Big Ten Week 1 power rankings

With the college football season underway, here are my Big Ten preseason power rankings after Week 1. If you disagree with the list, comment below. For a look at my preseason rankings, click here.

1. Ohio State (1-0)

Urban Meyer sure looks like a genius for using Braxton Miller as an H-back. Cardale Jones looked flawless in Ohio State’s rout of Virginia Tech.

2. Michigan State (1-0)

The Spartans got a decent fight from Western Michigan, but Connor Cook and company perservered. One of the biggest early season matchups takes place next week when Oregon travels to East Lansing.

3. Wisconsin (0-1)

Derrick Henry ran wild against the Badgers, but he’ll do that against most teams this year. The Badgers still have a great shot to win the Big Ten West and this is just a minor blemish.

4. Minnesota (0-1)

Similar to Wisconsin, the Golden Gophers played a tough TCU team and put up a good fight. Rodney Smith looks like a threat at running back and could be a breakout star in the conference.

5. Nebraska (0-1)

The Cornhuskers lost on a last-second hail mary to BYU. Tommy Armstrong looked solid and Nebraska should challenge Minnesota and Wisconsin for the West crown.

6. Michigan (0-1)

Jim Harbaugh‘s debut didn’t go according to plan, but the Wolverines still showed fight. It looks like it’ll come down to the quarterback play of Jake Rudock, who threw three interceptions in his Michigan debut.

7. Maryland (1-0)

Much like Michigan, Maryland got inconsistent quarterback play from Perry Hills against Richmond. The Terps have a shot to be better than the Wolverines, but Harbaugh’s squad did face a stiffer test in Utah, so they get a slight nod. Running back Brandon Ross and the abundance of wideouts were a nice surprise.

8. Northwestern (1-0)

The Wildcats pulled one of the most shocking upsets of opening weekend as they upended Stanford. Justin Jackson had a big day on the ground and should be the key cog for Northwestern all season.

9. Penn State (0-1)

The Nittany Lions were exposed in their loss against Temple. Christian Hackenberg looked brutal and the offensive line didn’t do him any favors. This could be another down year in Happy Valley.

10. Rutgers (1-0)

While it was only against Norfolk State, Leonte Carroo went off and the running game also looked strong. However, controversy could follow the Scarlet Knights throughout much of the season.

11. Iowa (1-0)

The Hawkeyes got things going in the post-Jake Rudock era with Beathard, who had a solid game with a pair of touchdown passes. Outside of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the West could be wide open, so Iowa has a chance to make some noise.

12. Illinois (1-0)

Just one week before the season, Tim Beckman was fired. Interim coach Bill Cubit assumed the role and led the Illini to a blowout win over Kent State. This program may not be as bad as everyone originally thought.

13. Purdue (0-1)

While expecations weren’t high heading into the season, the Boilermakers didn’t do half bad all things considered. Austin Appleby did throw four interceptions (two of which went for touchdowns), but Purdue still was in the game. If the turnovers are kept at a minimum, it might not be such a bad year.

14. Indiana (1-0)

UAB running back transfer Jordan Howard could make Hoosier fans forget all about Tevin Coleman. However, Indiana needed a heroic effort from Howard and a late stop to top Southern Illinois.

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