The Buckeyes are still a clear #1 but here come the Nittany Lions
After week 5 it appears the Buckeyes are still the clear favorite, and assuming they can get past an Iowa team off a bye this week that game at Oregon will be as highly anticipated as we all expected. Penn State shows they are a strong #2 team as they await their own big shot at the Buckeyes in a few weeks. and Indiana is 5-0 and can be the first team in the country to clinch a bowl berth with a win at Northwestern on Saturday. Crazy.
#1 Ohio State Buckeyes (Previously #1 — Win 38-7 at Michigan State)
In no surprise the Buckeyes went into East Lansing and demoralized the Spartans. Now things get slightly harder as Iowa comes to the Horseshoe this weekend. The Buckeyes might not put 38 points up, but they probably will give up about the same seven…
#2 Penn State Nittany Lions (Previously #2 — Win 21-7 vs Illinois )
This game was actually not as close as the score would make it seem. Illinois played the Nittany Lions tough, but Penn State was obviously the better team. UCLA comes t Happy Valley for what is the equivalent of a 9 AM kick for them…this one should be ugly.
#3 Oregon Ducks (Previously #5 — Win 34-13 at UCLA)
Oregon opened their Big Ten existence with a win at….UCLA. Yeah that’s just weird. But the Ducks are starting to put it together after a slow start. They host Michigan State in a Friday night national Fox game this week as Jonathan Smith returns to Oregon. I don’t think he will be able to pull off the upset this time though.
#4 Michigan Wolverines (Previously #4—Win 27-24 vs Minnesota)
The Wolverines looked a top team for the first half, and then the Gophers made one hell of a run and were a very questionable call away from having a chance to upset the Wolverines. Does Michigan deserve to stay in this spot for that—probably not, but they did beat USC the week before so they probably can’t drop below the Trojans just yet either. It’s a 2024 CFP championship rematch Saturday night in Seattle against a reeling Washington team.
#5 USC Trojans (Previously #6 — Win 38-21 vs Wisconsin)
USC took it to a Wisconsin team that is mid at best. Miller Moss looked good again. They head to Dinkytown this week but what Gopher team will show up? Nobody really knows.
#6 Illinois Fighting Illini (Previously #3 — Lose 21-7 at #9 Penn State)
Illinois just didn’t have enough to knock off a tough Penn State team in Happy Valley. They get a week off to regroup before resuming the much easier portion of the schedule.
#7 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Previously #8 — Win 21-18 vs Washington)
Rutgers is now 4-0 after a win over Washington that wasn’t pretty but got the job done. The Scarlet Knights head to Lincoln this week in what is an interesting matchup with Nebraska.
#8 Indiana Hoosiers (Previous #9 — Win 42-28 vs Maryland)
5-0 Indiana? Yep, believe it or not. This team keeps scoring like crazy and is one of the most surprising team in the nation for sure. They go to Northwestern this week in a chance to be the first team in the nation to clinch a bowl berth. Incredible.
#9 Nebraska Cornhuskers (Previously #10 —Win 28-10 at Purdue)
Nebraska got back on the horse after a slow start at Purdue and figured things out in the second half. Rutgers comes to town this week in what is actually a very intriguing game.
#10 Washington Huskies (Previously #7 — Lose 21-18 at Rutgers)
The first cross-country tilt for Washington didn’t fair so well. No time to think about that as Michigan comes to town in a National Championship Game rematch Saturday night on NBC. The Wolverines have looked beatable…
#11 Iowa Hawkeyes (Previously #11 — BYE)
Iowa remains at 11 as all the turmoil of the previous week washes out around them. They had a week to get ready for their hardest game of the season left at Ohio State this week. Can they figure out a way to pull off an upset??
#12 Maryland Terrapins (Previously #12 — Lose 42-28 at Indiana)
The Terps could not stop the Hoosier offensive machine. They get a bye this week to figure things out.
#13 Wisconsin Badgers (Previously #13 — Lose 38-21 at #13 USC)
The Badgers made things interesting for a bit, but USC ran away with this at the end of the game. Wisconsin can lick their wounds and take out their angst on Purdue when they come to Camp Randall this weekend.
#14 Minnesota Golden Gophers (Previously #15 — Lose 27-24 @ #12 Michigan)
Minnesota needs to be able to put four good quarters together. Play like you did in the second half for the full game and you win and don’t need to get screwed on a bad offsides call. Can they do this this week with USC in town? Very TBD.
#15 Michigan State Spartans (Previously #14 — Lose 38-7 vs #1 Ohio State)
No real shame in getting destroyed by the Buckeyes, but it’s not a great sign you couldn’t have kept it a little closer. Now you need to go to Oregon this week. Good luck.
#16 UCLA Bruins (Previously #16 Lose at 34-17 to #8 Oregon)
It wasn’t a total blowout for the Ducks, but it wasn’t great either. Now you head to Penn State this week. Yeesh. That game in two weeks vs Minnesota could be for the first Big Ten win between the two teams.
#17 Northwestern Wildcats (Previously #17 — BYE)
Well…you can’t lose if you have a bye. Can they be the first to knock off the juggernaut that is Indiana? Hope for some nasty winds off of Lake Michigan for that to happen.
#18 Purdue Boilermakers (Previous #18 Lose 28-10 vs Nebraska)
Never a good sign when you fire your highly touted offensive coordinator in Week 5. Things aren’t great in West Lafayette and they get a pissed off Badger team in Madison this weekend. Ooof.