Big Ten power rankings after Week 10: Ohio State, Indiana continue to roll. Who else?
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Ten weeks of the college football season are complete, and that means we're seeing separation among the pretenders (Clemson, LSU, and Penn State) and contenders (Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M). What we thought we knew at the beginning of the season was true in some cases, but clearly not in others. Now we are dealing with reality, not only across the country, but also in the Big Ten. Each week lets us know a little more about where things stand.
Now that we've had more than a few weeks to assess what's going on in the conference, we feel like we have a pretty good handle on what teams are playing well — maybe as we expected — and which ones are in the midst of a long, long season, and not in a good way.
So, we share with you our weekly Big Ten football power rankings. After another scintillating week, it still looks like Ohio State and Indiana are the class of the league, but Oregon, Washington, Iowa, Michigan, and USC may still have something to say about which teams make it to Indianapolis and who stays in the running for a College Football Playoff appearance.
Here's a look at our Big Ten power rankings after Week 10. As always, we start from No. 18 and make our way down to No. 1.
No. 18 – Wisconsin Badgers (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten)
Last Week's Result: Off
Last Week Ranking: 18 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: vs. Washington
What goes into the ranking
Wisconsin had a week off and sorely needed it just to reset itself psychologically. There's really nothing to go by, but we did see a better compete level against Oregon before going on the open date. We'll see how the Badgers come out against Washington at home.
No. 17 – Purdue Boilermakers (2-7, 0-6 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Lost 21-16 at Michigan
Last Week Ranking: 17 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: vs. Ohio State
What goes into the ranking
Purdue has been competitive at times and was again on the road against Michigan, but it's the same story of not being able to make plays at the right moment to be in a position to win. It won't get any easier with Ohio State coming to town next week, and we're all waiting for the Boilermakers to get their first conference win in over a year.
No. 16 – Penn State Nittany Lions (3-5, 0-5 Big Ten)
LastGame Result: Lost at Ohio State, 38-6
Last Week Ranking: 16 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: vs. Indiana
What goes into the ranking
The fall of Penn State this year is really unlike anything I've seen covering teams in the Big Ten. It feels like a demoralized bunch that has no idea what the future holds. The Nittany Lions were competitive with the No. 1 team in the first half, then Ohio State became Ohio State and put the game away. It's hard to see any possibility of Penn State being competitive against Indiana this next weekend.
No. 15 – Michigan State Spartans (3-6, 0-6 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Lost 23-20 at Minnesota
Last Week Ranking: 15 ⇔ (No change)
Next Game: Off
What goes into the ranking
The Spartans just haven't been able to finish games. There's talent and competitiveness, but far too many mistakes at crunch time to be able to get a statement Big Ten win. Now, the coaching staff is tinkering with the quarterback position, and that almost never ends well.
No. 14 – Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten)
Last Week's Result: Won 35-13 at Illinois
Last Week Ranking: 14 ⇔ (No change)
Next Game: vs. Maryland
What goes into the ranking
It's clear at this point that Rutgers is going to keep games close and pull them out at the end against the latter half of the league, all while getting blown out by the better teams in the Big Ten. We'll see if Greg Schiano can have his team limp into bowl eligibility or not by getting two more wins somewhere. It's going to have to come against Maryland and Penn State because Ohio State is on the schedule.
No. 13 – Northwestern Wildcats (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten)
LastGame Result: Off
Last Week Ranking: 13 ⇔ (No change)
Next Game: at USC
What goes into the ranking
Northwestern has been far more competitive than anyone thought after a couple of weeks into the season, and still has a good shot at getting bowl-eligible. One more win will do it. The Wildcats aren't going to spring a major upset, but can go somewhere for the holidays.
No. 12 – Maryland Terrapins (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Lost 55-10 vs. Indiana
Last Week Ranking: 12 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: at Rutgers
What goes into the ranking
Maryland is still Maryland and just can't find a way to win Big Ten games consistently. Indiana blew the doors off the Terps, and now there's a question of how the team responds and if it too can find two more wins to go bowling at the end of the rope. As talented as freshman quarterback Malik Washington is, he's making too many mistakes.
No. 11 – UCLA Bruins (3-5, 3-2 Big Ten)
Last Week's Result: Off
Last Week Ranking: 11 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: vs. Nebraska
What goes into the ranking
UCLA looked like the most improved team in the Big Ten until Indiana gave it a super wedgie. Hopefully, an off week has reset things, and the Bruins can find some more magic when they host the Cornhuskers next Saturday. UCLA has to win three of its last four games to get into the postseason. With what's left on the schedule, that's not happening.
No. 10 – Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Lost 21-17 vs. USC
Last Week Ranking: 10 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: at UCLA
What goes into the ranking
It was a hard-luck loss for the Cornhuskers, who had to play a lot of the second half without starting quarterback Dylan Raiola because of injury. Nebraska has to find a way to beat the best teams in the country and league if anyone wants to take what's cooking in Lincoln seriously. There hasn't been a ranked win since 2016, and that's a big problem. The Big Ten and CFP race is dead after Saturday.
No. 9 – Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Won 23-20 vs. Michigan State
Last Week Ranking: 9 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: Off
What goes into the ranking
Minnesota has been masterful at pulling out close games, and that's a good thing because everything against very good teams has been a blowout loss. But hey, the Gophers are bowl eligible and can now work on playing their way into the best bowl possible.
No. 8 – Illinois Fighting Illini (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten)
Last Week's Result: Won 35-13 vs. Rutgers
Last Week Ranking: 8 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: Off
What goes into the ranking
In some ways, you feel bad for Illinois because its schedule has been one of the toughest in the Big Ten. Of the three losses, the Illini have lost to Ohio State, at Indiana, and at Washington. There's no fault in those three, but if Bret Bielema wants to be a real, live contender in the league, it has to start winning some of those games.
No. 7 – Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Off
Last Week Ranking: 7 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: vs. Oregon
What goes into the ranking
I'm still not sure just how good this Iowa team is. I know the defense is really good, and it feels like the offense is coming around. If Iowa can beat the Ducks Saturday, all of a sudden, you can queue up talk of a path to the College Football Playoff. Iowa would have to win out, but who knows?
No. 6 – Washington Huskies (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten)
LastGame Result: Off
Last Week Ranking: 6 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: at Wisconsin
What goes into the ranking
Aside from the poor showing against Michigan on the road, Washington has looked like one of the top four teams in the league and remains here despite the off week. Demond Williams is fun to watch, and he has a chance to keep Washington in the running for a College Football Playoff appearance as well.
No. 5 – Michigan Wolverines (7-2, 5-2 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Won 21-16 vs. Purdue
Last Week Ranking: 5 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: Off
What goes into the ranking
Michigan didn't play particularly well against Purdue, but at this point, all it has to do is keep winning. There are holes on this team, but the defense and toughness the team displays might have it in a scenario where it's win and get into the College Football Playoff when Ohio State comes to town on November 29.
No. 4 – USC Trojans (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten)
LastGame Result: Won 21-17 at Nebraska
Last Week Ranking: 4 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: vs. Northwestern
What goes into the ranking
The Trojans just found a way to win even though quarterback Jayden Maiva didn't play his usual best game on the road at Nebraska. Still, the offense made big plays when it had to, and the defense came up big in the second half. USC is still alive as that fourth team that could get into the College Football Playoff.
No. 3 – Oregon Ducks (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Off
Last Week Ranking: 3 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: at Iowa
What goes into the ranking
Oregon had an open date this week as well, and there have been cracks in the armor as of late. The Ducks have the toughest schedule of any of the contenders, but still have a shot at both a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff. The play has to get better, though, for that to happen, and that starts on the road at Iowa, a tough, tough place to win.
No. 2 – Indiana Hoosiers (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten)
LastWeek's Result: Won 56-10 at Maryland
Last Week Ranking: 2 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: at Penn State
What goes into the ranking
Indiana blew out another Big Ten opponent. The only game that was close was a win at Iowa, and this team seems destined for a trip to Indy and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Everyone is hoping that we see Ohio State as the opponent because what a matchup that would be.
No. 1 – Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten)
LastGame Result: Won 38-14 vs. Penn State
Last Week Ranking: 1 ⇔ (no change)
Next Game: at Purdue
What went into the ranking
There doesn't seem to be any slowing down Ohio State after another dominating performance. The Buckeyes had a little adversity in the first half because of an inopportune turnover, but they put their foot on the gas and made big play after big play en route to a blowout of a Penn State team in despair. Can we fast-forward to that little contest in Ann Arbor already?
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Big Ten power rankings after Week 10: Ohio State or Indiana at No. 1?
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