We are starting to get down to it in the college football season, and while that means that opportunity is on the horizon for some programs, it also signals the potential end of the road for others.
It appears that the Oregon Ducks are closer to the latter half of that equation after their woeful performance against Illinois on Saturday. With a 21-10 loss to the Fighting Illini on the road, Dan Lanning's team is all but out of the College Football Playoff picture, and doing everything it can to keep a respectable product on the field.
Elsewhere, Lincoln Riley's USC Trojanscontinue to struggle on the road, losing to the Wisconsin Badgers, and the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers look far less scary than they did a year ago, going to overtime
against a seemingly average Michigan Wolverines team.
So where will things be in a few weeks as we get into the month of November in the Big Ten? It's going to be fascinating to see how things play out. For now, here are our Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 8:
18 - Maryland Terrapins
Previous Ranking: 18
Week 8 Result: BYE
Record: 2-5
Analysis: Maryland had the week off, which meant the Terrapins finally had the time to dump Mike Locksley, who just seemed defeated in the role and overwhelmed by head coaching duties. It's an interesting job with the potential to be a great one if a coach can cover the Maryland recruiting scene, which has produced plenty of talent in recent years. The goal should be to keep Malik Washington and figure it out from there, but I would expect there to be some decent-sized names interested in the job.
17 - Michigan State Spartans
Previous Ranking: 17
Week 8 Result: 28-10 Loss to UCLA
Record: 2-6
Analysis: Michigan State is one of the most banged-up teams in the country and was forced to play with both its third and fourth quarterbacks today, and was missing running back Jazuin Patterson. Still, the Spartans forced an early turnover and led after the first quarter before UCLA finally took control. There is little reason for optimism in East Lansing, but safety Devin Vaught is a name the Spartans need to retain this offseason. He's been outstanding this season and made eight tackles, forced two fumbles, and had a pass deflection against the Bruins. He should be a priority to keep around.
16 - Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Previous Ranking: 16
Week 8 Result: 42-14 Loss to Northwestern
Record: 2-5
Analysis: Once Dylan Lonergan went out in the first quarter, Rutgers' passing game was doomed. The Scarlet Knights still ran the ball well with Antwan Raymond and Clay Thevenin, but there was little offense to speak of outside of them. Northwestern had its way with the Rutgers defense, and three more turnovers poured salt into the wound. If Lonergan is out next week, try to avert your eyes from the matchup against Michigan, unless you like sloppy football.
15 - Purdue Boilermakers
Previous Ranking: 13
Week 8 Result: BYE
Record: 3-4
Analysis: Purdue only slips a few spots during the bye week because of the upset winners who are jumping them. The Boilermakers need to find a way to get the offense back on track this week during a trip to Penn State.
14 - Minnesota Golden Gophers
Previous Ranking: 15
Week 8 Result: 13-10 Win vs. Iowa
Record: 5-2
Analysis: Minnesota may have taken down a ranked team on a walk-off field goal, but it was far from an impressive showing for the Golden Gophers. The defense played one of its best games, but still gave up chunk plays as Iowa fought to take the lead late. Drake Lindsey wasn't efficient and didn't keep the ball safe, but his ability to extend the play and hit Jalen Smith for a 39-yard gain and set up the winning kick on the final drive showed that some of the preseason hype Lindsey carried has merit.
13 - Illinois Fighting Illini
Previous Ranking: 14
Week 8 Result: 21-10 Win vs. Oregon
Record: 4-3
Analysis: A 75-yard touchdown run by Aidan Laughery before the half exposed all Illinois needed to do in the second half: run the ball. The Illini kept the ball away from the Ducks for long stretches by running and chipping away, and eventually breaking free and taking advantage of Oregon's poor angles of pursuit to fit the run. Otherwise, Michael Clayton II wasn't too impressive under center, and it's hard to see him winning Illinois many games. The Illini ran into a bad team and took full advantage, but I'm not sure it says much about their outlook for the rest of the season.
12 - Penn State Nittany Lions
Previous Ranking: 12
Week 8 Result: BYE
Record: 3-4
Analysis: We are holding out hope that Matt Campbell and Rocco Becht can finally come together after the bye week, because the end of the season schedule is fairly straightforward, with a trip to Washington likely being the biggest game left. The Nittany Lions will host Purdue next week.
11 - Michigan Wolverines
Previous Ranking: 10
Week 8 Result: 13-6 Loss (OT) to Indiana
Record: 4-3
Analysis: The move to Tommy Carr at quarterback didn't help Michigan's offense improve at all, especially in the red zone. Special teams miscues sunk the Wolverines, but the lack of a running game really came back to bite Michigan again at home. Defensively, you can't ask for much more this season, holding Indiana without a touchdown until overtime. This is just who Michigan is at this point: the new Iowa.
10 - Washington Huskies
Previous Ranking: 11
Week 8 Result: BYE
Record: 4-3
Analysis: Washington did nothing this week and will still move up a spot simply because, as erratic as the offense might be, it is capable of putting up points, which is something that can't be said of Michigan. The Huskies are entering a difficult stretch, starting next week against Nebraska, and all eyes should be watching the battle between Demond Williams Jr. and Elijah Brown at quarterback.
9 - Oregon Ducks
Previous Ranking: 7
Week 8 Result: 21-10 Loss to Illinois
Record: 4-3
Analysis: It's hard to fathom how Oregon got to this point. Even without Dante Moore in the lineup, the offense has to be better than this. Instead, the Ducks don't throw the ball past the sticks on third downs, no matter the distance, and Dylan Raiola's happy feet wreck any chance of a downfield completion. Oregon's defense finally bent a knee this week, but the Ducks were once again outcoached and outplayed in embarrassing fashion. A season with championship aspirations is now officially down the drain.
8 - Iowa Hawkeyes
Previous Ranking: 5
Week 8 Result: 13-10 Loss to Minnesota
Record: 5-2
Analysis: Iowa once again looked like a team without a quarterback, even though it played two. Neither Jeremy Hecklinski nor Hank Brown were dependable decision-makers against Minnesota, and the Hawkeyes only averaged three yards per carry. The defense once again kept them in the game, despite a pair of turnovers in the fourth quarter, but even they met their breaking point on the road. The Hawkeyes are going to see some better offenses the rest of the way, but they will need to resolve the QB conundrum once again. Either way, playoff hopes are likely dashed.
7 - Nebraska Cornhuskers
Previous Ranking: 8
Week 8 Result: BYE
Record: 5-2
Analysis: A two-game losing skid into the bye isn't ideal for Nebraska, but had you told Cornhuskers fans in the preseason that they would be 5-2 at the bye with close losses to Indiana and Oregon, I'd wager they would be pretty happy. Nebraska will host Washington next week and look to get back on track.
6 - USC Trojans
Previous Ranking: 4
Week 8 Result: 24-7 Loss to Wisconsin
Record: 6-2
Analysis: USC couldn't get off the field as Wisconsin ran the ball in the second half and controlled the clock on scoring drives. Jayden Maiava was sacked five times, leading to negative rushing numbers for the Trojans, and tossed a pair of early interceptions that the Trojans were fortunate didn't turn into more damage. Once again, in a big night game on the road, the Trojans weren't as physical as the opposition and played not to lose, rather than playing to win. Lincoln Riley has yet to silence the narrative, and until he does, it's hard to take USC seriously in a big game. USC got mauled up front all night long, and with Ohio State rolling into Los Angeles next week, it's put-up or shut-up time.
5 - Wisconsin Badgers
Previous Ranking: 9
Week 8 Result: 24-7 Win vs. USC
Record: 5-2
Analysis: It certainly wasn't pretty, but Colton Joseph was efficient and short through the air, and his ability to read the edges kept USC guessing all night long in the option run game. No, Wisconsin didn't have a ton of offense to speak of, but the Badgers played complementary. The defense forced the Trojans into mistakes, and the Badgers led long scoring drives, with each touchdown drive spanning at least five-and-a-half minutes of game clock. It was a perfect example of Luke Fickell adapting to the situation and winning in an untraditional way. It didn't work last week against UCLA, but this time facing a worse defense in USC, it did.
4 - Northwestern Wildcats
Previous Ranking: 6
Week 8 Result: 42-14 Win vs. Rutgers
Record: 6-1
Analysis: Aidan Chiles continues to shine. Five touchdowns and an efficient day through the air, while Northwestern rushed for 283 yards and flat-out dominated Rutgers. Griffin Wilde needs more respect as one of the Big Ten's top receivers, and the Wildcats have become balanced enough, thanks to Chiles' improved play, to start outscoring teams if they need to. The run defense, however, was poor, surrendering 6.3 yards per carry to Rutgers. Northwestern's rushing attack hasn't been as good on the road, and conversely, Oregon's run game has found some answers recently, so it will be interesting to see how Chip Kelly game plans for the Ducks. Regardless, that's looking like a game the Wildcats should be favored in.
3 - Indiana Hoosiers
Previous Ranking: 2
Week 8 Result: 13-0 Win (OT) over Michigan
Record: 7-1
Analysis: There is a deep lack of trust in Josh Hoover to run this offense, and for good reason. Hoover threw one pass in the second half, which was picked off. Michigan forced Indiana to play on the ground and win a rock fight, which the Hoosiers are capable of, but it once again asked a lot of their defense. Indiana gets the up-and-down Minnesota squad next week, so they need to establish some sort of identity early on and dictate the pace of play.
2 - UCLA Bruins
Previous Ranking: 3
Week 8 Result: 28-10 Win over Michigan State
Record: 7-0
Analysis: The Bruins started slow and trailed early on, thanks to a lost fumble, but as the game went on, UCLA eventually found its running game again, as Anthony Woods eclipsed 100 yards, and he, Wayne Knight, and Jaivian Thomas all scored. Without Nico Iamaleava, the defense is going to need to lead the way, and four more sacks and three more turnovers did the trick. The rest of UCLA's schedule is fairly straightforward, and a playoff berth seems more possible than ever, but a lot of it will depend on the ability to play turnover-free and the run game continuing to produce.
1 - Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous Ranking: 1
Week 8 Result: BYE
Record: 6-1
Analysis: Ohio State had the week off to prepare Luke Fahey for a trip home to USC after the bye, since Julian Sayin is possibly done for the regular season. Having weapons like Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson at his disposal should take some of the weight off his shoulders, but the Buckeyes' hold on the top spot is going to depend on how clean Fahey can play in his first bit of action as the starter.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Big Ten power rankings after Week 8: Oregon, USC dropping quickly
