Big Ten post-spring power rankings: Ohio State looks to end conference title drought, can USC break through?

The Big Ten has earned the right to call itself college football's premier conference. Three different Big Ten programs have captured the past three national championships, and the league's top tier stacks up with anyone in the country. The SEC still has a case for the most depth, but no conference enters 2026 with arguably more legitimate playoff contenders than the Big Ten.

With the season just over 100 days away, spring practice is in the rearview mirror, and attention has fully shifted toward the 2026 campaign. That makes this the perfect time to evaluate how the conference stacks up entering the summer. 

Without further ado, here's a look at the 2026 post-spring Big Ten power rankings.

Odds to win the 2026 Big Ten championship provided via FanDuel Sportsbook. 

1. Ohio State

The Buckeyes lead our Big Ten post-spring power rankings for the third straight year. Even after sending more elite talent to the NFL -- 29 draft picks over the past three cycles, tied with Georgia and Texas for the most -- Ohio State keeps reloading thanks to a steady stream of top-five recruiting classes. 

Still, it's fair to argue the Buckeyes haven't earned the right to be No. 1 on this power rankings list with zero Big Ten championships in the past five seasons. But they do have arguably the best player in college football in star receiver Jeremiah Smith returning alongside seven other offensive starters, including quarterback Julian Sayin. With the expectation that the defense restocks in 2026, Ohio State remains the Big Ten's most dangerous team. Odds: +190

2. Oregon

There's a lot to like about the Ducks in 2026. Quarterback Dante Moore returns after putting his NFL timeline on hold for another year, and the defense brings back eight starters -- tied for the most in the FBS -- giving Dan Lanning one of his most experienced groups yet. 

Since joining the Big Ten, Oregon is 17-1 in regular-season conference play, though still searching for its first playoff breakthrough after back-to-back losses to eventual national champions Ohio State and Indiana. The big question in Eugene is how Lanning and his staff will retool after losing both coordinators to head-coaching jobs elsewhere. Odds: +280

3. Indiana

Why aren't the defending Big Ten and national champions not No. 1? Doubting Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers certainly hasn't come back to bite anyone before. 

It wouldn't be a shock if Indiana kept rolling after adding five four-star transfers, including quarterback Josh Hoover and receiver Nick Marsh, to help offset the losses of No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Fernando Mendoza and fellow first-round selection Omar Cooper Jr. 

The Hoosiers have already shown their ceiling is as high as anyone in the country. Odds: +260

4. USC

No coach enters 2026 with more pressure to win big than Lincoln Riley, and he just might have the team to finally do it. 

USC was knocking on the door of its CFP debut last year, but three road losses kept it out of contention. Now, the Trojans return more starters (15) than any FBS team and bring back 56% of their total snaps -- second most in the Big Ten and 10th nationally. 

It'll be difficult to replicate the output from Makai Lemon and J'Kobi Lane, but the rise of Tanook Hines and the addition of NC State transfer Terrell Anderson should help maximize the production from Big Ten passing leader Jayden Maiava. Odds: +1400

5. Michigan

The upgrade in coaching is obvious. The Wolverines made a major shift, bringing in longtime Utah coach Kyle Whittingham to stabilize the program following Sherrone Moore's abrupt departure in December. 

Whittingham is third on the active wins list, but he's also never been anywhere else as a head coach. The defense should remain a strength with edge rusher John Henry Daley and cornerback Smith Snowden following him from Utah. 

But what ultimately unlocks Michigan's CFP hopes is quarterback Bryce Underwood, who went just 3-for-9 for 22 yards with two sacks in the spring game. Hard to know whether or not to overreact to that. Odds: +1300

6. Penn State

The Penn State Nittany Cyclones? New coach Matt Campbell brought 23 former Iowa State players with him to Happy Valley, quickly reshaping the roster. 

Quarterback Rocco Becht stands out as the most important newcomer, arriving as the active FBS leader in games played (42), starts (39) and career snaps (2,509). There's obvious familiarity with Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, but it's still a leap into a completely new conference. The schedule is very manageable without Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon on it. The question is the ceiling -- Penn State still feels like a tier below the true contenders -- but the floor looks high enough to keep them safely in the mix for an at-large bid in the CFP. Odds: +2700

7. Washington

What should've been a quiet early offseason was disrupted by drama surrounding Demond Williams Jr.'s brief, chaotic flirtation with the transfer portal before he ultimately recommitted to Washington. 

Whether that episode has any lingering effect inside the locker room remains to be seen. The Huskies return four starters on the offensive line, but Williams will be without his top receiver, Denzel Boston, and his two leading rushers from last season, putting more of the offense on his shoulders. Odds: +3000

8. Iowa

The Hawkeyes had a record seven players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. While that's a clear testament to the program's development pipeline, it also raises real questions about how quickly they can replace that level of talent. 

Only six starters return, and an Iowa defense that hasn't finished outside the top 20 in scoring since 2014 enters 2026 with the fewest returning FBS snaps of any Power Four team. 

The quarterback battle between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinsky is expected to stretch into fall camp. There are always reasons to doubt Iowa in transition years, but Kirk Ferentz's consistency tends to win out, and more often than not, the Hawkeyes still find a way to scratch out at least eight wins. Odds: +4000

9. Illinois

This seems like a transition year for the Fighting Illini, but East Carolina transfer quarterback Katin Houser is experienced enough to keep the offense from completely resetting. 

It's also a new-look defense in Champaign after coordinator Aaron Henry and much of the staff departed this offseason. Former Montana coach Bobby Hauck takes over a unit that returns just three starters and 33% of its total snaps. 

After consecutive seasons with at least nine wins for the first time in program history, it'll be difficult for Bret Bielema and Illinois to maintain that same level of consistency. Odds: +12500

10. Nebraska

The Huskers aren't close to joining the Big Ten's top tier, but the trajectory under Matt Rhule continues to trend upward, even if some in Lincoln might disagree. 

Two years ago, Nebraska snapped a streak of seven consecutive losing seasons. Last year, the Huskers won more conference games than they had in eight years. Now, the next benchmark is reaching eight wins -- something the program has managed just once in the 11 seasons since firing Bo Pelini. 

The mutual split with former five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola also allowed Nebraska to pursue a more mobile option in Anthony Colandrea, who arrives with three years of starting experience between Virginia and UNLV. Odds: +17500

11. Minnesota

Last year, the Golden Gophers became just the fifth team since 2005 (excluding the 2020 season) to go undefeated at home but winless on the road. 

If Minnesota is able to find even modest improvement away from Minneapolis, then 2026 could be another season where the Golden Gophers quietly fly under the radar. Losing star safety Koi Perich to Oregon stings, but P.J. Fleck's squad returns plenty of other key contributors, including quarterback Drake Lindsey, who set freshman program record for wins (7), along with top tackler Maverick Baranowski and Big Ten sack leader Anthony Smith. Odds: +17500

12. Northwestern

Are we underselling what David Braun has done in Evanston? Given the circumstances surrounding how he got the job, it's remarkable that his 19 wins matched Pat Fitzgerald's mark for the most by a Northwestern coach in the modern era through their first three seasons. 

Despite that success, the Wildcats are reinventing themselves a bit with the hiring of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator. It's an intriguing fit considering Kelly's best offenses were built around overwhelming opponents with speed and elite athletes in space, something Northwestern doesn't have the luxury of stockpiling. Odds: +30000

13. UCLA

There's a buzz in Westwood again, in part because of the recruiting efforts by new coach Bob Chesney and his staff. 

While that's a strong early sign, the bigger test is whether UCLA can show enough on-field progress in 2026 to keep those commits locked in. Don't expect a Curt Cignetti-Indiana-type overnight turnaround, but Chesney has a proven track record of winning at every level, including a CFP run with James Madison last season. Odds: +10000

14. Maryland

Let's start with the bad. Mike Locksley and the Terrapins are 2-16 against Big Ten opponents and 1-14 in post-September games over the past two seasons. That's not going to inspire much confidence. 

But what about the good? Maryland returns 14 starters and 65% of its overall snaps from what was a young roster last year -- both numbers ranking second in the FBS. The Terrapins were able to keep much of that promising core out of the transfer portal and could be due for a jump in 2026 if quarterback Malik Washington takes a step forward and the defense finally finds some stability. Odds: +30000

15. Wisconsin

Last October, Wisconsin gave Luke Fickell the dreaded vote of confidence -- the clearest sign that things aren't going well. The Badgers did manage to win a pair of Big Ten games in November after looking dead in the water midway through the season. 

The university also increased its investment in football, particularly in the transfer portal, hoping Old Dominion transfer quarterback Colton Joseph can finally bring some stability to the position in 2026. Odds: +10000

16. Rutgers

Two of the Big Ten's most productive offensive weapons are back in Piscataway as Rutgers leading receiver KJ Duff and top running back Antwan Raymond return for another year. 

The duo accounted for more than half of the Scarlet Knights' yards from scrimmage and offensive touchdowns last season. Still, it feels unlikely Boston College transfer quarterback Dylan Longeran replicates the production Athan Kaliakmanis gave Rutgers, and the defense, which finished 117th nationally in scoring, remains a major concern. Odds: +30000

17. Michigan State

Yes, Pat Fitzgerald is back in the Big Ten after three years away, but the longtime Northwestern coach still faces a major rebuild in East Lansing. Michigan State hasn't returned to a bowl game since the 2021 season and remains far removed from the league's playoff conversation. 

A significant roster overhaul was necessary this offseason, though that also means expectations for an immediate turnaround should be tempered. Odds: +30000

18. Purdue

It gets harder and harder to believe Purdue made the Big Ten Championship Game just four years ago. Since Jeff Brohm left, the Boilermakers have managed only six total wins and just three against conference opponents, half as many Big Ten victories as the next closest team over that span. 

Second-year coach Barry Odom is confident this is the season Purdue starts climbing back toward relevance, but the first step is simply ending the program's 18-game Big Ten losing streak. Odds: +30000