Oh Iowa… Oh… Illinois
Week 2 has come and gone and we allready saw some trends forming. Ohio State looks like a monster. Oregon continues to struggle but find a way to win. And the middle half of the conference is going to be one glorious mess as Michigan and Iowa lost tough games and some of the team with lesser expectations (cough Illinois) have really impressed early. But is is still just Week 2 and we have only played literally one Big Ten conference game so far, so again, take these early rankings with a grain of salt.
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (Previously #1 — Win 56-0 over Western Michigan)
The Buckeyes look like the absolute juggernaut most people expected this far. Granted they haven’t played anyone yet, but this Western Michigan team was one bad turnover from having Wisconsin on the ropes and the Buckeyes went 56-donut on them. Yeesh. Ohio State gets a week off this week to sit back and watch.
#2 USC Trojans (Previously #2 — Win 48-0 over Utah State
No letdown for the Trojans this week after a big win over LSU as they crushed Utah State at home. They get a week off this week and see if anyone wants to try and jump them for the #2 spot.
#3 Penn State Nittany Lions (Previously #3 — Win 34-27 over Bowing Green)
Penn State did nothing worth keeping the #3 spot, but the three teams below them didn;t really show any reason to leapfrog them at all. So PSU gets the gift to stay in the #3 spot another week and also gets next weekend off to see if anyone can come for the top dogs.
#4 Nebraska Cornhuskers (Previously #7 — Win 28-14 over Colorado)
This is one of those, do I really think Nebraska is the #4 team in the conference—oh god no. But they beat a FBS team, all be it a very overrated one handily at home while several of their rivals did not. So they move up this week above those that did not. Northern Iowa comes to town this week—a team that barely beat St. Thomas on Saturday. This one should be a bloodbath.
#5 Washington Huskies (Previously #8 —Win 30-9 over Eastern Michigan)
Washington easily took care of a decent MAC team. Nothing special, but they move up because of the brutal week of those in that mid tear above them. It’s Apple Cup Week! The Huskies and Washington State Cougars face off in Seattle for in-state superiority.
#6 Illinois Fighting Illini (Previously #12 — Win 23-17 over #19 Kansas)
Illinois has been sneaky good early this season. Nobody gave them a chance to beat a ranked team and they did knocking off the Jayhawks and looking good in the process. Could Illinois be a sneaky good team? We shall see. Central Michigan comes to Champaign this week in what suddenly is a let-down game??
#7 Oregon Ducks (Previously #6 — Win 37-34 over Boise State)
The Ducks struggled again as their OL has looked almost as bad as Minnesota’s has to start the season. But again Oregon late figured out a way to pull out a win, this time involving a 100-yard kick return. Let’s see if their luck keeps up in the Civil War this week when the Ducks travel to Corvallis to take on Oregon State.
#8 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Previously #11 — Win 49-17 over Akron)
Another weak MAC team, another blowout win for Rutgers. They are doing what they should be doing with their Charmin soft schedule so far. They get this week off before a road trip to a weaker than average Virginia Tech team.
#9 Wisconsin Badgers (Previously #10 — Win 27-13 over South Dakota)
Another week of a not great performance but enough to beat a weak opponent for the Badgers. They won’t be able to do this this week with Alabama coming to town for Big Noon Saturday. If they do the Tide might win by 30.
#10 Michigan Wolverines (Previously #4 —Loss to #3 Texas 31-12)
Texas made it very clear to Michigan that is is not 2023 anymore. The Wolverines were never in the game. Michigan has a lot of work to do because if they play like they did against Texas the will definitely be a middle of the pack Big Ten team. Arkansas State comes to the Big House this week for a get right game.
#11 Michigan State Spartans (Previously #15 — Win 27-24 AT Maryland)
Who is in the lead in the Big Ten conference—the Michigan State Spartans. The only 1-0 team in Big Ten play went into Maryland and came out with a hard fought 27-24 win. It will be the only time this are on top this year most likely, but good for them. Prairie View A&M comes to East Lansing this week—should be a walk-over for Sparty.
#12 Indiana Hoosiers (Previous #14 — Win 77-3 vs Western Illinois)
Take no heed that Western Illinois is one of the worst D1 football teams in the nation. Indiana put up a school record 77 points. I mean—that’s worth a spot or two jump in the power poll for sure. We will see just how good they are when they open Big Ten play this week out in the Rose Bowl against UCLA.
#13 Iowa Hawkeyes (Previously #5 — Loss to Iowa State 20-19)
Oh Iowa. The schadenfreude was strong in this w=one watching Iowa lose a game like Minnesota has almost done so many times in the non-conference. Get a lead, sit on it and hope. Well this time the hope ran out and Iowa State found a way to win. Gonna be brutal if this loss somehow keeps the Hawkeyes out of the CFP. Troy comes to Kinnick this week in what is now a bit more interesting of a game.
#14 Maryland Terrapins (Previously #9 — Loss 27-24 to Michigan State)
Maryland usually is good early in the season but the Spartans and Aidan Chiles threw for 363 yards and knocked the Terps down a peg in the conference opener. Maryland heads to Virginia this week in a former ACC rivalry battle.
#15 Minnesota Golden Gophers (Previously #18 — Win 48-0 vs Rhode Island)
Minnesota jumps three spots after their dominating performance against the Rams. Yes it was only Rhode island but if Minnesota can keep putting that type of effort on going forward this team will surprise some people. Now to do it again as Nevada comes to the Bank this week in what should be another easy winnable game.
#16 Purdue Boilermakers (Previous #14 Bye)
Purdue drops two slots sitting idle as other teams moved up after good wins. They host Notre Dame in what maybe a case on unfortunate timing after the Irish’ s loss to Northern Illinois last week. They are going to be pissed, and Purdue may suffer because of it. Good luck Boilers…
#17 UCLA Bruins (Previously #17 BYE)
UCLA sat idle and didn’t move one way or another this week. They play their first official Big Ten game Saturday when Indiana comes to the Rose Bowl in what could actually be a sneaky good game.
#18 Northwestern Wildcats (Previously #16 — Loss to Duke 26-20 OT)
Northwestern just could not get it done against Duke Friday night choking a win away and losing in OT to the Blue Devils. The stadium may be nice but the football wasn’t so much this last week. They lost another game this week with Eastern Illinois coming to town.