Updated Big Ten Football Power Rankings After Week 1: Ohio State Claims The Top Spot

The Big Ten scored the biggest win of college football's Week 1 with preseason No. 3-ranked Ohio State toppling preseason No. 1 Texas, 14-7, and not only will that reverberate in the new national polls to be released Tuesday, but also in our Big Ten power rankings.

Overall, it was a strong start for the conference with 16 of its 18 teams scoring season-opening wins. Several debuted new quarterbacks, and Purdue debuted a new head coach. There's still plenty to learn, as most Big Ten teams played Group of 5 or FCS opponents, but there were still notable takeaways to apply in reshuffling the power rankings.

18. Northwestern (0-1)

Week 1: Lost to Tulane (23-3)

David Braun was the Big Ten Coach of the Year as an interim in 2023, but now, in his third season at Northwestern, he has his work cut out for him with this team. The addition of quarterback Preston Stone, a transfer from SMU in the offseason, was supposed to provide optimism for a Wildcats team that had a bottom-five offense nationally last season, but Stone struggled mightily in his Northwestern debut, tossing four interceptions and zero touchdowns. Northwestern managed just 237 yards of offense while yielding 421 to Tulane and putting only a first-quarter field goal on the scoreboard.

17. UCLA (0-1)

Week 1: Lost to Utah (43-10)

DeShaun Foster is in his second season at the helm of his alma mater after a 5-7 debut, and the Bruins made headlines in the spring by adding high-profile transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee. But it was a humbling start for UCLA as Utah piled up a lopsided 492-220 advantage in offensive yards and dominated every phase of the game. Iamaleava finished 11-of-22 passing for 136 yards, one touchdown and one interception along with a team-high 47 rushing yards.

16. Purdue (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Ball State (31-0)

Purdue is the only Big Ten team introducing a new head coach this year, as former Missouri and UNLV coach Barry Odom takes the reins, and the Boilermakers have already matched their win total from last season. Purdue played stifling defense in holding Ball State to 203 yards, while redshirt sophomore quarterback Ryan Browne was efficient and effective in completing 18 of 26 passes for 311 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions (while also rushing for a score).

15. Maryland (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Florida Atlantic (39-7)

Maryland waited until gameday to announce its starting quarterback, and then four-star freshman Malik Washington announced himself to the college football world with an impressive debut, passing for 258 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions to lead the Terrapins to a comfortable victory. Meanwhile, six different Terps grabbed interceptions in an impressive all-around victory.

14. Rutgers (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Ohio (34-31)

Led by veteran quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, who completed 18 of 23 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, Rutgers jumped out to a 31-14 lead in the second quarter before allowing Ohio to rally all the way back. The Scarlet Knights pulled back ahead on a 26-yard Jai Patel field goal early in the fourth quarter and held on from there. Ohio was a decent first test coming off an 11-win season last year.

13. Michigan State (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Western Michigan (23-6)

Michigan State went 5-7 in head coach Jonathan Smith's debut season last year, and with Aidan Chiles back at quarterback and upgraded offensive talent around him, there is hope for the Spartans to take a step forward in 2025. They took care of business in their opener, keeping Western Michigan off the scoreboard until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Chiles only passed for 155 yards and a touchdown, but sophomore running back Makhi Frazier had a breakout performance with 103 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

12. Minnesota (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Buffalo (23-10)

Minnesota has one of the best running backs in the Big Ten in Darius Taylor, and he delivered in Week 1 with 141 yards on 30 carries, but the bigger story was redshirt-freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey's first career start. Lindsey completed 19 of 35 passes for 290 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. That said, this was a three-point game entering the fourth quarter before the Gophers pulled away down the stretch.

No. 11 Wisconsin (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Miami (OH) (17-0)

This is a pivotal season for head coach Luke Fickell after Wisconsin went 5-7 last year following a 7-6 finish in his first season. The hope is that the defense reaches another level in 2025, and so far, so good in that regard. The Badgers earned their first shutout since 2022 while holding Miami (Ohio) to just 117 yards of offense. The downside was the loss of starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. to a non-contact knee injury in the first half, but reports indicate that Edwards will not miss significant time with the injury and could return in a couple of weeks.

No. 10 Washington (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Colorado State (38-21)

Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. started the final two games of his true freshman season and now enters his first full year as the starter. He was impressive in Week 1, passing for 226 yards and a touchdown and rushing 13 times for 68 yards. With star running back Jonah Coleman adding 177 rushing yards and two scores (plus 22 receiving yards), the Huskies rolled offensively with 513 yards while holding Colorado State to 265.

No. 9 Iowa (1-0)

Week 1: Win over UAlbany (34-7)

There was great buzz this preseason that Iowa's offense could finally be ready for takeoff after adding transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski, who led South Dakota State to two FCS national championships in 2022 and 2023. Well, Gronowski passed for just 44 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing touchdown in his Hawkeyes debut, but the offense nonetheless put up 34 points on the strength of 310 rushing yards.

No. 8 Nebraska (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Cincinnati (20-17)

All eyes are on sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola as the former five-star prospect enters his second season leading the Huskers' offense. Raiola completed 33 of 42 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a solid season debut, while Emmett Johnson rushed for 108 yards. Nebraska was in peril in the final minutes before Malcolm Hartzog Jr. sealed the win with an interception in the end zone with 34 seconds left.

No. 7 USC (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Missouri State (73-13)

Lincoln Riley has a lot to prove in his fourth season at USC -- showing that his high-powered offense can beat up on overmatched early-season opponents is not on that list, though. The Trojans were no match for a Missouri State team transitioning from FCS to FBS. The key for USC this year is the development of redshirt-junior quarterback Jayden Maiava, who took over as the starter late last season. Maiava was sharp in his 2025 debut, completing 15 of 18 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a score.

No. 6 Indiana (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Old Dominion (27-14)

Indiana was one of the great stories in college football last season in coach Curt Cignetti's first year, finishing 11-2 while reaching the College Football Playoff. Now, the Hoosiers need to back it up and prove it wasn't an outlier season. Indiana won its opener easily, reeling off 27 straight points between Old Dominion's two touchdowns. New quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a transfer from Cal, passed for 193 yards and rushed for 33 yards and a score, while Roman Hemby rushed for 111 yards.

No. 5 Michigan (1-0)

Week 1: Win over New Mexico (34-17)

The Wolverines could be climbing this list in the coming weeks if five-star freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood continues to look as poised as he did in his collegiate debut, completing 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and a touchdown while Alabama transfer Justice Haynes rushed for 159 yards and three scores. Michigan had a moribund passing attack last year while rotating QBs, and Underwood's arrival and immediate emergence raise the potential for this offense greatly.

No. 4 Illinois (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Western Illinois (52-3)

Ranked No. 12 in the AP preseason poll after a 10-win season last year, Illinois handled business against an overmatched FCS opponent in Week 1. Returning QB Luke Altmyer completed 17 of 21 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns while the Illini rushed for 209 yards and three scores.

No. 3 Oregon (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Montana State (59-13)

After leaning on established veteran quarterbacks the last three years in Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, Oregon turns the offense over to redshirt-sophomore Dante Moore now. Moore, the former five-star prospect who sat behind Gabriel last year after transferring in from UCLA, was sharp in his season debut, completing 18 of 23 passes for 213 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. Yes, Montana State is an FCS opponent, but it's one of the better ones, having reached the FCS championship game last year.

No. 2 Penn State (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Nevada (46-11)

We have a shakeup at the top of the power rankings. Penn State was the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the AP preseason poll, at No. 2, and it certainly did nothing to diminish expectations with its dominant Week 1 win over Nevada. Veteran QB Drew Allar was impressive again, completing 22 of 26 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown, while star running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton combined for three touchdowns in limited touches. The Nittany Lions will have plenty of opportunities to reclaim the top spot here.

No. 1 Ohio State (1-0)

Week 1: Win over Texas (14-7)

Again, this top spot may go back and forth during the season, but the Buckeyes have earned it now with their impressive win over top-ranked Texas. Ohio State, the reigning national champion and ranked No. 3 nationally to open the season, flustered and stifled Texas QB Arch Manning while throwing his expected Heisman campaign off the rails in Week 1. This was a strong showing for a defense that lost coordinator Jim Knowles to Penn State, replacing him with longtime NFL veteran Matt Patricia. The Buckeyes needed every bit of it, too, as their own offense managed just 203 yards while new starting QB Julian Sayin threw for just 126 yards and one score.