There is a Surprise at the Top of Our Post Spring Practice Big Ten Power Rankings

Spring practice is finished throughout the Big Ten. Image: Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle

Written By Dustin Shutte (@SchutteCFB)

The spring football season has come to a close in the Big Ten, leaving us with just one thing until the start of the 2018 campaign: one painfully long offseason.

With the conference's spring games in the books, let's take a look at the Big Ten power rankings as we head into the dreadful four-month waiting period to see how each team stacks up. But before you digest it all, a quick tip: I don't put much stock into the spring season, nor what is season during a spring game.

So before you work yourself into a tizzy (young people still say that, right?), keep in mind that I'm not overly concerned with a player's spring performance, a unit's dominance in a glorified scrimmage or the look of a team's starters vs. second- and third-team players.

Keeping that in mind, here are your post-spring power rankings for the Big Ten:

1. Michigan State

Proclaiming the Spartans as the top team in the Big Ten headed into the 2018 season isn't going to be a popular opinion, but Michigan State has the pieces to get back on top of the East Division and battle for a fourth conference title under Mark Dantonio.

Quarterback Brian Lewerke has great receiving targets in Felton Davis III and Cody White and L.J. Scott returns to the backfield, providing Michigan State with a loaded arsenal. Premier conference games against Ohio State and Michigan will be held in East Lansing, as well. This is as good a year as any for the Spartans to get back on top in the Big Ten.

2. Wisconsin

Go ahead and give Paul Chryst his third division title in as many seasons.

The Badgers return star running back Jonathon Taylor, who came in just an eyelash under the 2,000-yard mark in his freshman season, racking up 1,977 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Wisconsin also has a stout offensive line, an experienced quarterback in Alex Hornibrook, and a defense that should be one of the best in the country again this fall.

3. Ohio State

It's been proven time and again that betting against the Buckeyes is a pretty dumb move, even as they lose talent by the boatload every season. Though I don't necessarily believe Ohio State will take a significant step back, the changing of the guard at quarterback could have some implications.

Ohio State still has the best athletes in the Big Ten but I think losing a star like J.T. Barrett at the games most important position will be a minor setback for Urban Meyer and Co.

4. Michigan

Yes, Michigan will be better than it was in 2017. No, that doesn't mean Jim Harbaugh will finally place higher than third in the East.

Adding Jim McElwain to the staff was a puzzling move and it’s doubtful that he'll do much to improve the Wolverines' stagnant offense in 2018. Yes, Shea Patterson is an upgrade at quarterback (if he's eligible), but he also struggled against some of the SEC's best defenses while at Ole Miss. Good Luck fixing that against the powers in the East.

5. Penn State

Saquon Barkley, DaeSean Hamilton and Mike Gesicki have all moved on. Oh, and the innovative mind behind Penn State's high-powered offense, Joe Moorhead, is now at Mississippi State. Oh, and the defense lost a good chunk of its production from last season.

Yes, James Franklin still has plenty to work with on the offensive side of the ball, starting with Trace McSorley, but this is going to be a tough year for the Nittany Lions to replicate the same level of success they've enjoyed the past two seasons. 

6. Nebraska

This is really, really generous for Nebraska given its abysmal 4-8 season last year. However, Scott Frost turned an 0-12 UCF team into a bowl eligible squad in one year and had the Knights complete a perfect season by Year 2. Maybe having the Huskers finish second in the West is ambitious, but outside of Wisconsin, the division is really a toss up.

Nebraska is essentially starting from scratch in 2018, and that's not a bad thing. We'll see if Frost can live up to the hype.

7. Northwestern

Clayton Thorson suffered a torn ACL in Northwestern's Music City Bowl game against Kentucky, ruling him questionable for the 2018 campaign. His health is going to have a big impact on how the Wildcats fare in the fall.

With so many key playmakers out the door, it's hard to imagine Northwestern having the same amount of success it enjoyed last year.

8. Iowa

With Anthony Nelson, A.J. Epenesa, Parker Hesse and Matt Nelson all returning up front, Iowa has a chance to have one of the best defensive lines in the conference. But there's a problem with the rest of the defense, having lost Josey Jewell, Josh Jackson, Bo Bower and others.

Quarterback Nathan Stanely, tight end Noah Fant and wide receivers Nick Easley and Ihmir Smith-Marsette will likely have to carry a pretty heavy offensive load to overcompensate for a young and inexperienced backfield.

9. Purdue

Purdue was able to hang its hat on defense last year, getting to a bowl game for the first time since 2012. With several of those guys now gone, the Boilermakers will likely have to rely on its offense to win football games.

The health of quarterbacks Elijah Sindelar and David Blough are going to be huge factors in how productive Purdue can be this season.

10. Minnesota

P.J. Fleck has added some really nice pieces to his roster, including offensive linemen Daniel Faalele and Curtis Dunlap and quarterback Vic Viramontes. Those are the type of players that can make a huge difference for the program in the long run.

But is Minnesota ready for success in 2018? The Gophers have a talented running back in Rodney Smith, but with Shannon Brooks out for the year, it's hard to imagine this group having the offensive firepower necessary to compete atop the conference.

11. Indiana

2018 will be somewhat of a rebuild for Indiana, which lost several talented players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The good news? Tom Allen is a defensive guru and should be able to field a respectable unit.

The Hoosiers do have a chance to be a much better offensive team this fall, with receiver Nick Westbrook back in the fold and joining Whop Philyor and Luke Timian. Don't forget about Morgan Ellison and Cole Gest out of the backfield, a tandem that could be really solid in the Big Ten. Indiana landed former Arizona quarterback Brandon Dawkins as a graduate transfer after throwing for nearly 2,500 yards in 22 games for the Wildcats. He'll likely contend with Peyton Ramsey for the starting job this fall.

12. Rutgers

Slowly but surely, Rutgers is making progress and is beginning to form into a competitor in the conference. But there's still a lot left to polish before the Scarlet Knights are a real threat. 

Rutgers still has issues at quarterback, which has been a huge obstacle for the Scarlet Knights. Maybe new offensive coordinator John McNulty can change that narrative.

13. Maryland

Young, inexperienced, and unhealthy. That was the issue for Maryland last fall and it could be a problem again in 2018. Yes, there are some really talented players on the roster that D.J. Durkin has constructed, but it's hard to imagine that this will be the year the Terrapins finally turn the corner, especially with the team's top receiver, D.J. Moore, no longer in the picture.

If Maryland can figure out a way to improve on defense, maybe they have a chance to reach a bowl game for the second time in three seasons. But that seems unlikely.

14. Illinois

Lovie Smith has done an excellent job on the recruiting front recently, bringing in some big names to Champaign. But none of that is going to translate to the field, especially considering the overall state of the program.

Will the Illini be better than 2017? Yes. Does that mean they'll emerge out of the Big Ten cellar? Not by a long shot. Running back Mike Epstein might be a diamond in the rough for Illinois, though.

Fans of Hoosier Huddle can help support the site by shopping on Amazon using the ad below at no cost to the shopper. Thank you for your support.