We are now several weeks into the 2025-26 college basketball season. While the Big Ten's top members have yet to square off, the season tipoff is starting to crystallize the conference hierarchy.

USC scored the final 19 points to stave off Iowa's upset bid and set the stage for a showdown Saturday at Oregon.

Two top contenders needed late-game heroics to pull off victories, while an upset loss ended another ranked team’s playoff hopes. Undefeated Ohio State and Indiana seem to be on a collision course to meet in the Big Ten championship game but three other teams remain in the CFP hunt.

The Big Ten is in danger of devolving into a two-bid conference if a specific sequence of results plays out involving Oregon, Michigan and USC.

Led by preseason champ pick UCLA, here are the first USA TODAY Sports Network Big Ten women's basketball power rankings.