The Big Ten season is fully in motion and approaching the midway point. Separation is starting to form across the standings. A clear top tier has emerged, a crowded middle continues to shuffle weekly, and the bottom of the league is still searching for traction. With January winding down and February looming, every result now carries added weight for conference positioning and NCAA Tournament resumes. Here is a look at the Big Ten Power Rankings as of Thursday, January 22, with teams ordered from bottom to top based on current form, results, and trajectory.
As of games played Thursday, January 22
18. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-10)
It has not been a pretty start for the Nittany Lions, as they are dead last in the Big Ten. Penn State has dropped eight straight conference games, with its last win coming before the New Year against North Carolina Central. The Nittany Lions are on the road for their next two games, first at Ohio State and then at Northwestern. Their next home game is February 1 against Minnesota.
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-10)
Rutgers has two conference wins this season, both at home over Oregon and Northwestern. The Scarlet Knights are coming off road losses at Wisconsin and Iowa. Up next are back-to-back home games against Indiana and Michigan State before they return to the road on the final day of January at USC.
16. Northwestern Wildcats (9-10)
Chris Collins and the Wildcats finally broke through with a road win at USC, their first league victory of the season. That snapped a five-game losing streak. Northwestern is scoring 77.2 points per game while allowing 71.7. The Wildcats head to UCLA next before closing January with home games against Penn State and Washington.
15. Maryland Terrapins (8-11)
Maryland sits at 8-11 overall and 1-7 in Big Ten play, with its lone conference win coming at home over Penn State. David Coit continues to lead the way offensively, averaging nearly 16 points per game. The Terrapins are next at Michigan State before opening February with home games against Purdue and Ohio State.
14. Oregon Ducks (8-11)
This has been a difficult 2025–26 season for Dana Altman and Oregon. The Ducks are 1-7 in conference play, with their only league win coming on the road at Maryland. Since then, Oregon has dropped five straight, including losses at Michigan and Michigan State. The Ducks visit Washington on Sunday before hosting UCLA and Iowa.
13. Washington Huskies (10-9)
In their second season in the Big Ten, Washington owns two conference wins, one at USC and another at home against Ohio State. Since that win over the Buckeyes, the Huskies have dropped three straight. Hannes Steinbach leads the team at 18 points per game, with Zoom Diallo adding 15.2. Washington hosts Oregon next before road trips to Illinois and Northwestern.
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-9)
Minnesota has lost four straight games, including home losses to USC and Wisconsin and road defeats at Illinois and Ohio State. Cade Tyson leads the Gophers with 20.5 points per game. Minnesota hosts Nebraska on Saturday before heading to Wisconsin and Penn State.
11. Indiana Hoosiers (12-7)
Indiana is 12-7 overall and 3-5 in conference play after dropping four straight games to Nebraska, Michigan State, Iowa, and Michigan. Lamar Wilkerson leads the Hoosiers at 19 points per game, but defensive struggles have been an issue recently. Indiana visits Rutgers next, then hosts Purdue before traveling west to face UCLA and USC.
10. USC Trojans (14-5)
USC’s most recent loss, a home defeat to Northwestern, stands out as its worst of the season and dropped the Trojans to 3-5 in Big Ten play. They have scored just 66 points per game in their last two losses. USC heads to Wisconsin and Iowa before returning home on January 31 to face Rutgers.
9. Iowa Hawkeyes (14-5)
Iowa has won back-to-back games to climb to 4-4 in conference play, with a road win at Indiana followed by a home victory over Rutgers. That snapped a three-game losing streak. The Hawkeyes host USC on January 28 before traveling to Oregon and Washington.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes (13-5)
Ohio State looks the part of an NCAA Tournament team at 13-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes are coming off home wins over UCLA and Minnesota, though they also have recent losses to Washington and Nebraska. A major test awaits Friday night at Michigan.
7. Wisconsin Badgers (14-5)
Wisconsin is 14-5 and 6-2 in conference play, with just one loss since January 1, a home defeat to Purdue. Since then, the Badgers have beaten UCLA, Michigan, Minnesota, Rutgers, and Penn State. Wisconsin hosts USC next and then welcomes Minnesota.
6. UCLA Bruins (13-6)
UCLA has won three of its last four games, with the lone loss coming at Ohio State. The Bruins are coming off an impressive home win over Purdue. They host Northwestern next, then head to Oregon before a three-game home stretch against Indiana, Rutgers, and Washington.
5. Illinois Fighting Illini (16-3)
Illinois sits fifth in the Big Ten and 11th nationally. The Illini have not lost since late December and own wins over Missouri, Penn State, Rutgers, Iowa, and Maryland during that stretch. Brad Underwood’s team will be tested without Kylan Boswell, starting Saturday at Purdue, followed by games against Washington and Nebraska.
4. Michigan State Spartans (17-2)
Michigan State has just two losses, one to Duke and one at Nebraska. Since the loss to the Cornhuskers, the Spartans have won five straight, including a road win at Oregon. Michigan State hosts Maryland next before traveling to Rutgers.
3. Purdue Boilermakers (17-2)
Purdue’s two losses came at home against Iowa State and on the road at UCLA. The Boilermakers are tied for second in the Big Ten standings. Braden Smith leads the team with 14.5 points per game and 9.1 assists. Purdue hosts Illinois next before road games at Indiana and Maryland.
2. Michigan Wolverines (17-1)
Michigan has rebounded nicely from its lone loss, a tight game against Wisconsin, with three straight wins over Washington, Oregon, and Indiana. The Wolverines are scoring 92.7 points per game, eighth-best nationally, and averaging 19.4 assists. Michigan hosts Ohio State and Nebraska before visiting Michigan State.
1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-0)
Nebraska sits alone at the top of the Big Ten, unbeaten at 19-0. The Cornhuskers have shown the ability to win in multiple ways, from a defensive grind against Michigan State to a shootout win over Illinois. Their latest victory was a double-digit home win over Washington. A challenging stretch looms with games at Minnesota, at Michigan, and home against Illinois.
The Big Ten race remains fluid, but Nebraska has clearly set the standard as February approaches. Several teams are looking to pounce if the Huskes slip up.