INDIANAPOLIS – A preseason power ranking for a conference with four new members and a revolving door of talent seems almost futile.
Check back on this list in March and it may look futile, too. Purdue may be the consensus favorite, but four other teams received No. 1 votes in our USA TODAY Network Big Ten preseason poll.
I didn’t vote in that process, but this is my preseason take, with periodic updates to follow this season.
1. Purdue
Every preseason ratings formula says the field is hunting the Boilermakers — again. This squad still has some questions, but it may also have a lot of answers.
2. UCLA
The address may say L.A., but Mick Cronin’s system — led by certified possession thief Kobe Johnson — fits nicely in the Big Ten.
3. Illinois
Brad Underwood’s track record buys preseason respect even for a rebuild — and he pulled in transfer talent including Tipton’s Ben Humrichous (Evansville) to make it happen.
4. Michigan State
Spartans haven’t won more than 11 Big Ten games since the pandemic season? Beefed-up Cathedral grad Xavier Booker trying to fix that.
5. Indiana
The roster looks good on paper, but it’s more than fair to hang back and see whether or not it actually comes together.
6. Ohio State
Underachieving Buckeyes took off after Chris Holtmann’s firing. Can that continue now that they also brought back one of the Big Ten’s best names in Meechie Johnson?
7. Oregon
Don’t get distracted by the pine tree silhouettes on the court. Ducks have some players, too, led by sophomores Jackson Shelstad and Kwane Evans Jr.
8. Rutgers
I could look like a real dunce here if freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper live up to their top-three national rankings.
9. Michigan
In Dusty they trusty, as Hoosier alum May tries to apply his Florida Atlantic magic to the Big Ten.
10. Northwestern
Most returning minutes from a team that won 60% of its Big Ten games the past two seasons? I’ll gamble on a high floor here.
11. Maryland
Freshman center Derik Queen should never have to pay for another Blizzard in his life — or at least however long he roams the land for the Terrapins.
12. USC
Everyone’s adding transfers, but what if your coach (Eric Musselman) is also a transfer — with a record of rebuilding rosters and winning quickly?
13. Wisconsin
Kansas hired away second-team All-Big Ten guard A.J. Storr, and the Badgers replaced him with some non-power conference transfers. I’m skeptical.
14. Iowa
We’ll see if these long West Coast trips take some of the heat out of the Fiery Fran experience.
15. Washington
Danny Sprinkle has won everywhere he’s been — and more importantly, he brought the aptly named Great Osobor with him from Utah State.
16. Nebraska
Fans wish Cornhuskers basketball and consistent winning went together like chili and cinnamon rolls, but instead they go together like Huskers football and … consistent winning.
17. Penn State
Returns a lot of minutes and production from a team that wasn’t very good. At least Ace Baldwin will make things tough on opposing guards.
18. Minnesota
Does it help I would vote Minneapolis No. 1 on my list of favorite Big Ten cities? Visit Revival on your Gophers road trip for the best friend chicken in the conference.
