B1G Week 1 Power Rankings: Where does Wisconsin Rank to Open the Season?

The Big Ten has already kicked off its 2026 season, with No. 14 USC dismantling San Jose State 42-26 in front of a sparse crowd at the LA Coliseum.

For the rest of the conference, the season begins this weekend. How does the Big Ten stack up before the start of Week 1, and where do the Badgers slide into the rankings ahead of the tilt with Notre Dame? Badgers On SI offers up our first set of Big Ten football power rankings for the 2026 season:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buckeyes are loaded everywhere as per usual, but they have arguably the best player in the entire conference (WR Jeremiah Smith), arguably the best quarterback (Julian Sayin) and no shortage of difference-makers everywhere else. A matchup nightmare for any team, I've got Ohio State narrowly ahead of Indiana at the moment.

2. Indiana Hoosiers

I don't see a weakness on the Hoosiers, other than Josh Hoover not being Fernando Mendoza. Quarterback play should drop off a little, but Indiana looks even better at the skill positions this fall and there's no question marks about the defense.

3. Oregon Ducks

Oregon might look better than Indiana on paper, but until Dan Lanning's squad actually beats the Hoosiers, I can't in good conscience rank them higher. Still, quarterback Dante Moore looks like a future top-10 pick and once again, it's hard to find a weakness in Eugene.

4. USC Trojans

Southern California Trojans wide receiver Trent Mosley. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

USC's opener against San Jose State wasn't nearly as close as the score indicates. Don't let the lack of attendance distract you from what was a very solid performance overall by Lincoln Riley's crew. And true freshman wideout Trent Mosley, who hauled in seven catches for 118 yards and a score? Watch out for this kid.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions

I'm not as high on Penn State as many — including the AP voters who have them inside the top-20. But this is a veteran team with a good coach. They'll be respectable, and their experience (even in the Big 12) will come up big on more than one occasion.

6. Washington Huskies

Despite his offseason transfer portal fiasco and the fact that the Badgers shut him down in Madison last fall, I'm quite high on Huskies' quarterback Demond Williams Jr. His supporting cast isn't as star-studded this season, but the offensive line once again looks strong and the defense should be about the same.

7. Michigan Wolverines

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Second-year quarterback Bryce Underwood has all of the talent in the world, and new head coach Kyle Whittingham appears to have put together a very solid roster in year one in Ann Arbor. But for Michigan to really take that next step, Underwood must as well.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes

The fact that Iowa still has yet to announce a starting quarterback tells me everything I need to know about both Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown. When you have two quarterbacks, you have none. Iowa should be fine everywhere else, but the lack of talented wideouts and a consistently capable quarterback may hold it back.

9. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota is coming off back-to-back eight win seasons, and while I'm not extraordinarily high on the Gophers this fall, they've amassed more star players than you might expect in Dinkytown. Tailback Darius Taylor, offensive guard Greg Johnson and defensive end Anthony Smith are all among the best players at their position in the Big Ten and in the nation. Quarterback Drake Lindsey, who got some NFL love from the film community in particular this offseason, is the key.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers

There's nothing particularly sexy about Nebraska this season, but it quietly looks to be Matt Rhule's best team in Lincoln. I still have my doubts about UNLV transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea in the Big Ten, but he'll have a chance to get comfortable in a soft out-of-conference slate featuring Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota.

11. Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin's Colton Joseph. | Christian Borman

I do believe the Badgers have it in them to climb these rankings. But as of Week 1, 2026, this is where Wisconsin falls in the Big Ten. With their first three games against a heavy favorite and two heavy underdogs, the Badgers might not get a chance to propel themselves up the Big Ten pecking order until October.

12. UCLA Bruins

The Bruins are the biggest wild card in the conference for me. I love the Bob Chesney hire, but how will his James Madison transfers — and the rest of a sprawling class — fare in the Big Ten?

13. Illinois Fighting Illini

It's puzzling why, after coming off its best two-year stretch in the history of its football program (19 wins between the 2024/2025 seasons), Illinois isn't doubling down on investment into football. Instead, the incoming transfer class leaves a lot to be desired and the Illini look primed to take a step back this fall.

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver KJ Duff. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rutgers has one of my favorite players in the conference and the country in the 6-6, freakishly athletic wideout KJ Duff. They also have a star tailback in Antwan Raymond. Past that? The cupboard looks pretty bare in Piscataway.

15. Northwestern Wildcats

It'll be fascinating to see what Michigan State transfer gunslinger Aidan Chiles and new quarterbacks coach Jerry Neuheisel can add to what's traditionally been a ground-and-pound Wildcats' offense. With Chip Kelly now calling plays in Evanston as well, this is a fascinating program to track in 2026.

16. Maryland Terrapins

Wisconsin knows all too well just how dangerous Terps' quarterback Malik Washington can be. Maryland also has a few studs on the defensive side of the ball, particularly up front. I'm still not sure head coach Mike Locksley has the rest of this roster where it needs to be to be competitive in this conference.

17. Michigan State

This is a full-on rebuild in head coach Pat Fitzgerald's first year. I have no doubt he'll right the ship eventually in East Lansing, but 2026 doesn't look like the year.

18. Purdue Boilermakers

The consensus bottom of the Big Ten here. I'm not sure Purdue gets to two wins this season.

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