Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 6

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How is this possible? The season’s already at the mid-way point? UGH. UCLA is a big mover. Minnesota did Minnesota things. We have a power rankings #1 versus #2 this weekend. But first, let’s look back at Week 6!

1. #5 Indiana (6-0, 3-0)

The Hoosiers maintain the top spot and now sit on a 22-game winning streak. Nebraska had them dead to rights, yet the Hoosiers get a culture win. It’s crazy – Indiana ran 44 plays! And the winning play? Well, it’s the same play they ran late in the Iowa game a year ago. Another game they could/should have lost, but the coach is a maniac and they know how to win stretching back to 2024.

Week 7 – #4 Ohio State

2. #4 Ohio State (5-1, 3-0)

Ho hum, as the Buckeyes sort of slept through the alarm for their date with Maryland. Now onto the big one in Bloomington.

Week 7 – at #5 Indiana

3. #12 UCLA (5-0, 3-0)

Have to elevate the Bruins here after their first win in Eugene in 22 years. Why is Dan Lanning going for 2 and chasing points for no reason at all? Hate that. Bad news for the Bruins from this game, though, as Nico Iamaleava is now out for the season.

Week 7 – Wisconsin

4. #17 Iowa (5-1, 2-1)

West coast “curse” now done and dusted. I’ve never seen a play where a wide open receiver is pointing at the even more wide open receiver 10 yards further down field. Washington bit on every single motion Iowa threw at them. Then on top of that, they were soft, generally. Now a week to rest and sort out the quarterback situation for the Hawks.

Week 7 – Bye

5. #19 USC (6-1, 3-1)

An impressive win for the Trojans. They tend to struggle when heading east – see their difficulties with Rutgers this season. They go into Happy Valley, in a White Out, and win by 8.

Week 7 – Bye

6.#25  Northwestern (4-1, 2-1)

In the rankings! Yeah it was Ball State. It’s a punching bag. It had distinct “we’re playing with our food” vibes, sort of similar to Ohio State with Maryland. But hey – that’s Northwestern football now. No jNW.

Week 7 – at Michigan State

7. Wisconsin (4-1, 2-0)

Back at it for the Badgers, this time out to the Rose Bowl against the hottest team in the league. Now we find out if this bump from the end of 2025 to present under Luke Fickell is real or not.

Week 7 – at #12 UCLA

8. Nebraska (5-1, 2-1)

Oof. So close for the Huskers. Instead, it’s another fourth quarter meltdown when they had the defending champs ready for a knockout. Instead, it’s another loss to a ranked foe. Nebraska now has no win over a ranked opponent since Oregon in…2016. 0-31 since, with Matthew Rhule at 0-10. Now a fun trip west against an opponent desperate for a win.

Week 7 – at Oregon

9. Purdue (3-3, 2-1)

Hey there, Boilers! Someone’s 2-1 in the league! UCLA took the headlines for their win in Eugene, but Purdue’s a close runner-up for the result of the weekend. They thoroughly dismantled Minnesota, pounding the Gophers for 305 yards rushing and 6.5 yards a pop.

Week 7 – Washington Friday

10. Illinois (3-3, 1-2)

This is where the league gets murky. Illinois moves up because they won at Michigan State, by 1, in a sort of controversial game that had Pat Fitzgerald flipping refs off? I guess?

Week 7 – Bye

11. Michigan (3-2, 0-2)

Michigan’s here by default. They didn’t lose this week. Progress?

Week 7 – Penn State

12. Oregon (3-2, 2-1)

They aren’t out yet, but they’re pretty well out of the running for the playoffs. They have the visit from Nebraska this week, another visit from former head man Chip Kelly in Northwestern on Halloween, then a trip to Ohio State on November 7. They aren’t winning all of those games.

Week 7 – Nebraska

13. Penn State (3-3, 0-3)

Things continue to get hot for Matthew Campbell. The amount of money Penn State’s burned to get the exact same results they got a year ago, and with a quarter of Iowa State’s roster, is staggering.

Week 7 – at Michigan

14. Minnesota (4-2, 2-1)

That was so Minnesota Saturday night. They get one of the best days of Philip John Fleck’s life (his words) Week 5 in beating Michigan, and then they do…that. Get dominated by Purdue. Purdue hadn’t stopped anyone all year! Of course, they’ll do the Iowa State thing and be sky high for Iowa next week. Of course they will.

Week 7 – Bye

15 . Washington (3-3, 0-3)

Soft. SOFT. Iowa carved them all the way up. This team looks completely broken. Let’s also not forget that Washington threatened litigation against their starting quarterback when he flirted with the portal.

Week 7 – at Purdue Friday

16. Michigan State (2-4, 0-3)

All I saw of this game was Fitz throwing up a salute to the refs for doing some weird ref stuff. They’re lucky that Rutgers and Maryland are around. Good thing is, Northwestern comes to town and this will now be the Hate Game for Fitz and not Iowa anymore.

Week 7 – #25 Northwestern

17. Rutgers (1-4, 0-2)

Didn’t lose this week!

Week 7 – at Maryland

18. Maryland (2-4, 0-3)

Did lose this week, so they stay in the basement. They have competition though! And loser of next week’s game probably stays in the basement for the rest of the year.

Week 7 – Rutgers

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