Major shakeup this week as a certain team from Pennsylvania decided to melt down in the California sun. See how everyone stacks up in the Big Ten following week 6 action:
Travis:
What happened to Penn State
in Pasadena is hilarious. The last similar upset in conference play might have been when Danny Hope’s 1-5 Purdue team stunned #7 Ohio State in 2009 out of nowhere thanks to Ryan Kerrigan making life a living hell for Terrelle Pryor. In fact, this is probably worse, as that Purdue team was at least feisty going into that one. UCLA was Dead Team Walking with a fired coach that hadn’t even held a lead all season.
- Oregon Ducks (-) – Oregon had a bye to get ready for Indiana, and Indiana had a bye to get ready for them. I am still trying to figure out which century I woke up in that this is a huge Big Ten game.
- Ohio State Buckeyes (-) – That was a processing of Minnesota after the Gophers’ opening drive. For our sakes I hope it means Minnesota’s offense is bad.
- Indiana Hoosiers (-) – I know. I hate it as much as all of you do, especially now that Alabama remembered it is Alabama again and won’t be hiring Cignetti away at the end of the year.
- Michigan Wolverines (+1) – Do you think they are just biding time until they can wreck Ohio State again at the end?
- USC Trojans (+3) – If there was such a thing as a Big Ten quarterfinal this week’s Michigan-USC game would be it. The winner still has an outside chance at Indy, while the loser is probably done.
- Illinois Fighting Illini (-1) – Man, if Michael Jackson III had just held onto the football twice or if Nitro Tuggle wasn’t plagued by the dropsies…
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (+3) – A nice little win over Michigan State. They are a solid squad. The 3.6 roentgen (not great, not terrible) of Big Ten football.
- Washington Huskies (+3) – Not gonna lie, I thought Maryland had them. Great fourth quarter comeback after flying across the country.
- Iowa Hawkeyes (+3) – They would be much higher if they had held on against Indiana. They’re still an eight win team.
- Maryland Terrapins (-3) – They really do not want to beat the September Maryland allegations, do they?
- Northwestern Wildcats (+5) – Northwstern has won two in a row and has a chance to do something absolutely hilarious this weekend in State College.
- Michigan State Spartans (+1) – They went up in a loss, but it was a very competitive game on the road in Lincoln. They acquitted themselves well, too.
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (-2) – Given the state of Purdue’s secondary, they should be very concerned if they are held to just a field goal this week.
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+1) – Rutgers at Washington is an actual Big Ten conference game this week.
- Purdue Boilermakers (-1) – The Illinois game was like the USC game. Purdue is much better, but it cannot win games against good teams when it loses the turnover battle. Both fumbles were critical.
- UCLA Bruins (+2) – They won’t go unwinfeated! This wasn’t a fluke, either. They kind of dominated Penn State, making it even more shocking.
- Wisconsin Badgers (-) – Does Luke Fickell survive the season? They still have to play three teams currently in the top 10.
- Penn State Nittany Lions (-14) – If you suffer one of the worst losses in the recent history of college football you go to the back of the line for a week. In fact, I should go back to the week one bit and put them behind Lake Forest, U of Chicago, and Indiana (PA). Just an absolutely atrocious and inexcuseable loss. Couldn’t happen to a better program since they shouldn’t be allowed to have one after the Sandusky scandal.
Ryan:
1. #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (+1)
Last Week: Won 42-3 at Minnesota
Week 7 Matchup: At #17 Illinois
Had Ohio State not won this convincingly, I don’t think I would have bumped them back up to the top. The Buckeyes played dominantly on defense and their offense was pretty stellar too. Just in case you couldn’t look past Jeremiah Smith, OSU has another stud receiver in Carnell Tate.
2. #3 Oregon Ducks (-1)
Last Week: BYE
Week 7 Matchup: Vs #7 Indiana
We are going to learn a lot about the Big Ten this week and surprisingly, this could be the toughest matchup for Oregon on the season (though the Whiteout when Penn State had a pulse was extremely difficult). Oregon had a week to come back home, rest up, and take on the Hoosiers. Win this one and the hardest remaining game on the schedule looks to be a game in Kinnick against Iowa.
3. # 7 Indiana Hoosiers (+1)
Last Week: BYE
Week 7 Matchup: At #3 Oregon
With a week of rest, Indiana will hit the road to Eugene to play in their biggest game of the season (and maybe Oregon’s too). Someone has to lose but Indiana can sure up some bumps and bruises before the showdown. A win here thrusts Indiana into the driver’s seat on the road to the Big Ten Championship (one of OSU and Michigan will lose).
4. #17 Illinois Fighting Illini (+1)
Last Week: Won 43-27 at Purdue
Week 7 Matchup: Vs #1 Ohio State
Illinois is back on a winning streak, but it may not last long as Ohio State comes to Champaign this week. All of the top 4 in the power rankings this week play in 2 games, so it could set up for a must watch Saturday slate.
5. #15 Michigan Wolverines (+1)
Last Week: Won 24-10 vs Wisconsin
Week 7 Matchup: At USC
Could Michigan have looked better against Wisconsin? Yes, but the Wolverines played excellent defense, and the offense did enough to secure a two-touchdown victory. Nothing to sneeze at.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions (-3)
Last Week: Lost 42-37 at UCLA
Week 7 Matchup: Vs Northwestern
Wow. Penn State has painted itself into a corner and they better jump a long way if they don’t want to ruin their black shoes. This is one of the worst losses in 40 years, not just at PSU but in college football. UCLA was ground down to a nub and was staring down the barrel of an 0-12 season before the Nittany Lions let the Oregon loss turn into 2 losses and nearly a knockout blow from the CFP.
7. USC Trojans (-)
Last Week: BYE
Week 7 Matchup: Vs #15 Michigan
USC looks to be the start of the third tier of teams in the Big Ten. I can’t quite put them on the same level as Penn State and Michigan though that could change this week when the Trojans host the Wolverines. A win is almost certain to get USC ranked again.
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers (+2)
Last Week: Won 38-27 vs Michigan State
Week 7 Matchup: At Maryland
Nebraska is quietly putting together a solid season, and the Huskers do not currently have a ranked team remaining on their schedule (thanks to Penn State). Matt Rhule is trying to work his magic again, but Nebraska failed its only opportunity to make noise thus far this season against Michigan.
9. Washington Huskies (-)
Last Week: Won 24-20 at Maryland
Week 7 Matchup: Vs Rutgers (Friday)
The Huskies were snoozing until the fourth quarter and then it was like the Iditarod as Washington score 21 unanswered points to upset the Terps. Don’t expect the Huskies to be caught sleeping again this week when they play at home against Rutgers.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes (-2)
Last Week: BYE
Week 7 Matchup: At Wisconsin
Dare I call a trip to Madison a get-right game for Iowa. It sure feels that way this year. It feels like this could be one of the patented 6-3 games in Kinnick.
11. Maryland Terrapins (-)
Last Week: Lost 24-20 vs Washington
Week 7 Matchup: Vs Nebraska
Just a gut-wrenching loss as Maryland was up 17 heading into the 4th quarter. Then the Terps allowed 229 yards in 3 drives to the Huskies and just couldn’t score again. Maryland has a chance to get momentum back on their side when they play a good Nebraska team at home.
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (-)
Last Week: Lost 42-3 vs #1 Ohio State
Week 7 Matchup: Vs Purdue
Minnesota was clearly overmatched against Ohio State at home but that was to be expected. Will the Gophers bounce back against Purdue?
13. Michigan State Spartans (-)
Last Week: Lost 38-27 at Nebraska
Week 7 Matchup: Vs UCLA
This game was just odd. Despite 2 interceptions and three 3 and outs, Michigan State went into the half only down 14-7 at Nebraska. MSU forced a turnover on downs and sandwiched a Dylan Raiola interception between two long touchdown drives to go up 21-14. Then the Spartans simply collapsed as they actually lost 5 total yards over their next three drives while Nebraska put up 24 unanswered points. Michigan State scored a garbage-time touchdown and lost by 11. Now Sparty will see if they can squash any UCLA momentum in East Lansing.
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-)
Last Week: BYE
Week 7 Matchup: At Washington (Friday)
A long trip looms for Rutgers, and it looks to be a tough battle against Washington on a Friday night. Rutgers will try to not fall to .500 on the year against the Huskies.
15. UCLA Bruins (+3)
Last Week: Won 42-37 vs #7 Penn State
Week 6 Matchup: At Michigan State
Where the hell did this come from? Jerry Neuheisel, who many folks didn’t know until this week, looks to follow in his father’s footsteps as the UCLA head coach because that was an awesome debut. This guy just looks like the golden child of the sunshine coast and maybe he understands how to unlock the potential of his expensive quarterback. Now, Penn State may have some reasonable excuses for this game with the travel and following a demoralizing loss, but where Penn State has excuses, UCLA has a W.
16. Purdue Boilermakers (-1)
Last Week: Lost 43-27 vs #22 Illinois
Week 7 Matchup: At Minnesota
This Purdue team doesn’t stop fighting but they also seem allergic to momentum at times. In 3 losses this year, all to teams receiving votes or ranked, Purdue has made crucial mistakes at terrible times. In the USC game, it was 3 interceptions in Trojan territory. Against Notre Dame, it was a kickoff return for a touchdown after a score (though it should have been called back due to penalty), and this week, it was multiple fumbles, first when driving to potentially go up 14-3 and again on a punt return following an Illinois 3 and out while down 9. The offense isn’t quite good enough to get into weekly shootouts and with the way the defense has been playing, there is no margin for error to give the ball away.
17. Northwestern Wildcats (-)
Last Week: Won 42-7 vs Louisiana Monroe
Week 6 Matchup: At Penn State
The Wildcats punched down and got revenge on the state of Louisiana but now Northwestern has to go to Penn State. Of course, I said the same thing of UCLA last week and we all know how that worked out but now PSU has to fight its way out of the hole it’s dug, and NW is the first in line to feel the brunt of it.
18. Wisconsin Badgers (-)
Last Week: Lost 24-10 at #20 Michigan
Week 7 Matchup: Vs Iowa
Wisconsin is on QB #3 for the year, and it will be a forgettable season for the Badgers. Of course, Purdue doesn’t play Wisconsin this year.
