We have some shakeups in the rankings after a hectic Week 8.
Week 8 of Big Ten football was filled with intense finishes and big shifts in the structure of the conference. Teams that we thought were down and out have moved up, and other programs have fallen hard in unexpected losses. You’ll notice these changes in the power rankings:
18. UCLA (1-5, 0-4 conf.)
Week 7: 21-17 loss vs. Minnesota
It was another tough weekend for the Bruins at home, this time suffering a tight loss to Minnesota. UCLA’s run game is brutally bad, but the passing game wasn’t awful. Ethan Garbers threw three interceptions, but also 293 yards and a touchdown. Overall, there isn’t anything to like, but that’s what you should expect in DeShaun Foster’s first year rebuilding the program.
17. Maryland (3-3, 0-3 conf.)
Week 7: 37-10 loss vs. Northwestern
The Terrapins have reached a new low this season, entering the basement of the Big Ten with the team they just lost to. At home, Maryland couldn’t get anything going on either side of the ball. Billy Edwards Jr. spread the wealth amongst his receivers, with four having 40-plus yards. However, his 296 passing yards were marred by zero touchdowns and an interception. At .500, it isn’t the end of the world, but Maryland should be better than this, and the schedule only gets tougher.
16. Purdue (1-5, 0-3 conf.)
Week 7: 50-49 loss @ No. 23 Illinois
Purdue was so close to getting itself out of the basement, mounting a 21-point comeback and dropping 40 points in the second half. Ryan Browne was spectacular, throwing for 297 yards and three touchdowns, and also ran for an absurd 118 yards. To put it simply, this guy is special.
A decision to go for a two-point conversion for the win ruined the Boilermaker’s chances of an upset win against a ranked opponent, but the positive is that this is a big bounce back from a 46-point blowout loss to Wisconsin the week prior. Tough loss, but strides were taken.
15. Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 conf.)
Week 7: 37-10 win @ Maryland
Northwestern took a big step this past weekend, getting to 3-3 with a big road win against an opponent that was favored to win. Jack Lausch didn’t have to do much, as the ground game did all the work in the red zone. The defense was a major part of the win, holding Maryland to 10 points and racking up three sacks and an interception.
Is the win enough to get the Wildcats out of the bottom four in the power rankings? No, but this is a major step. A program that was seen as an outcast in the Big Ten now ranks outside the bottom four by conference record. Take that as another win.
14. Michigan State (3-3, 1-2 conf.)
Week 7: N/A
MSU got the weekend off but will enter the second half of the season with some tough games. The Spartans will face Iowa, followed by three teams in this week’s AP Top 25 (No. 24 Michigan, No. 16 Indiana, and No. 22 Illinois). Winning just one of these next four will be impressive, or at least just keeping the games competitive.
13. Minnesota (4-3, 2-2 conf.)
Week 7: 21-17 win @ UCLA
Minnesota narrowly escaped the worst team in the Big Ten, which highlights the perplexing dynamic of college football games. A team that most recently defeated a ranked USC squad kept it too close with a 1-5 Bruins team.
The Golden Gophers didn’t come alive until the second half, trailing 10-0 after two quarters. A 21-point second half was a sigh of relief, but it seems like the team still took a step back this past weekend.
12. Rutgers (4-2, 1-2 conf.)
Week 7: 42-7 loss vs. Wisconsin
I was high on Rutgers, but I was also cautiously optimistic for games like this one. Both sides of the ball looked lost, and there wasn’t much to stay positive about after this loss. The Scarlett Knights’ biggest weapon, Kyle Monangai, put up just 72 rushing yards and a garbage-time touchdown to avoid a shutout by Wisconsin’s defense. Athan Kaliakmanis couldn’t find success in the air either.
This is a big step back, as even if Rutgers lost it was still expected to be a competitive game. The Scarlett Knights should get back on track against UCLA this weekend.
11. Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1 conf.)
Week 7: 42-7 win @ Rutgers
On the flip side, this is a big win for the Badgers. Like Rutgers, I will be cautiously optimistic about this, but Wisconsin has now put up 94 points in the past two games while letting up just 13. This is big for a team that reached a new low point in the Luke Fickell era in late September.
Backup quarterback turned starter Braedyn Locke looks more comfortable as time goes on. He’s had a trend of starting slow, then adjusting and letting the game come to him. Tawee Walker has emerged as a legitimate option in the backfield, and the Badger winning streak should continue this weekend against Northwestern.
10. USC (3-3, 1-3 conf.)
Week 7: 33-30 loss vs. No. 4 Penn State
USC was so close to getting the biggest bounce-back win of the weekend after falling out of the top 25. Unfortunately, Penn State is Penn State, and the team couldn’t muster up anything in overtime.
The ground game was spectacular between Jo’quavious Marks and Quinten Joyner, but Miller Moss wasn’t his usual self against a tough defense. It isn’t a bad loss, per se, but this one hurts just because of the lead the Trojans had.
9. No. 24 Michigan (4-2, 2-1 conf.)
Week 7: N/A
Michigan will come into Week 8 hanging to their top-25 ranking by a thread. The only reason they’re in this position is because of where they started, and that Washington loss in Week 6 should’ve pushed them out.
The Wolverines will have something to prove against another ranked opponent, Illinois. The two teams have been trending in opposite directions, but Michigan can make a statement if it gets the road win this weekend. However, if the quarterback persists— which it will— the team will struggle for the rest of the season.
8. Washington (4-3, 2-2 conf.)
Week 7: 40-16 loss @ Iowa
Washington failed to capitalize on its success over ranked Michigan with a blowout loss to Iowa. The Huskies let one of, if not the worst offensive team in the Big Ten score four touchdowns and drop 40 points. It seems like we’ll never get a read on this team.
The low-scoring offense was somewhat expected against an elite defense, but Washington’s defense got torn up. Amazingly, the Huskies have beaten tough Big Ten teams, and ranked opponents, and have kept it close with other formidable opponents, yet they fall back like this. The loss keeps them on the fringes of the top ten in the power rankings.
7. Iowa (4-2, 2-1 conf.)
Week 7: 40-16 win vs. Washington
Iowa finally found life on offense again this week. The team is surprisingly solid on that side of the ball, but only because of Kaleb Johnson. When he gets going, Cade McNamara’s job is so much easier and he doesn’t get exposed. We should call this the “Michigan problem.”
The Hawkeyes have averaged 29.2 points per game, compared to 15.4 in 2023. This is a major win in itself, and if the team can keep it rolling, Iowa can make some noise in the second half of the season.
6. Nebraska (5-1, 2-1 conf.)
Week 7: N/A
I’m surprised Nebraska isn’t ranked. Its one loss came against a ranked opponent, and aside from last weekend against Rutgers, the team has looked fine on both sides of the ball. This weekend, the Cornhuskers will get tested against red-hot No. 16 Indiana. If they pull this upset off, the top 25 should be a guarantee, and they’re locked in to go bowling.
5. No. 22 Illinois (5-1, 2-1 conf.)
Week 7: 50-49 win vs. Purdue
Illinois’ defense took a big step back this past weekend, but boy was the offense hot. It was consistent all game, and Luke Altmyer put the team on his back, throwing for 379 yards and three touchdowns.
While I didn’t think the two-point conversion attempt from Purdue was smart, that makes Illinois very lucky. They avoided slipping out of the rankings, and have the chance to clinch a bowl game this weekend against a fellow ranked opponent in Michigan. Believe in Bielema.
4. No. 16 Indiana (6-0, 3-0 conf.)
Week 7: N/A
Indiana was the first Big Ten team to clinch a bowl game, and how could you not love this story? Curt Cignetti, who built JMU from the ground up, has done the same with the Hoosiers. The offense has been as good as it has ever been, and he has unlocked Kurtis Rourke.
The weekend off may hurt Indiana’s momentum heading into a tough game against Nebraska, but it’ll be a rocking home game at Memorial Stadium. A convincing 7-0 would call for significant CFP conversations.
3. No. 3 Penn State (6-0, 3-0 conf.)
Week 7: 33-30 win @ USC
Penn State is higher than Ohio State in the national rankings, but this narrow win filled with mistakes keeps them from moving ahead in the power rankings. A slow start highlighted by a six-point first half should have been a blow to the team, but I’ll give the team credit for coming alive in the second half.
Drew Allar threw three interceptions, but also two touchdowns and 391 yards with a 69.7% completion rate. The ground game was weak, an unusual flaw considering the preseason hype, but if the Nittany Lions can beat a solid team on the road without their biggest weapons performing, they’ll be fine as soon they do.
2. No. 4 Ohio State (5-1, 2-1 conf.)
Week 7: 32-31 loss @ No. 3 Oregon
The game of the week did not disappoint, but what’s so unfortunate about these top-five matchups is that one loss should hurt pretty bad. For Ohio State, the committee took it easy on the program, dropping it just two spots. That’s a fair ranking because both sides looked good.
Everyone did their job, it just came down to the final play, and Oregon just happened to expose a flaw in the rulebook. Don’t worry, the Buckeyes are still the Buckeyes.
1. No. 2 Oregon (6-0, 3-0 conf.)
Week 7: 32-31 win vs. No. 2 Ohio State
You have to give this team so much credit for coming to play in a dogfight. At home, Oregon stayed undefeated and we witnessed another masterclass from Dillon Gabriel. Everything was hitting on offense and after a few lucky breaks (i.e. a line drive kick that went back to the Ducks) it came down to Dan Lanning.
The head coach exposed a rule regarding the 12-man penalty. To recap, Lanning left a 12th man on the field with 10 seconds left in the game, preventing a big play. The penalty gave Ohio State five yards but took four seconds off the clock which is more valuable than five yards on Oregon’s 43-yard line. Will Howard had no time to make another play, and the Ducks proved they belong at the top of the rankings.