Week nine is in the books as more teams are looking to make a push for their division. More or less, it comes in the Big Ten West as there is a four-way tie for first place. It comes after a couple of teams have started their rapid descent from the competition for the division titles.
That said, here are the Big Ten football power rankings going into Week 10.
Week 10 Big Ten Football Power Rankings
14. Michigan State Spartans
Record: 2-6 (0-5)
Last Week’s Ranking: 13
Last Week: Minnesota 12-27
This Week: Nebraska
The Michigan State Spartans’ season keeps falling apart as they lost again at the hands of the Gophers. The Spartans had a tough time shutting down Minnesota’s offense, who had 400 total yards.
Now Michigan State gets to host the red-hot Nebraska Cornhuskers, who went undefeated in October. The Spartans aren’t quite out of the running for becoming eligible for a bowl game but, they need to win out.
13. Indiana Hoosiers
Record: 2-6 (0-5)
Last Week’s Ranking: 14
Last Week: Penn State 24-33
This Week: Wisconsin
The Indiana Hoosiers hung with a top-ten team last week, giving the Penn State Nittany Lions a run for their money. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, they fell short after giving up a long touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Now, Indiana gets to host the Wisconsin Badgers, who are coming off a tough loss to No. 3 Ohio State. If the Penn State game taught us anything, Indiana can hang with anyone. The question is can they do it back-to-back weeks and close the game out?
12. Purdue Boilermakers
Record: 2-6 (1-4)
Last Week’s Ranking: 12
Last Week: Nebraska 14-31
This Week: @ No. 3 Michigan
The Purdue Boilermakers couldn’t get anything rolling on offense as the Nebraska defense shut them down. The Boilermakers only passed for 99 yards and only 96 rushing yards while turning the ball over three times. Now Purdue gets to go to the Big House to take on the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines. The road doesn’t get any easier for first-year head coach Ryan Walters.
11. Illinois Fighting Illini
Record: 3-5 (1-4)
Last Week’s Ranking: 11
Last Week: BYE
This Week: @ Minnesota
The Illinois Fighting Illini got a much-needed bye week to prepare for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Illini have had a tough season so far, but there is time to turn it around. They will need both sides of the ball to perform well, but a bowl game isn’t out of the picture yet.
10. Northwestern Wildcats
Record: 4-4 (2-3)
Last Week’s Ranking: 10
Last Week: Maryland 33-27
This Week: Iowa @ Wrigley Field
Believe it or not, the Northwestern Wildcats are two wins away from becoming bowl-eligible. The Wildcats had a huge win over the Maryland Terrapins and interim head coach David Braun has done a good job so far. Now they only have to win two more games but they don’t have an easy schedule, with four straight Big Ten West opponents.
9. Maryland Terrapins
Record: 5-3 (2-3)
Last Week’s Ranking: 6
Last Week: Northwestern 27-33
This Week: No. 11 Penn State
After going 5-0 to start the season, the Maryland Terrapins have lost three straight, going winless in October. The two turnovers became a factor in their loss to the Wildcats last week and things don’t get any easier moving forward. The No. 11 Nittany Lions are coming to town, looking to stay in the Big Ten East division race.
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Record: 5-3 (3-2)
Last Week’s Ranking: 9
Last Week: Purdue 31-14
This Week: @ Michigan State
Three straight wins for first-year head coach Matt Rhule is a great sign of improvement for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Just like that, the Big Red are one win away from becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2016. The win over Purdue locks the Huskers into a four-way tie for the Big Ten West division, which is something to watch as the season moves along.
7. Wisconsin Badgers
Record: 5-3 (3-2)
Last Week’s Ranking: 4
Last Week: Ohio State 10-24
This Week: @ Indiana
The Wisconsin Badgers’ offense was pitiful against the Ohio State Buckeyes last Saturday. Without Tanner Mordecai, the offense has struggled and the Badgers will have to rely on their defense down the road. Wisconsin gets a chance to get back in the win column this weekend as they take on the Hoosiers on the road.
6. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Record: 6-2 (3-2)
Last Week’s Ranking: 7
Last Week: BYE
This Week: No. 3 Ohio State
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have had a surprisingly good start to the season, going 6-2 into the bye week. However, the Scarlet Knights have a rough four-game stretch to end the season. It starts on Saturday when they host the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes before they go on the road to Iowa and No. 9 Penn State. They finish off against Maryland at home.
5. Iowa Hawkeyes
Record: 6-2 (3-2)
Last Week’s Ranking: 5
Last Week: BYE
This Week: Northwestern @ Wrigley Field
The Iowa Hawkeyes have an important game against Northwestern that has major Big Ten West implications attached to it. If the Hawkeyes can get the win, it puts them in a good spot to control their own destiny. If they lose, it puts them in a not-great situation for the division.
4. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Record: 5-3 (3-2)
Last Week’s Ranking: 8
Last Week: Minnesota 27-12
This Week: Illinois
If all the teams in the four-way tie could be tied for fourth, they would. Despite that, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have put themselves into the ‘driver’s seat’ for the Big Ten West. Their win over the Hawkeyes has put them there but the Gophers have an important stretch coming up. It all starts against the Fighting Illini before going on the road to Purdue and No. 1 Ohio State.
3. No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 7-1 (4-1)
Last Week’s Ranking: 3
Last Week: Indiana 33-24
This Week: @ Maryland
The Nittany Lions were lucky against the Hoosiers last week, only beating them by nine points. The game was tied with three minutes left before sophomore Drew Allar‘s 57-yard pass was completed for a touchdown. Penn State would then get a safety to end Indiana’s hopes.
Now the Nittany Lions get another chance to get another conference win to stay in the division title race against Maryland. However, Penn State gets a chance to shake things up against the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines at home next week.
2. No. 3 Michigan Wolverines
Record: 8-0 (5-0)
Last Week’s Ranking: 1
Last Week: BYE
This Week: Purdue
The headlines have been dominated by the ongoing sign-stealing scandal going up at Michigan. With all of that aside, the Wolverines are still a top-five-ranked team and competing for the Big Ten and National Championship. Michigan gets a chance to add another Big Ten conference win against Purdue this weekend.
1. No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 8-0 (5-0)
Last Week’s Ranking: 2
Last Week: Wisconsin 24-10
This Week: @ Rutgers
There should be no surprise that the Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked at one in the first College Football Playoff rankings. Their wins over No. 15 Notre Dame on the road, No. 11 Penn State, and on the road at Wisconsin weigh larger over No. 3 Michigan’s and even No. 2 Georgia’s wins.
The first-ranked Buckeyes do have a tough matchup this weekend; having to go on the road to Rutgers. Rutgers has had a surprising start to the season and it could be another good win for Ohio State.
