Welp. I didn’t expect us to be in the same spot we were last week. The Hawks have repeatedly bashed me in my nards with a baseball bat this season. They are too good an Iowa team to be losing games in the fashion
they are. The 2025 Hawkeyes are the best all-around team they’ve had since the days of Beathard. Iowa is only a couple of plays away from being a top-five team in the country. Sadly, that’s all just a dream—time to face reality.
Here’s where every Big Ten team stands.
1: Ohio State
10-0, Vs Rutgers
The Buckeyes are unstoppable. I have no doubts that the 2025 team would boat-race the 2024 squad. Despite Ohio State being the best team in the country, I still would have to give my Heisman vote to Mendoza.
2: Indiana
11-0, BYE WEEK
The most significant improvement the Hoosiers made from last year was at the quarterback position. Kurtis Rourke was a serviceable signal caller, but Mendoza adds a dynamic element that elevates the Indiana offense. When a play is broken down, the Hoosiers feel better with Mendoza under center than Rourke.
3: Oregon
9-1, Vs USC
Dante Moore and the Ducks dismantled the Gophers last Friday, 42-13. Moore completed 90 percent of his passes versus Minnesota. It was a total rout in Eugene, despite Oregon having a rivalry game with USC this week. If the Ducks win on Saturday, they’ll have punched their ticket to the playoffs.
4: USC
8-2, @ Oregon
The USC receivers were just too good for the Hawkeyes on Saturday. My jaw was on the floor from some of the snags Lane and Lemon had. The Trojans benefited from some lackluster officiating but were ultimately the better team. On Saturday, they head up to Oregon to support the Ducks. USC controls its own destiny if it can find a way to upset a top-ten team.
5: Iowa
6-4, Vs Michigan State
I’m done. This team excels in everything except winning. The Hawks are the fifth-best team in the conference, just couldn’t finish the job even once.
6: Michigan
8-2, @ Maryland
Last week, I said that Michigan falls into the trap of playing down to its competition. That couldn’t have been truer about the Wolverines against Northwestern. It took a field goal as time expired to pull off the victory in Wrigley. Bryce Underwood had a rough day with two interceptions. His performance will have to improve if the Wolverines want a chance at beating the Buckeyes.
7: Illinois
7-3, @ Wisconsin
Illinois beat Maryland 24-6, and nobody really seems to care. The Illini are going to end with the quietest nine-win season of all time. Expectations are what killed what could have been an enjoyable season.
8: Washington
7-3, @ UCLA
The Huskies are on the road this weekend. I typically fade them as hard as possible, but they don’t have to leave the West Coast. Washington benefits so much from being home that even a trip down the coast seems problematic. I’m not predicting a Husky loss, but UCLA will keep it within ten points on Saturday.
9: Penn State
4-6, Vs Nebraska
The Nittany Lions’ hosting the Huskers game line opened with the Lions as 9.5-point favorites. The line appears inflated, but several factors contribute to it. The big one is the respect for Beaver Stadium. Penn State has been playing exceptionally well at home in 2025. The Nittany Lions finally seeing a Big Ten win next to their name has to give them some confidence. Penn State is finally looking like a team from Happy Valley should.
10: Northwestern
5-5, Vs Minnesota
The Cats are playing brilliantly simple football this year. Don’t turn the ball over and play sound defense. While Northwestern did blow a home loss to a top 20 opponent, David Braun has done wonders with the roster he has. This is one of the better Wildcat squads of the past five years. Braun could be a phenomenal hire at Iowa after Ferentz calls it quits.
11: Minnesota
6-4, @ Northwestern
It’s a travesty that Minnesota has a great chance to end with the same record as Iowa. The Gophers are nowhere near the caliber of the Hawks. The new Big Ten will chew you up and spit you out. Minnesota goes into Evanston as three-point underdogs with bowl game implications on the line.
12: Nebraska
7-3, @ Penn State
The Huskers have fallen so far from their playoff hope just a few weeks earlier. Nebraska has signed up for a few more years of Matt Rhule. The Huskers have improved ever so slightly since Scott Frost, but their fans would be lying if they said they’re happy. The momentum in Lincoln is starting to slow down. Penn State and Iowa have a chance to halt that momentum.
13: Rutgers
5-5, @ Ohio State
(Content Italian Noises)
14: UCLA
3-7, Vs Washington
The Bruins have hit a rough patch after their midseason resurgence. The pixie dust has worn out in Los Angeles. UCLA gets to stay home for the rest of the year. They’ll either find their spark again or turn the page to the transfer portal.
15: Wisconsin
3-7, Vs Illinois
Looking at Luke Fickell’s tenure with the Badgers, it’s a fact that he has had some horrible luck. Wisconsin has had some of the worst quarterbacks in the country start for them since Fickell took over. Billy Edwards played half a football game before getting injured and missing the rest of the season. Badgers fans can be upset with the decision to keep Fickell, but for the university, it’s understandable.
16: Maryland
4-6, Vs Michigan
Womp Womp, the Terrapins are a humongous bummer, and Locksley is back for 2026.
17: Michigan State
3-7, @ Iowa
The state of Spartan football is a far cry from the days of Mark Dantonio. It may be strange to say I miss when Michigan State was good, but I do. Having another respectable program in the conference is what we need to compare to the SEC. Now it’s an increasingly unmanageable situation in East Lansing.
18: Purdue
2-9, BYE WEEK
