By Adam Hensley
As the cross-country season kicks into championship gear, teams across the Big Ten prepare for some of their toughest competition of the season. Here are the conference’s power rankings on the men’s side.
Michigan — Aside from leading the power rankings, the Wolverines also rank 14th in the nation — and rightfully so.
Most recently at Pre-Nationals, Connor Mora and Aaron Baumgarten snagged top-15 place finishes in a crowded, talented field of competition.
Wisconsin — In the Badgers’ recent competition, they faced conference foes Minnesota and Michigan State. Wisconsin topped both squads, coming in at 11th. Led by stud Morgan McDonald, who finished third overall, the Badgers were one of nine teams to place five runners in the top-100.
Indiana — The Hoosiers come in the polls at 19th in the country. Most impressively, Indiana split its team up for the Bradley Classic and Pre-National meet on the weekend of Oct. 14. The results: The Hoosiers finished seventh at Bradley and fifth at Pre-Nationals.
Michigan State — Starting the season off with back-to-back wins, the Spartans continued their early season success and placed fifth at Griak.
Minnesota — The Gophers are right in the mix at mid-level conference competition. They finished ninth at Griak but followed that up with a 22nd-place finish at the Wisconsin Invitational.
Illinois — Head coach Jake Stewart’s team made headlines by jumping all the way to second place last season in the Big Ten Championships. This season, Illinois’ highlights include a 10th-place finish at Griak and a fifth-place stint at the Notre Dame Invitational — both large meets.
Penn State — Another mid-level team in the Big Ten, Penn State recently competed against top-notch teams (No. 9 Oklahoma State, No. 11 Mississippi, No. 16 Virginia, and No. 26 Virginia Tech), helping the team prepare for a loaded conference showdown.
Ohio State — The Buckeyes enter the Big Ten Championships ranked sixth in an über-competitive Great Lakes Region, in which six of the top-seven teams are Big Ten competitors.
Purdue — The Boilermakers (seventh) are the final Big Ten team ranked in the Great Lakes’ top 15. Don’t let their ranking fool you. This team toppled Oklahoma, Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa at Pre-Nationals. If its region weren’t stacked, Purdue would be a top-three team regionally.
Iowa — Dealing with injuries, the Hawkeyes will rely on their youth on Oct. 30.
Nebraska, Rutgers — Not much to talk about here.