MID-SEASON BIG TEN POWER RANKINGS
We’re now past Christmas break, and conference play is officially in full swing across the country.
With that, we’re revisiting our power rankings for each power league, giving an updated look at where things stand. Today, we have the Big Ten conference, who has not accounted for a national champion in more than a quarter century but who looks to be the best conference in college basketball heading into the New Year.
Here’s our updated Big Ten Power Rankings (all stats from Dec. 30, 2025):
1. MICHIGAN
- Record: 12-0
- Kenpom: 1
- NET: 1
- Q1 Record: 4-0
Michigan is going to be at the top of every Power Ranking in college basketball this season. The Wolverines are off to a historically good start to the season, according to the metrics, and with more than 70 percent of the season left to the played, Dusty May’s team has already set a record for the most 40 point wins in Big Ten history. They have an unselfish star in Yaxel Lendeborg, their point guard, Elliot Cadeau, is having a breakout season and, most importantly, they have scored more than 100 points in six of their last seven games and are currently the best defensive team in the country, according to KenPom.
Good luck to the rest of the country. An undefeated season is in play in 2026.
2. PURDUE
- Record: 12-1
- Kenpom: 20
- NET: 5
- Q1 Record: 3-1
Purdue entered the season as the clear cut favorite to win not only the Big Ten, but the national title as well. And while Braden Smith has been playing like an All-American and the Boilermakers are, frankly, about what we expected them to be this season, the growth of a handful of teams — specifically Michigan, Arizona and Iowa State — has pushed Purdue down the college hoops pecking order a bit. The addition of Oscar Cluff has been as impactful as we expected, and Matt Painter still very much has a team capable of winning everything.
3. MICHIGAN STATE
- Record: 12-1
- Kenpom: 14
- NET: 12
- Q1 Record: 4-1
The Spartans have been one of the most surprising teams in the country this season. Despite losing their best incoming transfer, Tom Izzo still has one of the best defensive teams in the country, a top five frontline in the sport and an All-American point guard in Jeremy Fears running the show. Go Green, Go White, is a chant that we very likely could hear in Indianapolis on the final weekend of the college basketball season.
4. NEBRASKA
- Record: 12-0
- Kenpom: 23
- NET: 11
- Q1 Record: 2-0
Nebraska certainly isn’t winning any layup line scouts at this point, but they are winning basketball games. They have a coaches son at the point who knows what he is supposed to be doing, they have shooters all over the floor and they have one of the most underrated stars in the Big Ten in Rienk Mast, who can function as the hub of Nebraska’s offense.
5. ILLINOIS
- Record: 10-3
- Kenpom: 9
- NET: 10
- Q1 Record: 3-3
I am still in on the Illini. I couldn’t justify putting them over Nebraska, who beat Illinois in Champaign, but with Keaton Wagler’s move to the point combined with the presence of Ky Boswell gives Brad Underwood one of the most well-rounded backcourts in the country. The frontcourt has some work that needs to be done, but it’s a guards game in March and the Illini have the guards to make some noise.
6. UCLA
- Record: 10-3
- Kenpom: 32
- NET: 39
- Q1 Record: 1-3
UCLA has not been what we expected them to be so far this season, but if Donovan Dent can figure things out on the offensive end of the floor — i.e. if he can shoot better than 10 percent from three this season — there still is a ceiling here. We’ve seen Mick Cronin have success in March with less than he has on this roster. They’ll be prepared after running through the gauntlet of the Big Ten, that’s for sure.
7. IOWA
- Record: 11-2
- Kenpom: 18
- NET: 13
- Q1 Record: 0-2
The Hawkeyes are about as good offensively as they were a year ago, but the difference with this group is that they have turned into one of the nation’s 20 best defensive teams this season. Bennett Stirtz has been awesome, and he’s been carrying them offensively, but the improvement we’ve seen from Ben McCollum has been with the way Iowa guards. This group isn’t going to fade into the distance anytime soon.
8. INDIANA
- Record: 10-3
- Kenpom: 33
- NET: 31
- Q1 Record: 0-2
The Hoosiers have the firepower offensively to make a lot of noise this season, as Lamar Wilkerson and Darian DeVries are two of the better shooters in the sport. The issue, oddly enough, is going to be whether or not the Hoosiers have enough of a supporting cast. They can guard this year, which is not necessarily something we saw coming, but Reed Bailey and Tayton Conerway need to be more consistent as weapons offensively.
9. OHIO STATE
- Record: 9-3
- Kenpom: 37
- NET: 43
- Q1 Record: 1-2
This might be the year that Ohio State breaks through. The loss to Pitt is going to hurt come Selection Sunday, but Bruce Thornton is proving himself one of the best guards in college basketball. The key is going to be whether or not the Buckeyes will be able to defend their home court.
10. USC
- Record: 12-1
- Kenpom: 39
- NET: 40
- Q1 Record: 2-0
USC has been banged up this year, to the point that they had to bring in a midseason transfer from Robert Morris. But despite the injuries, they are sitting at 12-1 on the season with a resume that should be strong enough to get them into the at-large picture if they can do a good enough job in league play.
11. WISCONSIN
- Record: 8-4
- Kenpom: 43
- NET: 66
- Q1 Record: 0-3
Wisconsin has been a bit of a disappointment this year. They don’t really have any bad losses to their name at this point in the season, but getting obliterated by BYU and Nebraska is not a great sign. Their first three games in Big Ten play will be Purdue, UCLA and Michigan. We’re going to know if they have a chance to turn this thing around pretty quickly.
12. NORTHWESTERN
- Record: 7-5
- Kenpom: 55
- NET: 69
- Q1 Record: 0-3
Nick Martinelli is a beast, but the Wildcats have not been able to win close games against quality opponents. They lost by five to Virginia. They lost by five to Oklahoma State. They lost by four to Ohio State. They lost by three to Butler. This group is better than their record.
13. WASHINGTON
- Record: 9-4
- Kenpom: 50
- NET: 52
- Q1 Record: 1-1
The Huskies have the talent to be able to make some noise this year, but they’ve been struggling with injury issues all year long. Hannes Steinbach and Des Claude are finally back, but they’ve now lost Wesley Yates.
14. OREGON
- Record: 7-6
- Kenpom: 72
- NET: 97
- Q1 Record: 0-3
The Ducks have been a bit banged up this year, but the bigger issue is that this group just hasn’t been able to beat good teams. They are 0-6 against KenPom top 50 opponents and their best win on the season is … probably UC Davis?
15. MARYLAND
- Record: 7-6
- Kenpom: 99
- NET: 146
- Q1 Record: 0-5
Injuries have taken their toll on Maryland already this season. Buzz Williams is trying to establish a culture, and this group certainly isn’t going to be easy to beat, but they just don’t have a number of the pieces that we thought they would this year.
16. MINNESOTA
- Record: 8-5
- Kenpom: 101
- NET: 108
- Q1 Record: 0-1
Niko Medved actually has the Golden Gophers playing some decent basketball right now, he just doesn’t have the horses he needs to be able to run a proper race in the Big Ten yet. They’ll pick off a couple good teams at home but that’s about it.
17. PENN STATE
- Record: 9-4
- Kenpom: 126
- NET: 140
- Q1 Record: 0-2
The Nittany Lions are not making it easy for Penn State fans to forget about what happened during football season.
18. RUTGERS
- Record: 7-6
- Kenpom: 161
- NET: 199
- Q1 Record: 0-4
Maybe the Scarlet Knights should sign that 36 year old with four kids.
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