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The Power Four => Big Ten => Topic started by: ManHawk on September 08, 2026, 08:29:13 AM

Title: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: ManHawk on September 08, 2026, 08:29:13 AM
Well,  let's put 1 second back on the clock so that we have time to do this week's Big Ten Power Rankings.  My rankings are in a post below.  What does everybody else think?
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: ManHawk on September 08, 2026, 09:24:50 AM
1.  Indiana - blew out Norrh Texas as expected
2.  Ohio St - blew out Ball St as expected.  Texas is next.
3.  Oregon - struggled in come from behind victory over tough Boise St team
4.  USC -  good enough to beat SJSU and Fresno St. 
5.  Penn St - blew out Marshall
6.  Iowa --  trying to decide if Iowa looked good or if NIU looked really, really bad.  Iowa St is next.
7.  Washington - won the way too early Apple Cup against Wash St
8.  UCLA - beat Cal in a solid victory
9.  Minnesota - blew out EIU.  Miss St is next.
10.  Nebraska - beat Ohio
11.  Illinois - beat UAB.  Duke is next.
12.  Michigan -  my power rankings are going to treat the WMU game as loss for now.  In time it may be treated as a fluke but Mich does not have much time to fix its offense taking on Oklahoma in week 2.
13.  Northwestern - solid victory over FCS powerhouse SoDakSt..
14.  Wisconsin - hung with Notre Dame for a half before being dominated in 2nd half
15.  Maryland - September MD off to a good start.  UConn is next.
16.  Michigan St - beat Toledo
17.  Purdue - dominates Indiana St.  That's good enough to jump over Rutgers in the rankings.  Wake Forest is next.
18.  Rutgers -  there is no other spot you can put Rutgers after an embarrassing loss to UMass.  Boston College is next.
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: medinabuckeye1 on September 08, 2026, 09:31:53 AM
Quote from: ManHawk on September 08, 2026, 09:24:50 AM
12.  Michigan -  my power rankings are going to treat the WMU game as loss for now.  In time it may be treated as a fluke but Mich does not have much time to fix its offense taking on Oklahoma in week 2.
Purely for purposes of power rankings, does it matter?  Either way Michigan played a VERY close game with a ~30 point underdog.  

I get that it matters from a resume standpoint.  This could be the difference between Michigan making the CFP at 9-3 or missing at 8-4 or the difference between bowling at 6-6 and spending the Holidays at home at 5-7.  That said, from a power rankings perspective I really don't care which team won.  Either way it was a game decided by a Hail Mary.  I'd treat both teams as roughly equal.  
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: Temp430 on September 08, 2026, 09:38:24 AM
1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Oregon
4. USC
5. Iowa
6. Penn State
7. Washington
8. Nebraska
9. Illinois
10. Maryland
11. Michigan
12. Minnesota
13. Wisconsin
14. UCLA
15. Michigan State
16. Northwestern
17. Rutgers
18. Purdue
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: Benthere2 on September 08, 2026, 09:50:08 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/EIJnlls.png)
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: ManHawk on September 08, 2026, 09:53:16 AM
Quote from: medinabuckeye1 on September 08, 2026, 09:31:53 AM
Purely for purposes of power rankings, does it matter?  Either way Michigan played a VERY close game with a ~30 point underdog. 

I get that it matters from a resume standpoint.  This could be the difference between Michigan making the CFP at 9-3 or missing at 8-4 or the difference between bowling at 6-6 and spending the Holidays at home at 5-7.  That said, from a power rankings perspective I really don't care which team won.  Either way it was a game decided by a Hail Mary.  I'd treat both teams as roughly equal. 

I agree.  Even if there was no controversy with the clock.  It still took a hail mary to beat a 30 pt dog from the MAC.  That was my main thought in this week's power rankings.  It should never have been that close in the first place. 

I tend to treat overtime games in a similar way in power rankings.  I treat them as a tie game where 1 team was able to win the tiebreaker.
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: LetsGoPeay on September 08, 2026, 10:38:12 AM


Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: SFBadger96 on September 08, 2026, 12:19:04 PM
1) Ohio State: staying power
2) Indiana: Google them.
3) Oregon: but shaky
4) USC
5) Iowa: this is who they are.
6) Penn State?
7) Washington?
8) Illinois
9) Minnesota
10) Nebraska
11)UCLA
12) Michigan: will probably get better, but…wow.
13) Wisconsin
14) Michigan State
15) Maryland
16) northwestern
17) Purdue
18) Rutgers

Edit: Oops, forgot Maryland...
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: MrNubbz on September 10, 2026, 11:22:35 PM
1) Hoosiers - strong showing no reason to move defending champs
2)Buckeyes - woke up in the 2nd Qtr & cruised
3)Ducks - tough sledding vs Boise move them down if they repeat it
4)USC - 2-0 a defense seems to be emerging under Patterson holding Fresno St to 116yds
5)Huskies - won by 2 TDs vs rivals, defense kept the Cougs scoreless untill the 4th Qtr
6)Ninnies - won impressively in MC's debut
7)Iowa - won comfortably
8)Goophs -  why not,  Lindsey impressed as his second year starting
9)'Skers - QB/RB positions look set
10)Bruins - Impressive run game and win vs an instate rival
11)Illini - won face ACC Champ Duke Saturday
12) Michigan - Underwood did make a nice throw after regulation was over 
13) Wisconsin
14) Michigan State
15) Maryland
16) northwestern
17) Purdue
18) Rutgers
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: ELA on September 12, 2026, 11:25:10 AM
Massey composite - 36 computers (last week in parenthesis)


32. Illinois (27)
33. Nebraska (38)
38. Minnesota (43)
41. UCLA (60)
46. Northwestern (49)
58. Wisconsin (46)
62. Maryland (66)
65. Michigan State (73)
83. Purdue (85)
89. Rutgers (62)
Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: ELA on September 12, 2026, 11:33:50 AM
Last week in parenthesis





Title: Re: Big Ten 2026 Power Rankings Before Week 2
Post by: ManHawk on September 12, 2026, 11:41:32 AM
Quote from: ELA on Today at 11:33:50 AM
Last week in parenthesis


  • OHIO STATE (1) - Going to learn something quickly
  • INDIANA (3) - Cigs doesn't miss a beat
  • OREGON (2) - Plenty to clean up, particularly on defense
  • PENN STATE (5) - they looked WAY better than I expected
  • USC (4) - might actually have a defense
  • IOWA (7) - competition was bad, but they or PSU I thought were the teams that looked the best vs. my expectations
  • WASHINGTON (8) - played with their food for too long
  • UCLA (14) - JMU might just become the coaching pipeline like VCU is in basketball
  • MICHIGAN (6) - um...sure?
  • NEBRASKA (9) - need to start faster
  • ILLINOIS (10) - Duke should be a solid barometer
  • WISCONSIN (11) - I don't think anyone behind them would have fared better
  • MARYLAND (12) - sneaky tough game this week at a UConn team that looked pretty good
  • NORTHWESTERN (13) - South Dakota St was probably better than a couple of FBS teams that Big Ten teams faced Week 1
  • MICHIGAN STATE (16) - probably won't learn anything until Week 4
  • MINNESOTA (17) - win Saturday, and will jump up a few spots
  • PURDUE (18) - a good barometer week for them too
  • RUTGERS (15) - hello Brian Kelly?

Does Brian Kelly have any previous link to Rutgers or is he just the hot name right now for any potential job opening?