Ohio State has been named the top team in the Big Ten Conference according to Ben Bolch's initial football power rankings. Head coach Ryan Day's squad secured the No. 1 spot, with Oregon and Indiana rounding out the top three.
The rankings place USC at No. 4, having already secured one win against a less challenging opponent. Michigan follows at No. 5, with UCLA entering the rankings at No. 6 under new coach Bob Chesney.
Penn State is positioned at No. 7, with Washington at No. 9 and Minnesota at No. 10. Coaches and team outlooks across the conference are noted, with some teams like Iowa and Nebraska facing skepticism about their coaching situations and competitive prospects.
Newcomers to the Big Ten, Oregon and USC, are ranked second and fourth, respectively. Indiana, under new coach Curt Cignetti, is ranked third.
Other notable rankings include Illinois at No. 8, Minnesota at No. 10, Iowa at No. 11, Michigan State at No. 12, Nebraska at No. 13, and Wisconsin at No. 14.
The lower half of the rankings features Rutgers at No. 15, Northwestern at No. 16, Maryland at No. 17, and Purdue at No. 18. Coaches like Greg Schiano of Rutgers and Mike Locksley of Maryland face uncertain futures, while Northwestern's Chip Kelly is noted for the challenge of working with limited talent.