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Big Ten Football: 2023 Week 1 power rankings

By Chris Peterson

Sep 2, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) hands off to running back Blake Corum (2) in the first half against the East Carolina Pirates at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) hands off to running back Blake Corum (2) in the first half against the East Carolina Pirates at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s the first edition of the 2023 Big Ten football power rankings following Week 1 of the college football season. 

The wait for Big Ten football was long, but we finally got a glimpse of the best conference in college football in Week 1, and frankly, it wasn’t super impressive.

Michigan, the No. 2 team in the country, won with ease by a score of 30-3, but we won’t blame anyone if they slept through the second half. Ohio State, another Big Ten football favorite in 2023, slept through the first half, before a 23-3 win over Indiana.

Penn State never really seemed in jeopardy against West Virginia. And the Nittany Lions, another preseason favorite to win the Big Ten football championship, got a stellar effort from quarterback Drew Allar, who completed a 70-yard touchdown pass on his second throw.

Big Ten football mostly avoided upsets. Illinois hung on to beat Toldeo, but Fresno State did upset Purdue in the one non-conference blemish of Week 1.

Minnesota also escaped with a win thanks to another collapse by Nebraska and without further ado, here are the Week 1 Big Ten football power rankings for the 2023 season.

14. Northwestern (0-1)

The Wildcats might be the worst team in the Power 5. Northwestern rushed for just 12 yards and got beaten soundly, 24-7 by Rutgers. This season is going to be ugly.

13. Indiana (0-1)

The Hoosiers were actually pretty competitive during their Big Ten football opener against Ohio State and they did a stellar job on Marvin Harrison Jr.

But it’s hard to know if that was just Ohio State being sluggish and overlooking the Hoosiers or a sign of real improvement. Tom Allen needs it to be the latter because he might need Indiana to reach a bowl game this season to keep his job.

Yet, the 153 total yards weren’t promising.

12. Purdue (0-1)

The Boilermakers were the one Big Ten football team to lose to a non-power 5 team this past weekend and did so in painful fashion, allowing the winning score by Fresno State with just over a minute to go.

Mikey Keene threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns. Hudson Card was solid with 254 yards passing and two touchdowns, but Ryan Walters was supposed to fix the defense, and Game 1 didn’t go great.

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