We are finally getting into meaningful football in the Big Ten. Week 4 is when we really start to see some fireworks with five conference games. The non-conference games should be fun too, with Washington taking on Washington State and Oregon taking on Oregon State. Oh, there's also an angry Notre Dame team taking on Purdue.
Here's how the conference stacks up after week three.
18. UCLA Bruins (0-3)
The Bruins have fired their head coach. They've looked embarrassingly bad, especially with all the talent on that roster. It's easy to put them as the worst team in the Big Ten right now.
17. Northwestern Wildcats (1-2)
Northwestern actually did better than many thought they would against Oregon. There may be some hope for this team on the Horizon.
16. Purdue Boilermakers (2-1)
It's weird not to see Purdue at the bottom of these rankings for consecutive weeks. They may actually be a better product this year. Still not great, but better.
15. Maryland Terrapins (3-0)
The Terrapins have played nobodies for three straight weeks. As they enter the Big Ten, are they ready? Can the beat Wisconsin on the road? It's going to be their first real test.
14. Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-1)
No one saw a loss to Cal coming, and most of the nation didn't see it, as it was the late game on the West Coast. However, it doesn't make it less embarrassing for the Golden Gophers. Cal is not a good football team. Mediocre at best, this was a game that Minnesota needed to have.
13. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-0)
Rutgers has been a bit volatile against lesser opponents, but all that looked cleaned up this week with a 60-10 beatdown of Norfolk State.
12. Wisconsin Badgers (2-1)
The Badgers got smoked by Alabama on the road. It wasn't a game that anyone expected them to win, but there was hope they would keep it closer. The real test for the Badgers will be coming shortly against Maryland back at home in Madison.
11. Michigan State Spartans (3-0)
The Spartans didn't look very good against a school that barely has a football program. I don't love that they are 11th in these power rankings, but they did win, which can't be said for some of the teams behind them.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes (2-1)
The Hawkeyes are clinging to that loss against Iowa State as a quality loss, but it's looking less convincing lately as Iowa State hasn't been impressive. Iowa may not be that great this year, but they did whoop up on UMASS this week.
9. Michigan Wolverines (2-1)
Got their tune-up game in against Central Michigan, and now they gotta prove they are a good team against Nebraska this week.
8. Washington Huskies (2-0)
BYE WEEK
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0)
The real test for the Cornhuskers and Matt Rhule starts this week against Michigan. Are they a good team? Are they not? Here's where we find out.
6. USC Trojans (3-0)
Everyone was predicting an absolute dismantling of Purdue this week. While the Trojans won 33-17, they are going to prove that they are actually good soon and not some middle-of-the-road team again. It may not happen this week as they play Michigan State.
5. Indiana Hoosiers (3-0)
The cupcakes are done for Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers. It's time to man up and beat Illinois if they want to be considered one of the top teams in the Big Ten.
4. Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0)
Stamp and repeat the above for this blurb. This Saturday is a test for both Illinois and Indiana to determine who is actually a legit Big Ten and which is just a pretender.
3. Oregon Ducks (3-0)
The Ducks continue to impress and will get to take on their in-state little brother this week. They need to handle them in a convincing fashion to keep the momentum rolling.
2. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0)
They head into their bye this week and are preparing for the Big Ten schedule, in which every team will have the Nittany Lions circled.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0)
The Buckeyes may be the best team in the nation. They will have a week to rest up and get ready for a road test against Washington.