Apathy has set in, as there has never been a better time to go to a pumpkin patch than right now. The Wisconsin Badgers are not only the worst team in the Big Ten, but are among the very worst the Power Four could ever hope to put forth. Outside of maybe Boston College and Oklahoma State, is there a worse team at this level of distinction? Regardless, Luke Fickell is still somehow employed...
The football program has completely deteriorated under his watch, unraveling in a way and at a rate that we did not think was ever possible. His time in Madison is surely coming to an end, but the current administration seems more than comfortable to ride this thing out beyond humanly possible. Regardless, the Big Ten is still playing its season out, whether or not the Badgers want to be part of it.
Let's get the Badgers out of the way here before breaking down the other 17 teams in the league.
18. Wisconsin Badgers: 2-5 (0-4)
Since coming back from Ann Arbor, the Badgers have lost two games at home by a combined 71 points in shutout fashion. Yes, Wisconsin has been unable to score a single point at home over the last two weeks. They lost 37-0 to rival Iowa two weeks ago, before getting shut out again by Ohio State 34-0 last week. As long as Fickell remains employed, this program will remain an utter joke.
17. Purdue Boilermakers: 2-5 (0-4)
The Purdue Boilermakers are not doing much better, but they have already doubled their win total from last season under first-year head coach Barry Odom. Yes, the Boilermakers only have two wins on the campaign, and may not get another one, to be quite frank... Things may seem very glib right now in West Lafayette, Indiana, but the Boilermakers could be markedly better by this time next year.
16. Michigan State Spartans: 3-4 (0-4)
It is painful to admit this, but Michigan State may have hired the wrong head coach. Jonathan Smith may have bit off more than he could ever chew taking over in East Lansing. Ooh, Aidan Chiles, things aren't gonna get easier leading the Spartans going forward. Michigan State got crushed by its rival Indiana to fall to 0-4 in conference play. This team is running out of time to achieve bowl eligibility.
15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights: 3-4 (0-4)
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights may not be a bowl-caliber team this year. After winning all three games in the non-conference, Greg Schiano's team keeps coming up dead in league play. The once-strong defense in Piscattaway is no more. This is the unintended consequence of losing their top-flight coordinator Joe Harasymiak to the UMass job. He has yet to win a game over in Amherst thus far...
14. Penn State Nittany Lions: 3-4 (0-4)
Another team who has yet to win a game in conference play. The Penn State Nittany Lions should not be like the others, but here we are. The losing continues even after firing James Franklin after a 3-3 (0-3) start. Penn State's offense remains listless after falling by a single point to rival Iowa. Penn State will be losing its next two games at Ohio State and home vs. Indiana. Will this even be a bowl team?
13. Maryland Terrapins: 4-3 (1-3)
Maryland is very much in the same boat at the teams ranked behind them. The only difference is the Terrapins got a convincing road win a few weeks ago at Wisconsin. Malik Washington offers a ton of promise at quarterback, but keep in mind he is only a true freshman. Furthermore, the Terps must win two of their final five games to achieve bowl eligibility. Otherwise, it might cost Mike Locksley his job...
12. UCLA Bruins: 3-4 (3-1)
Can the UCLA Bruins go bowling? Maybe. Yes, losing all three of their non-conference games seriously put them behind the eight ball, but they are now 3-1 in league play. Falling on the road to Northwestern may have done them in in that regard, but this looks to be a totally different team with Tim Skipper taking over in the interim for DeShaun Foster. Jerry Neuheisel remains in his bag as OC.
11. Northwestern Wildcats: 5-2 (3-1)
Talk about a man firmly taking himself off the hot seat! David Braun has done a phenomenal job of getting his Northwestern Wildcats ready to play. They are 5-2 on the year with quality losses to Oregon and Tulane. Getting to a bowl game would be a massive accomplishment for this year's team. They have five more chances to get one more win. This feels like a team that is going to win seven.
10. Washington Huskies: 5-2 (2-2)
The Washington Huskies are also 5-2 on the season, but they seem to have hit a plateau in Demond Williams Jr.'s development as a quarterback. Head coach Jedd Fisch could conceivably be up for the vacancy at his alma mater of Florida, but he would not be the Gators' top choice. For the time being, Washington remains a high-level college football program, but one that serves as a stepping stone.
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers: 5-2 (2-2)
The Matt Rhule pop year may go off without a bang. Nebraska is a good football team, but still not yet a great one. This might have something to do with the quirky nature of starting quarterback Dylan Raiola. The Huskers got worked in Friday night's loss to emerging rival Minnesota. This is a team that can hang with anyone it goes up against, but the Huskers are just not strong enough over on offense.
8. Iowa Hawkeyes: 5-2 (3-1)
Keep an eye on the Iowa Hawkeyes. They are 5-2 on the year and 3-1 in league play with two quality losses to buzzsaw Indiana and in-state rival Iowa State. The Hoosiers are a playoff lock at this point. Iowa State could still maybe win the Big 12, or at least get to Arlington again... Either way, Iowa's two losses are only by a combined five points. This team has a low ceiling, but an incredibly high floor.
7. Minnesota Golden Gophers: 5-2 (3-1)
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are perhaps the hardest team to peg in the Big Ten. They are the ultimate high floor, low-ceilinged team. The talent is not always there, but the Gophers are so well coached under P.J. Fleck. They are lucky to have him. If the Gophers are able to pull off a big upset in league play, they might become a playoff pretender. For now, this feels like a team that should go 8-4.
6. USC Trojans: 5-2 (3-1)
The USC Trojans are arguably the worst team in the Big Ten that could somehow fall ass backwards into making the College Football Playoff. Having the head-to-head win over Michigan would be their saving grace, especially if the Wolverines beat Ohio State once again. The problem is the Illinois loss is starting to lose its luster. Falling to Notre Dame last week will probably keep them out of the playoff.
5. Illinois Fighting Illini: 5-2 (2-2)
Illinois is in the same bucket at USC as this could be a really good 9-3 Big Ten team. They do have the head-to-head win over the Trojans. The problem is the Fighting Illini got skull dragged by Indiana previously, and did not look the part vs. Ohio State a few weeks later. Those might be the two best teams in the country, but this team needs to win out and get some help to make it in as a 10-2 team.
4. Michigan Wolverines: 5-2 (3-1)
If there was a fourth team to think about making the playoff out of the Big Ten, it might be Michigan. The Wolverines did clobber Washington and eked one past Nebraska, but neither team is still ranked. Losing to USC might have knocked them out of the reasonable playoff picture, but the Oklahoma defeat in the non-conference still looks to be of quality. This team must win out, and upset Ohio State.
3. Oregon Ducks: 6-1 (3-1)
If the Oregon Ducks are elite at anything this year, it is beating the snot out of poorly-coached teams right before their head coach gets fired. So far this season, three teams who Oregon has beaten have gone on to fire its head coach in Oklahoma State, Oregon State and Penn State. Wisconsin is sure to join this list. Oregon can really beat up some tomato cans, but can it hang with the big boys? Doubtful.
2. Indiana Hoosiers: 7-0 (4-0)
Indiana has a strong case to be No. 1, but the No. 2 team in the nation has three things working against them. One, the Hoosiers play nobody in the non-conference. Two, while history is changing, it is still not on their side. And three, although the Hoosiers can win multiple playoff games, they may lack the necessary depth to win three or four to come out on top and actually win the national title.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes: 7-0 (4-0)
Right now, Ohio State is the best team in college football. The defending national champions should cake walk to 11-0 before their massive game with Michigan. Like Indiana, this team is essentially a lock to make the College Football Playoff. There is virtually no way on god's green earth this team is anything worse than a 10-2 team during the season. The Buckeyes do have a real shot at repeating.
The difference between Ohio State and Wisconsin in Madison was 34 points, but the gap is so wide.