We’re now nine weeks through the college football season and it’s becoming increasingly clear what the top of the Big Ten looks like. Ohio State and Michigan appear to be the class of the league again, but which team should get the nod as the best team to date?
Penn State is right behind those two, but all of a sudden the offense that looked so efficient has started to bump and grind a little. The Nittany Lions needed some late magic to get by Indiana in Happy Valley. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess which teams will win on an almost weekly basis.
Northwestern has gotten off the mat to move to .500. The Maryland Terps are heading in the wrong direction once again since Big Ten play started, and there’s questions on Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State and others.
So, after yet another weekend of an interesting week in the Big Ten, how does our Big Ten football power rankings shake out? Is there a change at the top, and what about the middle to back end?
We do our best to sort it all.
No. 14 - Indiana Hoosiers (2-6, 0-5)
Why the Ranking
Indiana actually played pretty well at Penn State and put a scare into the Nittany Lion faithful. However, credit is not given in this column for close calls, only for wins, and the Hoosiers are still winless in the Big Ten and deserve to fall to the back of the pack.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 13 (⇓ one spot)
Last Result | Lost at Penn State, 33-24
Next Up … vs. Wisconsin
No. 13 - Purdue Boilermakers (2-6, 1-4)
Why the Ranking
Purdue had a horrible showing against a Nebraska team that is in a transition year. To be fair, so are the Boilermakers, but there’s been much more inconsistency for the train that thought it could in West Lafayette. Now a trip to Ann Arbor looms and that train certainly can’t.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 12 (⇓ one spot)
Last Result | Lost at Nebraska, 31-14
Next Up … at Michigan
No. 12 - Michigan State Spartans (2-6, 0-5)
Why the Ranking
Last week we lobbed the thought out there that the Spartans seemed to have already quit on the season. It looked that way again against Minnesota, and when you have things going wrong on and off the field, I guess it’s to be expected. Can you limp as you crawl to the end of a campaign?
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 10 (⇓ two spots)
Last Result | Lost at Minnesota, 27-12
Next Up … vs. Nebraska
No. 11 - Northwestern Wildcats (4-4, 2-3)
Why the Ranking
Look, we’ve been hard on the Wildcats but at some point, winning games, no matter how it comes has to count for something. Beating Maryland on Saturday might be the most surprising result of this Big Ten season so far. It’s still an uphill climb to get to a bowl game, but the fact we’re even talking about the possibility with this team and what’s gone on in the offseason is close to a miracle on the lake.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 14 (⇑ three spots)
Last Result | Won vs. Maryland, 33-27
Next Up … vs. IOWA
No. 10 - Illinois Fighting Illini (3-5, 1-4)
Why the Ranking
We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. In the West, sometimes it benefits you to be on a bye. That’s exactly what happened in these power rankings with the Illini. Illinois has played better as of late but we have a feeling Bret Bielema is going to be home for the holidays this year. However, win next week in Minneapolis and there’s a real shot all of a sudden.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 11 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Off Week
Next Up … at Minnesota
No. 9 - Maryland Terrapins (5-3, 2-3)
Why the Ranking
Yes, I’m doing it and dropping Maryland way down. The Terps have lost three straight against some of the worst teams in the league and are heading in the wrong direction fast. We all keep getting duped by the Terps’ play at the beginning of the year only to see a nosedive off the average cliff as conference play gets going. It’s a troubling trend year after year that one of the science or psychology departments at the school should look into.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 5 (⇓ five spots)
Last Result | Lost at Northwestern, 33-27
Next Up … vs. Penn State
No. 8 - Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-3, 3-2)
Why the Ranking
All of a sudden P.J. Fleck’s crew is rowing the boat toward a bowl game. The latest is a business-like win over Michigan State. The Spartans may have mailed it in this season, but the Gophers were dressed as the dog biting the leg of the postman for Halloween on Saturday.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 9 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Won vs. Michigan State, 27-12
Next Up … vs. Illinois
No. 7 - Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-3, 3-2)
Why the Ranking
After three straight wins, Nebraska is one win away from bowl eligibility. If you’ve been following us at all, you know we’ve had the Cornhuskers projected into a bowl game all along, and what a start to the Matt Rhule era it would be to get to one in Year 1. That might happen after a visit to East Lansing next Saturday.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 8 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Win vs. Purdue, 31-14
Next Up … at Michigan State
No. 6 - Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-2, 3-2)
Why the Ranking
Rutgers enjoyed some much-needed rest and recuperation this week after becoming bowl eligible last time out. We’re still trying to figure out if chopping wood is better than rowing the boat. Like Bigfoot’s existence and the meaning of life, it may never be answered. Although, if Rutgers can upend Ohio State next week, the advantage goes to the guys wielding the ax.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 7 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Off Week
Next Up … vs. Ohio State
No. 5 - Wisconsin Badgers (5-3, 3-2)
Why the Ranking
Wisconsin put a scare into Ohio State and played well enough to not drop this week. In fact, because of the U-turn over the curb Maryland seems to have made, the Badgers actually move up in this edition. The defense for Wisconsin played really well and don’t be surprised if the Badgers win out from here.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 6 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Lost vs. Ohio State, 24-10
Next Up … at Indiana
No. 4 - Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2, 3-2)
Why the Ranking
It seems like we throw a joke out there about Iowa’s offense every week, and even though the Hawkeyes were on a bye, we’re intent on doing it again. It’s quite possible Brian Ferentz’s offensive game plan looked better from the couch than on the field this week. All of a sudden the game against Northwestern next Saturday looks a little more difficult than before. Will punts, safeties and field goals be enough to win?
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 5 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Off Week
Next Up … vs. NOrthwestern
No. 3 - Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-1)
Why the Ranking
Penn State forgot to take an aspirin after the physical and emotional game against Ohio State and had to shake off a hangover against Indiana. In the end this is still a really good team, and we can forgive one week of lack of focus, especially after what happened in Columbus a week earlier.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 2 (⇔ no change)
Last Result | Won vs. Indiana, 33-24
Next Up … at Maryland
No. 2 - Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0)
Why the Ranking
As much as we like to heap praise on Ohio State’s defense, when we’re comparing teams, Michigan has a really good defense, too. Those cancel out. Anyone watching these games this year has to be honest and agree the Wolverines have been a little more efficient on offense, so we’re making the call to drop OSU below the Wolverines for now. The Buckeye offense has to get better if this season is going to end with confetti and trophies.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 1 (⇓ one spot)
Last Result | Won at Wisconsin, 24-10
Next Up … at Rutgers
No. 1 - Michigan Wolverines (8-0, 5-0)
Why the Ranking
Yeah, the sign-stealing allegations make you want to throw darts and wield a baseball bat at the Michigan logo (as if we needed another reason). The reality though is the Wolverines look to be the most complete team right now.
Some would argue Michigan hasn’t played anyone, and while that’s true to an extent, it is how it has looked each and every week playing teams. The closest game was a 24-point victory. Ohio State’s defense is really good, but the gap on offense needs to close before Nov. 25.
Last Week’s Power Ranking | 2 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result | Off Week
Next Up … vs. Purdue
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