Spartan Nation's 2022 Big Ten Power Rankings — Week 1

It's Game Week across the Big Ten Conference

While it wasn’t a full slate of games, we got our first taste of Big Ten football this past Saturday during ‘Week 0’, when Nebraska battled Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland and Illinois hosted Wyoming for their season-opener.

With the results of the ‘Week 0’ games, we update our Big Ten power rankings heading into Week 1 of the college football season.

To be clear, power rankings are going to be based on very short-term results and momentum. Heading into the 2022 season, these rankings do not reflect where I expect each Big Ten program to finish in the league standings. Instead, these early power rankings are mostly based on where teams finished a season ago and the offseason momentum they are carrying into 2022.

Without further ado, let’s get started:

14.) Indiana

Last Week: 14
Record: 0-0
Comments: I don’t expect the Hoosiers to be the worst team in the Big Ten in 2022, but after a season in which they went winless in conference play, I’ve got no choice but to start Indiana at the bottom of my power rankings. Tom Allen is a good coach, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hoosiers are a tough out or even upsets one of the East Division’s top contenders. However, Indiana has to prove that the 2021 season was just a disastrous fluke before they move out of the bottom spot here.

Next Opponent: Illinois (1-0)

13.) Nebraska

Last Week: 12
Week 0 result: Loss, 31-28, Northwestern
Record: 0-1
Comments: What a disastrous start to the season for the Cornhuskers. Normally, a three-point loss in the season-opener wouldn’t be labelled that way, even against a division opponent, but when you throw in the context of what Nebraska dealt with a season ago, and the fate of their head coach, there’s no other words to describe the Huskers’ 31-28 defeat to Northwestern. Nebraska has lost each of its last seven games by a single possession, and the program fell to 5-21 under head coach Scott Frost overall in one possession games. Perhaps no college football coach entered 2022 on a hotter seat, and Frost’s job is in serious jeopardy.

Next Opponent: North Dakota

12.) Northwestern

Last Week: 13
Week 0 result: Win, 31-28, Nebraska
Record: 1-0
Comments: As bad as the loss was for Nebraska, it was an excellent way for the Wildcats to begin their season. Northwestern went just 1-8 in Big Ten play a season ago, but they’ve got positive momentum heading into 2022 now after winning a game in which they were a 13-point underdog. I’m still not sure what the Wildcats will be this season, but they’ve already matched their conference win total from a season ago.

Next Opponent: Bye

11.) Rutgers

Last Week: 11
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Scarlet Knights have been a much better program since Greg Schiano returned to Piscataway for his second stint leading this program in 2020. Still, life is tough at the bottom of the Big Ten East, and Rutgers has yet to prove itself as a program that can compete with the division contenders. The Scarlet Knights are picked to finish last in the division by many publications. We’ll see what Schiano can get out of this group in 2022.

Next Opponent: Boston College

10.) Illinois

Last Week: 10
Week 0 result: Win, 38-6, Wyoming
Record: 1-0
Comments: The Fighting Illini took care of business in ‘Week 0’, cruising to an easy victory over a Mountain West Conference opponent. Up next, Illinois begins conference play with a matchup against Indiana. As head coach Brett Bielema begins his second season in Champagne, the Fighting Illini are looking to build on a 5-7 record in 2021.

Next Opponent: Indiana

9.) Maryland

Last Week: 9
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Terrapins have not finished in last place in the Big Ten East since joining the conference in 2014, but Maryland has also not finished higher than fifth in the division in any full Big Ten season. Again, this is life in one of college football’s toughest divisions. Head coach Mike Locksley seems like a good fit in College Park, but one would think sooner or later he needs to have some type of breakout season that sees the Terps finish in at least the ‘Top 3’ of the division.

Next Opponent: Buffalo

8.) Penn State

Last Week: 8
Record: 0-0
Comments: This feels awfully low for the Nittany Lions, but after a 7-6 season in 2021, I’m willing to slot Penn State in the middle of the conference. I expect something of a bounce-back season for James Franklin’s program, but it won’t be easy in the Big Ten East. The Nittany Lions open with a Big Ten opponent and also have an early trip to Auburn in September, so we’ll find out a lot about this season’s Nittany Lions in a hurry.

Next Opponent: Purdue

7.) Purdue

Last Week: 7
Record: 0-0
Comments: It’s been nice to see head coach Jeff Brohm take this programs from a perpetual Big Ten bottom-feeder and turn it into a program that can surprise any given team on any given Saturday – even if that came at the expense of Michigan State a season ago. Programs continually dwelling at the bottom of their respective leagues isn’t fun for anyone, expect maybe those program’s rivals. The Boilermakers finished last in their division for four straight seasons before Brohm was hired, but have not finished below fifth in the West in any full Big Ten season since the coaching change. Purdue has finished tied for second in the West twice under Brohm – is 2022 the season in which the Boilermakers make it to Indianapolis?

Next Opponent: Penn State

6.) Wisconsin

Last Week: 6
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Badgers have been such a consistent program over the last two decades that it was kind of shocking to see them open the 2021 season with a 1-3 record, albeit against an extraordinarily difficult September slate of games. Wisconsin pulled themselves together to win eight in a row following that start, before falling to Minnesota in the regular season finale. The Badgers are always a contender in the Big Ten West, and no one should be surprised if they make their way to Indy again in 2022.

Next Opponent: Illinois State

5.) Minnesota

Last Week: 5
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Golden Gophers have quietly been a respectable program for much of the last decade. Head coach PJ Fleck led Minnesota to a breakthrough 2019 season in which the Gophers went 11-2, and led Minnesota to a 9-4 season a year ago. The Golden Gophers are still seeking their first trip to Indianapolis – they tied for first in the West division in 2019, but Wisconsin held the tie-breaker. Minnesota should be considered a contender for the division again in 2022.

Next Opponent: New Mexico State

4.) Iowa

Last Week: 4
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Hawkeyes were the champions of the Big Ten West a season ago and featured one of the top defenses in the country, but that offense was dreadful a year ago. If Iowa is going to repeat as the division winners in 2022, they’ll need to find answers on the offensive side of the football. Head coach Kirk Ferentz is the longest-tenured head coach in all of college football, and the Hawkeyes are another one of the those programs that can sneak up and beat anybody on a given Saturday, particularly at home in Kinnick Stadium. In the balanced Big Ten West, I expect Iowa to once again compete for a trip to Indy.

Next Opponent: South Dakota State

3.) Michigan State

Last Week: 3
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Spartans were arguably the biggest surprise in college football a season ago, but Mel Tucker’s program won’t catch anyone by surprise in 2022. That’s okay, because I expect Michigan State to be pretty good once again this season. The Big Ten schedule is difficult – the Spartans drew Minnesota and Wisconsin as cross-divisional opponents out of the West, and have to deal with each of the East powers as well. In 2021, Michigan State hit a home run in the transfer portal in Kenneth Walker III. In 2022, the Spartans coaching staff gets to flex its development muscles and show how far this program has comes over the past three seasons.

Next Opponent: Western Michigan

2.) Ohio State

Last Week: 2
Record: 0-0
Comments: Let me be clear: The Buckeyes are my pick to win the Big Ten in 2022, but they open the season No. 2 in my power rankings after their streak of four consecutive league championships was halted in 2021. Ohio State will feature one of the most dangerous offenses in all of college football – as usual – this coming season, but the Buckeyes have questions to answer on defense. New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles comes over from Oklahoma State, after leading one of the top defenses in the country a season ago. Defensive talent has never been lacking in Columbus, but Ohio State hasn’t turned that talent into a hard-nosed defense over the past few seasons.

Next Opponent: Notre Dame

1.) Michigan

Last Week: 1
Record: 0-0
Comments: The Wolverines get the nod at the top of the conference, mostly due to the fact that they are the defending Big Ten champions. Michigan’s non-conference schedule is one of the weakest among Power 5 programs, so don’t expect the Wolverines to be challenged much through the first month of the season. Michigan has to replace seven starters on defense, including a trio of first-round talents in Aiden Hutchinson, David Ojabo and Daxton Hill. However, the Wolverines bring back a ton of talent on offense, and is expected to have one of the best offensive lines in all of college football.

Next Opponent: Colorado State


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