{
  "id": 6093277,
  "title": "Big Ten football power rankings after Week 1: Who rises, who falls?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/big-ten-football-power-rankings-after-week-1-who-rises-who-falls",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-07T03:31:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/big-ten-football-power-rankings-033143658.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Big Ten's Week 1 football season concluded on Sunday night, with all 18 teams having played at least one game. An upset occurred as Rutgers lost to UMass, while Michigan managed to survive against Western Michigan, who was initially considered overmatched. Oregon had a slow start, while Michigan State lived up to expectations. Here are the Big Ten's Week 1 power rankings.\n\n18. Rutgers Scarlet Knights were the biggest upset of the season, losing to UMass by 16 points despite being favored by 28.5. The defense struggled against UMass' quarterback, Pop Watson.\n\n17. Purdue Boilermakers had a decent start, defeating Indiana State 44-19. The passing offense was effective, with 346 passing yards, while the run game produced 177 yards.\n\n16. Michigan State Spartans, ranked 16, overcame a Toledo fourth-quarter lead with a 70-yard drive, ultimately securing a 30-20 victory. The team showed promise but needs improvement in the run game.\n\n15. Northwestern Wildcats, ranked 15, dominated South Dakota State 34-18, largely thanks to Chip Kelly's offensive strategy. However, the defense allowed over 400 yards, leaving room for improvement.\n\n14. Maryland Terrapins, ranked 13, dominated Hampton 62-0. The performance of the Terrapins suggests they will be a formidable team, especially when they host Virginia Tech later in the season.\n\n13. Wisconsin Badgers, ranked 14, were overmatched by Notre Dame 41-13. Despite a half-game fight, the Badgers were unable to secure a victory, signaling a need for improvement following recent struggles.\n\n12. Michigan Wolverines, ranked 5, suffered a controversial loss to Western Michigan 13-12, with a game-ending Hail Mary touchdown. The team's recent form suggests they are not yet ready to contend.\n\n11. Illinois Fighting Illini, ranked 12, narrowly defeated UAB 42-23. The game was relatively even in the first half, but the Illini ultimately secured a convincing win.\n\n10. Minnesota Golden Gophers, ranked 9, convincingly beat Eastern Illinois 59-7. Despite facing an overmatched team, the Golden Gophers demonstrated their offensive and defensive capabilities.\n\n9. Iowa Hawkeyes, ranked 10, had a successful season with a 40-0 victory over Northern Illinois. The offensive and defensive units have proven to be strong, but Iowa still needs to settle on a starting quarterback.",
  "summary": "The Big Ten season is underway with major upsets and surprises. See how the power rankings shifted after Week 1.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Big Ten football power rankings after Week 1 of college football",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/big-ten-football-power-rankings-after-week-1-of-college-football",
        "published": "2026-09-07T03:26:51.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}