One week can change everything in Big Ten football, and Week 8 definitely shuffled the rankings. Ohio State, while vulnerable, is still the top dog of the conference, while the rest of the top spots are up for grabs. This was a week in which USC football pushed itself further away from the top tier.
Here are my Big Ten football rankings after Week 8:
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1)
After a chaotic week, the consensus favorite to win the Big Ten still should be the Ohio State Buckeyes, even without Julian Sayin.
2. UCLA Bruins (7-0)
The UCLA Bruins have handled adversity well so far this season, and their path to a special undefeated season is still intact. To make things even better, backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach is hitting his stride now.
3. Indiana Hoosiers (7-1)
The Indiana Hoosiers keep winning, but it is only a matter
of time before another team, just like Ohio State did, exposes the limitations of Josh Hoover. It might not be until the College Football Playoff.
4. Northwestern Wildcats (6-1)
The Northwestern Wildcats are still rolling. Aidan Chiles is playing as well as any quarterback in the country right now. If their offense can get the production they got Saturday, this team has a high ceiling.
5. Wisconsin Badgers (5-2)
The Wisconsin Badgers humbled a more talented USC Trojans team 24-7 Saturday. That very well could be the win that leads to much more success down the line. The defense will keep them in every game; Colton Joseph and an undeniable run game could make the Badgers reach the top of the conference.
6. USC Trojans (6-2)
USC football lost its shot at making something out of this season. Instead of ending the week 7-1, the seat for Lincoln Riley is getting increasingly hot.
7. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2)
Iowa Hawkeyes are a talented team, and their defense is up to par. The one thing that could have derailed this season is quarterback play, and seeing how Saturday panned out, that was the sole factor in their crushing loss. Iowa will also remain an 8-4 team until they solve their quarterback woes.
8. Oregon Ducks (4-3)
Saturday's loss put the stamp on this season being a very disappointing one for Dan Lanning. Losing Dante Moore for a few weeks has been a crushing blow but now after this 3rd loss it is clear that there are more issues for this team than just quarterback.
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-2)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers got a nice bye week to shore up things and 3 very winnable games to follow. The Cornhuskers have a good opportunity to get back on the right track.
10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-2)
The Minnesota Gophers have been an up-and-down team this season. However, P.J. Fleck and the Gophers have 2 of their rivalry trophies. A win against Wisconsin at the end of the season would give this year's season for Fleck and the program huge meaning.
11. Washington Huskies (4-3)
The ceiling is higher with Emmett Brown at quarterback for the Washington Huskies. That is the decision that will make the rest of the season a lot more exciting and competitive for the Huskies. There is still a real shot for some momentum to be built up at the end of the season for Jedd Fisch.
12. Michigan Wolverines (4-3)
Michigan Wolverines' only flaw on the team is not quarterback play. Coaching proved to cost the Wolverines another week. It's safe to say the Kyle Whittingham era has not provided much hope for the future.
13. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-3)
Michael Clayton looked very impressive in his debut start. The Illinois Fighting Illini are playing for the future this season, and they could have something special with their true freshman quarterback, who didn't flinch and led his team to victory.
14. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-4)
Penn State quickly went from being one of the most exciting and promising teams in the Big Ten to one of the most disappointing teams. There is not much hope for this team, even with a very favorable remaining schedule.
15. Purdue Boilermakers (3-4)
This season, the Purdue Boilermakers are trending up instead of remaining the bottom-of-the-barrel team in the Big Ten. They are moving at a slow pace, but next season they should become more of a relevant team in the Big Ten.
16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-5)
If it weren't for how talented players like KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond are, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights would be right below the Maryland Terrapins. Even losing their starting quarterback, Antwan Raymond and the run game pick up the slack.
17. Michigan State Spartans (2-6)
This season is playing out exactly how most years go for rebuilding teams. It hasn't made things easier that the Spartans have had to deal with a great number of injuries. They still have been more competitive than the Maryland Terrapins in the majority of their games.
18. Maryland Terrapins (2-5)
The Maryland Terrapins cemented themselves as the worst team in the Big Ten, and as a result, Mike Locksley lost his job. It is time for a lot of change to happen at this program. It had to start with Locksley. Now the next order of business is hoping to retain Malik Washington.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten power rankings after Week 8 - USC stumbles, Oregon crumbles
