Big Ten Football Power Poll: Week Four

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Week Four was intriguing with four massive road wins for the Quadrangle of Hate. Only Ohio State and Indiana won as home teams this week, something that sounded make up but was true. Even the Hoosiers were well tested by Northwestern. A lot of movement in the middle this week with the road wins, and Oregon shooting back up—maybe we shouldn’t have given up on this so quick. Massive games in Iowa City and Minneapolis this week along with the unveiling of the new stadium in Evanston should make Week 5 a fun one.

#1 Indiana Hoosiers 4-0 (1)

Win 29-23 vs Northwestern

What do you know, Indiana finally play a real team and things suddenly get a lot more interesting. Northwestern came into Bloomington and gave the Hoosiers a heck of a game. Indiana still pulled it out in the end, and has a very good team, but it will be very interesting to see how the Hoosiers continue to measure up when facing the cream of the conference crop here shortly. That won’t be this week as they go into Rutgers on Saturday night as 23.5 point favorites and should cover.

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes 3-1 (2)

Win 42-19 vs Illinois

The Buckeyes nearly jumped back into the top spot with the win over a mid Illinois team, but remain at #2 for now. Julian Sayin had his way with the porous Illini secondary passing 217 of his 367 total yards to Jeremiah Smith along with all four of his touchdown passes. Sayin also ran one in himself. Ohio State has the toughest matchup on the schedule this week as in the lone Top-25 battle they head to Iowa along with College Gameday to try and take down the Hawkeyes. OSU is still favorited by 14.5 though.

#3 Oregon Ducks 3-1 (6)

Win 41-27 @ USC

So we may have written off the Ducks a little too quickly. They looked like the better team for most of their big win at USC even after losing Dante Moore to a horrible and cheap hit in the first half. Enter former Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola who was masterful in the rest of the game going 19-25 for 289 yards and a pair of TDs. The Ducks have a decent defense, USC, not so much. Oregon gets their bye this week to try and get Moore some more recovery time and see if he pas back for Week 6.

#4 Iowa Hawkeyes 4-0 (7)

Win 20-19 @ Michigan

Look at Iowa making a late game charge via the air and getting a pair of huge plays to pull off a walk-off win at the Big House over Michigan on Saturday. Iowa has a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way and could be a serious CFP candidate. This week will tell us a ton as they host Ohio State on CBS in what is a massive game for both teams.

#5 Michigan Wolverines (3-1) (5)

Loss 20-19 vs Iowa

Michigan didn’t play bad per see against Iowa on Saturday, they just didn’t play good. And sometimes in this conference that’s enough to see you on the wrong side of a box score. Bryce Underwood threw for 276 yards with a pair of TDs and an interception, but the defense could not get a stop when it needed it most. We shall see if that changes as the Wolverines head to Minneapolis for the Battle for the Little Brown Jug as 5.5 point favorites—-the same number they were favored to beat Iowa by a week ago.

#6 USC Trojans 4-1 (3)

Loss 41-27 vs Oregon

Well its now been proven multiple times this season that USC has a decent offense, but a terrible defense. It was shown again as Dylan Raiola picked the trojans apart leading Oregon to a big road win. Jayden Maiava was not great completing just over 50% of his passes for 326 yards, 2 touchdowns and a pick. Add in the one game suspension of Desman Stephens for his late hit of Dante Moore and then joking about it on the sidelines and this weeks game against a Washington team needing a big bounce back could be interesting as well. USC is favored by 9.5 points which seems right with the Huskies offensive struggles.

#7 Penn State Nittany Lions 3-1 (4)

Matt Campbell what are we doing here. How do you allow a Wisconsin team to play like hot garbage for three quarters and then look like the best team in the conference in the fourth. A very disappointing game for Rocco Becht who was a horrific 12-29 for just 114 yard sand an interception. Just embarrassing all around. The Nittany Lions now head to Evanston to open up Northwestern’s new stadium on Friday night on national TV. The Nittany Lions are just favored by 2.5 and that seems about right as you can be sure Northwestern will be up for this one.

#8 Nebraska Cornhuskers 4-0 (9)

Win 31-13 @ Michigan State

A quiet 4-0 start for Nebraska as they go into East Lansing and come back with a 31-13 win over the Spartans. It wasn’t dominant but the Cornhuskers took control early and never looked back. Anthony Colandra threw for 212 yards and a pair of TDs. Their path to 5-0 looks relatively easy with Maryland coming to town as 14.5 point underdogs.

#9 UCLA Bruins 4-0 (10)

Win 54-3 @ Maryland

Well so much for that whole time zone lag thing. Or maybe the Bruins just persevered. After a scoreless opening quarter UCLA jumped out on the Terrapins in the second and then deshelled then and stomped on the repeatedly for the next 45 minutes. The UCLA defense was the dominant force sending Maryland QB Malik Washington to the worst game of his career and forcing five Terrapin turnovers. The Bruins now get a bye this week.

#10 Minnesota Golden Gophers 3-1 (11)

Win 27-24 @Washington

A massive road win for the Gophers and Drake Lindsay to prove it can be done after their struggles away from home in 2025. Minnesota’s defense shut down Washington QB Desmond Williams for the most part, and the offense especially the passing game clicked in the first half. The Gophers still really need to work on the running game, but against Michigan’s front seven on Saturday that won’t be easy. Can the Jug stay here? Its not likely but not impossible.

#11 Washington Huskies 3-1 (8)

Loss 27-24 vs Minnesota

Washington is beat down by injuries and it showed against Minnesota. The Gophers defense found the Washington weaknesses and hit them hard coming away with only the third road win at Husky Stadium in the last 31 games. Washington now heads down the coast to face USC this week in a get right game for both teams, but who will prevail?

#12 Wisconsin Badgers 3-1 (14)

Win 24-20 @ Penn State

I don’t know what to think about this Wisconsin team. They looked terrible for three quarters in Happy Valley and then looked like the Rose Bow team of old in the fourth quarter to pick up the win. Colton Joseph was not good early but turned it on late. Which Wisconsin is the real Wisconsin? They host Michigan State on Saturday as 10 point favorites, so now we see if they can back it up.

#13 Northwestern Wildcats 2-1 (13)

Loss 29-23 @ Indiana

Northwestern looked like they might pull off the passive upset in Bloomington last Friday night, but they just could not make enough plays to pull it off. But still Chip Kelley has Aiden Chiles looking like an actual QB and that’s dangerous. Northwestern hosts Penn State to open their new stadium on Friday on Fox once again, and it would not be surprised to see them pull out a win this time.

#14 Illinois Fighting Illini 2-2 (12)

Loss 42-19 @ Ohio State

A loss to the Buckeyes is not surprising, but this Illinois team just does not look like it has the juice this season. Katin Houser is decent but the rest of the team is mid at best. They host Purdue on Saturday afternoon in a must win.

#15 Michigan State Spartans 2-2 (15)

Loss 31-13 vs Nebraska

The Spartans are who we thought they were. Pat Fitzgerald is not making wholescale changes in one year. They are still a below average Big Ten team who should lose most of their conference games. They head to Madison Saturday for another one where they should probably lose, but you never know.

#16 Rutgers Scarlet Knights 1-3 (18)

Win 58-7 vs Howard

Rutgers finally picks up their first win of the season…yes its against Howard but a win is a win. Now we see if their game against USC was a harbinger, or just a one time thing. Can they keep it close against Indiana, or will the Hoosiers who have a much better defense than USC just blow the Scarlet Knights out of the water?

#17 Purdue Boilermakers 2-2 (17)

Loss 49-10 vs Notre Dame

Well at least Michigan State and Wisconsin held it close against the Irish for a half. Not so much Purdue who was down 35-0 at halftime to the Irish. Purdue fights for a big win at Illinois on Saturday in a game of two teams nobody really cares about.

#18 Maryland Terrapins 2-2 (16)

Loss 54-3 vs UCLA

Oh Maryland, what can we do with you. UCLA came into your house and absolutely destroyed you. Mike Locksley was fake fired on social media for the second time in 10 months. Can his real firing be far behind. Good luck in Lincoln—this one could be ugly too.

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