Ohio State or Michigan State? Who’s number one? Welcome to the Big Ten power rankings.
Go here for our most recent Big East Power Rankings, which are probably more informative and accurate than the rankings below will turn out.
1) #10 Michigan State Spartans (17-4, 6-2)
13 in a row over Minnesota. Tom Izzo down-played the meaning of 400, but you saw him with tears in his eyes.
2.) #4 Ohio State Buckeyes (18-3, 6-2)
Deshaun Thomas has made strides this year and welcome to the party Lenzelle Smith. Good complements to the inside-outside combo of Jared Sullinger and AaronCraft.
3.) #20 Michigan Wolverines (16-5, 6-2)
Trey Burke is the real deal. I wonder if the peeps in Ann Arbor really deserve this team; as they’re so obsessed with college football all the time. Hoops just isn’t as big.
4.) #25 Wisconsin Badgers (16-5, 5-3)
The first five-game win streak within a Big Ten season since 2008-09 (Feb. 5-19). The Badgers have now won nine in a row against Indiana, which ties for the third-longest winning streak by any opponent against the Hoosiers, with the last occurrence coming in 1935.
5.) #16 Indiana Hoosiers (16-4, 4-4)
UW has won 11 in a row at the Kohl Center vs. Indiana. The Hoosiers’ last win in Madison came in 1999. IU really coming back down to Earth in conference play. Still miles ahead of where most of expected them.
6.) Illinois Fighting Illini (15-5, 4-3)
The Penn State thing was EMBARRASSING. Seriously, PSU is terrible, how does this keep happening? Dropped 3/4 in Creepy Valley. My kingdom for even a little bit of consistency with this team.
6.) Purdue Boilermakers (14-7, 4-4)
They’re just as up and down and unpredictable as Illinois. That’s why it’s odd that they crushed the Illini so thoroughly at home on Dec 31.
8.) Northwestern Wildcats (12-7, 2-5)
“every time I think I’m out, they keep pulling me back in.” Every time they win a game that gets them off the NCAA Tournament bubble, they go and lose a couple games and fall right back off.
9.) Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-6, 3-5)
So far, they’re making the biggest statement about the worthlessness of non-conference records. They’re this league’s Seton Hall. The Pirates are getting beat back in the Big East, just like the Gophs are here.
10.) Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-9, 3-6)
Does anybody follow this? Seriously, it’s just football season year round in Lincoln, right?
12.) Penn State Nittany Lions (10-12, 2-7)
Does anybody follow this? Seriously, it’s just JoePa worshiping season year round in Paternoland, right?
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site that generates millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio shows all across the world. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.