The race for a spot in the Big Ten Championship, and subsequently the College Football Playoff, is heating up, and we're seeing some monumental matchups across the league as we get deep into November.
It was the USC Trojans and Indiana Hoosiers who had the headline matchup on Saturday, with Curt Cignetti sending Lincoln Riley packing, a result that led to the Trojans sliding in our power rankings once again. We also saw Dan Lanning's Oregon Ducks pick up another big win, this time over the Michigan Wolverines, while the Ohio State Buckeyes outlast the Northwestern Wildcats, and the Maryland Terrapins got a big upset win over the Wisconsin Badgers.
With two weeks of regular-season play remaining, the next couple of weeks will be fascinating as teams
jockey for position and try to grab the two spots in the Big Ten championship game.
Here are our Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 8:
18 - Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Previous Ranking: 18
Week 11 Result: 31-0 Loss vs. Nebraska
Record: 2-8
Analysis: Every time it seems like Rutgers has hit rock bottom, they find a way to dig deeper. Another blowout loss isn't a shock, but the fact that Rutgers came out and announced that Greg Schiano would be sticking around for next season was a surprise. I'm not sure what else the Scarlet Knights are hoping to see from him, but the misery is continuing in Piscataway.
17 - Purdue Boilermakers
Previous Ranking: 16
Week 11 Result: 28-7 Loss to Iowa
Record: 3-7
Analysis: This Purdue is a far cry from the September firepower we saw earlier this season. Ryan Browne was ineffective all night, and there was no light in the defense either. It's been a strange season for the Boilermakers, and it's tough to see another win on the schedule.
16 - Maryland Terrapins
Previous Ranking: 17
Week 11 Result: 24-21 Win vs. Wisconsin
Record: 4-6
Analysis: Maryland, even with a backup quarterback, has some momentum suddenly. It's too little, too late, of course, but Cardell Williams did enough to help the Terrapins pull off a surprising win at home, and the pass rush closed out the game. There are some pieces on the roster that are revealing themselves as must-keep players for whoever takes over as head coach. Looking at you, Brian Kelly.
15 - Michigan State Spartans
Previous Ranking: 15
Week 11 Result: 21-14 Loss to Washington
Record: 6-4
Analysis: Michigan State's defense seems to be finding some things that are working, but the uncertainty at quarterback and injuries to key playmakers on offense make the Spartans very similar to their in-state counterparts, Michigan. Things need to break right for the offense to have success, and much of that is reliant on the defense forcing turnovers. There was some momentum in the first half, but the Huskies clamped down in the second half and didn't provide many opportunities. The Spartans' depth is running thin at several positions.
14 - Minnesota Golden Gophers
Previous Ranking: 14
Week 11 Result: 42-14 Loss to Penn State
Record: 5-5
Analysis: Minnesota has played up or down to its competition for most of the season. Given the disappointing season Penn State has had, the Golden Gophers appeared ready to match a dud performance, but they once again got stomped at the line of scrimmage and let the Nittany Lions toy with them on the ground. The rollercoaster season for PJ Fleck continues.
13 - Michigan Wolverines
Previous Ranking: 13
Week 11 Result: 31-7 Loss to Oregon
Record: 5-5
Analysis: Talk about a dejected team. Michigan only showed some energy after a long drive to end the third quarter, danced during "Shout!" and was then turned away at the goal line. The experiment of playing both Tommy Carr and Bryce Underwood was odd, as they swapped out without much rhyme or reason, and although the Wolverines rushed for 200 yards, 70 of it came on one play. The vaunted defense was finally tested downfield, and it broke. Kyle Whittingham's seat was already warm, and the eject button might be getting pushed soon.
12 - Wisconsin Badgers
Previous Ranking: 8
Week 11 Result: 24-21 Loss to Maryland
Record: 6-4
Analysis: Wisconsin couldn't contain a backup quarterback that was thrust into action at the last minute. That speaks to the peaks and valleys of this season for the Badgers. Maryland has been without direction for months, and yet when it needed to the most, Maryland was able to throw on the Badgers' defense and get a late stop. Ryan Hopkins and Colton Joseph are clearly not up to the task of leading the offense, and there isn't enough talent up front to support a run game. It looked like a high school product at times, and the season has officially gone off the rails in Madison.
11 - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Previous Ranking: 12
Week 11 Result: 31-0 Win vs. Rutgers
Record: 6-4
Analysis: For the first time in a month, Nebraska ran the ball well with both Jamal Rule and Anthony Colandrea, which opened up some of the intermediate passing opportunities for the veteran quarterback. The Cornhuskers' offense got a boost from the coordinator change, but facing the Rutgers defense is also a good cure for offensive woes. It was a step in the right direction, but Nebraska has much bigger fish to fry moving forward with Ohio State and Iowa left on the schedule.
10 - Washington Huskies
Previous Ranking: 11
Week 11 Result: 21-14 Win vs. Michigan State
Record: 6-4
Analysis: Washington tried to give the game away with a muffed punt in the fourth quarter, but the defense did stand tall in the second half and forced the Spartans to put together long drives if they wanted to win. Demond Williams did damage in the first half, but much of his yardage came on the final drive of the game that led to the winning touchdown, and the Huskies were otherwise quiet. Inconsistency on offense has plagued Washington all season, and it was on display on Saturday. The Huskies did earn bowl eligibility at the right time, with both Indiana and Oregon left on the schedule.
9 - Illinois Fighting Illini
Previous Ranking: 9
Week 11 Result: 22-14 Loss to UCLA
Record: 6-4
Analysis: Looking at the final score and watching how Katin Houser played, it's pretty remarkable that the Illini had a chance to win. Houser tossed three picks and should have had even more, but the rainy conditions probably helped him out a little bit. The offensive line was no match for UCLA's blitz packages, and the early big plays the Bruins hit were never answered. Illinois has a tough finish to the season coming up with Iowa and Northwestern left.
8 - Penn State Nittany Lions
Previous Ranking: 10
Week 11 Result: 42-14 Win vs. Minnesota
Record: 6-4
Analysis: Penn State continued to establish its identity on the ground with big days from Carson Hansen and Cam Wallace. The defense sacked Drake Lindsey three times and forced incompletions with pressure. Rocco Becht played through injury and capitalized when he did get to throw the ball, which wasn't often. It might have taken nearly a full season, but the Nittany Lions now know how this team can win offensively, and they could rise to eight wins to finish the regular season with just Rutgers and Maryland left on the schedule.
7 - Northwestern Wildcats
Previous Ranking: 7
Week 11 Result: 28-19 Loss to Ohio State
Record: 6-4
Analysis: Missing Aidan Chiles has really hurt Northwestern the past two weeks. The offense as a whole hasn't changed much, but his playmaking and ability to open rushing lanes have completely changed the unit's effectiveness. Northwestern doesn't have the athletes defensively to go toe-to-toe with Ohio State, and although a late score dressed up the final score, the Wildcats were playing catch-up throughout. Northwestern does have two winnable games to end the season, but Chiles' health is the biggest factor moving forward.
6 - Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous Ranking: 6
Week 11 Result: 28-19 Win vs. Northwestern
Record: 7-3
Analysis: The Buckeyes decided to throw it to Jeremiah Smith this week, and to nobody's surprise, that was a winning formula. He set more records and topped 100 yards with a touchdown again, and Ohio State cruised to a win. The Buckeyes picked up five sacks and flustered the Northwestern offense for much of the day and were always in control, even if the scoreboard looked somewhat close.
5 - USC Trojans
Previous Ranking: 4
Week 11 Result: 27-13 Loss to Indiana
Record: 7-3
Analysis: USC's playoff dreams are likely finished with another loss on the road in a big game. Jayden Maiava played one of his worst games, tossing three interceptions. The Trojans got down inside the 30-yard line six times, but only managed 13 points thanks to turnovers and missed field goals. The Lincoln Riley question continues to loom large, but it will be interesting to see how hard the team plays in the final two games.
4 - Iowa Hawkeyes
Previous Ranking: 5
Week 11 Result: 28-7 Win vs. Purdue
Record: 8-2
Analysis: It's still odd to think that Iowa has a couple of star pass-catchers, but Braeden Jackson is a difference-maker on offense and special teams, and Tony Diaz is the gadget man that the Hawkeyes are always trying to get the ball to. Jackson and Diaz both scored against Purdue and helped Hank Brown remain efficient on a big day for the offense. The Hawkeyes know how to control the clock and should be able to run the ball to victory in their final two games, but they have a reliable passing attack, finally. Iowa does need some help to get to the conference championship game.
3 - Oregon Ducks
Previous Ranking: 3
Week 11 Result: 31-7 Win vs. Michigan
Record: 7-3
Analysis: Oregon is playing to its potential right now, even without Dante Moore. Dylan Raiola is playing the best ball of his life, Dakorien Moore is breaking into superstar territory, and the defense is playing complementary football. The Ducks weren't afraid to test a talented Michigan defense vertically, and they let their athletes win. Oregon has a short turnaround this week heading on the road to Michigan State, but it's very reasonable to see the Ducks winning out and potentially backing into an at-large bid for the playoff.
2 - Indiana Hoosiers
Previous Ranking: 2
Week 11 Result: 27-13 Win vs. USC
Record: 9-1
Analysis: Hello, Grant Wilson. The Hoosiers didn't need Josh Hoover, as Wilson got the start and threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns, and he had time to operate thanks to a potent rushing attack in front of him. Indiana does have something of a quarterback conundrum on its hands whenever Hoover gets healthy. The Indiana defense is the story, however, applying pressure throughout and making USC's offense collapse in on itself. Indiana has the indie track to the Big Ten title game, with a trip to Washington and a home date against Purdue remaining.
1 - UCLA Bruins
Previous Ranking: 1
Week 11 Result: 22-14 Win vs. Illinois
Record: 10-0
Analysis: UCLA ground out another win with Ty Dieffenbach, although it once again was not pretty. Dieffenbach played through injury after briefly leaving the game before halftime. Most of his damage came in the first half, and Aidan Mizell has emerged as his favorite target downfield. As a result of the reliance on the big passing plays, the run game, which was the Bruins' calling card to start the season, has struggled to be as consistent. The tailbacks averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. The Bruins will be tested in the trenches the next two weeks at Michigan and at home against USC.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Big Ten power rankings after Week 11: USC moves down after loss
