Some Big Ten teams are starting to pull away from the pack while others are falling further into mediocrity. Then again, some teams had a bye week this week, so how do the Big Ten teams stack up after week 5?
Travis:
Hey! I am back after I had to have my entire back yard turned into a replica of Verdun thanks to roots growing through a sewer pipe. Now that the hole has been filled in and I don’t have to cosplay Passchendaele I can actually do some power rankings.
- Oregon Ducks (+1) – That was a hell of a game in State College and quite a win for the Ducks. Shoutout to Dillon Thieneman for providing hte most exciting moment for Purdue football in the last three years.
- Ohio State Buckeyes (-1) – Pretty much a 1A and a 1B with Oregon right now. I think this is the most likely B1G title game match up now.
- Indiana Hoosiers (+2) – Indiana won at Iowa despite Iowa deploying its superpower of getting a safety. The Hoosiers are actually good, probably better than last year.
- Penn State Nittany Lions (-1) – Will they ever win a big game? Penn State football reminds me a little of Purdue volleyball: Easily top 15 or top 10, but cannot break through tot hat top 5 with staying power.
- Michigan Wolverines (+2) – There is a pretty big gap here between the top 4 and the rest, but Michigan can get there.
- Illinois Fighting Illini (-2) – Impressive late drive to beat USC, and a nice recovery after Indiana went scortched earth on them. Can they survive a nooner in West Lafayette?
- Maryland Terrapins (+3) – I mean sure, fine. They’re undefeated and rolled in Madison, so partial credit.
- USC Trojans (-2) – The offense is really good. The defense is a bit shaky. They reek of 8-4 or 9-3 as a final record.
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (+6) – I never thought that PJ Fleck would have the most stable program in the Big Ten, but he is in year 9 now and the Gophers are solid.
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (-2) – Nebraska has a real chance to go on a run here before hosting USC, and their schedule is friendly enough for 10 wins.
- Washington Huskies (+2) – They did a fine job defensively against Ohio State, but they couldn’t do much on offense. They are still going to be a tough out at home for everyone.
- Iowa Hawkeyes (-) – Iowa is about as Iowa as Iowa can ever Iowa. Expect at least three more games this year in the 24-17 final score range with them winning or losing.
- Michigan State Spartans (-4) – They were off last week and they are coming off of a two TD loss at USC. This week’s trip to Nebraska is interesting.
- Purdue Boilermakers (+1) – All Purdue needs to do is limit turnovers and provide a little more on defense. They have a real shot at upsetting Illinois this week and it feels like a pivotal game early in the Odom era.
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-3) – The only two loss team in Big Ten play, and they were competitive losses at that. This is still a pretty solid team.
- Northwestern Wildcats (+1) – They have a conference win! Will they get a second? It seems doubtful, but they still have Purdue.
- Wisconsin Badgers (-1) – Of course the year Wisconsin is finally terrible they are not on Purdue’s schedule. Incredibly unfortunate.
- UCLA Bruins (-) – UCLA has a nicely furnished basement apartment here. Now they get to play a very angry Penn State team. Two best chances at a win left are at home for Maryland and at home for Washington.
Ryan:
1. #2 Oregon Ducks (+1)
Last Week:
Won 30-24 (2OT) at #3 Penn State Week 6 Matchup: BYE
Yes, Oregon jumped Ohio State even when they won by 3 scores, but Oregon earned this spot by traveling further than Ohio State to a stronger opponent during the Penn State Whiteout on a week less of rest.
2. #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (-1)
Last Week: Won 24-6 at Washington
Week 6 Matchup: Vs Minnesota
A win in Seattle deserves some recognition but the Buckeyes did not look as dominant as you might expect out of the #1 ranked team in the AP poll.
3. #7 Penn State Nittany Lions (-)
Last Week: Lost 30-24 (2OT) vs #6 Oregon
Week 6 Matchup: At UCLA
Honestly, Penn State probably deserves to drop after they yet again failed to win against a top team, but the teams below them just aren’t on the same level in my eyes.
4. # 8 Indiana Hoosiers (-)
Last Week: Won 20-15 at Iowa
Week 6 Matchup: BYE
Had Indiana won convincingly against Iowa, they would be sitting 1 spot higher, but the Hoosiers are still at a respectable 4th in the power rankings. IU will go into their bye week undefeated before taking the trip up to Oregon for another top ten showdown.
5. #22 Illinois Fighting Illini (+2)
Last Week: Won 34-32 vs #21 USC
Week 6 Matchup: At Purdue
Last week, I said Illinois better hunker down against USC, and the Illini did just that, coming away with a walk-off field goal. Illinois will take a quick trip over to Purdue this week while trying to prove that the IU game was a fluke and the USC win is the norm.
6. #20 Michigan Wolverines (-)
Last Week: BYE
Week 6 Matchup: Vs Wisconsin
Michigan gets to welcome the Wisconsin Badgers to the Big House and in years past, this would be an awesome matchup. This season, it looks like a chance for Michigan to punch down.
7. USC Trojans (-)
Last Week: Lost 34-32 at #23 Illinois
Week 6 Matchup: BYE
USC just couldn’t hold on against Illinois, and the Trojans get to return home to rest up. Lincoln Riley and company will have another shot at getting back into the AP Rankings when it hosts Michigan in week 7.
8. Iowa Hawkeyes (+2)
Last Week: Lost 20-15 vs #11 Indiana
Week 6 Matchup: BYE
Iowa will stand still in the rankings after missing a really good opportunity at a statement win against IU at home. The offense just happened to go full Iowa and losing Mark Gronowski late in the game made a 7-point deficit insurmountable (if it wasn’t already).
9. Washington Huskies (-)
Last Week: Lost 24-6 vs #1 Ohio State
Week 6 Matchup: At Maryland
For the first time this year, Washington lost and were flat out lost on offense. Demond Williams was sacked 6 times, and the Huskies just couldn’t move the ball. Their reward: flying 3,000 miles to Maryland this week.
10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (-2)
Last Week: BYE
Week 6 Matchup: Vs Michigan State
There is not much movement in the power rankings because so many teams are on BYE weeks. Nebraska won’t jump Washington or Iowa even though they lost because they lost to really good teams. Nebraska will gear up for a good, middle of the pack Big Ten match when it hosts MSU this week.
11. Maryland Terrapins (+2)
Last Week: BYE
Week 6 Matchup: Vs Washington
See rationale above. Maryland will have the travel and rest advantage over the Huskies this week so it should be a good matchup to watch.
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (+1)
Last Week: Won 31-28 vs Rutgers
Week 6 Matchup: At #1 Ohio State
Minnesota moves up a spot for beating Rutgers at home. Drake Lindsey looked really good against the Scarlet Knights, but the Gophers are really missing Darius Taylor. I don’t see Minnesota as better than Maryland at the moment, though slightly better than MSU.
13. Michigan State Spartans (-1)
Last Week: BYE
Week 6 Matchup: At Nebraska
Michigan State will be in a tough environment in Lincoln but it’s a good chance for Sparty to move back up the rankings.
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-)
Last Week: Lost 31-28 at Minnesota
Week 6 Matchup: BYE
Rutgers during non-conference should be studied because it’s crazy how seemingly every season, the Scarlet Knights race out to a 3-game advantage and still end up near .500 on the season. Two missed field goals in Minnesota in a game that you lost by 3 is the type of thing I expect from Rutgers.
15. Purdue Boilermakers (-1)
Last Week: BYE
Week 6 Matchup: Vs #22 Illinois
Purdue will have another measuring stick game when it hosts Illinois this week. If the Boilermakers want wins, they will need to get them in October because the November schedule is brutal.
16. Wisconsin Badgers (-)
Last Week: BYE
Week 6 Matchup: At #20 Michigan
Wisconsin had a week to cool down the seat under Luke Fickell but a dud showing at Michigan this week could light that fire right back up.
17. Northwestern Wildcats (-)
Last Week: Won 17-14 vs UCLA
Week 6 Matchup: Vs Louisiana Monroe
It feels clear that Northwestern is a bottom-2 team in the Big Ten and it’s even more clear that they aren’t last. At least the Wildcats will have a chance to feel good about themselves by playing Louisiana Monroe this week, though we saw what happened the last time NW played a team from Louisiana.
18. UCLA Bruins (-)
Last Week: Lost 17-14 at Northwestern
Week 6 Matchup: Vs #7 Penn State
An 0-12 season is getting more and more likely for UCLA as they couldn’t muster enough offense against Northwestern. To make matters worse, the Bruins now have to host a pissed off Penn State squad this week. UCLA’s best shot at a win for the rest of the season will likely be when it hosts Maryland in week 8.
