Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 10

The Big Ten’s reputation is in shambles this season, with teams not living up to expectations and upsets happening weekly. As the College Football Playoff selection committee nears its final selection of the 12 teams that will compete for a national championship, which teams will represent the Big Ten?

1. UCLA (CFP No. 4)

9-0 | 6-0 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 1

Movement: 0

The Bruins beat the feisty Golden Gophers 34-20 on the road. It was a close affair for much of the game, with Minnesota tying the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

But senior wide receiver Aidan Mizell caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach. Minnesota answered with a 10-play drive that ended in a field goal, but Mizell scored another 75-yard touchdown to put UCLA ahead 31-20. An interception thrown by junior quarterback Drake Lindsey two plays into the Golden Gophers’ next drive put the game away, and a late field goal capped the scoring for the Bruins.

Mizell finished with two catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns, one of the coolest stat lines I have seen. The Bruins are the surprise team of the season, and there is no reason to expect them to slow down. With Illinois, Michigan and USC left on the schedule, UCLA has a path to win its first-ever Big Ten championship and finish in the top four of the CFP rankings.

2. Indiana (CFP No. 9)

8-1 | 5-1 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 2

Movement: 0

Unlike the committee, I am not going to punish Indiana and coach Curt Cignetti during the Hoosiers’ bye week.

Since Indiana fell from No. 4 to No. 9 in the second CFP rankings, Saturday’s matchup with USC at home is a must-win. Unfortunately, the Oct. 17 loss to Ohio State hurts more and more as the Buckeyes slip because of injuries and inconsistency.

Senior quarterback Josh Hoover has to play better and stop holding this team back. I still believe Indiana can win the national championship, but it needs to start inspiring more confidence in the committee. Saturday is a chance to do so.

3. USC (CFP No. 18)

7-2 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 3

Movement: 0

The Trojans’ closing stretch is brutal, with both Indiana and UCLA on the schedule. USC gets the Big Ten’s punching bag, Maryland, in between to ease the load.

Every game this season has become a must-win for USC. Head coach Lincoln Riley may be coaching for his job, and the Trojans are fighting to reach the playoff for the first time in program history. But when senior quarterback Jayden Maiava is playing like the best in the conference and one of the best in the nation. With his pass catchers healthy, the offense is bound to be elite.

As always, the question is about the defense. Can USC stop Indiana’s offense in a pivotal game? The Trojans did against an Ohio State team without quarterback Julian Sayin, but the stakes are much higher against the Hoosiers.

Saturday’s game against Indiana is do-or-die for USC.

4. Oregon (CFP No. 16)

6-3 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 6

Movement: +2

What a season this could have been for the Ducks.

Dante Moore’s injury against USC in Week 4 seemed to derail a season in which the college football landscape is wide open, but Oregon still has a path to the CFP. Is it straightforward? Not even close.

After a comeback win over Northwestern, Oregon marched into Columbus and took down Ohio State 41-28. Facing a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter, the Ducks rallied for 31 unanswered points by the start of the fourth quarter, clearing out The Shoe.

Junior quarterback Dylan Raiola is no longer playing like a detriment to the team, as he threw for 257 yards and two touchdown passes. Oregon plays a struggling Michigan team next. With the committee making unpredictable decisions, the Ducks can still keep their playoff hopes alive.

5. Iowa (CFP No. 15)

7-2 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 5

Movement: 0

After a close loss to Minnesota, the Hawkeyes have bounced back with two straight wins, including a 24-10 triumph over Northwestern on the road.

Iowa’s defense continues to be one of the best in the country, holding Northwestern’s rushing attack to just 105 yards on 2.8 yards per carry. The Hawkeyes were also great at defending the pass, allowing 181 yards through the air.

The quarterback problems that plagued the team in the 13-10 loss to Minnesota did not ruin the season as I thought they would. Senior quarterback Hank Brown has not been a revelation, but he has been serviceable. The run game has been powering this team, as the Hawkeyes rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown.

I am still not super high on this Iowa team, but with one of the easier schedules down the stretch, it can very easily find itself in the CFP. If that does happen, I don’t expect the Hawkeyes to advance far.

6. Ohio State (CFP No. 20)

6-3 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 4

Movement: -2

I hate injuries. Sayin’s connection to Jeremiah Smith was one of the most entertaining things to watch in college football. Now, the Buckeyes are on the verge of being unranked with no chance of making the playoffs.

The run game was nonexistent in the 41-28 loss against Oregon. Ohio State rushed for just 53 yards on 2.5 yards per carry. This gave freshman quarterback Luke Fahey no support, as he had to air the ball out an absurd 50 times.

That is not a recipe for success.

Ohio State will be fine in the long run, but it is disappointing that a team many considered the best in the country earlier this season will likely miss the CFP. The Buckeyes now host a Northwestern team that has lost its last two games and is without its starting quarterback, Aidan Chiles.

7. Minnesota

6-3 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 8

Movement: +1

Back-to-back weeks in which Minnesota almost pulled off an upset!

After a heartbreaking overtime loss to Indiana, Minnesota let the game get away from it against UCLA, falling 34-20. If Mizell hadn’t channelled his inner Randy Moss, the Golden Gophers may have handed the Bruins their first loss.

The Gophers won the time-of-possession and turnover battles, but didn’t have enough to cross the finish line. It is much of the same story as last week. Minnesota could very well be in a situation similar to Iowa’s if things were just a little different.

Minnesota has no more opportunities to upend a team’s season, as Penn State, Northwestern and Wisconsin are all almost certainly out of the playoff conversation. Still, this is one of the best seasons for the Gophers in recent memory.

8. Northwestern

6-3 | 3-3 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 7

Movement: -1

A common trend for Big Ten teams has been quarterback injuries, and that is true for the Wildcats as well. With Chiles out against Iowa, the ensuing 24-10 loss was not all that surprising. However, Northwestern is a team that was supposed to be able to lean on a run game that had gone for over 400 yards earlier in the season.

The defense, on the other hand, has shown weakness all year, and it finally broke in the last two weeks. After getting torched through the air by Oregon, Iowa rushed for 170 yards against Northwestern’s defense.

Northwestern is no longer amongst the bottom dwellers of the conference, but the talent disparity between it and the teams ahead of it on the list make it unclear if and when Northwestern can elevate to a new tier.

The end of the season is no cakewalk, with six losses as a realistic possibility. Head coach David Braun has to get his crew in order and finish the season strong.

9. Wisconsin

6-3 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 9

Movement: 0

After losing 30-0, the Badgers bounced back with a 31-10 win against Rutgers.

Freshman quarterback Ryan Hopkins has a monster day, going 18-for-24 with 241 yards and three touchdowns. The ground game also showed up, rushing for 122 yards. Truly an offensive explosion for Wisconsin.

The issue for this team has been the lack of consistency. The offense has not been able to produce like this week-to-week, hurting Wisconsin in matchups against UCLA and Iowa. While this is certainly a successful season for the Badgers, there was a lot left on the table.

10. Illinois

6-3 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 11

Movement: +1

Illinois has turned its season around. After a 24-17 loss to Purdue, the Fighting Illini have strung together four straight wins, with a 24-13 win over Nebraska being the most recent.

I can’t lie, it was an incredibly boring first half between these two teams. In the second half, things got going. Senior quarterback Katin Houser was carving up Nebraska’s defense. He found receivers on the boundaries and hit tight-window throws over the middle. He finished the night with three passing touchdowns and 292 passing yards.

This is the Illini’s third straight game of holding opponents to fewer than 20 points. Illinois’ defense played a great bend-but-don’t-break game against Nebraska, forcing three straight drives in which the Cornhuskers turned the ball over on downs.

With UCLA, Iowa and Northwestern remaining, Illinois has a brutal closing stretch. The Illini are playing good football and can play spoiler down the stretch, starting with UCLA’s Big Ten title hopes.

11.Penn State

5-4 | 2-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 14

Movement: +3

The Nittany Lions were able to squeeze out a win against Washington, 28-25. After going up 28-6 in the first half, Penn State almost let the Huskies back in it, going scoreless in the second half of action.

After an explosive first half in which quarterback Rocco Becht and the run game were on point and the defense reverted to its form from the first few games of the season, the team’s play nosedived after halftime. Penn State managed only one drive of more than 10 plays in the second half. Luckily, that was the last drive of the game, where the Nittany Lions had a 14-play, 70-yard drive to ice the game.

With Minnesota next on the schedule, Penn State has a chance to make a statement and give a struggling program some hope.

12. Nebraska

5-4 | 2-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 11

Movement: -2

Matt Rhule doing Matt Rhule things.

Nebraska’s 5-0 start made the college football world take notice. But after three straight one-score losses to Indiana, Oregon and Washington, the Cornhuskers dropped yet another game, this time by 11 to Illinois.

The game was a microcosm of the season, full of almost moments. Nebraska had opportunities to take control of the game, but came up short each time.

Nebraska should become bowl-eligible with a game against Rutgers next, but with matchups against Ohio State and Iowa left on the schedule, it could become another collapse under Rhule’s watch.

13. Washington

5-4 | 2-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 11

Movement: -2

So close, yet so far away.

If the Huskies were able to come out a little bit hotter, things may have swung their way against Penn State. Washington played a phenomenal second half after a first half that included four three-and-outs.

If the Huskies had been able to stop the Nittany Lions on the final drive, or if junior quarterback Demond Williams Jr. hadn’t thrown an interception on Washington’s second-to-last possession, the Huskies would be bowl-eligible right now.

Washington now visits Michigan State before closing against Indiana and Oregon.

14. Michigan

5-4 | 2-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 13

Movement: -1

Truly one of the most fascinating teams in the country.

With a 15-6 home loss to Michigan State, this Wolverine team is completely lost. Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr was supposed to revolutionize Michigan’s offense, but he threw two picks in this outing as the Wolverines failed to score until their final drive. The run game could only muster 54 yards in total, which did not help Carr at all. He also got sacked five times and the offense fumbled the ball away twice.

On the other side of the ball, Michigan’s defense continued to prove it’s an elite unit that will be lost to history,

Head coach Kyle Whittingham will have to get his team in order as Michigan has the hardest close in the Big Ten: Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State.

15. Michigan State

3-6 | 1-5 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 16

Movement: +1

The Spartans picked up their first win over the Wolverines in five years in rather unconvincing fashion.

Michigan State’s offense failed to score a touchdown, settling for five field goals. It controlled the time of possession battle, holding the ball for about 16 minutes longer than Michigan. This was in large part due to the 110 rushing yards the Spartans had. Michigan State’s defense forced two turnovers and only allowed a touchdown very late in the game.

With Washington next, Michigan State can net back-to-back wins for the first time since the beginning of the season.

16. Maryland

3-6 | 1-5 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 18

Movement: +2

Throw a parade. Cancel classes. Give everyone free tuition.

There is absolutely nothing I can say to take away from Maryland’s 34-29 win over Purdue. After going into halftime down 12-7, the Terps took control in the third quarter. A 75-yard rushing touchdown by sophomore running back DeJuan Willaims capped off a 21-point quarter.

With the game on the line, Purdue marched all the way down to Maryland’s 16-yard line, but freshman linebacker Zion Elee iced the game with a sack.

Maryland picked up its first Big Ten win in over a year. The Terrapins fans deserve this more than anyone and they should enjoy it as next up is Wisconsin and USC.

17. Purdue

3-6 | 2-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 15

Movement: -2

After a 41-13 domination over Minnesota, things looked brighter for Purdue. That is not what has happened.

The Boilermakers have dropped three straight, including a heartbreaker against Maryland this last weekend. Purdue makes things way harder than they need to be, having to try and mount a fourth-quarter comeback against Maryland. The game should not have been the result it was either, as the Boilermakers dominated the time of possession battle and got far more first downs than the Terrapins.

Purdue is still a difficult out and may cause problems for Iowa this Saturday.

18. Rutgers

2-7 | 1-5 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 17

Movement: -1

Back to business as usual for Rutgers as it’s once again at the bottom of the Big Ten after a 31-10 loss to Wisconsin.

Rutgers wasn’t able to do anything on the ground, rushing for 94 yards on 2.6 yards per carry. The passing offense was slightly better as it provided the sole touchdown of the game for the Scarlet Knights, but it still did not provide enough.

I am far more interested to see who finishes at the bottom of the Big Ten than who wins it, as the matchup between Michigan State and Rutgers to close the year could determine who it is. Before then, Rutgers has Nebraska and Penn State.