Week 10 did not lack in excitement, providing a one-possession game between top-five teams and several upsets. With Indiana and Oregon each advancing to 9-0, the Big 10 has four teams in the top 10 this Week's AP Poll -- the most of any conference in the country. Past those four programs, it's been total chaos. Illinois fell out of the Top 25 after losing to Minnesota, and Wisconsin, a program that had shown promise recently, got blown out by Iowa. Nebraska's offensive struggles continued and UCLA has quietly compiled back-to-back conference victories. Here's how I see the Big 10 after 10 weeks of action.
See Last Week's Rankings Here
Week 10 Result: Lost 26-20 in OT vs Northwestern
Purdue came close to their second victory of 2024, coming back from a 17-3 deficit to force overtime against the Wildcats. However, they failed to score on their lone overtime drive and gave up a 22-yard touchdown pass on their second defensive play. The Boilermakers rushed for merely 47 yards, while the Wildcats accounted for 123 yards on the ground. Purdue is the only team in the Big 10 yet to notch a win in conference play. They still have to play Ohio State (Week 11), Penn State, Michigan State and Indiana.
Week 10 Result: Won 26-20 in OT at Purdue
Northwestern took control early, scoring on three of their four full drives during the first half -- the lone exception being backup quarterback's Ryan Hilinski's only drive which resulted in an interception. However, they fell flat in the second half and allowed Purdue to overcome a 14-point deficit and force overtime. Northwestern turned the Boilermakers on downs to start overtime and needed merely two plays to find the end zone and snap a two-game losing streak.
Week 10 Result: Idle
Maryland got a week to rest and recover, and most importantly, some additional time to prep for a Week 11 bout with No. 1 Oregon in Eugene. Maryland has lost three of their last four games, though the victory was a quality win over USC.
Week 10 Result: Idle
It was a much-needed week off for the Scarlet Knights, who haven't won a game since September. Even with the bye, Rutgers dropped a spot in the power rankings, being bypassed by a UCLA team that beat the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway during Week 8. Rutgers will face Minnesota in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Won 27-20 at Nebraska
UCLA has hung around the bottom of these rankings all season. However, they've rattled off back-to-back wins and are finally on an upward trajectory. An incredibly difficult early schedule certainly didn't do the Bruins any favors, facing Indiana, LSU, Oregon and Penn State as part of their first five games. Ethan Garbers has been the catalyst for UCLA's turnaround, combining for 602 passing yards, 104 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns with zero interceptions during the two-game win streak. Garbers had logged a 4:9 TD:INT prior to the stretch. UCLA will host Iowa in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Lost 47-10 vs Indiana
Sparty looked sharp early, leaping to a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter and forcing back-to-back three-and-outs to start the contest. The floodgates opened afterward, with the Spartans allowing touchdowns on three of Indiana's next four drives while Aidan Chiles racked up a pair of interceptions to close out the first half. Michigan State would be outscored 47-0 after the hot start, spoiling what looked to be a promising day.
Week 10 Result: Lost 27-20 vs UCLA
Reeling from back-to-back losses, it was imperative for Nebraska to get back on track in Week 10. They weren't able to accomplish that goal and in fact, they never even led during the loss. It was another rough game for Dylan Raiola, who exited the game prior to the Huskers final drive with a back injury after tallying 177 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception. He's thrown an interception in six of his last seven games and Saturday's passing touchdown was Raiola's first since Week 5. Standing 2-4 in conference play, Nebraska has USC, Wisconsin and Iowa left on their schedule.
Week 10 Result: Lost 42-10 at Iowa
Wisconsin marched down the field on their first offensive drive, going 59 yards on 12 plays and collecting three points. On their next seven possessions, the Badgers would log merely 82 yards of offense while allowing Iowa to score 35 straight points. It was a low point for Wisconsin, who had won three straight games in convincing fashion before dropping to Penn State in Week 9. Braedyn Locke has struggled greatly since taking over as the starting quarterback, averaging 215.5 yards while logging a 7:8 TD:INT across six starts. Things won't get any easier for the Badgers, as they'll face No. 1 Oregon in Week 12 coming out of a bye.
Week 10 Result: Lost 26-21 at Washington
Self-inflicted wounds did the Trojans in at Husky Stadium. Miller Moss threw three interceptions, which resulted in 10 Washington points, and the team also missed a 52-yard field goal. Despite the turnovers, USC logged six more minutes of possession and 80 more yards than Washington. The Trojans have lost four of their last five games and they'll face Nebraska in Week 12 following a bye.
Week 10 Result: Won 26-21 vs USC
The Huskies played a clean game against USC, which wound up being enough to pick up the victory. They went +3 in turnover margin and scoring touchdowns on all three trips to the redzone. It's been an up-and-down season for Washington, and they've lost three of their last five, with a 10-point win against Michigan sandwiched between. They'll play at Penn State in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Lost 38-17 vs Oregon
Michigan couldn't keep up with Oregon's high-powered offense, finishing with just 3.8 yards per carry and totaling 165 yards through the air. On the bright side, the Wolverines didn't commit a turnover and moved their turnover from -6 to -5. Even if they play another clean game in Week 11 at Indiana, Michigan will need to be better on offense to pull off an upset.
Week 10 Result: Won 42-10 vs Wisconsin
Iowa made a change at quarterback, opting for Brendan Sullivan instead of Cade McNamara against the Badgers. While Sullivan finished with just 93 passing yards on 10 attempts through the air, he didn't turn the ball over and also added 58 yards and a score on the ground. It was a standard Hawkeyes gameplan, with the team running for 330 yards and five touchdowns while holding Wisconsin without a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Iowa is now 6-0 in games where they score more than 20 points, and they'll look to add to that tally in Week 11 against UCLA.
Week 10 Result: Lost 25-17 vs Minnesota
Illinois suffered a second straight loss, pushing the team out of the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time since Week 3. The Fighting Illini lost the turnover battle 2-0 and couldn't make good on either of their two potential game-tying jobs. Though they've been on a skid, Illinois will have a chance to close out the regular season on a high note with Michigan State, Rutgers and Northwestern left on the schedule. Illinois will be idle in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Won 25-17 at Illinois
Minnesota nabbed their second win over a ranked opponent, and they trailed for fewer than four minutes during the victory. Still, the game came down to the wire. Illinois had two potential game-tying drives late in the fourth quarter, but the Golden Gopher turned the Illini over on downs before notching a strip sack to clinch the win. Minnesota is riding a four-game win streak and appear to be over their early-season struggles. They'll travel to Piscataway and face Rutgers in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Lost 20-13 vs Ohio State
Penn State got off to possibly the best start imaginable, driving down the field methodically for a field goal on the opening drive before picking off Will Howard and taking it to the house to claim a 10-0 lead. The advantage was gone three minutes into the second quarter. The Nittany Lions had chances to get back in it, turning the ball over twice in goal-to-go scenarios. Penn State will look to bounce back against Washington in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Won 47-10 at Michigan State
Having rolled each of their first eight opponents, Indiana surprisingly fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter. They hit their stride almost immediately after, scoring 47 straight points and erasing any doubts that may have arrived during the slow start. The victory pushed Indiana into the No. 8 spot in the AP Top 25 Poll. The Hoosiers are set to enter the hardest part of their schedule, with matchups vs Michigand and at Ohio State on tap for Weeks 11 and 13, respectively.
Week 10 Result: Won 20-13 at Penn State
Ohio State was in the driver's seat for most of Saturday's win despite going down 10-0 following a first-quarter pick-six by Will Howard. The Buckeyes responded to the mistake with back-to-back scoring drives while forcing a pair of three-and-outs. While they wouldn't trail again, Ohio State needed to keep Penn State out of the end zone on first and goal from the three yard line to secure the victory with five minutes left. Back up to the second spot in the Big 10 power rankings, Ohio State will take on the lowly Boilermakers in Week 11.
Week 10 Result: Won 38-17 at Michigan
Oregon had no issues moving the ball against a stout Wolverine defense in a hostile environment, scoring on six of nine drives and accumulating 470 yards of offense. Save for a one-point win over Ohio State, the Ducks have cruised through Big 10 play. They've won five of six games by 21 or more points and have scored 30 points in all six outings. Oregon will be massive favorites once again when they take on Maryland in Week 11.