The Big Ten is insane this year; who would have thought that by week eight we would have a collection of the top teams featuring UCLA, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Northwestern? At the same time, look at Oregon, Michigan, Penn State, and Washington in the basement. It's what's happening in the conference, and it's fun and chaotic.
Wisconsin and Minnesota had the two biggest wins this week taking down USC and Iowa. Illinois knocking Oregon down again is fun, and seeing Michigan's defense hold down Indiana was pretty crazy. The Wolverines' offense, though, is miserable. Anyways, let's dive into this week's power rankings:
Related: Last week's power rankings.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes were on a bye, so they remain in the top spot. They've yet to lose a Big Ten game, and their only loss of the season was to the Texas Longhorns (which isn't aging super well).
2. Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana's only loss is to the Ohio State Buckeyes, and they pulled off another nail-biting win over Michigan. People are starting to wonder if the Hoosiers are imposters this season. Minnesota seeks to find out this week.
3. UCLA Bruins
The Bruins continue to soar, winning again over Michigan State, and are undefeated in the season and in the conference.
4. Northwestern Wildcats
The Wildcats may be getting more hype than they currently deserve. They've literally beaten nobody good. Yet, they haven't lost except to Indiana, so you have to give them some respect. They play an angry Oregon this week, and that may be a very telling game.
5. Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers are over halfway through the toughest part of their schedule: UCLA, USC, and Iowa. They are 1-1 in that stretch and looking to become bowl-eligible at Iowa, which would be poetic and sweet.
6. Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Golden Gophers surprise everyone again with a weird win over Iowa. PJ Fleck may be an insane person, but he has a knack for big wins.
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Sitting on their bye week, watching the chaos unfold around them. The Cornhuskers host Washington this week, and they need a big win.
8. USC Trojans
The USC fanbase is tired of the Lincoln Riley stick, and after scoring his lowest amount of points ever as a head coach, his seat is extremely hot.
9. Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa will be angry and at home this week against Wisconsin, but the Badgers are looking for their first win over the Hawkeyes since 2021 and the first win in Iowa City since 2018. It's a tough ask, but if they can win this game, the schedule absolutely frees up for the Badgers.
10. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is one of the enigmas this season in the Big Ten. They aren't either good or bad; they just sort of hang around. They are in the category that Minnesota usually dwells in.
11. Purdue Boilermakers
It's been a great year for the Boilermakers and now they have a chance to take a giant leap forward by taking down a very soft Penn State team on Saturday.
12. Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines have a terrible offense. It's incredibly hard to watch, but their defense is legit, and that's something we can respect. They get Rutgers this week, and that should give the offense a shot in the arm.
13. Washington Huskies
The Huskies were on a bye week, preparing for Nebraska. Not much to love about what Jedd Fisch and his team are doing this year, but beating Nebraska would help get things back on track.
14. Oregon Ducks
How do you have that many 5-star players and top portal transfers and be mediocre? That's the question people need to be asking Dan Lanning this year.
15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
They really should be lower than this, as they lost to UMASS, but that one Big Ten win over Maryland is better than any of the teams below them. Every team behind them hasn't even done that.
16. Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State looks like what Iowa State would have looked like if they joined the Big Ten. They were on a bye week this week, licking their wounds. Matt Campbell has to find a win over Purdue this Saturday.
17. Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans are on a much-needed bye week this week and could use a reset. They've drawn a tough conference schedule, so that's part of it, but they simply aren't that good.
18. Maryland Terrapins
Maryland was the first Big Ten team to fire their head coach this season. That tells you all you need to know.
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