by Sean Szymczak
1) Michigan (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 1
Week 1 result: W 30-3 vs East Carolina
I have a feeling there will be a lot of shuffling between Michigan, Penn State, & Ohio State this season depending on when teams have good/bad games. Michigan didn’t look particularly impressive in their win over ECU (running game was stagnant, offense, went into cruise control in the 2nd half, defense gave up over 4 ypc), but they didn’t do anything to lose their top spot in the Big Ten.
Next up: UNLV vs Michigan (-35.5), Saturday at 3:30pm EST on CBS
2) Penn State (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 3
Week 1 result: W 38-15 vs West Virginia
Drew Allar looks to be as good as advertised, doing 21-29 for 325 yards and 3 TDs. Like many teams across the country in week 1, it took Penn State about a half to really click. But they shut down West Virginia in the second half and committed only 1 penalty the entire game. Pretty good start for a team eyeing their first CFP.
Next up: Delaware vs Penn State, Saturday at 12pm EST on Peacock
3) Ohio State (1-0, 1-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 2
Week 1 result: W 23-3 at Indiana
I think the national media is overreacting a bit to Ohio State’s offensive performance. McCord made good decisions and had a few great throws. But it was Ryan day’s painfully conservative game plan that aged this offense 20 years on Saturday. The offensive line didn’t lose matchups often but had trouble communicating, often blocking the wrong defenders. It also didn’t help that Indiana could predict pretty flawlessly when we were running. But the Buckeye defense looked elite, not allowing a touchdown for the first time since 2019. The offense will get better – there’s no doubt in my mind. If the defense is as good as they looked week 1, the offense doesn’t need to be all-world.
Next up: Youngstown State vs Ohio State, Saturday at 12pm EST on BTN
4) Wisconsin (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 5
Week 1 result: W 38-17 vs Buffalo
Wisconsin’s offensive line was, as expected, utterly dominant. Chez Mellusio and Craelon Allen each ripped off big runs and had a spectacular day. Defense buckled down after the first quarter and – with the exception of a 51 yard completion – showed signs of a tremendously improved pass defense. But I’m genuinely concerned about Tanner Mordecai and this pass offense. He struggled in the spring, didn’t receive great reviews in the fall, and posted a QBR of 36 with two interceptions. Mordecai needs to be better if they want to avenge last year’s loss to Washington State this weekend. If he doesn’t, his starting job might get a little warm.
Next up: Wisconsin (-5.5) vs Washington State, Saturday at 7:30pm EST on ABC
5) Iowa (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 4
Week 1 result: W 24-14 vs Utah State
Iowa had as good of a first quarter as you could have hoped for. They dominated both lines of scrimmage and moved the ball with ease. But after they got that 14-0 lead, there was little to be excited about. They were outscored 14-10 through the rest of the game. The offensive line stopped getting a push. The defense is good but not nearly as dominant as last year. Jay Higgins was all over the field at LB with 16 tackles, but others need to step up. But perhaps most concerning was Cade McNamara, who didn’t look 100% after suffering a knee injury in August. I can’t imagine this is the type of thing that gets better as the season treads on.
Next up: Iowa (-4) vs Iowa State, Saturday at 3:30pm on FOX
6) Maryland (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 6
Week 1 result: W 38-6 vs Towson
It was Towson, so hard to gather a lot from the Terps. But they outgained the Tigers by nearly 200 yards, didn’t commit a turnover, and spread the ball around nicely. We won’t know a ton about this team until they travel to East Lansing in week 4.
Next up: Charlotte vs Maryland (-24.5), Saturday at 7:30pm EST on NBC
7) Michigan State (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 9
Week 1 result: W 31-7 vs Central Michigan
The biggest mover in this week’s power rankings – the only team to move more than two spots. A lot of the questions I had about this Spartan team were addressed in their strong second half. Noah Kim settled in and commanded this offense. Their offensive line was night & day compared to last year’s debacle. UConn transfer Nate Carter might be an All-Big Ten candidate at running back. But most importantly, this pass defense looked as good as they have under Mel Tucker. There is still a long way to go, but Michigan State did all they could to address my concerns and set them up for a turnaround in 2023.
Next up: Richmond vs Michigan State, Saturday at 3:30pm EST on BTN
8) Illinois (1-0, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 7
Week 1 result: W 30-28 vs Toledo
Toledo has a great QB and this is a potential top-25 team that Illinois beat. It was a good win for Illinois. I just didn’t love how Illinois won this game. An offensive line that I thought would be much improved struggled throughout the game in both pass protection and run blocking. Almost 1/3 of Illinois’ rushing yards came on two carries. And their defense still has a lot to improve upon after losing a ton of talent in the back-end But Luke Altmyer impressed me in his first career start. His throw on 4th down to set up the game-winning FG was one of the most impressive throws of the whole weekend (mainly because the LT was abused on a spin move, forcing Altmyer to throw it almost blindly). The Illinois defense has improved throughout the year in each of the past two seasons and I expect that to continue this year. But their offensive line is concerning. Nonetheless, a win is a win.
Next up: Illinois (+3.5) vs Kansas, Friday at 7:30pm EST on ESPN2
9) Minnesota (1-0, 1-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 8
Week 1 result: W 13-10 vs Nebraska
Minnesota’ defense looked a lot better than I thought. Their secondary was smothering wth Tyler Nubin & Tre’Von Jones looking like an elite S/CB duo. But Nebraska isn’t necessarily the teeam to judge a defensive performance on. Athan Kaliakmanis had an up and down game at QB. He clearly hsa an uber-talented arm. It looked like he could throw it out of the stadium. But he needs to reel in his accuracy a bit and let guys like Daniel Jackson, Corey Crooms, and Brevyn Spann-Ford make plays. But I’m most concerned with Minnesota’s offensive line. They were pushed around all day. Good to start 1-0, but Minnesota has a lot to fix if they want to compete in the West.
Next up: Eastern Michigan vs Minnesota (-20.5), Saturday at 7:30pm EST on BTN
10) Purdue (0-1, 0-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 10
Week 1 result: L 39-35 vs Fresno State
It’s hard to feel good after a loss, but I think Purdue fans can after going to-to-toe with a good Fresno State team in one of the games of the weekend. Positives: Hudson Card looks like the real deal, Deion Burks looks like a weapon I didn’t know Purdue had, the offensive line held up in pass protection, and the defensive front was absolutely smothering for two and a half quarters. Negatives: Purdue’s corners were getting torched all day long, the defensive front wore down towards the end of the 3rd quarter, and they couldn’t get any push in the run game all game long. The defense should get better as the season goes long – partially because Purdue doesn’t have to worry about elite pass attacks in the Big Ten West. But this loss made their road trip to Virginia Tech this weekend a virtual must-win if they want to make a bowl game this season.
Next up: Purdue (+3.5) at Virginia Tech, Saturday at 12pm EST on ESPN2
11) Rutgers (1-0, 1-0 B1G)
Previous ranking: 12
Week 1 result: W 24-7 vs Northwestern
I don’t want to get overly confident in Rutgers after beating up on Northwestern, but there were a lot of good signs in the Scarlet Knights’ dominant week 1 win. The defense forced two interceptions, held Northwestern to 0.5 yards per carry, and forced Northwestern to go 5-18 combined on 3rd & 4th down. This offensive line is clearly still a work in progress, but Gavin Wimsatt passed his first test. He went 17-29 for 163 yards, 33 yards rushing, 2 total TDs, and no turnovers.
Next up: Temple vs Rutgers (-9.5), Saturday at 7:30pm EST on BTN
12) Nebraska (0-1, 0-1 B1G)
Previous ranking: 11
Week 1 result: L 10-13 at Nebraska
Matt Rhule & Tony White’s presence could be felt on the defensive side of the ball. Their physicality was way better than it ever was under Scott Frost and their secondary seemed to be more put-together than I would have thought in week 1. But their offensive line has a lot of room to grow. And QB Jeff Sims – although he made a few great throws and kept many drives alive with his legs – needs to but down on the mistakes if Nebraska wants any chance of getting to a bowl game. This loss was almost poetic for a Nebraska team that has failed to win tight games in recent years. But I think Matt Rhule has this team on the right track, even if it doesn’t result in a winning record this season.
Next up: Nebraska (+3) vs Colorado, Saturday at 12pm on FOX
13) Indiana (0-1, 0-1 B1G)
Previous ranking: 13
Week 1 result: L 3-23 vs Ohio State
There’s no doubt this Indiana team is better than the past two seasons. Their defensive front looked enriched thanks to potential All-American Aaron Casey and a plethora of new faces. Their secondary wasn’t challenged much but held their own against college football’s best receiving corps. But the QB play was deeply concerning. It’s week 1 for two redshirt freshmen against one of the nation’s best defenses, so it’s hard to put a ton of stock in this game. But neither Taevyn Jackson nor Brendan Sorsby looked capable of running this offense. I’m looking for more clarity and consistency from the position this Friday against Indiana State.
Next up: Indiana State vs Indiana, Friday at 7pm EST on BTN
14) Northwestern (0-1, 0-1 B1G)
Previous ranking: 14
Week 1 result: L 7-24 at Rutgers
I’m not sure there’s much to say here. Northwestern looks to be as bad as I had feared. The presence of veteran QB Ben Brant didn’t help out the offense much at all. The fact that they are home underdogs against UTEP this weekend speaks volumes about where this season is headed for the Wildcats.