Big Ten football: 4 takeaways, full rankings from latest ESPN FPI update
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Big Ten football: 4 takeaways, full rankings from latest ESPN FPI update originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The ESPN FPI is back for another week of re-ranking all 18 Big Ten programs ahead of Week 5. Here is what stood out.
Ohio State at the top: The ESPN FPI clearly respects Ohio State enough to put it at the top of the conference. Ohio State has looked like an offensive juggernaut, led last week by Jeremiah Smith, who caught four touchdowns and put together a 217-yard receiving day at home in a rout against Illinois. It's clear Ohio State is quickly reestablishing itself as the class of the Big Ten. Despite a huge game this Saturday against Iowa, Ohio State's schedule is right there for the taking to potentially end up in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis, assuming it stays healthy.
USC sitting below Nebraska: It's understandable. The loss to Oregon was gigantic. It could've ended any postseason dreams immediately, and it's only October. Nebraska still hasn't played anyone respectable. It will in two weeks, assuming it can beat Maryland, as it's supposed to. In my opinion, this is one of those decisions that makes the FPI almost obsolete, because the results that matter are the results on the field.
UCLA below Northwestern: This one doesn't make sense to me. UCLA won by 51 this past week against the Maryland team that is probably gonna be looking for a new coach come December. UCLA looks like a CFP contender, and while Northwestern did put up a decent effort against Indiana, a loss is still a loss. If Northwestern beats Penn State Friday, we can have a different discussion.
Illinois below Wisconsin: You know college football is weird when Bret Bielema's former team is getting more attention than his current one. But that's the reality at present. Illinois let go of its defense coordinator this past Saturday out of desperation, reset, and the need to remember why a turnaround was so sustainable over the last six years. Illinois cannot lose that identity, while Wisconsin hopes its coach, Luke Fickell, can save his job.
Complete ESPN FPI list
| Big Ten rank | Program | FPI score | National FBS rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 27.8 | No. 3 |
| 2 | Indiana Hoosiers | 24.4 | No. 7 |
| 3 | Oregon Ducks | 21.7 | No. 9 |
| 4 | Nebraska Cornhuskers | 16.0 | No. 14 |
| 5 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 15.6 | No. 15 |
| 6 | USC Trojans | 14.8 | No. 18 |
| 7 | Michigan Wolverines | 13.3 | No. 23 |
| 8 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 12.8 | No. 25 |
| 9 | Northwestern Wildcats | 11.2 | No. 28 |
| 10 | UCLA Bruins | 10.4 | No. 32 |
| 11 | Wisconsin Badgers | 7.4 | No. 41 |
| 12 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 6.8 | No. 44 |
| 13 | Washington Huskies | 4.4 | No. 54 |
| 14 | Michigan State Spartans | 3.6 | No. 56 |
| 15 | Minnesota Golden Gophers | 1.8 | No. 61 |
| 16 | Maryland Terrapins | -1.7 | No. 74 |
| 17 | Purdue Boilermakers | -3.1 | No. 83 |
| 18 | Rutgers Scarlet Knights | -3.7 | No. 8 |
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