Big Ten Football: Post-spring power rankings heading into 2022

Here are our post-spring power rankings for the Big Ten football conference heading into the 2022 season. 

After years of seeing Ohio State dominate Big Ten football, with four consecutive conference championships, Michigan turned the tide, finally got the Indy, and won the Big Ten title.

The Wolverines finally got over the hump and beat Ohio State in late November which was the first time since 2011 and led to Michigan’s first-ever appearance in the Big Ten football championship game.

The question is now, can the Wolverines get back? Ohio State returns starting quarterback C.J. Stroud, as well as other potential first-rounders in Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Harrison at defensive end.

However, the Wolverines return their starting quarterback too, although backup J.J. McCarthy is pushing for Cade McNamara’s job and U-M did lose Heisman runner-up Aidan Hutchinson.

All things considered, Big Ten football should be fascinating to watch in 2022, and looking ahead to the season, here are our post-spring power rankings.

14. Northwestern

After playing for the Big Ten championship in 2020, the Wildcats were terrible last season. Their offense was the worst in the Big Ten and it returns quarterback Ryan Hilinski who threw just three touchdown passes last season. Brandon Joseph, a former Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year, transferred to Notre Dame, and right now, there isn’t much to be optimistic about.

Pat Fitzgerald is one of the best head coaches in the business and he always gives Northwestern a chance, because somehow, he gets something out of nothing, but he’s going to need a lot of magic in 2022 to make the Wildcats respectable.