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Big Ten power rankings: Spartans, Wolverines vie for top spot

ByNate Williamson|
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Michigan State Spartans guard Cassius Winston (5) handles the ball during the NCAA Division I Men's Championship First Round basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Bucknell Bison on March 16, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Michigan State Spartans guard Cassius Winston (5) handles the ball during the NCAA Division I Men's Championship First Round basketball game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Bucknell Bison on March 16, 2018 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 11: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans talks with his teammate Marcus Bungham Jr. #30 of the Michigan State Spartans during a timeout against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles at Breslin Center on November 11, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)

The Big Ten power rankings see Michigan State and Michigan locking down the top two spots as the college basketball season heads into Week 2.

Last year’s Big Ten basketball season was a bit of a roller coaster for most fans, as the season featured multiple highs, and possibly even more lows, for just about every team in the conference. We eventually saw a few teams pull ahead of the others, and watched a Michigan team light up the court with some of the nation’s best players, making it to the NCAA Championship game.

Last year, however, the Big Ten sent only four teams to the NCAA Tournament, the lowest number from the conference in a decade. Several other teams received votes but failed to make the cut come bubble-bursting time. Blame it on injuries, or transfers, or coaching changes, but the Big Ten didn’t play up to its reputation last year.

That should change this year.

Teams have finished yet another recruiting and training cycle, which saw many top high school athletes join the ranks of various Big Ten basketball teams and are looking to reload in what looks to be a very competitive year inside of the Big Ten.

Though there may not be any “NCAA Championship Caliber” teams in this year’s conference, (or at least, by the looks of it) but the conference lacks any “bottom of the gutter” teams. This serves to make it a strong year for the Big Ten overall, as well as a year of growth for the conference’s lower-tier teams.

The conference will now feature 20 conference games per school for the first time, which will give bubble teams an advantage as they will take on tougher schedules. There is a lot of turmoil in the middle-level of the Big Ten, and my rankings definitely reflect that. Though they’re locked in for the moment, I’m expecting big-time changes going forward.

The conference is very much reminiscent of the weather where the majority of the conference is located: If you don’t like it today, come back tomorrow because it’s probably different.

Here are my Big Ten power rankings after one full week of competition.