Well we expected last week to be the blowout week around the conference and Ohio State got the memo crushing the Gophers. Everyone else…not so much. UCLA with the upset of the year, Wisconsin fighting to keep it somewhat close vs Michigan, Nebraska and Sparty in a battle, it was a decent week of games. This week we have a huge Indiana at Oregon tilt which could really entertain, and an Iowa at Wisconsin that could set back the game years. We shall see where the teams rank next week.
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (Previously #1)
Ohio State absolutely
crushed the Gophers 42-3. Minnesota led for basically a full quarter…then the Buckeyes decided to stop fooling around and put the pedal to the floor and just left Minnesota in the dust. The Bcukeyes head to Illinois this week for what could be a sneaky trap game? It’s an 11 AM central kick and the Buckeyes are favored by 14.5.
#2 Oregon Ducks (Previously #2)
Oregon rested up and watched their best win of the year suddenly not look so good. I feel confident they still fell pretty good about themselves. They host the game of the week by far when #7 Indiana comes to down for a 2:30 Central kick. Oregon is favored by 7.5 points and that feels about right.
#3 Indiana Hoosiers (Previously #3)
Indiana had their bye week to get ready for their Super Bowl this Saturday in Eugene. A win and they are finally taken for real as a serious contender. A loss, and Indiana is thought of like they were last year, good but can;t run with the big boys. So which will it be?
#4 Illinois Fighting Illini (Previously #5)
Illinois jumps back up a spot after they took care of business vs Purdue 43-27 and watched Penn State flail in California. Big game vs Ohio State this Saturday, but with a banged up defense, this one could get out of hand.
#5 Michigan Wolverines (Previously #6)
Michigan really isn’t this good. I don’t think they are the 5th best team in the conference, but they keep winning. They did fine in defeating Wisconsin 24-10 last Saturday but they most definitely weren’t impressive. This week is a much tougher task as they head three times zones across the country to face USC in the Colosseum. The Trojans are favored by 2.5 points, and when you figure in the cross-country travel effect we have seen repeatedly, that might be too low.
#6 Penn State Nittany Lions (Previously #3)
What can you even say about Penn State. You drop a game as a 25.5 point favorite to a previously 0-4 team. Big game James probably just signed his pink slip. The Nittany Lions may have cost the conference millions if they cut the number of CFB Playoff teams from the Big Ten to 3 instead of 4. It was an epic disaster. And they have to come back after it all and host Northwestern this Saturday. The game will either be surprisingly close as the Nittany Lions are still demoralized, or Northwestern is in for a world of hurt against a pissed off PSU team. Penn State are 21.5 point favorites.
#7 Nebraska Cornhuskers (Previously #7)
Nebraska is where the Penn State slide stops as the Huskers stay at #7 after a tough home win 38-27 over Michigan State. Still not sure on where the Cornhuskers ceiling is but we may know more after back to bac =k road games at Maryland and Minnesota the next two weeks. It is October Maryland though. Huskers are 65 point favorites.
#8 Iowa Hawkeyes (Previously #8)
Iowa stays at #8 for now after a bye, but we will need to see if Mark Gronkowski can go this weekend against Wisconsin and how that effects Iowa. It could be a weird game in Camp Randall this Saturday. Iowa is favorited by 3.5 and the over/under is just 35.5. Battle of attrition incoming?
#9 USC Trojans (Previously #9)
USC stays at #9 after a bye week and has a huge game for the outlook of their season when they host Michigan this weekend. It’s a good think its the Wolverines too as otherwise USC could be accused of looking ahead to their game at Notre Dame next weekend, but you cant do that with the Wolverines in front of you.
#10 Washington Huskies (Previously #10)
Washington battled back from a 20-0 deficit at Maryland to come away with a 24-21 win as the Terps suddenly realized it was October. Washington gets the three-time zone travel advantage this Friday as they host Rutgers coming cross-country. The Huskies are favored by 10.5.
#11 Minnesota Golden Gophers (Previously #11)
Minnesota got their clocks cleaned by Ohio State but everyone below them also lost, so they won’t drop. They have a must win this week for Homecoming when Purdue comes to town. Minnesota is a 7.5 point favorite but have lost the last two to the Boilermakers.
#12 Michigan State Spartans (Previously #12)
Michigan State was playing Nebraska close for a bit in Lincoln and then Aiden Chiles took a turn for the worst and the Huskers jumped all over him. Cant do that in this conference. UCLA comes to East Lansing on a huge high this week, but with a three-time zone travel Michigan State should be able to jump out early and get this one under control. Spartans are 8.5 point favorites.
#13 Maryland Terrapins (Previously #13)
Welcome to October Terps. Blowing a 20-0 lead at home to Washington is not a great start to the month. Now Nebraska comes to town. Can September Maryland turn back the calendar, or will October Maryland be here to stay?
#14 UCLA Bruins (Previously #18)
What a win for the Bruins. Nobody saw that coming. Incredible. Now can they do it again. A three-time zone trip to Michigan State this week won’t be easy, but if they can make the QB make mistakes…well.
#15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Previously #14)
Rutgers comes off of a bye, which is normally good news for Kick Ciarocca. But, the Scarlet Knights get to make nearly a 6-hour flight all the way across the country to face Washington on a Friday night. Will that cancel out the Kirk bye bounce?
#16 Northwestern Wildcats (Previously #16)
Northwestern easily took care of Louisiana Monroe 42-7 to close out their non-conference slate. It get s a lot more real heading to a pissed off Penn State team this week. .
#17 Purdue Boilermakers (Previously #17)
Purdue has got their offense clicking putting up 27 point sin a loss to Illinois. But that defense—-ooof. Can they find a way to shut down the Minnesota passing offense, or will Drake Lindsay have another coming out game on Homecoming?
#18 Wisconsin Badgers (Previously #15)
Someone has to take the last spot, and with a team playing a QB3, why not Wisconsin. They actually played surprisingly well against Michigan last Saturday losing only 24-10, but they just can’t score. And facing what should still be a stingy Iowa defense this week, it could get ugly. Oh yeah, their next two games? Hosting Ohio State and at Oregon. Gulp.
