Can The Hoosiers Make the Playoffs??
The Ducks stay on top with the easy blowout win at Purdue, but the game of the week was Indiana beating Nebraska so badly even Lawrence Phillips felt bad for the victims. There is no doubt this Indiana team is for real. But, we have our first major injury of the season in Bloomington. Will it end the momentum for the Hoosiers?
#1 Oregon Ducks (Previously #1 — Win 35-0 at Purdue)
The Ducks said take your trap game and shove it. Purdue never had a chance. But, can the Ducks keep their focus two weeks in a row when they host a sneaky good Illinois team in Autzen? We will find out.
#2 Penn State Nittany Lions (Previously #2 — Bye )
I won’t like just for fun a damn near leaped Indiana into the #2 spot over both Penn State and Ohio State. But, if we are being honest I feel like both these teams would beat this Indiana team. Only time will tell. The Nittany Lions come out of the bye week and head to Madison for a Saturday night clash against the Badgers.
#3 Ohio State Buckeyes (Previously #3 — Bye)
Ohio State spend a week licking their wounds and figuring out what went wrong. I would assume they will be out for blood this week. I feel bad for whomever their opponent i…..oh wait it’s Nebraska. Never mind. Buckeyes by 50. It’s a feeling the Huskers should know well.
#4 Indiana Hoosiers (Previous #4 Win 56-7 vs Nebraska )
Seriously though, you could make a very strong argument for a #2 Indiana in this poll. I frankly am sitting here thinking I should have done it. My excuse will be that the Hooisers will be missing their starting QB Curtis Rourke at least this week after suffering a thumb injury against Nebraska and having surgery on Monday. Washington comes to Bloomington this week in a game the Hoosiers really need to find a way to win. It would be really disappointing to see them go down like this.
#5 #Illinois Fighting Illini (Previously #6 Win 21-7 vs Michigan)
Illinois bounces back from a near awful loss to Purdue and dominates the Wolverines on Homecoming. Yeah that makes sense. Another big win for the Illini who will look to pull off the upset of the year when they head to Eugene to face the #1 overall Oregon Ducks this Saturday.
#6 Wisconsin Badgers (Previously #10 Win 23-2 at Northwestern)
Don’t look now but here come the Badgers. Now granted the only reason they make this big of a leap is the FOUR teams ahead of them all lost in embarrassing fashion last week, but Wisconsin seems to be figuring it out. They have a huge home game against Penn State Saturday night that should give us an idea whether they are a real contender, or just a pretender.
#7 Iowa Hawkeyes (Previously #7 — Lose 32-20 at Michigan State)
I leaped Iowa up to #7 last week and now I’m looking like an idiot. I’m starting to think #6 through #14 in the Big ten are just about a tie. Iowa should slink back down, but thanks to losses from the teams below they ,they don’t. Northwestern comes to town this week.
#8 Nebraska Cornhuskers (Previously #5 Lose 56-7 at Indiana)
That was….embarrassing. But Indiana is legitimately good. So only a few spots of a drop. But this week you get to head to a pissed off Ohio State team. Good freaking luck.
#9 Michigan Wolverines (Previously #8 Lose 21-7 at Illinois)
The Wolverines aren’t great. But I think we are seeing a lot of the middle of the conference isn’t. It’s another grudge match for a ranking spot as the Wolverines host in-state rival Michigan State for the Paul Bunyan Trophy and the higher power ranking next weekend on Saturday night—in a game relegated to BTN. How the mighty have fallen.
#10 Michigan State Spartans (Previously #15 — Win 32-20 vs Iowa)
Sparty gets the big leap this week moving up five spots after their win against Iowa. They were probably a bit under ranked at #15 and now have the exact same conference record as five other conference teams including the one they play this weekend in Ann Arbor.
#11 Minnesota Golden Gophers (Previously #11 Bye)
Lots of movement all around the Gophers this week but they host tight at #11 as some teams flip above, and some drop below. It’s a massive game for Homecoming this week when Maryland comes to the Bank. If the Gophers win this one they have a good shot at bowling. If not, the road is significantly harder.
#12 USC Trojans (Previously #9 Lose 29-28 at Maryland)
Three losses in a row for USC, this one after traveling across the country and blowing a 14 point lead to Maryland in the fourth quarter. Not good. Can they be the ones punishing the team making the long cross-country travel this week? USC hosts Rutgers in a LATE Friday game—after Game 1 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees. Something tells be there won’t be quite as many eyeballs on this one as that one.
#13 Washington Huskies (Previously #13 — BYE)
Washington holds steady at #13 after a crazy week around them. Can they catch Indiana with their QB out and the Huskies having an extra week to get ready? The 9 AM Pacific kickoff probably doesn’t help much.
#14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (Previously #12 Loss vs UCLA 35-32)
Now three losses in a row for Rutgers, this one to a UCLA team travelling across the country. Athan wasn’t as bad has he was in the two previous losses, but he was significantly outplayed by Ethan Garbers. Now the Scarlet Knights travel all the way to LA for a game against a team who REALLY needs a win in USC. But so does Rutgers. Who will prevail?
#15 Maryland Terrapins (Previously #16 — Win 29-28 vs USC)
The Big Ten is so crazy this year. A team gets smoked by Northwestern one week and comes from 2 TDs down in the 4th quarter to knock off USC the next. Now the Terps have to head to Minnesota in what is a big game for both teams as they fight for bowl eligibility.
#16 UCLA Bruins (Previously #18 Win 35-32 at Rutgers)
The Bruins broke the streak. They few across the country, had a 9 am local time kickoff and beat Rutgers to get their first Big Ten win. Very impressive. Ethan Garbers looked amazing as he did in spurts against the Gophers as well. The Bruins get a bye this week.
#17 Northwestern Wildcats (Previously #14 — Lose 23-3 vs Wisconsin)
Well the win against Maryland was a tease. Northwestern never had a chance against the Badgers last week and slides back. They now head to Iowa City this week for another trenches game—that didn’t work so well last week.
#18 Purdue Boilermakers (Previous #17 Lose 35-0 vs Oregon)
Back to the basement for the Boilers. Everyone was on guard for the upset, and then it never even got close to off the ground. Oregon just toyed with Purdue and sleptwalked through a 35-0 win. Purdue gets a bye this week to try and figure out how they can beat Northwestern out of the bye—because they finish at Ohio State, Penn State, at Michigan State, and at Indiana. Otherwise 1-11 here they come.