Big Ten Power Rankings: A Massive Shakeup Leaves Illinois Gunning for No. 1

It took Nebraska 20 games and almost three months to learn that there may be only one thing harder than climbing to the apex of the Big Ten men's basketball standings – and that's staying there. In a wild Wednesday night of conference action, Michigan bumped off the previously undefeated Cornhuskers and Indiana piled onto Purdue, now nursing rare back-to-back-to-back losses.

Those outcomes threw the top of the league into a sort of predictable chaos – no one escapes the Big Ten regular season without taking a sucker punch or two – that Illinois and Michigan State have an opportunity to leverage to their benefit. Four clubs with just one loss in conference play will be tangling for the crown as we come down the stretch – and it's not as if the Boilermakers are done just yet, either.

So how does the top of the league shake out as of Wednesday evening? We're so glad you asked:

Big Ten basketball power rankings: Top five

No. 5: Purdue (7-3 Big Ten)

Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) beats Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde (7) to a rebound during the second half of their game Saturday, January 3, 2026 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Purdue beat Wisconsin 89-73. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On the one hand, it has been a precipitous fall for college basketball's preseason No. 1. Purdue – which tumbled eight spots, to No. 12, after upsets by UCLA and the Illini – will likely slip further down the AP poll next Monday and, more importantly, is positioned a full two games behind the four conference co-leaders.

But let's not overlook who we're talking about here: This is Purdue. This is Matt Painter. This is Braden Smith. It would be foolish to put it past them to figure things out and come roaring back against the group below – especially with dates still ahead against Michigan and Michigan State. Still, the Boilers are going to have to figure out how to better exploit Oscar Cluff's size or downsize his role, especially when opponents go small. It was an issue against both the Hoosiers and Bruins.

No. 4: Michigan State (9-1 Big Ten)

Coming off four straight wins by 16 points or more (and six consecutive total), Michigan State was lucky to slip by Rutgers in overtime Tuesday in Piscataway, New Jersey – and coach Tom Izzo admitted as much after the fact. The Spartans have been fortunate, too, in the structure of their early schedule. (They have yet to play Michigan, Illinois or Purdue.)

Dug deep. pic.twitter.com/rOGsavYtCK
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) January 28, 2026

But MSU will get its chances to prove how it stacks up soon enough, starting with Friday's marquee matchup in East Lansing against the in-state-rival Wolverines. A move into the top three on this list isn't out of the question for the Spartans if they finish off the week more convincingly than they started it, but even in the Breslin Center, Michigan isn't going away easy.

No. 3: Illinois (8-1 Big Ten)

Few regular-season games in Illinois lore – or even in recent Big Ten history – have risen to the level of the Illini's 88-82 barnburner over Purdue, highlighted by Keaton Wagler's 46-point masterpiece. The result: Brad Underwood's crew clearly leapfrogged the Boilermakers in these standings, and an argument could have been made for Illinois edging past Nebraska, which, despite its win in Champaign last month, has finally shown vulnerability after taking a fall at Michigan.

Instead, the Illini will have to prove it between the lines when they meet the Cornhuskers in Lincoln on Sunday. If they get past Washington on Thursday and then find a way to neutralize Peyton Sandfort and Sam Hoiberg without the services of injured guard Kylan Boswell, the Illini will have won 11 in a row – including triumphs at Purdue and Nebraska in two of their past three – and would stake a very reasonable claim to the No. 1 spot here.

No. 2: Nebraska (9-1 Big Ten)

Nebraska coach Fred Hoiber — Jan 24, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg looks on during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

No reason to overlitigate Wednesday's Michigan loss. The Huskers bowed up against the Wolverines, shot 46.0 percent from the field and could just as easily have strolled out of Ann Arbor with a win as a 75-72 loss.

That said, Nebraska was pummeled on the boards (35-23) and couldn't slow Michigan's athletes (the Wolverines had 23 free-throw attempts, to the Huskers' four). That bodes ill for the rematch with Illinois, which has the size and speed to make things difficult on Fred Hoiberg's outfit – if the Illini don't fall in love with the perimeter shot.

No. 1: Michigan (9-1 Big Ten)

Since an oddball home loss to Wisconsin earlier this month, the Wolverines have won five in a row and are again hitting all the right notes. Yaxel Lendeborg is the headliner, and Aday Mara is the hulking centerpiece, but Morez Johnson Jr. may be UM's most indispensable player. His grit, rebounding and energy elevate the Wolverines as they had the Illini a year ago, and Illinois fans can only sigh and ponder what might have been as Rez turns into a perimeter sniper (5-for-12 on threes this season) in Ann Arbor.

Rez balled out! pic.twitter.com/d7EiElrDN1
— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) January 28, 2026

Friday in East Lansing should be nothing short of epic. Few teams are better equipped to match Michigan's physicality and stress-test their top-10 offense (according to KenPom), and the rivalry is one of college basketball's best. If the Wolverines come out on top, the cement their spot here – maybe even until they travel to Champaign on Feb. 27 for yet another Friday night mega-feature.