Big Ten Football: Post-spring power rankings for 2021 season

Now that Big Ten football teams have wrapped up spring practices, here’s a look at how the league stacks up heading into the fall. 

Spring is always an exciting time. It’s a time for fans to be optimistic heading into the next season and Big Ten football fans can at least look forward to a full season in 2021.

There won’t be any delays to the start of the season or stadiums without fans. Big Ten football will be back to normal, as normal as it can be, and that’s pretty exciting.

Of course, the hierarchy begins and ends with Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have won four consecutive Big Ten championships and despite losing star quarterback Justin Fields, as well as running back Trey Sermon, OSU is loaded — again.

Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana, Penn State, and Michigan are all teams flirting with preseason top-25 rankings in addition to the Buckeyes, and truth be told, from 1-14, the Big Ten is going to be a tough league in 2021.

You can make an argument for just about every team making a bowl game and there are a number of teams hoping they can unseat Ohio State. I’ll believe it when I see it and we start our power rankings with Purdue.

Purdue does have some talent, especially in wide receiver David Bell. Yet, Rondale Moore has graduated and Jeff Brohm hasn’t been able to field a defense that can stop anybody.

The Boilermakers aren’t great in the trenches and in the rough and tumble Big Ten, that’s not a great recipe for success. After a 2-4 record a season ago, Brohm could be on the hot seat if he doesn’t turn things around in a hurry.