Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 9

1. UCLA (CFP No. 8)

8-0 | 5-0 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 3

Movement: +2

With a commanding win over Nevada this weekend, the Bruins defense dominated, intercepting the ball on the first three drives of the game. This stat line now ties them with the most turnovers on the season with New Mexico. Though the Bruins will have to play a tougher opponent in Minnesota this week, their undefeated status should be a sign for the Golden Gophers.

The Bruins remain undefeated on the season after defeating then-No. 13 Oregon in week five. They have only one more ranked opponent on their schedule as they close out the season against USC; this puts them in an easier position for backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who has taken over after the news of Nico Iamaleava’s injury which has sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

2. Indiana (CFP No. 4)

8-0 | 5-1 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 2

Movement: 0

For the second week in a row, the Hoosiers had to squeak out the win in overtime. Head coach Curt Cignetti pulled starting quarterback Josh Hoover at halftime after he went 8-for-19 for 119 yards and took a big hit on an interception. However, backup quarterback Grant Wilson wasn’t much better as he went 9-for-17 for 156 yards.

Nonetheless, Indiana still pulled off the win after a touchdown in the first snap of overtime, allowing its defense to stop the Golden Gophers on their attempt.

Though this isn’t the Indiana we saw last season, it is still managing to win games, and some big ones at that. Instead of focusing on the quarterback position this season, the Hoosiers have had to focus on the whole team to get their wins.

The upside is the bye week coming up for Indiana as it looks to address injuries and its quarterback situation as it seeks to make a push in the playoffs once again.

3. USC (CFP No. 20)

7-2 | 4-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 8

Movement: +5

USC is coming off a big home win against No. 2 Ohio State. The Trojans have had some ups and downs with their season losses to Oregon and Wisconsin; they nonetheless held their own against the Buckeyes, who played without starting quarterback Julian Sayin.

The Trojans were able to rush for 116 yards for two touchdowns against a top-15 rush defense and were able to pass for over 200 yards against a Buckeyes defense which has excelled in pass coverage and secondary stability.

The Trojans put up a well-rounded game against a top five opponent and showed they can play complete games. They are pushing to be a contender in the CFP, and their No. 20 standing in the first CFP rankings of the season only affirms that.

4. Ohio State (CFP No. 12)

6-2 | 4-1 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 1

Movement: -3

Ohio State played in its first game of the season without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who was injured against Indiana. The Buckeyes’ game against USC showed to have some growing pains, as first-year Luke Fahey made his first career start in the quarterback position.

Fahey had a good start against a good USC team. He passed for 260 yards and a touchdown; however, he had 17 incompletions, which may be due to his inexperience in college and the lacking dynamic between him and his receivers.

The Buckeyes obviously liked what they saw to an extent, as they plan to start him against ranked Oregon this week. This is a must-win situation for the Buckeyes if they look to compete in the playoffs. A loss in this game shows they are a good team without Sayin, not a great one.

5. Iowa (CFP No. 19)

6-2 | 3-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 7

Movement: +2

After falling out of the top 25 rankings last week after losing a close game to Minnesota, the Hawkeyes got back in a shutout game against Wisconsin.

We’ve known that the Hawkeyes’ greatness comes from their defense, and it showed against the Badgers, who were not able to establish a run game and could not complete 50% of the passes thrown.

The offense, however, also showed its talents, as quarterback Hank Brown only had four incompletions throughout the game.

Iowa looks to make a push in a playoff spot, as it was ranked 19 in the first CFP rankings of the season. If the Hawkeyes win out, which is very possible with their upcoming schedule, then they can surely secure a spot.

6. Oregon (CFP No. 23)

5-3 | 3-1 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 9

Movement: +3

The Oregon offense, which has struggled to score points since Dante Moore’s injury and eventual ruling out for the year, turned on the gas in the second half against Northwestern.

The Ducks scored 21 of their 34 points in the second half and showed their grit to comeback against deficits. This game was definitely the spark the Ducks needed after falling to Illinois and narrowly beating Nebraska.

Though the Ducks don’t have much of a chance for the playoffs, they showed they can still compete against good Big Ten teams, despite injuries rattling the team.

7. Northwestern

6-2 | 3-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 4

Movement: -3

In what seemed to be a put-away game for the ‘Cats, starting off well turned into a shocking loss. In the second quarter, the Wildcats were up 20-6 and seemed to have the game in their control. However, the offense completely stalled in the second half — it had to depend on field goals to score points due to its inability to get into the red zone.

The Wildcats’ defense also struggled on defense to tackle on first contact, often needing 3-4 players to tackle one player. The ‘Cats also lost safety Jon Jon Stevens Jr. in the third quarter due to an injury, which only hurt the struggling defense more.

The ‘Cats, who were looking to make a potential playoff push, despite their pre-season rankings, now have to go through a ranked Iowa and Ohio State to get back up after falling out of the top 25.

8. Minnesota

5-3 | 3-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 5

Movement: -3

The Golden Gophers have played tough this season, beating teams like Iowa and Michigan which many had expected them to lose. They played reigning National Champions Indiana in Indianapolis and almost pulled off the upset, as they brought them to overtime.

However, the Minnesota offense is the reason it isn’t able to win some of these closer games, including its most recent game against Indiana. Quarterback Drake Lindsey only had 120 passing yards and took a sack on fourth down in overtime to seal the win for Indiana.

This week, the Golden Gophers play No. 8 UCLA, a team operating with its backup quarterback. If the defense can hold them like it held Indiana, then the offense needs to be cohesive to get the win, which could upset the top-ranked Big Ten team.

9. Wisconsin

5-3 | 3-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 6

Movement: -3

After upsetting USC the week prior, Wisconsin had a deflating loss at Iowa. Its offense struggled in many ways. Against USC, the Badgers had 235 rush yards but were held to just over 50 against the Hawkeyes.

The struggle offensively is almost identical to last season where the Hawkeyes shut out the Badgers as well, making this back-to-back years of shutouts.

The Badgers now face a Rutgers team that has struggled itself this season, hoping to add a win in their final stretch of Big Ten games this season.

10. Washington

5-3 | 2-3 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 12

Movement: +2

The story for Washington this season has been its inability to win games against complete teams. This win against Nebraska was a good one to add to the win column, as it marked the Huskies’ second conference win and their first win against a team with a winning record.

The Huskies were able to snag interceptions on the first three offensive drives from the Cornhuskers. However, Washington’s offense was only able to score 17 points. Considering the number of turnovers the defense had, this score seems quite lackluster.

Washington plays Penn State this week, which seems to be an evenly matched game for both opponents. However, the offense is going to need to be able to convert touchdowns are more of their drives to get the win.

11. Illinois

5-3 | 3-2 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 14

Movement: +3

The season has come with some ups and downs for the Fighting Illini. The win over Maryland brings them to three in a row after a two-game skid against Ohio State and Purdue.

The story of the game was the early return of quarterback Katin Houser from his broken hand injury. Though he only completed 18 of 32 passes, he still threw for 223 yards.

The Illinois defense held its own by keeping Maryland to under 100 rushing yards and less than 200 passing yards.

Illinois would have hoped for a more dominant win over a then- 2-5 team, but it got the win and now look to its next game against Nebraska. Both Nebraska and Illinois sit at 5-3, and a win by either team would make it bowl eligible for the season. The Fighting Illini will look to continue their win streak, this time in a situation where Houser looks more comfortable coming back from the injury.

12. Nebraska

5-3 | 2-3 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 10

Movement: -2

Coming off a close loss to Washington, the Cornhuskers offense struggled to get things going by letting up three interceptions to begin the game.

Close games seem to be the story this year for Nebraska. All three of its losses have been by a combined 13 points and have all been to Big Ten opponents Oregon, Indiana and Washington.

Playing Illinois this week could be a tough matchup for Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers have lost three straight and the Fighting Illini have won three straight. It will be a matter of which quarterback can settle into the game the quickest and get the rhythm of the offense going.

13. Michigan

5-3 | 2-3 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 11

Movement: -2

Narrowly beating Rutgers when you were predicted to be a ranked team this offseason can raise some potential concern for Michigan. It’s clear to see that the quarterback was an issue of concern after the benching of Heisman hopeful Bryce Underwood took place. With Tommy Carr now at the helm, we’ll see if this Michigan team can turn it around.

Carr had a solid game against Rutgers going 22-for-27 for 266 yards. If he can manage the game, then that should be able to lift them over Michigan State who has struggled this season.

With that, Michigan has yet to have a solid win over a great opponent, which leads it to this ranking.

14. Penn State

4-4 | 1-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 15

Movement: +1

Snapping their four game losing streak and getting their first Big Ten win of the year, the Nittany Lions beat Purdue in a game dominated by the Penn State run game: Running back Cam Wallace had 135 rushing yards and a touchdown.

A win like this might be able to get the needle moving for Penn State as it closes the season out with some games it can compete and potentially get the win in.

However, Washington is just as eager as the Nittany Lions to change the narrative of the season, especially in conference play. The matchup this weekend could be a test for the middle-of-the-pack Big Ten teams.

15. Purdue

3-5 | 2-3 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 13

Movement: -2

Purdue has looked better this season compared to previous seasons, as it has played more competitive games and its offense has been able to find points frequently. Purdue has been able to score wins against teams like Minnesota and Illinois while also keeping it close with teams like UCLA and Wake Forest who have proven to be contenders this season.

Yet, the team has fallen into a two-game rut with losses to Washington and Penn State. In both games, Purdue’s defense has allowed over 30 points, not giving the offense much room for air.

The game against Maryland should allow the Boilermakers to catch their breath again and add a win to the win column, as they have two more ranked opponents on their schedule.

16. Michigan State

2-6 | 0-5 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 16

Movement: 0

Coming off a bye week, fans would hope that the team is dialed in for the game against its in-state rival. After a loss to UCLA two weeks ago where the team missed plenty of opportunities to get some points, the Spartans will look to compete with Michigan, who they haven’t beaten since 2021.

After starting the season 2-0, Michigan State is desperate to get out of its six-game losing streak and add a quality win to their record. That starts with the Spartans’ defense, which has allowed 24 points or more in each of their six losses, even in games where their offense was competing.

17. Rutgers

2-6 | 1-4 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 17

Movement: 0

The Scarlet Knights held their own against Michigan last week, and were even tied with the Wolverines in the fourth quarter before they allowed the go-ahead touchdown.

Their issue was an inconsistent pass game. AJ Surace threw for 123 yards, but only off three completions — when a defensive unit knows you’re going to run, or it forces you to run, it then makes it easier for them to do their job.

The goal for Rutgers against Wisconsin is to be more consistent all around and to not take its foot off the pedal.

18. Maryland

2-6 | 0-5 B1G

Last Week Ranking: 18

Movement: 0

The main headline this season for Maryland has been the firing of their head coach — that’s never a good sign for a team. The Terps have lost six straight, and their defense has allowed so much in each, which doesn’t give much hope for their offense.

Maryland did play Illinois close last week and can hope to swing some of that momentum to this week if it wants to get its first Big Ten Win this year. Maryland has now lost 13 straight conference games going back to last season.

It’s been a long season, and only a win could help make it go by a little faster for the 2-6 Terps.