Big Ten football power rankings: No doubt about No. 1
The Big Ten regular season has come to a close and the matchup is set for the Big Ten championship. Not surprisingly, the conference title game will include the best team in the conference, who just so happens to be the defending conference champion as well.
Michigan and Ohio State were playing at a different level from the rest of the Big Ten for the majority of the year, and the much-anticipated showdown in Columbus, Ohio came out living up to the hype before the momentum of the game slanted entirely in favor of the Wolverines. And with that, Michigan climbed back to the top of the Big Ten power rankings.
With the regular season coming to a close, this will be the final edition of the weekly Big Ten football power rankings on Nittany Lions Wire. So with that being the case, let’s take a look at how the Big Ten measured up against each other after a full regular season.
Northwestern (1-11)
Nov 26, 2022; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats running back Cam Porter (4) runs the ball aIllinois Fighting Illini during the first half at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost vs. Illinois, 41-3
Last week: 14
Northwestern’s high point of the season came before most of the country even took the field with a Week 0 win over Nebraska in Ireland. It was all downhill after that. Pat Fitzgerald has some work to do to get things going in a better direction in 2023.
Rutgers (4-8)
Nov 26, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Evan Simon (3) throws a pass in the fourth quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost at Maryland, 37-0
Last week: 12
We knew going into the season the 2022 season would be an uphill climb for Rutgers, and injuries down the stretch didn’t help the cause for the Scarlet Knights. But after starting the season 3-0, Rutgers won just one more time to fall two games shy of bowl eligibility. We’ll see what Greg Schiano can do in the offseason to get Rutgers to take a step forward in 2023.
Nebraska (4-8)
Nov 25, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Casey Thompson (11) hands off against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won at Iowa, 24-17
Last week: 13
Kudos to Nebraska for coming up with h effort of the season on the road against a team that has tormented you year after year since joining the Big Ten. Nebraska spoiled the celebration party at Iowa on the day after Thanksgiving to close out the season with a win in a trophy game.
The future looks bright once again for the Nebraska football program, of course, as the Huskers have officially hired former Temple and Baylor head coach Matt Rhule to be its next head coach in Lincoln.
Indiana (4-8)
Nov 26, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers running back Josh Henderson (26) is tackled by Purdue Boilermakers safety Sanoussi Kane (21) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost vs. Purdue, 30-16
Last week: 11
Indiana had some tough moments this season, and injuries piling up made things pretty tough for the Hoosiers to be more of a threat for some upset bids. The Hoosiers simply ran out of steam in their final game at home against Purdue and couldn’t play spoiler against their rival.
Michigan State (5-7)
Nov 26, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Payton Thorne (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost at Penn State, 35-16
Last week: 10
Don’t let the final score fool you, because Michigan State made things difficult for Penn State. The Spartans were clearly undermanned but hung tough on the road and cut a 21-3 deficit to just five points in the fourth quarter, but the defense couldn’t get one more stop to have a shot at bowl eligibility.
Wisconsin (6-6)
Nov 26, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Tatum Grass (39) reacts following a play during the third quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost to Minnesota, 23-16
Last week: 8
This season did not go at all according to plan for Wisconsin, which makes their move into the postseason one to keep a watchful eye on. The Badgers struggled to produce on offense all year long and really came up small in the red zone far too often.
Maryland (7-5)
Nov 26, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa (3) prepares to pass the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the third quarter at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won vs. Rutgers, 37-0
Last week: 9
Maryland will end the year with a winning record no matter what happens in the bowl season. After pitching a shutout against Rutgers, Maryland has reason to feel good going into the bowl season and postseason. A week after giving a scare to Ohio State, this was a solid way to end the regular season for the Terrapins. They’ll still be a wild card team in 2023 too.
Iowa (7-5)
Nov 25, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Nico Ragaini (89) catches a pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost vs. Nebraska, 24-17
Last week: 6
It was only a matter of time before Iowa‘s lack of offense truly cost them. With a chance to return to the Big Ten championship game, all Iowa had to do was beat a three-win Nebraska team at home, but it couldn’t even do that. And because of that, it will have to hope it can work up something creative on offense before its next game, in a middle-tier Big Ten affiliated bowl game.
Minnesota (8-4)
Nov 26, 2022; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; The Minnesota Golden Gophers team poses for a photo with the Paul Bunyan Axe following the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won at Wisconsin, 23-16
Last week: 7
The Minnesota Golden Gophers showed a lot of pride this season and will have a winning season under P.J. Fleck after a second-straight rivalry victory over Wisconsin. Mohamed Ibrahim had one of the best years among a strong list of Big Ten running backs this season tp help carry the offense that battled some injuries.
Illinois (8-4)
Nov 26, 2022; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Tarique Barnes (8) carries The Land of Lincoln Trophy after Illinois defeated the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won at Northwestern, 41-3
Last week: 5
Illinois may have hit some speedbumps in the final month of the season, but the Illini finished off a successful 2022 season with a decisive blowout of rival Northwestern, giving them some positive momentum heading into the bowl season and offseason. Keep a close eye on Illinois in 2023.
Purdue (8-4)
Nov 26, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; The Purdue Boilermakers celebrate after defeating the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won at Indiana, 30-16
Last week: 4
Pay no attention to what I said about Purdue a few weeks back when it seemed they blew their potential path to the Big Ten championship game. The Boilermakers kept chugging along and now will play in their first Big Ten championship game in program history in Indianapolis.
Penn State (10-2)
Nov 26, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Theo Johnson (84) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won vs. Michigan State, 35-16
Last week: 3
Penn State capped a 10-win season with a hard-fought home victory over Michigan State. It wasn’t as easy as the final score might indicate as the Nittany Lions needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to put the game out of reach. But they did what was needed and now a possible New Years Six bowl trip could be incoming.
Ohio State (11-1)
Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is tackled by Michigan Wolverines defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny (26) in the second half at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Lost to Michigan, 1745-23
Last week: 1
Are we witnessing a change in the power dynamic in the Big Ten with a possible decline of Ohio State? While it would be premature to suggest the Buckeyes are regressing back to the norm in the Big Ten, they have shown two straight years now that they are no longer the team to be considered the one to beat until proven otherwise. It has been proven two years in a row now. There is still more separation between Ohio State at No. 2 and Penn State at No. 3, but the gap from No. 1 may actually be widening more than most would have anticipated.
Michigan (12-0)
Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan Wolverines players plant the flag on the Ohio State Buckeyes fifty yard line following the win at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Last game: Won at Ohio State, 45-23
Last week: 2
After going back and forth on Michigan and Ohio State at times this season for the top spot, the Wolverines made sure there was absolutely no question who should be on the top of the power rankings at the end of the regular season. Michigan stomped the Buckeyes in Columbus with a dominating second-half performance to decisively punch its ticket back to the Big Ten championship game next weekend after taking the Big Ten crown last season.
