Well…so much for Michigan’s demise
Week Four saw some movement as Michigan and Illinois both picked up big ranked win to jump back into the top four. We have finally reached the portion in the schedule where we have nothing but Big Ten games on the schedule—so we should see a lot more movement over the next few weeks. There are some teams we think we know about by now, and some with some major questions. Maybe we get a few more answered this weekend.
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (Previously #1 — Win 49-14 vs Marshall)
The Buckeyes are the clear #1 team as they head into conference play. All three non-conference games were blowouts. They open up B1G action at Michigan State Saturday night in a game that would have bene must see viewing ten years ago, but now is probably a 2 TD Buckeye romp.
#2 Penn State Nittany Lions (Previously #3 — Win 56-0 vs Kent State )
Penn State decided to not make it a game against a MAC team this eek as after their squeaker vs Bowling Green they absolutely blew out the Golden Flashes on Saturday. In what a few weeks ago looked to be a non-descript home game, suddenly Penn State may have a real test as #19 Illinois comes to town for the NBC Primetime Game Saturday night.
#3 Illinois Fighting Illini (Previously #6 — Win 31-24 OT at #22 Nebraska)
Illinois?? Going into Lincoln in a Primetime Friday night national game on Fox and taking down the chosen Huskers. That’s impressive. Bret Bielema can coach. That’s frustrating, but now pretty much a proven fact. Now we see JUST how good the Illini are as they go to Happy Valley for a huge game at Penn State Saturday night.
#4 Michigan Wolverines (Previously #10—Win 27-24 vs #11 USC)
Maybe it was the QB change? Maybe they just wanted to wait until the conference season starts? Either way the demise of the Wolverines has been exaggerated. That did not look like the teams that started the season 2-1 in very shaky fashion. Now we see if it was a fluke or if they drive the Gophers into the ground on Big Noon Saturday.
#5 Oregon Ducks (Previously #5 — BYE)
Oregon sat and watched some teams shift around them with a few big wins for Illinois and Michigan. They play their first ever Big Ten game on Saturday…against a familiar new conference mate at UCLA. Should be am easy win for the Ducks
#6 USC Trojans (Previously #2 — Lose 27-24 at #18 Michigan)
USC has a week to prepare for the Wolverines and their first Big Ten game, and it didn’t go well. The Wolverines found a resurgence getting the win while the Trojans will need to try and regroup when Wisconsin comes to town for a Saturday afternoon tilt.
#7 Washington Huskies (Previously #7 —Win 24-5 vs Northwestern)
The Huskies win their Big Ten opener in relatively easy fashion over a Cam Porterless Northwestern team. They are rewarded with their first cross-country trip this weekend as they fly to New Jersey for a Friday night tilt on Fox at Rutgers.
#8 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Previously #8 — Win 26-23 at Virginia Tech)
Rutgers moves to 3-0 on the season with another decent win. Are they for real? Still not sure. But with Washington coming to town Friday night we might get our first clue.
#9 Indiana Hoosiers (Previous #9 — Win 52-14 vs Charlotte)
This Indiana team sure can score some points. Averaging over 50 points per game? Yeah I don’t think anyone expected that from the Hoosiers who are 4-0. Maryland comes to town this week for a sleepy 11 AM BTN game, and a good chance to move a game away from a bowl berth.
#10 Nebraska Cornhuskers (Previously #4 — Lose 31-24 vs #24 Illinois)
That’s a harsh crash for a Nebraska team to lose a game in OT at home and go from 4 to 10. But that’s what this conference is like this season. If you lose even one tight game you feel like you lose so much ground you have no idea how you can keep up. The Huskers head to Purdue in what should be an easy win, but you know Purdue Harbor always lurks…
#11 Iowa Hawkeyes (Previously #14 — Win 31-14 at Minnesota)
Iowa does two things really well—play defense and run the ball with Kaden Johnson. and for three of four quarters on Saturday they did both REALLY well. When you realize that arguably that was the second toughest game left on the Iowa schedule this year…that’s what’s ever scarier. They get a bye this week to get ready for the rest of the conference stretch.
#12 Maryland Terrapins (Previously #13 — Win 38-20 vs Villanova)
Maryland moves t 3-1 by beating a good FCS team in Villanova. Things get interesting again Saturday when they head to Bloomington to face a 4-0 Indiana team who seemingly can score at will.
#13 Wisconsin Badgers (Previously #12 — Bye)
The Badgers slide one spot on their bye week after Iowa leapfrogs them. They head to So Cal this weekend for a big tilt against a USC team who probably is out for revenge after their loss at Michigan. This one could be interesting—or ugly.
#14 Michigan State Spartans (Previously #11 — Loss 23-19 at Boston College)
No shame in losing a close game at a quality BC team. But it’s going to be a lot of ups and down this season for the Spartans as their young QB still has plenty of learning to do. This week should be one more down step as the Buckeyes come to East Lansing and will not treat the Spartans nicely.
#15 Minnesota Golden Gophers (Previously #15 — Lose 31-14 vs Iowa)
Welp. Where did that second quarter team go? Minnesota doesn’t drop this week because there really isn’t a great place for them to go. But if the Wolverines put another beating on the Gophers it’s going to be hard not to drop them further next week.
#16 UCLA Bruins (Previously #17 Lose at LSU 34-17)
UCLA moves up a spot by playing LSU close in Death Valley. Sure, why not. Yeah their rival beat this team, but hell keeping this a game in Baton Rouge is worth a small bump. Oregon comes to the Rose Bowl this weekend.
#17 Northwestern Wildcats (Previously #16 — Lose at Washington 24-5)
Missing your best player in running back cam Porter doesn’t help the offense but 5 points?? 112 total yards?? Wow. That’s brutal. The bye week practices this week should be interesting.
#18 Purdue Boilermakers (Previous #18 Lose 38-21 at Oregon State)
The rushing game was working but I don’t think all the Boilermaker fans who were so happy with getting Hudson Card to transfer to them were expecting a 7/17 for 56 yards in a big non-conference game. Remember this Oregon State team lost to Oregon 49-14 the week before. Not great. Nebraska comes to town this week.