The preseason pecking order in the Big Ten is starting to look a lot less permanent, and this weekend did plenty to shake it up.
A few familiar names ran into trouble while some of the league’s supposed afterthoughts kept making noise. Northwestern stunned Penn State by 21.
Minnesota added another conference loss to Michigan’s ledger. Wisconsin came off its win in Happy Valley and turned around to beat Michigan State 31-3.
That old Big Ten West crowd is still very much in the mix, and last week’s message didn’t fade away. It showed up again this week and kept pressing its case.
Right now, there’s a real jumble in the middle of the league. Nos. 5 through 9 could be shuffled in almost any order, and it would be easy to defend.
At the top, Ohio State had Jeremiah Smith doing Jeremiah Smith things, and Iowa didn’t have any kind of strange answer for it. Indiana also looked the part, and its hard-fought win over Northwestern from the previous week looks even better now.
Near the bottom, Purdue deserves a little attention after beating Illinois. The Boilermakers have clearly taken a step forward.
Nebraska, meanwhile, kept doing what it needed to do. The Huskers trailed through part of Saturday before ripping off the final 34 points in a 48-23 win over Maryland. That made it five wins, and it also checked off the games they were supposed to win.
That part matters. Now the bar gets raised.
UCLA fits into that same conversation, too. The unbeaten Bruins have handled their business and now have a bigger test ahead.
For Nebraska, the next one comes fast: the defending champion arrives in Lincoln next Saturday.
These rankings can show where the Huskers sit. Indiana gives them a chance to say it for themselves.
In Other News...
Matt Rhules TV Appearance Has Nebraska Fans Arguing Over Nothing
Matt Rhules surprise cameo in the season finale of HBO Maxs Lanterns gave Nebraska fans something a little different to talk about during the offseason. The appearance was filmed likely well before the season got rolling, so it didnt interfere with his work getting the Cornhuskers ready, but it still landed with enough visibility to turn a routine TV credit into a fresh round of fan discussion.
The reaction online split quickly, with some Nebraska supporters wondering whether the timing was worth the distraction and others happy to see their coach pop up in a high-profile series. For a program where every bit of attention gets magnified, it was the kind of harmless side story that still manages to spark an argument, even if theres nothing much behind it. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Will Help Reveal What Nebraskas Hot Start Really Means
Nebraskas 5-0 start has bought the Huskers some breathing room, but it has not answered every question about what this team really is. The early record is clean, and the resilience shown in the recent win over Maryland offered another sign that the group can handle a little pressure, yet there is still a sense that the offense and defense have not both hit their stride at the same time.
The next stretch of Big Ten play should make the picture clearer, starting with Indiana. That matchup figures to tell a lot about whether Nebraskas unbeaten beginning is built on something sustainable or whether the first month has simply masked the kind of inconsistency that tends to get exposed once the conference schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Is Building Real Momentum With A Major 2028 Tight End Target
Nebraskas push for 2028 tight end Max Jones is starting to look like a real early win for the Huskers on the recruiting trail. The Parkway West High School standout from Missouri recently visited Lincoln and came away with Nebraska squarely near the top of his list, a notable position this far out for a four-star prospect with plenty of time to sort through his options.
Jones still has multiple unofficial visits lined up at other schools during the 2026 season, and he already holds offers from several programs, so the race is only beginning to take shape. Even so, Nebraska has clearly made a strong impression early, which matters when a target at that level starts talking about a school as one of the places he wants to keep circling back to. [Read more 🡒]