A stunning result at the Rose Bowl brings a massive shakeup to this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings.
Going into Week 6, UCLA looked destined to spend the entire season at the bottom of the rankings following its 0-4 start. But the Bruins stunned the college football world last weekend by upsetting Penn State – which was slotted at fourth in our Big Ten rankings – forcing us to completely reevaluate both teams.
There’s no change to the top three in this week’s rankings, as No. 1 Ohio State handled business with a blowout win over Minnesota while No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 Indiana were both off ahead of their showdown in Eugene this upcoming weekend. But there were interesting games elsewhere in the conference, including a dramatic comeback win for Washington over Maryland and two-score wins for Michigan (over Wisconsin), Illinois (over Purdue) and Nebraska (over Michigan State), as well as an easy win for Northwestern in a rare October non-conference game vs. a Group of 5 team (UL Monroe).
I took all of those results as well as the rest of the results we’ve seen so far this season into consideration to compile this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings. Now that every team in the Big Ten has played multiple conference games, conference records and head-to-head results carried significant weight in determining this week’s rankings, with how each team has performed so far this season taking precedence over what they could accomplish for the rest of the season.
1. Ohio State (5-0, 2-0)
Wins: Texas (14-7), Grambling State (70-0), Ohio (37-9), at Washington (24-6), Minnesota (42-3)
Losses: None
Last Week: 1
Ohio State continued to look like not only the Big Ten’s best team but the most complete team in all of college football, particularly on defense, in its 39-point triumph over Minnesota. The Buckeyes’ signature win lost some of its prestige with Texas’ loss to Florida in Week 6, but a dominant rout in a week where the two teams behind them in the rankings didn’t play keeps them comfortably in the No. 1 spot.
2. Oregon (5-0, 2-0)
Wins: Montana State (59-13), Oklahoma State (69-3), at Northwestern (34-14), Oregon State (41-7), at Penn State (30-24)
Losses: None
Last Week: 2
Like Ohio State, Oregon’s signature win so far this season doesn’t stand out as much after Penn State’s loss to UCLA. Nevertheless, the Ducks are the only team right now with two road wins in Big Ten play, and they’ve dominated everyone they’ve played except for the Nittany Lions. They’ll have the chance to pick up another signature win against Indiana this weekend.
3. Indiana (5-0, 2-0)
Wins: Old Dominion (27-14), Kennesaw State (56-9), Indiana State (73-0), Illinois (63-10), at Iowa (20-15)
Losses: None
Last Week: 3
Thanks to Texas and Penn State’s losses this past weekend, Indiana’s 53-point bludgeoning of Illinois now ranks as the most impressive win in the Big Ten this season. Their weak non-conference schedule and a close call at Iowa keep them in the No. 3 spot for now, but a road win at Oregon this weekend would give them a real case to move all the way to the top.
4. Michigan (4-1, 2-0)
Wins: New Mexico (34-17), Central Michigan (63-3), at Nebraska (30-27), Wisconsin (24-10)
Losses: at Oklahoma (13-24)
Last Week: 5
Michigan hasn’t been dominant in either of its first two conference games, but it is the only other team without a loss so far in Big Ten play. With their only loss coming on the road to an Oklahoma team that’s been one of the nation’s best so far this season, the Wolverines look like the Big Ten’s strongest candidate for a fourth College Football Playoff team right now.
5. Washington (4-1, 1-1)
Wins: Colorado State (38-21), UC Davis (70-10), at Washington State (59-24), at Maryland (24-20)
Losses: Ohio State (6-24)
Last Week: 6
The Huskies showed how dangerous they can be when they’re firing on all cylinders with their furious second-half comeback at Maryland, as they scored the game’s final 24 points – including three fourth-quarter touchdowns – to climb out of a 20-0 hole and earn a road win on the opposite side of the country against a previously unbeaten team. The slow start in College Park paired with a weak non-conference schedule leaves some lingering mystery about how good Washington actually is, but the Huskies remain the team that’s given Ohio State the most resistance so far this season and haven’t lost to anyone else.
Washington moves into the top five of this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings with its dramatic comeback win at Maryland.
6. Illinois (5-1, 2-1)
Wins: Western Illinois (52-3), at Duke (45-19), Western Michigan (38-0), USC (34-32), Purdue (43-27)
Losses: at Indiana (10-63)
Last Week: 8
The Fighting Illini enter this week’s game against Ohio State with some momentum from back-to-back wins, but they’ll need to upset the Buckeyes to erase the stink of their 53-point loss in Bloomington. That defeat keeps them out of the top five along with their defensive struggles, as they’ve allowed more than 500 yards per game in Big Ten play.
7. Nebraska (4-1, 1-1)
Wins: Cincinnati (20-17), Akron (68-0), Houston Christian (59-7), Michigan State (38-27)
Losses: Michigan (27-30)
Last Week: 7
The Cornhuskers trailed Michigan State in the third quarter before pulling away in the fourth quarter, but finding a way to win a close game is a step in the right direction after their loss to Michigan. Their non-conference résumé also got stronger with Cincinnati’s win over Iowa State in Week 6, giving Nebraska a win over a team that’s now flirting with being nationally ranked.
8. Maryland (4-1, 1-1)
Wins: FAU (39-7), Northern Illinois (20-9), Towson (44-17), at Wisconsin (27-10)
Losses: Washington (20-24)
Last Week: 7
With a 20-0 lead and less than 20 minutes to play against Washington, Maryland looked poised for a move into the top four of the rankings. Its late-game collapse, however, means serious doubts remain about the Terrapins’ ability to beat good Big Ten teams. How they respond this week against Nebraska will be telling.
9. USC (4-1, 2-1)
Wins: Missouri State (73-13), Georgia Southern (59-20), at Purdue (33-17), Michigan State (45-31)
Losses: at Illinois (32-34)
Last Week: 9
The Trojans had the week off after losing to Illinois in Week 5. That prevented them from working their way back up the rankings this week, as they have yet to beat any opponents of note, but they’ll have a chance to make a statement in Week 7 as they host Michigan.
10. Iowa (3-2, 1-1)
Wins: Albany (34-7), UMass (47-7), at Rutgers (38-28)
Losses: at Iowa State (14-17), Indiana (15-20)
Last Week: 10
Like USC, Iowa stays put in this week’s rankings after a week off. Iowa State’s loss to Cincinnati didn’t help the Hawkeyes’ résumé, though the Cyclones were without their top two cornerbacks (who have suffered season-ending injuries since the Iowa game) and kicker Kyle Konrardy – who made a game-winning 54-yard field goal against Iowa – in their loss to the Bearcats.
11. Michigan State (3-2, 0-2)
Wins: Western Michigan (23-6), Boston College (42-40), Youngstown State (41-24)
Losses: at USC (31-45), at Nebraska (27-38)
Last Week: 12
Michigan State moves up in this week’s rankings only because of how bad Penn State’s loss was and because no one below them in the rankings did enough to jump them. The Spartans don’t have any particularly impressive wins and they’re 0-2 to start Big Ten play, but they’ve at least been competitive in those losses, both on the road against teams in the conference’s upper half.
12. Northwestern (3-2, 1-1)
Wins: Western Illinois (42-7), UCLA (17-14), UL Monroe (42-3)
Losses: at Tulane (3-23), Oregon (14-34)
Last Week: 17
I know what you’re thinking: Northwestern is moving up five spots because it beat UL Monroe? But it’s actually a result of UCLA beating Penn State. That makes the Wildcats’ win over the Bruins one week earlier look like less of a throwaway, and four of the six teams below them in the rankings have yet to win a conference game. They’ll need to beat Penn State this weekend to hold this ranking, but with a winning record for now, they have more going for them than the six teams ranked below them.
13. Minnesota (3-2, 1-1)
Wins: Buffalo (23-10), Northwestern State (66-0), Rutgers (31-28)
Losses: at California (14-27), at Ohio State (3-42)
Last Week: 13
Minnesota’s blowout loss in Columbus made it apparent the Golden Gophers are a long way away from P.J. Fleck’s preseason College Football Playoff aspirations. Losing to the conference’s best team doesn’t drop the Gophers in the rankings, but their lack of competitiveness against the Buckeyes made it clear there’s a big gap between them and the Big Ten’s upper crust.
14. Rutgers (3-2, 0-2)
Wins: Ohio (34-31), Miami-Ohio (45-17), Norfolk State (60-10)
Losses: Iowa (28-38), at Minnesota (28-31)
Last Week: 14
With the Golden Gophers staying put, so do the Scarlet Knights – who lost to Minnesota in their most recent game – after their off week. With no wins yet against Power 4 teams, their current résumé is defined by a pair of losses against mid-tier Big Ten opponents.
15. Wisconsin (2-3, 0-2)
Wins: Miami-Ohio (17-0), Middle Tennessee State (42-10)
Losses: at Alabama (14-38), Maryland (10-27), at Michigan (10-24)
Last Week: 15
The Badgers showed they still have some fight in them against Michigan, keeping the game competitive into the second half even with their third starting quarterback of the season, Southern Illinois transfer Hunter Simmons. Still, the Badgers have lost all three games they’ve played against Power 4 opponents and remain likely to be underdogs in every game they play the rest of the season.
16. UCLA (1-4, 1-1)
Wins: Penn State (42-37)
Losses: Utah (10-43), at UNLV (23-30), New Mexico (10-35), at Northwestern (14-17)
Last Week: 18
One win, no matter how unexpected, doesn’t make up for UCLA’s disastrous first month of the season. But there sure is more reason for hope in Westwood now than there was a week ago. Nico Iamaleava and UCLA’s offense played their best game of the season by far against Penn State, giving the Bruins something real to build upon as the year continues. Now they have to prove their first win of the season wasn’t a fluke.
17. Purdue (2-3, 0-2)
Wins: Ball State (31-0), Southern Illinois (34-17)
Losses: at USC (17-33), at Notre Dame (30-56), Illinois (27-43)
Last Week: 16
Purdue has shown it can be somewhat competitive against quality opponents, which is a real step forward for the Boilermakers after they were outscored by an average of more than 24 points per game last season. They still haven’t looked like a team capable of beating quality opponents, though, with a struggling defense that’s allowed an average of 44 points in its last three games.
18. Penn State (3-2, 0-2)
Wins: Nevada (46-11), Florida International (34-0), Villanova (52-6)
Losses: Oregon (24-30), at UCLA (37-42)
Last Week: 4
And now for the ranking you’ve all been waiting for. Yes, I’ve dropped Penn State all the way to the bottom of this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings after last week’s loss to UCLA – that’s how bad of a loss it was.
Going into last weekend, UCLA was the clear-cut worst team in the Big Ten, if not the entire Power 4. The Bruins didn’t look like a team that was capable of beating anyone, let alone a team that many (guilty as charged) projected to win the Big Ten and the national championship before the season. But the Nittany Lions allowed just that to happen, falling into a 27-7 halftime deficit they could never make up as Jim Knowles’ defense got shredded by an offense that was averaging just 14.25 points per game coming in.
Penn State now has the worst loss of any team in the Big Ten, without a single win of significance to offset it – Nevada and FIU are both Group of 5 teams with losing records, while Villanova is an FCS school. And there’s certainly no coach feeling more heat in the Big Ten right now than James Franklin, who followed up a predictable loss to a top-10 opponent with the worst loss of his career.
Do I believe Penn State is the worst team in the Big Ten? No. But with absolutely nothing to show for their preseason hype five weeks into the season, the Nittany Lions belong at the bottom of the Big Ten rankings until they at least win a conference game.
