College Football Power Rankings: All Big 10 Teams For 2023

Brant's NCAA college football powers rankings for the Big Ten. His preseason CFB power rankings for the 2023 NCAA college football season.

Big Ten football kicks off in 18 days as the Nebraska Cornhuskers head to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers on Thursday, August 31st at 8pm EST. While there is a good amount of returning talent in the conference, many teams will see new faces under center, at head coach, and other key positions. 

The Michigan Wolverines have gone back-to-back as Big Ten champions and return key players all over the field, but per usual Ohio State and Penn State are not going to back down without a challenge. 

As for the Big Ten West, no division in college football is this wide-open. There have been four different winners the past four years and there is very little discrepancy heading into the season between all of the teams aside from Northwestern amidst the hazing scandal. Let’s rank the conference from fourteen to one.

14. Northwestern Wildcats

For the first time since 2005, Northwestern will be rolling out in Week 1 without Pat Fitzgerald as the head man. The Wildcats are battling adversity this season after the program was shaken by a hazing scandal, and interim head coach David Braun has his hands full. After winning just one game in 2022, the Wildcats bring in Cincinnati transfer Ben Bryant as their top quarterback.

On the defensive side of the ball, Bryce Gallagher is a stud linebacker. This roster has a lot more questions than answers, and winning more than two games will be a real achievement in 2023.

53 days until Big Ten season begins... here's how we ranked the conference top to bottom heading into 2023 pic.twitter.com/5DMnI3tScG

— BIG Banter (@BIGBanterSports) July 9, 2023

13. Indiana Hoosiers

The Hoosiers struggled to a 4-8 record last season after starting 3-0, but Tom Allen’s squad brought an influx of transfers expected to make an impact. At the most important position, Tayven Jackson, a Tennessee transfer and the brother of former Hoosier basketball star Trayce Jackson-Davis, is expected to lead the way.

He should have an underrated group of receivers at his disposal with Cam Camper and Fordham transfer Dequece Carter leading the way. On defense, Western Michigan transfer Andre Carter has been touted all season long. The Hoosiers are expected to start five transfers on the defensive side of the ball this season.

12. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Only a few years ago the Scarlet Knights were the laughingstock of the Big Ten. Greg Schiano is quietly rebuilding a program in Piscataway, and it starts on the defensive side of the ball.

Pass rushers Aaron Lewis and Wesley Bailey are menaces to opposing quarterbacks, cornerback Max Melton is an absolute standout, and safety Desmond Igbinosun isn’t going to let much get past him. On offense, the Scarlet Knights are still rebuilding. Gavin Wimsatt was named the starting quarterback, and he hasn’t shown much over his career but is still young.

The bright spot on the offense is at running back, where sophomore Samuel Brown V was on his way to breaking out before suffering a season-ending leg injury as a freshman.

11. Michigan State Spartans

No Big Ten team had a more disappointing 2022 than the Michigan State Spartans. Riding Mel Tucker’s high off of an incredible 2021 season, Sparty tumbled to a 5-7 finish after starting the season in the top 25.

Incumbent quarterback Payton Thorne and top wide receiver Keon Coleman both transferred out, leaving question marks all over the place on this roster. The secondary was horrendous and does not look to be much better in 2023.

On defense, linebacker is a strength with Jacoby Windmon and Cal Haladay combining to make the best duo in the conference. Offensively, the line is very experienced and should open up running room for Jalen Berger and Nathan Carter. The quarterback battle between Noah Kim and Katin Houser is ongoing, and the receiver group is unproven. It could be another tough year to be a Spartan.

10. Purdue Boilermakers

Top to bottom, Purdue is undergoing the most turnover in the entire conference. Former head coach Jeff Brohm departed home to Louisville and in his place steps 37-year-old Ryan Walters, the former defensive coordinator at Illinois.

Between Aidan O’Connell, Charlie Jones, and Payne Durham’s departures to the NFL, the Boilermakers are losing practically their entire passing game from 2022. Fans aren’t concerned though, as Texas transfer Hudson Card has certainly looked the part.

While weapons will need to emerge in the passing game, the Boilermakers have their guy at running back in former walk-on Devin Mockobee. Mockobee ran for 968 yards and nine touchdowns as a freshman last season, earning a scholarship and a workhorse running back role. On defense, the safety duo of Cam Allen and Sanoussi Kane will make some noise.

9. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Every year these guys find a way to build hype around their program and every year they disappoint. Does that change with Scott Frost out and Matt Rhule in? Rhule brought in Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Jeff Sims to lead the offense.

Between Sims and running back trio Gabe Ervin, Anthony Grant, and Rahmir Johnson, the Huskers could have a strong running game. On defense, the secondary returns studs in Quinton Newsome, Isaac Gifford, and Malcolm Hartzog. Aside from these few positions, the entire rest of the team is a big question mark.

8. Illinois Fighting Illini

Bret Bielema has the boys playing ball. The Illini narrowly missed the Big Ten title game in 2022 and while they are losing stars in running back Chase Brown, safety Sydney Brown, and cornerback Devon Witherspoon, they return the most ferocious defensive line duo in Jer’Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph.

Bielema’s defense should again be a strong point and while the offense has some question marks with Ole Miss transfer Luke Altmyer as the day-one starting quarterback, the line returns some studs in Isaiah Adams and Julian Pearl. Isaiah Williams is also one of the best receivers in the conference.

7. Minnesota Golden Gophers

P.J. Fleck’s squad will have a starting quarterback not named Tanner Morgan for the first time since 2017. Gophers fans are excited about the potential and arm talent of Athan Kaliakmanis, and he certainly has no shortage of options to throw the ball to.

Daniel Jackson is the most likely candidate to be the top receiver, however Chris Autman-Bell is back and transfers Corey Crooms and Elijah Spencer are talented as well. Not to mention Brevyn Spann-Ford, who is arguably the best tight end in the conference.

Defensively, the Gophers have been up and down but they certainly have a bonafide star in safety Tyler Nubin. Cornerback Justin Walley netted three interceptions last season and could be on his way to being a lockdown defender. Don’t sleep on linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who has been touted as a potential All-Big Ten player.

6. Maryland Terrapins

While the Big Ten East is possibly the toughest division in football and the Terps don’t have a fighting chance to win it, they will certainly be competitive and have the potential to give the big three a scare.

While seemingly every other team in the conference is undergoing a quarterback change, Maryland is keeping things consistent with Taulia Tagovailoa back. While the receiver room loses Rakim Jarrett, Jacob Copeland, and Dontay Demus, Jeshaun Jones returns and transfers Tyrese Chambers and Kaden Prather will take on strong workloads early.

One day after QB Taulia Tagovailoa was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Watch List, Maryland RB Roman Hemby was selected to the Doak Walker Award Watch List https://t.co/Cne065pXaT

— Inside the Black & Gold (@Insideblackgold) August 9, 2023

While Maryland has never been touted as a running team, the duo of Roman Hemby and Antwain Littleton cannot be overlooked. On defense, the secondary is vastly underrated. Cincinnati transfer Ja’Quan Sheppard is ready to make noise, and safety duo Beau Brade and Dante Trader both have NFL aspirations.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes

Despite having the most unwatchable offense in the history of football in 2022, the Hawkeyes still managed to go 8-4 and to win a bowl game. This season, the offense should be marginally improved with Michigan transfer Cade McNamara at the helm. Per typical Iowa fashion, the tight ends are a strong bet to lead the receiving game. This duo of Luke Lachey and Michigan transfer Erick All has been compared to T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant.

Defensively, it should be the same dominant Hawkeye defense. Despite losing studs all over the place like Jack Campbell, Seth Benson, Lukas Van Ness, and Riley Moss, the Hawkeyes are still loaded seemingly everywhere.

Cooper DeJean is a Big Ten defensive player of the year candidate, the defensive line is deep as always, and Xavier Nwankpa, Jermari Harris, and Quinn Schulte should join DeJean in forcing turnovers in the secondary.

4. Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers are the team expected to take the biggest step in 2023. Last season, they went 7-6 with a bowl game win over Oklahoma State in what was a disappointing year.

This season, they bring in head coach Luke Fickell. Fickell took the offseason to make some big changes in Madison, notably bringing in offensive coordinator Phil Longo who worked with high-powered offenses at North Carolina and quarterback Tanner Mordecai who played in an air raid at SMU.

This isn’t your typical Wisconsin offense, although running back Braelon Allen most definitely is your typical Badgers running back. Mordecai will have a plethora of options to throw to, with top three leading receivers Chimere Dike, Skyler Bell, and Keontez Lewis joined by transfers C.J. Williams, Will Pauling, and Bryson Green. This is a deep group on both offense and defense, and with a fairly easy schedule we could see the Badgers shock the world in year 1 of the Fickell era.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

While Penn State is my personal choice to win the Big Ten, much like Brandon Walker declared, they cannot be placed above Ohio State and Michigan just yet.

I’m also ready to unleash my hottest cfb take for the season. Penn State will win the Big 10 and be in the CFB Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/4NHxzxshiI

— Brandon Walker (@BFW) August 17, 2023

Top to bottom, the Nittany Lions have the most talented roster in the Big Ten. The biggest question mark is the most important position in football, with quarterback Drew Allar set to be a first-year starter following the departure of Sean Clifford.

Allar just has to be average with the talent he is surrounded by. Sophomore running back duo Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen is just as good, if not better than, Michigan’s duo. Left tackle Olu Fashanu is penciled in as a top-five NFL Draft pick.

The receiver group is vastly underrated, with big play threat KeAndre Lambert-Smith and the young Harrison Wallace joined by Kent State transfer Dante Cephas. On defense, there is first-round talent at every level.

Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac will anchor a strong defensive line, Abdul Carter, Curtis Jacobs, and Kobe King are the best three-deep linebacker unit in the nation, and Kobe’s brother Kalen King is a lockdown cornerback. Don’t sleep on this talented Nittany Lions team.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

As a Buckeye fan myself, I am very excited for the season. The Buckeyes have their hardest schedule in years with games on the road against Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Michigan, as well as a tough home matchup against Penn State.

There are rumblings of redshirt freshman Devin Brown potentially being named the starting quarterback over junior Kyle McCord, but whoever wins the job has the best receiver duo in the nation in Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka to throw to. The offensive line is in need of a retool after losing Paris Johnson, Dawand Jones, and Luke Wypler to the NFL.

On defense, Jim Knowles’ group is rumored to be the best Buckeye defense since 2019. J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, and Mike Hall all return to form a scary defensive line.

Linebackers Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg are set to rack up even more tackles this season, and Denzel Burke is set for a bounce-back year in the secondary. It should be a thrilling season for the Buckeyes and they could truly finish anywhere from 8-4 to 12-0.

1. Michigan Wolverines

As a Buckeye this pains me, but you simply cannot put Michigan anywhere other than number one in a preseason power ranking poll due to their back-to-back Big Ten titles and with all of the talent they return. J.J. McCarthy joins Taulia Tagovailoa and Gavin Wimsatt as the only returning starters at quarterback in the conference, giving the Wolverines an early edge.

We're watching @blake_corum and @DEdwards__ 👀

They're both on the Doak Walker Award Watch List for the best RB in the country.#GoBlue | https://t.co/PaeCXeCT05 pic.twitter.com/tfsUThjfcA

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) August 9, 2023

The Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards duo at running back is a sight that no opposing defense wants to see, and Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan are two of the best guards in the nation.

The Wolverines return another top three defense in the conference, led by tackle Kris Jenkins, linebacker Junior Colson, and defensive backs Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil. Toppling this Wolverines team will be no easy feat, but a road game against Penn State and a home matchup with Ohio State are sure to be tests.

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