Big Ten Football Power Poll: Week Six

Week Six confirms that parity has hit the Big Ten hard in 2026. There are two top teams (and frankly we may find out after this weekend that there’s really only one GREAT team) and then three through fourteeen are all pretty damn interchangeable. It’s a mess. But welcome to the reality of college football in it’s current state. On any given week Minnesota can beat Michigan and then get absolutely destroyed by Purdue. Or maybe it’s just Minnesota that is more apt to variability than the rest. We shall see. We have a few very interesting matchups this weekend which should maybe provide a bit of additional clarity…or maybe just add to the confusion.

#1 Ohio State Buckeyes 5-1 (2)

Win 45-16 vs Maryland

We pop the Buckeyes up to the #1 slot this week after they handled Maryland with no trouble—as they should. But they look a bit stronger than Indiana over the last couple of weeks o they slide up. The Buckeye offense is clicking like no other, and if they keep this up they will be tough to beat the rest of the way. But will their stay atop the list be a short one? We get one of the most anticipated games of the Big Ten season this week as the Buckeyes head to Bloomington to face Indiana. The winner is the obviously top dog in the conference. OSU are 3.5 point favorites on the road, and it should be a great battle on Big Noon Saturday.

#2 Indiana Hoosiers 6-0 (1)

Win 20-17 @ Nebraska

The Hoosiers had to battle hard in the fourth quarter to pull out a win in Lincoln and remain undefeated. Bu that’s now two games this season where the Hoosiers have not looked like the dominant foe. Indiana is still really good, but they don’t appear to be as good as last year. That can all change with a huge win over the Buckeyes on Saturday, but if they play early in the game like they did against Northwestern or Nebraska ,the Buckeyes will make sure there is no way Indiana can catch up in the fourth quarter this time.

#3 USC Trojans 6-1 (4)

Win 31-23 @ Penn State

USC did enough coming cross-country and knocking off Penn State during their White Out to bump back up to the #3 spot. Their loss to a full strength Oregon stings, but has been the only blemish on a record that would place them close to a fringe playoff team. They get a bye this week before the last five games of their season will determine if they can be worthy of a playoff bid, or if they struggle down the stretch and find themselves in the Holiday or Alamo Bowls. It won’t be easy to close @ Wisconsin vs Ohio State, @ Indiana, vs Maryland and @ UCLA.

#4 Iowa Hawkeyes 5-1 (6)

Win 41-24 @Washington

In what we thought might be a tough game for the Hawkeyes, they rolled into Seattle and just stomped the Huskies form the start. Going up 27-0 in the first half completely took the crowd out of the game, and showed that Iowa can be a dominant team when they are firing on all cylinders. They get a bye this week to recharge before a pair of huge rivalry games back to back @ Minnesota and against Wisconsin. But the path definitely exists for Iowa to run the table and go 11-1 with no super tough teams left on their schedule.

#5 UCLA Bruins 5-0 (8)

Win 17-15 @ Oregon

In one of the ugliest games of the season, UCLA did enough to shut down Oregon and Dylan Raiola and pick up a 17-15 win to move to 5-0. But the win comes at some cost as it sounds like starting QB Nico Iamaleava will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered in the game. Backup Ty Dieffenbach came in and went 3-6 with a TD as the Bruins pulled out the win, but it will be a lot tougher for him going forward. UCLA hosts Wisconsin this weekend in a game that is honestly critical for both teams. The Bruins are just 2.5 point favorites as Vegas figures out just how much the loss of Iamaleava will hurt. Luckily for the Burins the schedule eases up quite a bit over the next few weeks to allow Dieffenbach to figure things out.

#6 Nebraska Cornhuskers 5-1 (5)

Loss 20-17 vs Indiana

The Huskers had Indiana on the ropes. They had the big fourth quarter lead, and then they suddenly forgot to play defense. A quick 75 yard slant for a TD and then inexplicably on fourth and short they left not one, not two but three men WIDE open for Indiana in what looked like one of the easiest touchdowns you will ever see to give the Hoosiers the lead and the win. Nebraska is now 0-31 against ranked teams in their last 31 of those contests. Brutal. They now head to Oregon for a Big Ten After Dark battle late on Saturday. It was going to be the Dylan Raiola revenge game but after his benching I’m guessing Oregon will do just about anything in their power to get Dante Moore back. Ducks are favored by 7.5.

#7 Oregon Ducks 3-2 (3)

Loss 17-15 vs UCLA

Oregon misses Dante Moore badly. Dylan Raiola was so bad he got benched going 6-19 with two picks and a fumble. After he looked so good the week before vs USC its mind boggling. The rest of the Ducks team didn’t look great either and struggled tackling, which will hurt you against strong rushing teams. They hopefully get Moore back for a late night tilt against a Nebraska team that definitely has played well this season and is coming off a tough loss to Indiana. It could be a crazy late night in Eugene.

#8 Northwestern Wildcats 5-1 (9)

Win 45-14 vs Ball State

Can a team be turning into a bit of a powerhouse if nobody is there to see it? Northwestern spanked Ball State in the second game in their new stadium, but with the Wildcats charging nearly $100 for nosebleeds against a MAC squad, the stadium was les that half filled. Those who were there saw Chip Kelly continue to do some funky stuff on the offensive side of the ball and bake the Wildcats a true threat to play just about everyone in the conference to the wire. They head to Michigan State this week as just 7.5 point favorites in the Pat Fitzgerald revenge bowl. Expect more drama then you might normally see for an 11 AM Peacock kick.

#9 Wisconsin Badgers 4-1 (10)

BYE

The Badgers pop up one spot on their bye week due to a flurry of losses from teams right around them. At 4-1 they are sitting pretty and have a huge game at UCLA this weekend with the Bruins sporting a backup QB. The Badger offense will need to show up though if they want to score enough to beat the Bruins.

#10 Purdue Boilermakers 4-2 (14)

Win 41-13 vs Minnesota

Purdue gets the big jump this week after obliterating Minnesota and gets to be ranked ahead of them. Two Big Ten wins in a row for the first time in four seasons is crazy, but the Purdue offense looked amazing on Saturday night. They are not as good overall as they looked Saturday, but are definitely a cut above the bottom group of the conference. They host Washington on Friday night in what is really a transformative game for both teams. The Huskies badly need a win, and Purdue could put themselves in a great spot to clinch a surprising bowl spot with a win. The Boilermakers are favored by 3.5.

#11 Minnesota Golden Gophers 4-2 (7)

Loss 41-13 @ Purdue

What a complete and utter failure. Unacceptable on every level from the coaches to the offense to the defense. How upside down is it that the high point for the Gophers are the punter and kicker. They get a bye to try and figure out what the hell went wrong before Iowa comes in.

#12 Michigan Wolverines (3-2) (12)

BYE

Michigan was on a bye last week to try and figure out the second half of their season. They restart with a massive game hosting Penn State who is super desperate for a win this Saturday. The Wolverines also need a win to turn their season the right direction again. Two desperate teams fighting for respectability. Michigan is a 6.5 point favorite.

#13 Washington Huskies 3-3 (11)

Loss 41-24 vs Iowa

Did Minnesota break Washington? The Huskies are now 0-3 in the conference and just got destroyed by Iowa last Friday. Desmond Williams was benched he was so bad—lesson learned to maybe not keep a guy around if he really does not want to be there. They now head to Purdue for another Friday night tilt this week and what is really a must win for Jedd Fisch and company before their bye week. Purdue is on a roll though so it will not be easy to pick up a win in West Lafayette.

#14 Illinois Fighting Illini 3-3 (15)

Win 38-37 OT @ Michigan State

Illinois picked up a win over the Spartans to get back to .500 but it was not pretty. After blowing a 23-7 lead, and then getting some huge help from the refs on an onsides kick, they still almost lost on a two point conversion attempt in overtime. Oh… and their QB Katin Houser broke something in his hand and is out indefinitely. But the backup came in and played great—so who knows what to expect. They get a bye this week to figure out what to do on offense for the final six games.

#15 Penn State Nittany Lions 3-3 (13)

Loss 31-23 vs USC

Even the White Out wasn’t enough to get Matt Campbell his first Big Ten win. The Nittany Lions fall to 0-3 in conference play and frankly there is definitely a path where they lose their next four as well. That starts at Michigan this week where the Wolverines desperately need a win as well. Then after a bye they host Purdue, head to Washington and host Minnesota—its easy to see that path being 3-0 for the lions, or 0-3 or something in between. But the fanbase is not happy, and will only get louder headed into the bye unless they can find a way to top the Wolverines this week.

#16 Michigan State Spartans 2-4 (15)

Loss 38-37 OT vs Illinois

A big comeback for Michigan State was not enough as they fell to 0-3 in Big Ten play. The refs didn’t help on a blown offsides call on an onsides kick at the end of the game that saw Pat Fitzgerald giving the middle finger to the Illinois sideline and maybe the refs. Now he has to get ready to host his former team in Northwestern this Saturday. It’s gonna be a very emotional game—could the Spartans pull an upset?

#17 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 1-4 (17)

BYE

Rutgers didn’t lose this week so that’s good. After a bye they head to Maryland for the bottom of the heap bowl to see who can avoid the cellar next week. Maryland is favored by 6, so that’s not looking great for the Scarlet Knights.

#18 Maryland Terrapins 2-4 (18)

Loss 45-16 @ Ohio State

No surprise Maryland was easily handled by Ohio State to fall to 2-4. They have a mut win this week when Rutgers comes to town and the Terps are favored. It likely won’t happen the rest of the way.