On3’s 2022 power rankings of every Big Ten team
There’s all sorts of rankings and opinions out there on the Big Ten conference entering the 2022 college football season. ESPN just released its updated Football Power Index rankings and the Iowa Hawkeyes checked in at No. 37 nationally.
The FPI also mapped out Iowa’s percentage chances to win each game of the 2022 season. 247Sports’ Nick Kosko took a game-by-game look at the Hawkeyes’ season as well and has Iowa finishing 8-4.
USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith had the Hawkeyes ranked No. 11 in his post-spring top 25 rankings, while 247Sports’ Brad Crawford had Iowa sitting at No. 23in his post-spring top 25.
Elsewhere, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach had Iowa just sneaking in his post-spring top 25 rankings at No. 25. CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd left the Hawkeyes out of his top 25 entirely. Athlon Sports did, too, though Iowa was No. 32 on their post-spring list.
The Big Ten West is regarded as “up for grabs” by ESPN’s Bill Connelly, and that seems to be the prevailing thought nationally as well. All of this is to say there’s a bunch of differing opinions on how exactly the West and the Big Ten overall will shake out.
It’s the offseason, though, and looking at all of the respective lists is fun and offers at least some glimpse at the national perception surrounding the Big Ten and its teams. The latest set of power rankings comes to us courtesy of On3.
Let’s take a look below at how On3 has each team in the league ranked heading into 2022 and a snippet of what they wrote about everybody in the Big Ten.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Schiano has done an admirable job breathing some life into the program, but the Scarlet Knights still aren’t very talented. Worse, there’s not much experience returning. – On3.
This will be a popular spot for Rutgers at least entering the 2022 season. Schiano has done a good job in his return to Rutgers, but 2022 probably won’t be altogether friendly to Scarlet Knights fans.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Bret Bielema is continuing to put his stamp on the Illini program, building a bulky offensive line with the intent to pound the rock. That should be Illinois’ strength this fall with 1,000-yard rusher Chase Brown back. – On3.
Bielema is off to a nice start at Illinois and has a nice piece in Brown to work with. The defense did make serious strides in 2021 and there’s hope to be sniffing a bowl game.
Indiana Hoosiers
Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
The Hoosiers came crashing down to earth hard last year and they’ll be counting on transfers to get things back on track. Former Missouri quarterback Connor Bazelak and former Auburn running back Shaun Shivers are the two most noteworthy additions, and they must produce. – On3.
How Bazelak goes will determine so much of how Tom Allen’s Hoosiers go in 2022. After a thrilling 2020, this program looks to be more of the Indiana that Big Ten fans have become accustomed to over the years.
Northwestern Wildcats
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
After falling off in 2021, the Wildcats could bounce back behind a strong running game and a veteran offensive line. Former South Carolina transfer Ryan Hilinski is back at quarterback and should improve. – On3.
Northwestern fans better hope Hilinski improves. Otherwise, it’s more of the same for the Wildcats in 2022. Pat Fitzgerald has proved doubters wrong before, but it’s not going to be much of a surprise to see Northwestern wind up even lower than this.
Maryland Terrapins
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Unlike Iowa, Maryland should have no issues on offense. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa returns and has loads of weapons at his disposal, including his top two receivers from a year ago and the addition of leading Florida receiver Jacob Copeland. – On3.
Hey, easy now! No need for the unnecessary roughness on Hawkeye fans. Taulia Tagovailoa is one of the Big Ten’s best and this seems about right heading in for the Maryland Terrapins.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
It’s put up or shut up time for Scott Frost in 2022. The Cornhuskers almost certainly weren’t as bad as their record last year, but parlaying production into finishing off wins is key. – On3.
It’s nice to see a set of rankings that isn’t just automatically assuming that Nebraska will improve by four or more games from its 3-9 finish in 2021. Yes, the Cornhuskers lost eight one-score games and that means there’s room for a serious upward trajectory in 2022, but can transfer quarterback Casey Thompson and Nebraska prove it before we consider the Huskers as a legit threat in the West?
Iowa Hawkeyes
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
The Hawkeyes always seem to be able to rely on their defense, and that shouldn’t change in 2022 with a slew of veterans back in the front seven. Can Iowa get more out of its offense this fall, though? – On3.
Clearly, On3 isn’t forecasting Iowa to repeat as West champions. No love in the preseason and that’s totally fine by Hawkeye fans.
Purdue Boilermakers
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Boilermakers lose receiver David Bell but coach Jeff Brohm gets quarterback Aidan O’Connell back and should once again have one of the league’s best passing attacks. – On3.
Just about the neighborhood that Purdue will likely finish. They do have arguably the Big Ten’s second-best quarterback in Aidan O’Connell, but there’s questions at wide receiver and the rest of the roster probably isn’t good enough to win the West.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The offensive line is the big question mark for the Golden Gophers, who otherwise should benefit from the return of quarterback Tanner Morgan, running back Mohamed Ibrahim and receiver Chris Autman-Bell. Meanwhile, a defense that was outstanding in 2021 has some tinkering to do on the defensive line but should be stout in the back seven. – On3.
Essentially, this ranking predicts that Minnesota and quarterback Tanner Morgan are beating Iowa. That’s probably largely in part due to the fact that the game is set to be played at Minnesota. Until Morgan beats Iowa, it’s hard to justify the Golden Gophers being ranked in front of the Hawkeyes.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
The Nittany Lions are just .500 over the last two seasons but the talent level remains high, which is why they appear here in the Big Ten power rankings. Quarterback Sean Clifford is back but must improve consistency. – On3.
The staff at On3 feels the Nittany Lions’ defense is what has Penn State within the top five of its initial 2022 Big Ten power rankings. Clifford does need to play better if Penn State is to finish better than fourth in the East. This power ranking says On3 isn’t expecting that to be the case.
Wisconsin Badgers
Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Badgers are back to having a bulldozer in the backfield with Braelon Allen back. He and quarterback Graham Mertz form one of the better offensive backfield duos in the league. – On3.
The favorite in the West, but not a serious threat in On3’s mind to win the Big Ten just yet. There’s probably some reservation on exactly how good Graham Mertz can be in 2022. If he’s great, then Wisconsin has a chance to win the Big Ten.
Michigan State Spartans
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Replacing Kenneth Walker III won’t be easy, but the passing game looks to be quite solid. The pass defense has to improve after an abysmal year, but there is a ton of experience returning defensively. – On3.
Can Payton Thorne lead Michigan State into the Big Ten title game? If he was in the West, there would be more optimism about that. Instead, the Spartans have to down the two teams that most feel are the league’s best.
Michigan Wolverines
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
How the Wolverines will manage their quarterback situation will be interesting, but regardless of how the snaps get divvied up, running back Blake Corum will make life easy to a certain extent. – On3.
Blake Corum is a terrific running back. There’s staying power reservations with Michigan and questions to be answered at quarterback. Was 2021 a one-hit wonder and can the Wolverines get good quarterback play from either Cade McNamara or J.J. McCarthy?
Ohio State Buckeyes
Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
No one else in the league can match the Buckeyes on sheer talent or star power. CJ Stroud, TreVeyon Henderson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba might be the best quarterback-running back-receiver tandem in the nation. – On3.
It says something about the type of talent Ohio State has in Columbus where failing to win the Big Ten hasn’t dissuaded anybody from picking the Buckeyes in 2022. Right now, there’s nobody else that makes more sense to put at the top.
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