week 1 Result: L, 7-24 @ Rutgers

Week 2 Matchup: Vs UTEP

It's not a great sign when you make the Rutgers offense look unstoppable in the first half and have your interim head coach begging fans to show up against UTEP next week.

By a wide margin, the worst team in the Big Ten resides in Evanston.