Big Ten power rankings after Week 5: Washington falls, Northwestern rises

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Another week of Big Ten football brought another round of surprises.

There were statement wins, ugly losses, and a few results that are going to shake up the middle of the conference once again. Indiana continued to look like one of the best teams in the country with a dominant win over Rutgers, while Ohio State handled a ranked Iowa team on the road.

Elsewhere, Purdue pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the day by going into Champaign and beating Illinois, Minnesota knocked off Michigan, and Wisconsin cruised past Michigan State.

At this point, the top of the Big Ten is starting to separate itself, but there is still a lot of chaos underneath. A few teams are trending up quickly, while others are starting to slide as conference play ramps up.

Here are our Big Ten power rankings after Week 5:

18 – Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Previous Ranking: 18

Week 5 Result: 47-15 Loss to Indiana

Record: 1-4

Analysis: The Scarlet Knights were outgained 593-254 and fell into a 37-0 hole before finally getting on the board late in the third quarter. AJ Surace provided a small spark with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Ben Black III, but it was far too little, too late against the defending national champions.

17 – Michigan State Spartans

Previous Ranking: 17

Week 5 Result: 31-3 Loss to Wisconsin

Record: 2-3

Analysis: The Spartans managed just 235 total yards and averaged only 3.0 yards per play, failing to score a touchdown for the first time this season. Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph shredded Michigan State for four total touchdowns, including 141 rushing yards and a 47-yard score. The Spartans are now 2-3 after suffering their second straight Big Ten loss.

16 – Maryland Terrapins

Previous Ranking: 15

Week 5 Result: 48-23 Loss to Nebraska

Record: 2-3

Analysis: Malik Washington was all over the place, and Maryland finished just 1-for-14 on third downs in the game. Once again, the Maryland defense couldn't get off the field if its life depended on it. A pick-six followed by a two-minute touchdown drive for Nebraska just before the half really sunk the Terrapins. There was zero movement in the second half for the Maryland offense, only managing 95 yards. For as good as Washington can be, he has shown no consistency this season, and there doesn't seem to be any sort of answer for Maryland's struggles on either side of the ball. Mike Locksley's seat is smoking hot.

15 – Illinois Fighting Illini

Previous Ranking: 12

Week 5 Result: 24-17 Loss to Purdue

Record: 2-3

Analysis: Illinois’ rough start to Big Ten play continued with a disappointing 24-17 home loss to Purdue. The Illini matched the Boilermakers with 345 total yards, but they spent nearly the entire afternoon playing from behind and couldn’t complete a late comeback. Katin Houser threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns, while Collin Dixon had 10 catches for 116 yards and a score. Illinois falls to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play.

14 – Purdue Boilermakers

Previous Ranking: 16

Week 5 Result: 24-17 Win vs. Illinois

Record: 2-3

Analysis: Purdue finally broke through in Big Ten play, earning a 24-17 road win over Illinois and snapping a 19-game conference losing streak that dated back to 2023. Quarterback Ryan Browne threw for 255 yards and a touchdown without a turnover, while the Boilermakers' defense held Illinois to 17 points. Purdue never trailed, building a 16-7 lead through three quarters before answering Illinois' late push to improve to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

13 – Michigan Wolverines

Previous Ranking: 8

Week 5 Result: 20-14 Loss vs. Minnesota

Record: 3-2

Analysis: I think it's fair to admit that Bryce Underwood just might not be that good, and the marriage with Kyle Whittingham has not gone according to plan. Underwood completed less than 50% of his passes and tossed two awful interceptions. If it weren't for a pick-six, Michigan's offense wouldn't have even had a shot at the end of the game. Underwood never gave his receivers a chance on the final drive, and the Wolverines are in a full tailspin.

12 – Minnesota Golden Gophers

Previous Ranking: 14

Week 5 Result: 20-14 Win vs. Michigan

Record: 4-1

Analysis: Minnesota looked hopeless a few weeks ago, but after big wins against Washington and Michigan in consecutive weeks, the Gophers are starting to look like the team many thought they could be. The defense won the day by capitalizing on a muffed punt and nabbing interceptions on consecutive drives to limit Michigan's scoring chances. Drake Lindsey is still a bit of a concern, but as long as the defense continues to play with its hair on fire, the Gophers will stay in these games. Some better offenses are coming up, so Lindsey will need to start taking a step forward, but PJ Fleck has his defense rolling after Minnesota's first home win over Michigan since 1977.

11 – Washington Huskies

Previous Ranking: 9

Week 5 Result: 25-21 Loss to USC

Record: 3-2

Analysis: I'm not sure that either team feels great about this one. Washington had chances to win this game, and led 21-10 early in the third quarter. However, a defensive touchdown from USC swung the momentum, and Demond Williams was never able to recover. Another brutal loss for Jedd Fisch and Co., and this season is quickly slipping away in Seattle.

10 – Penn State Nittany Lions

Previous Ranking: 6

Week 5 Result: 34-13 Loss at Northwestern

Record: 3-2

Analysis: There was no fire from the start for a Penn State team that was brutally knocked off a week ago. The Nittany Lions looked similar to the team that was stunned by Oregon and went on the road last year and was stunned again by UCLA. Rocco Becht was truly awful, there is no running game to speak of, and the defense was put in the dirt. They couldn't stop the run, even when they knew where it was going, and that's the sign of a team's spirit breaking. With USC and Michigan up next, Penn State might be headed into a tailspin.

9 – Nebraska Cornhuskers

Previous Ranking: 11

Week 5 Result: 48-23 Win over Maryland

Record: 5-0

Analysis: Nebraska was caught in a back-and-forth affair early on, but Anthony Colandrea's legs were a massive difference-maker for the Cornhuskers. He finally let loose and rushed for 100 yards and tossed three touchdowns as well, despite some curious decisions. Nebraska's defense is quite a wonder. Saturday was some of the worst tackling effort I've seen in some time (only until USC one-upped them), and with 12 penalties on the day, that combination could spell trouble with Indiana and Oregon next.

8 – Northwestern Wildcats

Previous Ranking: 13

Week 5 Result: 34-13 Win over Penn State

Record: 3-1

Analysis: After averaging just 1.2 yards on the ground last week, Northwestern dominated at the line while Chip Kelly called a creative game, leading to over 400 yards on the ground. That's Northwestern's winning script this season: let Aidan Chiles do as little as possible. Defensively, Northwestern rode the wave of momentum from the crowd in a new stadium and forced turnovers while turning Rocco Becht into a pumpkin. The Wildcats have a great chance to be 6-1 when they head to Oregon on Halloween.

7 – Wisconsin Badgers

Previous Ranking: 10

Week 5 Result: 31-13 Win over Michigan State

Record: 4-1

Analysis: The Badgers are really starting to show something this year. After a Week 1 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the Badgers are undefeated under Luke Fickell, winning four straight, including an impressive upset over the Penn State Nittany Lions. While they may not be worthy of the top tier or two in the conference, Wisconsin is undoubtedly improved compared to years past.

6 – UCLA Bruins

Previous Ranking: 7

Week 5 Result: BYE

Record: 4-0

Analysis: After a hot start to the year, UCLA made good on all of the preseason hype in Westwood, and now they get a well-timed bye week to prepare for a top-25 matchup against the Oregon Ducks on the road. We will see how Oregon looks after a bye of their own, following an emotional win over the USC Trojans, but this is shaping up to be one of the best games of the early season in the conference.

5 – Iowa Hawkeyes

Previous Ranking: 4

Week 5 Result: 31-14 Loss to Ohio State

Record: 4-1

Analysis: After weeks of solid play, Hank Brown finally turned into a pumpkin. He didn't throw a good ball all day facing a feisty Ohio State front seven, and the Hawkeyes struggled to run the ball again as the Buckeyes loaded the box. Iowa's defense couldn't get off the field while Ohio State possessed the ball for 38 minutes. It was a thorough whooping that really solidified the contenders from the pretenders in the Big Ten. The schedule is favorable the rest of the way for Iowa, but Saturday's performance didn't inspire any confidence it could upset one of the conference's best.

4 – USC Trojans

Previous Ranking: 5

Week 5 Result: 25-21 Win over Washington

Record: 5-1

Analysis: Lincoln Riley is safe, for now, thanks to some timely plays from his defense. After trailing by two scores midway through the third quarter, USC put together a lengthy scoring drive and the defense followed a scoop-and-score off a strip sack. Maiava was not always on his game, but the Trojans' run game and defensive front was. The front seven's varied pressures put Demond Williams in a blender to ice the game. There is still plenty to fix, but USC was much better in the second half this week and now gets to head east to play in the White Out against slumping Penn State.

3 – Oregon Ducks

Previous Ranking: 3

Week 5 Result: BYE

Record: 3-1

Analysis: Oregon's bye week came at the right time. With Dante Moore's status unclear moving forward, Dylan Raiola could lead the Ducks into a ranked matchup in Eugene next week against UCLA. The Ducks had plenty of reasons for optimism, but just as many concerns after a big win over USC. UCLA has exceeded expectations so far this season, and next week's matchup inside Autzen Stadium will be one of the top matchups in conference play so far this season, and a must-win for the Ducks.

2 – Indiana Hoosiers

Previous Ranking: 2

Week 5 Result: 47-15 Win over Rutgers

Record: 5-0

Analysis: Indiana continues to look every bit like a national championship contender. The No. 6 Hoosiers demolished Rutgers 47-15 on the road, piling up 593 total yards and 8.7 yards per play while building a 37-0 lead. Josh Hoover threw for 251 yards and four touchdowns, while Turbo Richard exploded for 204 rushing yards and a score on just 13 carries. Indiana improved to 5-0 and remains unbeaten in Big Ten play.

1 – Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous Ranking: 1

Week 5 Result: 31-14 Win over Iowa

Record: 4-1

Analysis: Ohio State was able to methodically take down Iowa on the road by, once again, just throwing the ball to Jeremiah Smith. That's been the game plan all season, and it's worked, but I am curious what will happen to the offense if any defense can take him away. The Buckeyes ran the ball well to control the clock and limited possessions in the second half. Ohio State looks like a title contender, and they should be big favorites again next week against Maryland before the schedule really toughens up.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Big Ten power rankings after Week 5: Washington falls, Northwestern rises

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