Big Ten Football: Post-Spring 2024 Power Rankings

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Spring practice is over for all 18 teams in the Big Ten for the 2024 college football season. Although it’s tough to get an accurate read on teams from practices in the spring, the first set of official workouts provide some insight into rosters, coaching outlooks, transfers or impact freshmen for the upcoming year. With every team set to have some attrition or more freshmen/transfers added for ’24, it’s dangerous to read too much into everything that happens in the spring.

The top of the Big Ten features national title contenders in Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan. The next tier is headlined by Penn State, along with Iowa and Big Ten newcomer USC. Nebraska is an intriguing team on the rise after an impressive spring by true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola to go with one of the Big Ten’s top defenses.

How do the teams stack up in the Big Ten after spring practice going into ’24? Here are Athlon’s post-spring power rankings:

Big Ten Football: Post-Spring 2024 Power Rankings

1. Ohio State

A five-man quarterback battle will resume in fall practice, but Kansas State transfer Will Howard likely has a lead exiting spring ball. Howard was just one of a couple of key transfers added by coach Ryan Day in a crucial offseason to return to the top of the Big Ten. Running back Quinshon Judkins (Ole Miss) and safety Caleb Downs (Alabama) are two of the nation’s top impact transfers for ’24. Ohio State has few weaknesses exiting spring practice.

2. OregonA deep roster fortified with a couple of transfers – quarterback Dillon Gabriel, receiver Evan Stewart, and cornerback Jabbar Muhammad – has the Ducks poised for a run at the national title. And even though coach Dan Lanning’s team wasn’t incredibly active in the spring transfer window, Oregon was still a big winner thanks to a couple of late additions (defensive tackle Derrick Harmon and defensive back Peyton Woodyard).

3. MichiganNew coach Sherrone Moore left the spring with uncertainty at quarterback, but the Wolverines are still primed to play a huge role in deciding the Big Ten Championship thanks to an elite defense. How fast five new starters mesh along the offensive line and a signal-caller emerges will decide whether or not this team can topple Ohio State at the top of the conference again.

4. Penn StateThe expanded CFB Playoff should be a huge boost to a program like Penn State. And the Nittany Lions have the pieces to push for another double-digit win total, starting with a defense that ranks among the best in college football and a dynamic one-two punch at running back featuring Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. However, for coach James Franklin’s squad to push Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan at the top of the Big Ten, quarterback Drew Allar and the passing game needs to show marked improvement behind new play-caller Andy Kotelnicki.

5. USCEven with quarterback Caleb Williams off to the NFL, coach Lincoln Riley should produce another high-powered offense behind new signal-caller Miller Moss. However, the Trojans enter the Big Ten with two major concerns. How will a revamped offensive line hold up? And will USC’s defense show progress under new coordinator D’Anton Lynn?

6. IowaAll-American cornerback Cooper DeJean will be missed, but the Hawkeyes still boast one of the Big Ten’s top defenses with eight starters returning. The linebacker tandem of Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson could be the best in college football. But for Iowa to finish higher, it’s no secret the offense needs to show drastic improvement. New coordinator Tim Lester will be under pressure right away, but transfer quarterback Brendan Sullivan (Northwestern) is a good insurance policy in case Cade McNamara needs time to heal from last year’s season-ending injury.

7. NebraskaTrue freshman and five-star prospect Dylan Raiola certainly looked the part in spring practice. If Raiola builds on that production in the fall to go with a standout defense, coach Matt Rhule’s squad could easily move up this list by a few spots by the end of ’24.

8. WisconsinIf the Badgers are going to top last year’s seven wins, a jump in production is needed by the offense after this unit managed only 4.89 yards per snap in conference play in ’23. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke was brought in to start at quarterback, but coordinator Phil Longo’s offense also lost running back Braelon Allen to the NFL. Depth up front on defense is a major concern exiting spring.

9. WashingtonThe Huskies return only two starters off last year’s team that played for the national championship, so new coach Jedd Fisch has his hands full with a complete rebuild this fall. Fisch has added several intriguing pieces from the portal, so the process of reloading may not be as steep as most expected earlier this offseason.

10. RutgersThe Scarlet Knights held opponents to 21.2 points a contest last season and could have one of the Big Ten’s top defenses with eight returning starters in place for ’24. But to move up the conference pecking order, coach Greg Schiano needs more from his offense (23.2 points per game). Minnesota transfer Athan Kaliakmanis won the starting QB job from Gavin Wimsatt in the spring.

11. MarylandSolving the quarterback battle to replace Taulia Tagovailoa and restocking an offensive line losing all five starters topped the list of spring question marks for coach Mike Locksley. The Terrapins will resume those battles in the fall, but there’s a lot to like about a defensive front that returns five starters.

12. Michigan StateNew coach Jonathan Smith’s job got a little tougher in ’24 after standout defensive linemen Simeon Barrow and Derrick Harmon transferred following spring practice. The Spartans are facing a significant reset this fall, but Smith’s program will have a chance to exceed expectations if Oregon State transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles has a breakout season.

13. MinnesotaThe Golden Gophers are a hard team to rank going into the 2024 season. Finding a spark for the offense (20.9 points a game last year) is a must and help could come in the form of New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer at quarterback. Safety Tyler Nubin is a big loss on defense.

14. IllinoisLinemen Johnny Newton and Keith Randolph Jr. leave big shoes to fill on a Fighting Illini defense that allowed 30.4 points in Big Ten play last season. To alleviate those losses, coach Bret Bielema needs more from his offense. Quarterback Luke Altmyer needs to take a step forward and No. 1 receiver Isaiah Williams must be replaced.

15. UCLANew coach DeShaun Foster faces the toughest test of any of the four newcomers in the Big Ten. The Bruins return only nine starters and have major question marks surrounding the offensive line and secondary. Running back T.J. Harden is a breakout candidate.

16. NorthwesternThe Wildcats surprised with an eight-win season under interim (now full-time) coach David Braun in ’23. However, replicating that victory total won’t be easy with uncertainty surrounding the quarterback spot. Braun’s defense should be a strength with eight returning starters.

17. IndianaNew coach Curt Cignetti has Indiana pointed in the right direction. A deep class of portal acquisitions that includes a handful of players from Cignetti’s old team (James Madison) and Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke will make a big difference this fall.

18. PurdueThe Boilermakers should be a better team in coach Ryan Walters’ second season. But will it show in the win column with a challenging schedule? Quarterback Hudson Card is back and the defense should take a step forward.

Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.