Big Ten football grades: Michigan, Penn State earn high marks as 2023 season approaches halfway point
Grading each team from the Big Ten as the 2023 college football nears the midway mark
By
Will Backus
•
8 min read
As the 2023 college football season reaches its midway point, the Big Ten has emerged as one of the most impactful conferences on a national scale. At least three teams still have a realistic shot of earning a College Football Playoff bid, all of whom hail from the same division.
Big Ten East powers Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State are still unbeaten and all three sit within the top six of the latest AP Top 25 poll. The Wolverines and the Buckeyes are ranked second and third, respectively, which would put them firmly in the playoff if it began today. Still, the question must be asked: Are all three really on the same level?
Michigan and Penn State have blown all their opponents away thus far. Ohio State, meanwhile, hasn't been quite as impressive. The Buckeyes don't look nearly as explosive on offense despite their ridiculous talent pool and certain coaching decisions leave a lot to be desired.
Odds are one team -- maybe even two -- from the East will nab a spot in the playoff come December's final reveal. The Big Ten West's outlook, on the other hand, isn't as positive. The West boasts a couple of solid teams -- Wisconsin and Iowa -- but the division as a whole is in a serious rut.
Let's take a look at how each Big Ten team grades out as the 2023 season approaches the halfway point.
Big Ten report card
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| Illinois' disappointing performance thus far should have been expected. The Illini lost so many important players from last year's breakout squad and no one should have expected a repeat performance. That being said, it was hard to imagine things would be quite this bad. Illinois is off to an 0-3 start in conference play and those losses have come by an average of 18 points. Illinois' wins against Toledo and FAU -- which came by two and six points, respectively, fail to impress. Grade: D | |
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| Most people expected Indiana would be the Big Ten's worst team entering the 2023 season. The Hoosiers haven't had a winning season since 2020 and their eight wins over the last three years is one of the worst totals in the entire FBS. As it turns out, the Hoosiers are meeting expectations so far. They're 0-2 in Big Ten play and needed four overtimes to beat Akron. Tom Allen's squad showed some signs of life by holding Ohio State to a low scoring total and losing by just a touchdown to Louisville, however. Grade: D- | |
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| No single coach does more for his team than Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker. Without him, the Hawkeyes might not win a game. The Iowa offense, meanwhile, has scored over 30 points just twice but the Hawkeyes sit at 5-1. In modern college football, Iowa's model isn't sustainable for winning yet it keeps finding ways to do just that. Maybe this team stumbles to a Big Ten West title, or maybe things fall apart over the final two months. Either way, it's hard to give a team with just one loss a bad grade -- even if the offense is setting the game back several decades. Grade: B- | |
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| Maryland is bound to get lost in the Big Ten East shuffle, but that shouldn't distract from what has been a promising season for the Terrapins so far. They're on track for nine regular-season wins -- assuming they don't pull an upset against either Michigan or Penn State -- which is something Maryland hasn't accomplished since 2003 when Ralph Friedgen was coach in College Park, Maryland. The Terps played Ohio State close for three quarters and had plenty of opportunities to make it closer. A lack of real quality wins is the only thing holding Maryland back, but it's been a good year to this point. Grade: B | |
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| Michigan has steamrolled through a ridiculously easy schedule. There is something to be said about taking care of business in college football, a sport that's renowned for its chaos. It also means there's not much to complain about. Michigan is top five in the Big Ten in total offense (414.8 yards per game), scoring offense (37.3 points), total defense (233.3 yards) and scoring defense (6.7 points). No need to overthink this one. Michigan looks like a College Football Playoff team. Grade: A | |
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| Michigan State has bigger things to worry about than what's happening on the field. Former coach Mel Tucker was fired amid sexual harassment allegations. Tucker was initially suspended after leading the Spartans to a 2-0 start, and they haven't won since. Their last three losses have each come by at least two possessions. There isn't much reason for optimism here. It's a tough situation all around. Grade: D | |
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| All this entry really needs to mention is one game: Minnesota's overtime loss to Northwestern. To call what happened in that game a catastrophe would be disrespectful to catastrophes. The Gophers held a 31-10 lead entering the fourth quarter against a Wildcats team that's embroiled in controversy coming off a one-win season and led by an interim coach. Not only did they let Northwestern battle back and force overtime, they allowed a 25-yard touchdown pass on the Wildcats' first possession in overtime to lose the game 37-34. That alone is enough to call this season a washout, but Minnesota has looked pretty sorry in most of its other games. A Nebraska win is the only thing keeping it above water. Grade: D- | |
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| If we've learned anything about Nebraska this season, it's that Matt Rhule has a long rebuild ahead of him. Scott Frost left the program in possibly its lowest point ever, so this one has to be graded on a curve. And Rhule has Nebraska within earshot of a bowl game with at least a handful of winnable games left on the schedule. The Cornhuskers haven't been to a bowl since 2016. A 20-7 win over Illinois was impressive. Maybe it serves as the catalyst Nebraska needs to get to six wins. Grade: C | |
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| Another Big Ten school, another really tough situation. Former coach Pat Fitzgerald was initially suspended, and then fired, in July when hazing allegations within the football program came to light. This followed a 2022 season in which Northwestern went 1-11 and didn't win a single game on the North American continent. David Braun was named interim and the fact that the program hasn't completely folded under his watch is a minor miracle. In fact, the Wildcats are 3-3, third in the Big Ten West and have already matched their conference win total from a year ago. Given the context, Braun is in the midst of one of the best coaching performances in the entire nation. Grade: B | |
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| On one hand, Ohio State is one of 14 unbeaten teams left. The Buckeyes have a top-10 win against Notre Dame on their resume and their two Big Ten wins each came by 20 points. That being said, there are cracks in the facade. Ohio State's 37-17 win against Maryland should have been much closer, but the Terrapins couldn't get out of their own way. The Buckeyes' offense isn't humming like it has in the past. Quarterback Kyle McCord isn't elite, but he's what Ryan Day chose. Speaking of Day, a lot of his decision making has been questionable. There are some legitimate concerns about this team and, as of right now, it still looks far behind Michigan. Grade: B- | |
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| Penn State is the Big Ten's most impressive team thus far from a statistical standpoint. The Nittany Lions are either first or second in the conference in total offense, scoring offense, total defense and scoring defense. They're winning their games by an average of 31 points and they have already played four power conference programs. Former five-star QB Drew Allar is as good as advertised, but he hasn't had to put up big numbers yet thanks to a potent rushing attack and a defense that bludgeons opponents. Penn State still has to prove its worth against Ohio State and Michigan, but the early signs are exceedingly positive. Grade: A+ | |
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| Jeff Brohm is a fantastic coach. Louisville is learning that now after Brohm elected to leave for his alma mater after six years at Purdue. Boilermakers fans, meanwhile, are learning the hard way that Brohm covered a lot of talent deficiencies with his scheming and prowess. First-year Purdue coach Ryan Walters is 37 and still has plenty of room to grow as a coach. There are growing pains. Purdue is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. That win against Illinois might look worse with each passing week, though. Grade: D | |
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| Rutgers has one bowl appearance since 2014, and that's because Texas A&M pulled out of the 2021 Gator Bowl due to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases, allowing the 5-7 Scarlet Knights to enter in its place as an alternate. That's to say, the Scarlet Knights haven't won six regular season games in nine years. With a 4-2 record to start 2023 and decent showings in its two losses to Michigan and Wisconsin, Greg Schiano's squad is on track to break that skid and earn its way into the postseason. Grade: B- | |
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| Wisconsin is the odds-on favorite to win a very lackluster Big Ten West. Its only loss thus far came on the road against a Washington State team that now ranks 19th in the AP Top 25. Otherwise, the Badgers have taken care of business. The offense has looked decent under first-year coordinator Phil Longo and his air raid system, though it's been the running game that is stealing the show. The Badgers lead the Big Ten with 204 rushing yards per game. If Wisconsin does what it's supposed to do, Luke Fickell will deliver the program's first division title since 2019. Grade: B | |
