Grace Jeffer gives her Big Ten basketball power rankings after week 1 of the 2026 season.
Week 1 team of the week: UCLA
Week 1 game of the week: Valparaiso vs. Purdue
Week 1 player of the week: Alijah Arenas, USC
Week 2 matchup of the week: Michigan State vs. Duke (Nov. 10 – 7 p.m)
Week 2 under-the-radar matchup of the week: Iowa vs. Creighton (Nov. 15 – 3 p.m)
All games listed are EST.
1. Illinois Fighting Illini
Preseason ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. FDU (120-45), W vs. Penn (112-70)
Next week: at Texas Tech (Nov. 10 – 8 p.m.), vs. Sam Houston (Nov. 13 – 7 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Illinois opened the season with impressive offensive performances. In its first two outings, they totaled 232 points. Six Illini put up double figures against Penn, with Andrej Stojakovic leading with 25 points. Breaking down the offense, they made 29 threes. Not only did they have a very successful opening week, but they did so without their star player, David Mirkovic.
Next week will be a better, more realistic test of their offense as they face Texas Tech, a team that has been a top-6 seed in the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive years.
2. UCLA Bruins
Preseason ranking: 4 (+2)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Arizona (84-75), W vs. North Florida (114-63)
Next week: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 10 – 9 p.m)
Quality wins: Arizona
Bad losses:
UCLA beating last year’s Final Four participant, No. 5 Arizona, was a statement to begin the season. The Bruins almost gave up the win as their 16-point lead was cut to just one, largely courtesy of Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov, who posted a career-best 38 points. Against North Florida, freshman Nikola Kusturica was the standout, scoring 29 points (26 before halftime) on 10-for-12 shooting. The 35-0 run was the nail in the coffin for North Florida, but an exclamation point to the dominant win for the Bruins. Mick Cronin achieved his highest point total with 114 points.
3. Michigan State Spartans
Preseason ranking: 2 (-1)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Quinnipiac (96-59), W vs. Toledo (91-61)
Next week: vs. Duke, neutral site (Nov. 10– 7 p.m.), vs. Northern Iowa (Nov. 13 – 7 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
The headliner across the entire Big Ten is Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr., All-Preseason National Player of the Year, who was just one assist shy of a week-one double-double. The Spartans looked solid on the glass, outrebounding Toledo 52-27. Jasaih Jervis put up 16 points along with transfer Anton Bonke’s 11 points and 13 rebounds. The ball movement and rebounding are the two areas that stick out from MSU’s Week 1 outings.
While they won the rebound battle by 30 against the Rockets along with 22 assists on 29 baskets, they face an impressive Duke team to start Week 2– a huge neutral-site test to challenge the Spartans. Their preseason hype will be reevaluated after this matchup when they face a more comparable team.
4. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Preseason ranking: 5 (+1)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Le Moyne (106-64), W vs. Providence (67-58)
Next week: vs. Lindenwood (Nov. 11 – 9 p.m.), vs. Boise State (Nov. 15 – 1 p.m)
Quality wins: Providence.
Bad losses:
Providence is the game to highlight for Nebraska, where they held the Friars to just 30.6% shooting and forced 18 turnovers. They capitalized on these as well, creating 20 points off turnovers. Pryce Sandfort was a leader on offense, serving as the point leader in both Week 1 games (20 points vs. Le Moyne, 25 points vs. Providence).
Boise State will give Nebraska’s defense a test in week 2, especially after their 100-82 statement win against Butler.
5. Michigan Wolverines
Preseason ranking: 3 (-2)
Record: 1-1
Last week: W vs. Oakland (84-68), L vs. UConn (77-85)
Next week: vs. Marquette (Nov. 11 – 7 p.m.), vs. William & Mary (Nov. 15 – 2 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
The headline game of the week was the national championship rematch between the Wolverines and the Huskies. This year, however, UConn bested Michigan, limiting them to just 25% from the perimeter (7-28) and shutting down the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Elliot Cadeau. Trey McKenney showed up late, going 0-7 from the field in the first half. By the end, he had a career-high 22 points. Transfer J.P. Estrella’s 19 points were the result of his efficiency, a good sign for the Wolverines on nights like this one where Cadeau couldn’t come up with much. While certainly not a bad loss at all, it looks like this Michigan team will be very different than last year’s national championship roster.
6. USC Trojans
Preseason ranking: 7 (+1)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Milwaukee (95-63), W vs. Wichita State (93-86)
Next week: at California (Nov. 11 – 11 p.m.), vs. Arkansas Pine Bluff (Nov. 15 – 7 p.m)
Quality wins: Wichita State
Bad losses:
The Trojans had a variety of scorers in their first week. Twins Adonis and Darius Ratliff combined for 39 points and 7 blocks against Milwaukee. Alijah Arenas had a solid 21-point performance with eight rebounds in his first outing, and topped it with 30 points against Wichita State. Combine this with Rodney Rice’s 32, and they accounted for 63 of USC’s 93 points in the 1-point finish to end week 1. The question mark for USC is not offense, rather the lack of consistency on the defensive end. They forced 17 turnovers against Milwaukee but then allowed Wichita State to score 86 points. Their matchup against California should provide some more answers.
7. Iowa Hawkeyes
Preseason ranking: 10 (+3)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Lipscomb (76-54), W vs. Eastern Illinois (91-47)
Next week: vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 10 – 7 p.m.), vs. Creighton (Nov. 15 – 3 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Iowa’s opening week was headlined by their depth and shooting, especially in their matchup against Eastern Illinois. The Hawkeyes shot 63.5% and made a solid 14 shots from beyond the arc. Their 91-point total included 61 bench points. Peyton McCollum led the team with 14 points, followed by Ty’Reek Coleman with 13 points and six assists.
Iowa’s week two opponents, Virginia Tech and Creighton, both offer opportunities for statements and a greater outlook of this team.
8. Indiana Hoosiers
Preseason ranking: 8 (-)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Eastern Illinois (91-57), W vs. Bellarmine (92-69)
Next week: vs. Syracuse, neutral site (Nov. 9 – 6:30 p.m.), vs. Tennessee Tech (Nov. 12 – 6:30 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Immediately, the Hoosiers look wildly different from last season – for the better. Unlike the previous group of Hoosiers who were forced to rely on Lamar Wilkerson to generate any offense, Indiana’s 2-0 start is courtesy of multiple leaders, including sixth-man Bryce Lindsay, Notre Dame transfer Markus Burton, and Duke transfer Darren Harris, who recorded a career-high 23 points against Bellarmine plus five made threes. The frontcourt situation also looks to be new and improved as Indiana now has reliable bigs– both 7-footers, Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell and SMU’s Samet Yigitoglu.
Syracuse has a chance to avenge their 1987 national championship 74-73 loss on Monday as they open week 2 Big Ten play in Indianapolis.
9. Ohio State Buckeyes
Preseason ranking: 9 (-)
Record: 1-1
Last week: L vs. BYU (94-83), W vs. Youngstown State (89-65)
Next week: vs. Marshall (Nov. 9 – 6 p.m.), at UConn (Nov. 13 – 7:30 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
After the BYU loss, the Buckeyes responded well with their 24-point win over Youngstown State. This response, however, came in the second half, as the Penguins kept it close, 38-33, entering halftime. John Mobley Jr., not much to a surprise, led the team in scoring with 25 points, followed closely by Kentucky transfer Andrija Jelavic, who had a career-high 21 points plus nine rebounds. A lack of perimeter success plus the ball-screen defense were both obvious weaknesses for Ohio State in week 1.
With another Big Ten vs. UConn showdown, this time the Buckeyes, they will have an opportunity to show if they have enough talent early on in the season to keep up with college basketball’s best.
10. Wisconsin Badgers
Preseason ranking: 11 (+1)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Denver (75-68), W vs. Delaware (73-64)
Next week: vs. Fairfield (Nov. 10 – 8:30 p.m.), vs. Coastal Carolina (Nov. 15 – 8 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
A win is a win, but it’s important to recognize that both of Wisconsin’s wins this week were by just 7 and 9 points. They had a tough time creating solid offense inside the arc, forcing them to take perimeter shots, which didn’t look great either. Their Delaware performance was slightly better, however, with scoring distributed among their five double-digit scorers. The new faces in the backcourt were stagnant at times, nothing that can’t be improved this early in the season, though.
Lucky for Wisconsin, they have a couple more opportunities to make this improvement against manageable teams in week 2, rather than having to clean up their play against a power-conference opponent.
11. Purdue Boilermakers
Preseason ranking: 6 (-5)
Record: 0-2
Last week: L vs. Gonzaga (72-78), L vs. Valparaiso (80-83)
Next week: vs. Illinois State (Nov. 9 – 8:30 p.m.), vs. Ohio (Nov. 13 – 7 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses: Valparaiso
It made sense that Purdue lost to Gonzaga. What was shocking, to say the least, was their double-overtime buzzer loss to Valpariso at Mackey Arena. The final shot to complete the upset was courtesy of Justus McNair from beyond the arc. The Boilermakers entered the matchup as 17.5-point favorites, so it’s safe to say this was a poor way to start the season. To start with the good– Daniel Jacobsen took on his center position with style, scoring 22 points and grabbing 7 rebounds vs. the Bulldogs, followed by a double-double, 28-point performance plus 10 rebounds against the Beacons. C.J. Cox also had a double-double, with 13 points and 12 rebounds. During the preseason, a big difference for Matt Painter and his squad was the absence of the iconic Braden Smith-Trey-Kaufman-Renn-Fletcher-Loyer trio. Last season, they were responsible for 65.1% of the offense. With them gone, Valpariso was able to completely exploit the Boilermakers from downtown, limiting them to just 17.9% on 5-of-28 three-pointers. The Beacons didn’t exploit them with heavy perimeter defense, but rather by packing the paint and letting Purdue’s shots speak for themselves.
What this means for the Boilermakers: they immediately no longer have margin for error in the Big Ten.
12. Oregon Ducks
Preseason ranking: 13 (+1)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Montana (87-69), W vs. Eastern Washington (98-71)
Next week:s. Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 11 – 10 p.m.), vs. Pepperdine (Nov. 15 – 5 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Oregon’s offense stood out this week, shooting 60.2% from the field over their two games. Head coach Tony Stubblefield is taking on his recently appointed role well, changing the Ducks’ attack methods that didn’t serve them well last season. They dominated in the paint and shied away from deep shots–an 180–degree approach from last season. The 52 points from the bench is reassuring for Oregon fans as well.
13. Maryland Terrapins
Preseason ranking: 12 (-1)
Record: 1-1
Last week: W vs. Bucknell (96-67), L at Georgetown (74-86)
Next week: vs. Virginia (Nov. 13 – 8 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Pharrell Payne, already a standout during nonconference play for the Terps, put up an impressive 28 points vs. Georgetown. Even so, Maryland had no perimeter defense, allowing the Hoyas to make 15 of their 30 three-point shots. The Terps trailed for a majority of the game and had little control of the ball, committing 14 turnovers and 23 fouls against Georgetown.
They have one matchup in week 1, but Virginia Tech has the potential to expose the Terps’ weaknesses even more than their week 1 games did.
14. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Preseason ranking: 14 (-)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. North Dakota (85-50), W vs. St. Thomas (76-62)
Next week: at Cincinnati (Nov. 9 – 7 p.m.), vs. Southern (Nov. 12 – 8 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Some good things were displayed in Minnesota’s opening outings, including glass domination (outrebounded St. Thomas 45-26), good facilitating, and a talented bench (highlighted by Nolan Groves’ 15 points and 3 M3P vs. the Tommies). Bobby Durkin and Isaac Asuma, each a point leader, showed promising offensive leadership.
15. Washington Huskies
Preseason ranking: 15 (-)
Record: 1-0
Last week: W vs. Colgate (90-76)
Next week: vs. Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 9 – 10 p.m.), at Utah (Nov. 14 – 7 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Just one game for the Huskies, but a breakout 27-point performance paired with seven rebounds by Nikola Dzepina headlined it. He was supported on offense by LeJuan Watts in the interior as an anchor and a strong stripe shooter (14-for-16 MFT). Washington’s ability to draw continuous fouls and capitalize at the line, making 30 of their 36 free throws (83.3%), propelled them to victory.
While Utah hasn’t had much conference or postseason luck in recent years, they are still a Big Ten team– which gives Washington a manageable power conference competitor to test their shots on.
16. Northwestern Wildcats
Preseason ranking: 16 (-)
Record: 2-0
Last week: W vs. Binghamton (86-60), W vs. Stony Brook (78-65)
Next week: vs. Boston University (Nov. 9 – 8 p.m.), vs. DePaul (Nov. 13 – 9 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Two convincing home wins for Northwestern– upheld by strong perimeter shooting, freshman Angelo Ciaravino’s interior defense (career-high four blocks v. Stony Brook), and Colin Smith’s ability to step into the starting lineup when leading opening scorer Jack Karasinski was sidelined after the opener with a concussion. Jake West sparked early scoring as well, helping the Wildcats avoid trailing during opening week.
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Preseason ranking: 17 (-)
Record: 1-0
Last week: W vs. New Haven (81-54)
Next week: vs. NJIT (Nov. 10 – 6:30 p.m.), vs. Bryant (Nov. 13 – 9 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
While coach Steve Pikiell undergoes cancer treatment, acting coach Brandin Knight kicked things off strong for the Scarlet Knights. Scored 24 points off their forced 17 turnovers. They only trailed for one minute, largely supported by a 12-0 start. Rutgers displayed plenty of options, outscoring New Haven’s second unit 37-18. They were also physical inside, highlighted by center Christian Gurdak.
18. Penn State Nittany Lions
Preseason ranking: 18 (-)
Record: 2-1
Last week: W vs. Canisius (97-57), W vs. Chattanooga (97-93), L vs. Pittsburgh (76-82)
Next week: vs. Mercyhurst (Nov. 12 – 6:30 p.m.), vs. New Haven (Nov. 15 – 4:30 p.m)
Quality wins:
Bad losses:
Penn State played three games in week 1, and they came out only dropping one to in-state rival Pittsburgh. The glaring issue for the Nittany Lions was their defense, which completely died out as the game went on. In their closest game vs. Chattanooga, they allowed 62 second-half points. Their strong offensive performances were nearly canceled out by their lackluster second-half defense. A positive from the week for the Nittany Lions was their ability to draw fouls and capitalize– they made a program-record 43 free throws, only missing six total from the stripe vs. the Mocs.
Next week will allow for some direct Big Ten comparison with Rutgers based on their result against New Haven.