2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 13

Week 13 has wrapped in the B1G and around the country.  The big takeaway is that everyone not named Oregon and Ohio State is bad at football.  Maybe Notre Dame is good too, Northern Illinois was a long time ago.  It's a shame that the third OSU-Oregon matchup of the season is going to come in the semifinals rather than the national championship.  Three SEC teams lost a third game and others struggled against bad opponents in week 13. 

A check-in on bowl eligibility is below.  Nebraska, Michigan, and USC all won on Saturday, getting to six wins.  Four loss teams Maryland, Northwestern, and UCLA all lost, so will not be able to get to six wins.  Michigan State won to get to five wins.  Wisconsin travels to Iowa and Michigan State hosts Rutgers this week, both the opportunity to get to six wins.

Going Bowling: Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Rutgers, Nebraska, Michigan, USC

5 wins: Wisconsin, Michigan State

No Bowling: Purdue, UCLA, Maryland, Northwestern

The week 14 slate features eight conference matchups and two out of conference matchups.  USC hosts Notre Dame and UCLA hosts Fresno State.  Most everyone else is in a rivalry game.  Nebraska at Iowa and Minnesota at Wisconsin are on Friday.  

The week 13 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (11-0) - The Ducks were off and host Washington this week.  They lost to Washington twice last season and Coach Dan Lanning is not going to take it easy on the Huskies if given the chance.  They've already clinched a spot in the B1G Championship game and are looking to finish the season as the only undefeated team in the country.  

2. Ohio State (10-1) - The Bucks suffocated Indiana with an efficient offense, great defense, and a few big special teams plays.  The focus immediately turns to The Game, where the Buckeyes have lost three in a row.  It's a different TTUN but that doesn't tend to matter in this game.  A win and Ohio State heads to Indy for the first time since 2000 to rematch against Oregon, with the #1 seed in the CFP up for grabs.  

3. Penn State (10-1) - The Lions survived at Minnesota.  James Franklin coached like he wanted to win a football game for once with a late fake punt call to seal the game.   They host Maryland this week.  They'll secure a home playoff game with a win.  

4. Indiana (10-1) - The Hoosiers were whooped in Columbus and it looked like the playoff chances may have been gone, until the SEC imploded and their playoff spot is still there.  Open Google and search "coward."  You'll find a picture of Curt Cignetti.  Down 21 in the 4th quarter, across midfield, Indiana punted, rather than going for it.  He put his tail between his legs and was begging to not be left out of the playoff.  Thanks to the SEC, all that stands between Indiana and a playoff spot is a 1-10 Purdue team.

5. Illinois (8-3) - The Illini had a miracle win against Rutgers, scoring the winning TD with four seconds left to escape Piscataway with a win and they're in the drivers seat for the Cheez-it Citrus Bowl with a win at Wrigley Field on Saturday.

6. Iowa (7-4) - The Hawkeyes beat Maryland with their fifth quarterback and continue to do Iowa things.  Cade McNamara was never going to lead them to 10 wins, but a competent, healthy, offense may have lead to a pretty successful season.  They host Nebraska on Friday night.

7. Minnesota (6-5) - The Gophers fell to Penn State in a great game, 26-25, though I'm not sure PJ Fleck wanted to win the game after kicking a field goal from inside the ten with five minutes left.  They travel to Wisconsin on Friday.

8. Washington (6-5) - The Huskies were off and travel to Oregon on Saturday. 

9. Xichigan (6-5) - The weasels were leading Northwestern 10-6 late in the 2nd quarter, before pulling away and winning 50-6.  Their previous high total of the season was 30 points in week one.  This team is bad, it's been bad all year and they'll lose by 50 in Columbus this weekend.    

10. Rutgers (6-5) - Greg Schiano iced the kicker against Illinois.  After a horrible effort after the timeout was called, Brett Bielema decided to go for it instead and the Illini scored the winning touchdown.  It was a disappointing loss for the Scarlet Knights.  They travel to Michigan State this Saturday.

11. USC (6-5) - The Trojans beat UCLA, coming back from a 4th quarter deficit.  A disappointing season can end on high note this Saturday, as Notre Dame comes to town with playoff aspirations.  

12. Nebraska (6-5) - BOWL ELIGIBLE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS!! The high powered Dan Holgersen offesnes erupted for 44 points and 473 yards against Wisconsin.  The longest bowl drought in the power four is over!  They travel to Iowa this Friday.

13. Wisconsin (5-6) - The Badgers never lead, in dropping their fourth game in a row.  Bowl eligibility is in the balance as they host Minnesota on Friday night.  The offense looked a little better after firing Phil Longo, but it's going to be an interesting off-season for Luke Fickell.

14. Michigan State (5-6) - The Spartans held off a Purdue comeback to win 24-17 after leading 24-3 at halftime.  They host Rutgers this Saturday needing a win for bowl eligibility.

15. UCLA (4-7) - The Bruins lost to rival USC and will be sitting at home this bowl season.  A nice late season run gives some hope going in to next season.  They host Fresno State this Saturday.

16. Maryland (4-7) - The Terps are still bad, losing to Iowa.  They travel to Penn State this weekend with hopes to keep the Nittany Lions out of the playoff.  

17. Northwestern (4-7) - The Wildcats were thumped at Xichigan, which means they are really really bad.  They host Illinois at Wrigley Field this weekend.  

18. Purdue (1-10) - The Boilermakers came back in the 2nd half before ultimately falling at Michigan State.  They travel to Indiana on Saturday night and will lose by 60.  

2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 12

Week 12 has wrapped in the B1G.   Oregon barely survived in Madison and USC beat Nebraska in a matchup of once promising teams.  

A check-in on bowl eligibility is below.  Washington and Rutgers got their sixth win.  Michigan hosts Northwestern in this week, with a chance to get there.  Wisconsin and Nebraska square off, both at 5-5, so it's safe to say that one of them will get to six wins!  USC and UCLA square off in a big game for bowl eligibility.  Michigan State should get to five wins this week, as they host Purdue.  

Going Bowling: Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Rutgers

5 wins: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, USC

4 wins: Michigan State, Maryland, Northwestern, UCLA

No Bowling: Purdue

The week 13 slate features eight conference matchups.  Oregon and Washington are off this week.  Michigan State hosts Purdue on Friday night.  

The week 12 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (11-0) - The Ducks survived in Madison on Saturday night.  They trailed 13-6 going in to the 4th and rallied with a Jordan James touchdown run and a field goal with 2:36 remaining to escape victorious.  Great teams are challenged and come out ahead.  They get a week off before facing Washington in the season finale.  They've clinched a spot in Indy.  They are a strong number one in the country.  

2. Indiana (10-0) - The Hoosiers were off in preparation for a top five battle in Columbus.  Coach Cignetti signed an eight year extension to remain in Bloomington.  Hopefully it works out better than the last coach that committed to a big extension the week before coming to Columbus.  Mel Tucker was out at Michigan State less than two years later.  A good, competitive game and they can punch their ticket to the playoff, no matter what the SEC says.

3. Ohio State (9-1) - Wrigley was a great time.  Now undefeated Indiana comes to town.  The Bucks will be without starting center Seth McLaughlin, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles.  It's a blow to an already banged up offensive line.  The opposing defensive lines will only get better over the next six games.  

4. Penn State (9-1) - The Lions did what they should do against Purdue.  They have a tricky game at Minnesota this week.  Their may not be any margin for a loss.  

5. Illinois (7-3) - The Illini soundly beat Michigan State to continue and impressive season.  They're back in the rankings.  They travel to Rutgers this week in a game that have bowl game placement implications.

6. Iowa (6-4) - The Hawkeyes were off and travel to Maryland this week.

7. Minnesota (6-4) - The Gophers were off and host Penn State this week, looking for an upset.

8. Wisconsin (5-5) - The Badgers blew another Saturday night lead in Madison, this time to the #1 ranked Oregon Ducks.  They mustered only 226 yards of offense and the the Phil Longo experiment is over in for Luke Fickell.  The new look pass happy offense struggled in two seasons.  The Badgers battle Nebraska on Saturday, with both teams looking for that elusive sixth win. 

9. Washington (6-5) - The Huskies beat UCLA on Friday night, improving to 6-0 at home.  They are off this week before traveling to #1 Oregon.

10. Michigan (5-5) - The Wolverines were off and host Northwestern this week, looking for bowl eligibility.   

11. Rutgers (6-4) - They handled business at Maryland to become bowl eligible.  It's been a good recovery after losing four in a row.  They host Illinois this week

12. USC (5-5) - The Trojans were off and host Nebraska this week.  Quarterback Miller Moss has been benched, in favor of UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava.  It's a "spark off" in LA this weekend!

13. UCLA (4-6) - The Bruins three game losing streak came to end as they lost at Washington.  They host USC this week in the Crosstown Showdown rivalry.  They are looking to win in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2014.  

14. Nebraska (5-5) - They Huskers lost at USC.  The offense looked a little better, but that's now four losses in a row and bowl eligibility is up in the air.  They host Wisconsin this week.

15. Michigan State (4-6) - The Spartans were thumped at Illinois. A once promising season has ran in to some road blocks.  They host Purdue this week looking to get back in the win column. 

16. Maryland (4-6) - The Terps lost at home to Rutgers.  They host Iowa this weekend.

17. Northwestern (4-6) - The Wildcats were thumped at Wrigley.  They travel to Michigan this week with slim hopes of a bowl birth. 

18. Purdue (1-9) - The Boilermakers were pounded again for their 9th loss of the season.  They're a really bad football team, but to their credit, they have now lost to the #1, #2, #4, and #6 teams in the country, with #5 on deck in week 14.  Granted it was by a combined 195-17 combined score.  

2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 11

 Week 11 has wrapped in the B1G.  The top four teams all won as Oregon and Indiana improved to 10-0 and Ohio State and Penn State sit at 8-1.  All four teams now have a  >90% chance to make the 12-team playoff.  The SEC has no teams with a greater than 80% chance to make it.  The middle of the conference had a disappointing week as Iowa and Minnesota fell on the road to UCLA and Rutgers.  

A check-in on bowl eligibility is below.  Michigan and Washington were denied their sixth win.  Michigan hosts Northwestern in two weeks, with a chance to get there.  Washington hosts and upstart UCLA team Friday night.  Rutgers upset Minnesota and six wins looks likely, as they have Maryland, Illinois, and Michigan State remaining. UCLA won their third straight and six wins is definitely a possibility with three games remaining.  

Going Bowling: Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota

5 wins: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, Washington, Rutgers

4 wins: Michigan State, Maryland, USC, Northwestern, UCLA

No Bowling: Purdue

The week 12 slate features seven conference matchups.  Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota are off this week.  Washington hosts UCLA on Friday night.  There really isn't a marquee game this week.  Ohio State travels to Wrigley Field to play Northwestern.  Look for us in the right field rooftops!  Wisconsin gets another home night game against a top team, as Oregon comes to town.  In the preseason, the Nebraska-USC game looked exciting, but now features to middling teams.

The week 11 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (10-0) - The Ducks beat Maryland.  Maryland was driving with a chance to make it a one score game in the 4th quarter, before a turnover.  They travel to Wisconsin on Saturday night, with the Badgers looking to pull the massive upset.

2. Indiana (10-0) - The Hoosiers didn't look great at times and really struggled to move the ball in the 2nd half, but thanks to an inept Michigan offense, the Hoosiers were able to hold on for a 20-15 victory.  They are off this week before heading to Columbus with a chance to beat the Bucks for the first time since 1988.  The magical season continues for first year coach Kurt Cignetti.

3. Ohio State (8-1) - The Bucks shutout a hapless Purdue team in Columbus.  They travel to Wrigley Field this week to face Northwestern in the Friendly Confines.  The only objective this week is to get in and get out healthy.  The mighty Hoosiers are on deck.

4. Penn State (8-1) - The Lions controlled Washington in the White Out game.  They seemed to fix many of the issues that plagued them the week before.  They should win their last three games and are in great position for a home playoff game.

5. Illinois (6-3) - The Illini were off last week and host Michigan State this week.

6. Iowa (6-4) - Brendon Sullivan went down as Iowa lost at UCLA.  Being on a third, fifth to start the season, quarterback is not a good position for the historically offensively challenged Hawkeyes.  The chance of a 9 win season is now looking ominous.  They are off this week before finishing with Maryland and Nebraska. 

7. Minnesota (6-4) - The Gophers lost a 4th quarter lead at Rutgers.  They struggled to run the ball, finishing with only 35 yards.  They are off this week and host Penn State next week, looking for an upset.

8. Wisconsin (5-4) - The Badgers were off last week and host Oregon on Saturday night in Madison.  

9. Washington (5-5) - Road game equals loss for the Huskies this season.  They were throttled at Penn State.  They host UCLA on Friday night, where they are 5-0 on the season.

10. Michigan (5-5) - The Wolverines had a good 2nd half, as they came back from a 17-3 halftime deficit to make it a game.  They held the Indiana offense at bay in the 2nd half.  Unfortunately for Michigan, the offense is still inept and they couldn't get a crucial touchdown.  They are off this week and host Northwestern next week. 

11. UCLA (4-5) - The Bruins beat Iowa for their third straight win.  They may not be a bad team, as their five losses were all to teams with winning records, two of them undefeated.  They travel to Washington this Friday, looking to take another step towards bowl eligibility.  

12. Rutgers (5-4) - They ended a four game skid, beating Minnesota.  The look to continue the momentum at Maryland this week.

13. Nebraska (5-4) - The Huskers were off and travel to USC this week.  Coach Matt Rhule made a change at offensive coordinator as Marcus Satterfield is out and former WVU and Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen is in.  They are looking for that magical sixth win and are pulling out all the stops to get it.  

14. Michigan State (4-5) - The Spartans were off this week and travel to Illinois this week.  

15. Maryland (4-5) - The Terrapins traveled to Oregon and fell to the Ducks.  They had a chance in the 3rd quarter, but couldn't muster a comeback.  They host Rutgers this week.

16. USC (4-5) - The Trojans were off and host Nebraska this week.  Quarterback Miller Moss has been benched, in favor of UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava.  It's a "spark off" in LA this weekend!

17. Northwestern (4-5) - The Wildcats were off and host Ohio State at Wrigley Field this weekend.  They are looking for a late season push. 

18. Purdue (1-8) - The Boilermakers are a disgrace and Ryan Walters should be fired as soon as the season ends.  They made no attempts to win in Columbus.  They attempted, and missed, a 20-yard field goal in the 1st half, rather than trying for a touchdown.  Sure, you're probably not going to win, but at least try.

2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 10

Week 10 has wrapped in the B1G.  Ohio State went to Happy Valley, pulled up their big boy britches, and came away with a victory won in the trenches.  The final few minutes were a thing of beauty, and why Ohio State is once again the favorites to win the national championship.  After stopping Penn State on four plays from inside the two-yard line, the Bucks took control at the one, with 5:13 remaining.  11 rushes, 58 yards, and Penn State never saw the ball again.  4 yards, 9 yards, 6 yards, 15 yards, 6 yards, 2 yards, 3 yards, 7 yards, 0 yards, 7 yards, kneel.  58 yards, 4 first downs, game over.  

It actually reminded me of the 2007 Ohio State - Illinois game.  Trailing 28-21, Todd Boeckman threw an interception with 8:09 remaining.  Ok, get a stop and try again.  Illinois held the ball for the final 8:09, 16 plays, 5 first downs, and the Bucks never got another chance.  The Juice Williams game.  

A check-in on bowl eligibility is below.  Iowa and Minnesota won to get to six wins.  Nebraska lost their third in a row and may be stuck on five wins.  In 2023 they were 5-3 and never got that sixth win.  This year they were 5-1. With USC, Wisconsin, and Iowa remaining, this years slide may be even worse.  

Going Bowling: Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota

5 wins: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, Washington

4 wins: Michigan State, Maryland, USC, Rutgers, Northwestern

3 wins: UCLA 

No Bowling: Purdue

The week 11 slate features only six conference matchups.  Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, USC, and Wisconsin are all off this week.  Iowa plays at UCLA on Friday night, leaving only five games on Saturday.  The big game of the week is in Bloomington as the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers host defending national champion* Michigan.  The Hoosiers look to win 10 games for the first time in program history!  

The week 10 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (9-0) - The Ducks handled a bad Michigan team in Ann Arbor.  They host Maryland this week, looking to improve to 10-0.  

2. Indiana (9-0) - The Hoosiers trailed 10-0 to Michigan State, their first deficit of the season.  They scored 47 unanswered to win going away.  Kurtis Rourke was back and looked good. They host Michigan this week, looking to get to 10 wins for the first time in program history. 

3. Ohio State (7-1) - The Bucks went to Happy Valley and came away with a 20-13 win.  They trailed 10-0 out of the gate after a Will Howard pick six.  He's good for a mess up or two every game.  They scored on their next two drives and didn't look back, winning their eighth in a row over Penn State.  They Bucks host Purdue this week in a Big Noon banger.  

4. Penn State (7-1) - The Lions fell to Ohio State for the eighth straight season.  Good news is that after their lose their 9th in a row next season, the Bucks are off the schedule in 2026 and 2027.

5. Iowa (6-3) - The Hawkeyes hosted Wisconsin and scored 40 points for the fourth time this season.  The quarterback switch to Brendon Sullivan has been dividends thus far.  They travel to UCLA on Friday night.  

6. Minnesota (6-3) - The Gophers are still a wagon, after being Illinois and getting to six wins.  They overcame a 4th quarter deficit, winning their fourth game in a row.  They travel to Rutgers this week.

7. Illinois (6-3) - The Illini fell to an upstart Minnesota team.  They are off this week, before finishing with Michigan State, Rutgers, and Northwestern.  

8. Wisconsin (5-4) - The Badgers were clobbered by Iowa to drop their second game in a row.  There has been signs of improvement in Luke Fickell's second year, but the results aren't that reflective.  They are off this week before traveling to Oregon.

9. Washington (5-4) - The Huskies beat USC in Seattle to get their fifth win.  They scored an early 4th quarter touchdown and held on for the victory.  The season has been a success thus far under first year coach Jedd Fisch.  They travel to Penn State in the Whiteout game this week.

10. Michigan (5-4) - The Wolverines were once again horrible, this time losing at home to Oregon.   Things got away from them in the 2nd quarter and Oregon just sat on the ball in the 2nd half.  They travel to Indiana this weekend, looking to upset the undefeated Hoosiers.

11. Nebraska (5-4) - The Huskers are down bad, losing at home to a bad UCLA team.  Matt Rhule isn't making the expected strides in his second season.  They trailed by 20 in the 3rd quarter.  That is unacceptable at home.  They are off this week and will look to regroup for the final stretch, looking for that elusive sixth win.

12. Michigan State (4-5) - The Spartans were up 10-0 early to Indiana, before falling 47-10 to the undefeated Hoosiers.  Aiden Chiles threw another two picks and the Spartans rushed for -36 yards.  That's not going to cut it.  They are off this week and travel to Illinois next week.

13. Maryland (4-4) - The Terrapins were off and travel to Oregon this week.

14. USC (4-5) - The Trojans lost to Washington.  A once promising season has turned in to a disaster for Lincoln Riley.  They are winless on the road in the B1G.  They are off this week and host Nebraska next week.   

15. Rutgers (4-4) - They were off and host Minnesota this week.

16. Northwestern (4-5) - The Wildcats beat Purdue in an overtime thriller.  They are off this week and host Ohio State at Wrigley Field next week.  

17. UCLA (3-5) - The Bruins went to Lincoln and beat a skidding Nebraska team.  It was their second win in a row following a five game losing streak.  They look to make it three in a row against Iowa on Friday night. 

18. Purdue (1-7) - The Boilermakers lost to Northwestern in overtime at home, in probably their only chance for a B1G win.  They travel to Columbus this weekend.  

2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 9

Week 9 has wrapped in the B1G and it the favorites found their way back to in the winner's circle. It wasn't always pretty but the favorites finished the week 8-0.  With teams having four or five games remaining, it's time to take a look at the bowl picture.  The B1G should have three, maybe four, teams in the playoff.  The B1G then has tie-ins with the Citrus, ReliaQuest, Mayo, Music City, Pinstripe, Guaranteed Rate, and Quick Lane bowls.  That's seven bowl tie-ins, plus the former Pac-12 teams are eligible for the Alamo, Independence, Las Vegas, Holiday, LA, and Sun Bowls.  So theoretically, there's room for 15 B1G teams to be in the playoff or a bowl game.  So how many are going to be bowl eligible at 6-6 or better?

6+ wins: Oregon, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State, Illinois

5 wins: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota

4 wins: Michigan State, Maryland, USC, Washington, Rutgers

3 or less wins: Northwestern (3), UCLA (2), Purdue (1)

We'll take a look below at each teams chance to get to six wins.  There are 15 teams at 4-4 or better, but can they all get to six wins?  A few or the four win teams, and even a couple five wins teams could definitely struggle to get there.  

The week 10 slate features eight conference matchups.  Rutgers and Maryland are off this week.  There are no Friday games.  The big game of the week is in Happy Valley as the national #3 Penn State Nittany Lions host the #4 Ohio State Buckeyes at noon on Saturday.  ESPN College Gameday, Fox Big Noon Kickoff, and 

The week 9 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (8-0) - The Ducks did what great teams are supposed to do.  They dominated a good team at home, leaving no doubt as they drubbed Illinois 38-9.  They've strengthened their hold at the top of the rankings.  They travel to Michigan this week.   

2. Penn State (7-0) - The Lions handled business in Madison on Saturday night, overcoming another slow start and pulling away in the 2nd half.  QB Drew Allar went down and did not return.  His status for the matchup vs Ohio State this weekend is up in the air.  

3. Indiana (8-0) - The Hoosiers did what great teams are supposed to do.  They controlled Washington the entire game, winning 31-17 with backup quarterback Tavon Jackson starting.  The undefeated Hoosiers travel to Michigan State this weekend looking to improve to 9-0 for the first time in school history.  In 137 seasons of Indiana football, they have never won 10 games!!!! This looks to be the year.  

4. Ohio State (6-1) - The Buckeyes were off again this week.  Oh they weren't off?  Nebraska came to the Columbus funeral home and refused to win the game as the Buckeyes scored with six minutes remaining and held off the Huskers.  It was a downright pitiful performance against a team coming off a 49 point drubbing to Indiana.  It was uninspired football coming coming off a loss to Oregon and an extra week to prepare.  If they play anything like that in State College this week they'll be heading home with their first two loss regular season since 2018.  They should be ranked lower, but fortunately for the Bucks, the other 14 teams in the B1G are all just as putrid.  

5. Illinois (6-2) - The Illini went to Eugene and were introduced to the best team in the country.  Oregon was up early and the Illini couldn't muster a comeback.  They host Minnesota this week in a classic B1G West battle.  The winner will have an inside track on the Mayo Bowl.  

6. Wisconsin (5-3) - The Badgers had a halftime lead on Penn State in Madison, but couldn't hold on in the 2nd half.  They are missing a quarterback, as Brayden Locke threw a bad pick six in the 3rd quarter as Penn State pulled away.  Bowl eligibility is in the balance as they have Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska, and Minnesota to finish the season.  

7. Nebraska (5-3) - The Huskers refused to win in Columbus, falling 21-17.  They took the lead 17-14, before allowing a bad Ohio State offense to drive for the winning score with six minutes left.  Ohio State had 13 tackles for loss. Nebraska failed to establish a downfield passing game against the weak Ohio State corners.  They host UCLA this weekend, looking for the elusive sixth win.  If they don't get it this week, it may not come easy as they finish at USC, and then Wisconsin, and Iowa.

8. Michigan (5-3) - The Wolverines were once again horrible, this time defeating little brother.   The Spartans had more pass yards, more rush yards, more first downs, more 3rd down conversions, fewer punts, and dominated time of possession, but the Wolverines still came out on top.  They scored late in the 2nd quarter and then a field goal after a fumble to close the half resulted in a halftime lead.  Running back Alex Orji scored on the first possession of the 3rd quarter and the game was over.  They have a tough finishing slate with Oregon, Indiana, Northwestern, and Ohio State.  Anything better than 6-6 should be considered a success.  

9. Iowa (5-3) - The Hawkeyes did what they should to a bad Northwestern team, winning 40-14.  They were up 12-7 at the half and scored 28 in the 3rd quarter.  Brendan Sullivan looks like a competent quarterback, which is a step in the right direction.  With a manageable November, 9-3 is on the table.  

10. Minnesota (5-3) - The Gophers are a wagon, scoring 34 first half points en route to a 48-23 victory over Maryland.  They have won three in a row and travel to Illinois this weekend with a lot of momentum.  They finish at Rugters and then Penn State and Wisconsin.

11. Michigan State (4-4) - The Spartans dominated everything except the final score, as they fell to Michigan on Saturday night.   An Aiden Chiles fumble at the end of the 2nd quarter allowed Michigan to take the lead at the half.  They host Indiana this weekend, looking to ruin the Hoosiers perfect season.  With Purdue and Rutgers at the end of the season, they look to get to six wins.  

12. Washington (4-4) - The Huskies traveled to Indiana for an early game and fell 31-17.  The up and down season continues for Washington.  The path to six wins may come down to this week as they welcome USC to Seattle.  They finish with Penn State, UCLA, and Oregon needing two wins for bowl eligibility.  

13. Maryland (4-4) - The Terrapins are a bad football team that somehow beat USC two weeks ago.  Minnesota hammered them on Saturday, leaving a dicey path to bowl eligibility.  Needing two wins, they travel to Oregon after an off week and then have Rutgers, Iowa, and Penn State.

14. USC (4-4) - The Trojans manhandled Rutgers on Friday night in LA in a game that started at 11 EST.  Anyone that watched only did so because they fell asleep at the end of World Series game 1 (and missed an awesome game), only to awake on the couch to a USC-Rutgers snoozer.  They travel to Washington this weekend with a path to six wins.    

15. Rutgers (4-4) - They lost a 4rd game in a row, this time at USC.  A trip to Maryland in two weeks may be the only thing standing in the way of an eight game slide to end the season.  They are off this week before hosting Minnesota win week 11.

16. Northwestern (3-5) - The Wildcats lost at Iowa after an ok 1st half.  They travel to Purdue this week in a battle of B1G bottom feeders.  

17. UCLA (2-5) - The Bruins were off and travel to Nebraska this week.

18. Purdue (1-6) - The Boilermakers were off and host Northwestern this week.  It appears to be their best chance at a B1G conference win as they have Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, and Indiana to end the season.  

2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 8

Week 8 has wrapped in the B1G and it was the week of upsets.  Favorites were 3-4 on the week, with powerhouses Oregon and Indiana (!!) winning, as well as upstart Wisconsin.  Michigan, Iowa, and USC fell on the road, while Rutgers continued it's downward slide, falling a winless in the B1G UCLA. 

The week 9 slate features eight conference matchups.  Bottom feeders Purdue and UCLA are off this week.  Things get started Friday night, as Rutgers travels to USC in a game of two struggling teams looking to get back in the win column after three game losing streaks.  ESPN College Gameday is heading to Bloomington, as undefeated Indiana hosts Washington.  The Buckeyes are back, hosting Nebraska.  Penn State has to travel to Madison for a Halloween weekend night game in Camp Randall.  National #1 Oregon hosts Illinois.  Michigan's "Drive to six" is on, as they host Michigan State in a night Big Ten Network banger!

The week 8 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (7-0) - The Ducks are 7-0 and #1 in the polls after taking care of business at Purdue.  They host Illinois in Eugene this weekend. 

2. Ohio State (5-1) - The Buckeyes were off and host Nebraska in week 9.

3. Penn State (6-0) - The Lions were off and travel to Wisconsin for a game under the lights at Camp Randall.    

4. Indiana (7-0) - The Hoosiers absolutely crushed Nebraska in Bloomington to get to 7-0.  They are moving up the polls and sit at #13 this week, just outside of the playoff.  10-0 Indiana going to the Horseshow in late November?  

5. Illinois (6-1) - The Illini manhandled Michigan in Champaign.  A week after giving up 49 points to Purdue, the Michigan offense was a welcomed guest for the Illini.  They travel to Oregon this weekend, looking to pull the upset.    

6. Wisconsin (5-2) - The Badgers had another impressive win at Northwestern.  They host Penn State at night, looking to pull the upset over the undefeated Nittany Lions.  They were in the same spot last year against Ohio State at the end of October, keeping it close before Ohio State pulled away late in the game.  The Wisconsin offense is much improved and is looking for Luke Fickell's first big win in Madison.

7. Nebraska (5-2) - The Huskers were throttled 56-7 by Indiana.  The Hoosiers were up early and kept the heat on the entire game.  Now Nebraska has to pull up their pants and survive in Columbus this week.

8. Michigan State (4-3) - The Spartans are coming off a good win against Iowa.  They held Kaleb Johnson to under 100 yards and Aiden Chiles is getting better week after week.  They travel to the Big House this weekend, looking to pounce on the floundering Wolverines.  

9. Iowa (4-3) - The Hawkeyes lost to Michigan State, unable to move the ball.  The defense has regressed, which doesn't bode well when the offense hasn't gotten any better.  They host Northwestern this week.

10. Washington (4-3) - The Huskies were off and travel to Indiana this week.  They will need to limit turnovers to upset the Hoosiers.

11. Michigan (4-3) - The Wolverines were once again horrible in a loss to Illinois.  They have an inept offense and allowed the Illini to control the game.  They host Michigan State this week. 

12. Minnesota (4-3) - The Gophers were off and host Maryland this week.

13. Maryland (4-3) - The Terrapins came back from a score deficit to beat USC.  Down 28-14, they went for two to make it 28-22.  A late touchdown allowed them to escape with a 29-28 victory.  They travel to Minnesota this week.  

14. Rutgers (4-3) - They lost a 3rd game in a row, this time to UCLA at home.  They were still missing a large part of their defense.  They travel to USC on Friday night, both teams looking to get back in the win column.  

15. USC (3-4) - Three losses in a row and the Trojans are really struggling.  They continue blow leads and that's a reflection on Lincoln Riley and the coaching staff.  They host USC in a "who wants to lose more" game on Friday night.

16. Northwestern (3-4) - The Wildcats lost their final game at the temporary lakefront stadium to Wisconsin. They travel to Iowa this week.  

17. UCLA (2-5) - The Bruins went in to Piscataway for a noon scrum and came away with their first B1G Conference win!  They controlled the entire game, scoring 20 points for the first time this season.  That leaves the CLEVELAND BROWNS as the only NCAA/NFL team that hasn't scored 20 points in a game this season!!!  

18. Purdue (1-6) - The Boilermakers were blanked by Oregon on Friday night.  They'll score the same amount of points this week as they are off!  

2024 B1G Power Rankings - Week 7

Week 7 has wrapped in the B1G and it was the most exciting weekend yet!  Oregon beat Ohio State in the B1G game of the year.  It was a back and forth matchup with the Buckeyes failing to score on their last possession, falling 32-31.  

I think it's too early to call a referendum on the Ryan Day experience at Ohio State.  As I'm feeling the 60,000+ rabid fans at Autzen Stadium, the Bucks made it to the 28-yard line with a timeout and 28 seconds, one thing was stuck in my head, the Peach Bowl against Georgia in 2022.  CJ Stroud had scampered for 27 yards to the Georgia 31 with a timeout and 24 seconds left.  Dallan Hayden ran up the middle and two poor pass attempts led to a missed 50-yard field goal attempt by Noah Ruggles.  Ryan Day cowered in the moment and didn't push the issue.  When the same thing happened on Saturday night Ryan Day went for it.  He didn't settle this time.  An unnecessary OPI on Jeremiah Smith was the death blow.  Dan Lanning's great use of illegal substitution, and Will Howard sliding just a little bit late ended the game.  It didn't work, but Ryan Day didn't settle.  

The results of the game doesn't change much for Ohio State.  The loss of Josh Simmons at left tackle for the season is the biggest negative.  Dan Lanning and Oregon get their B1G win and are clearly in the driver's seat for the B1G Championship, or at least a rematch with Ohio State in Indianapolis.

The Ducks vs. Bucks game wasn't the only excitement in the league.  Penn State traveled to USC and upended the Trojans in overtime, coming back from a two touchdown deficit at halftime.  Illinois held off a furious Purdue comeback to win in overtime.  Iowa put it to Washington in Iowa City and Minnesota pulled out a win at the Rose Bowl

The week 8 slate features seven conference matchups.  Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, and Washington are off this week.  Things get started Friday night, as Oregon travels to Purdue.  Indiana hosts Nebraska in the game of the week.  The only other game that has much consequence has Michigan traveling to Illinois.

The week 7 B1G Power Rankings are below.  These are based strictly on on-field performance relative to the competition and is not a projection of things to come.  

1. Oregon (6-0) - The Ducks improved to 6-0, beating Ohio State at Autzen Stadium.  They travel to Purdue this Friday night. 

2. Ohio State (5-1) - The Buckeyes are off this week and host Nebraska in week 9.

3. Penn State (6-0) - The Lions came back in the Coliseum to beat Nebraska.  They are off this week and travel to Wisconsin for a game under the lights at Camp Randall.    

4. Indiana (6-0) - The Hoosiers were off last week.  They host Nebraska for B1G Noon, looking to go to 7-0.  This will be the Hoosiers first test of the season.  

5. Illinois (5-1) - The Illini held off Purdue and host Michigan this week.  

6. Nebraska (5-1) - The Huskers were off and travel to Indiana this week in a big matchup in Bloomington.    

7. Iowa (4-2) - The Hawkeyes stomped Washington on the scoreboard.  They travel to Michigan State on Saturday night.  

8. Washington (4-3) - The Huskies outgained Iowa, but were throttled 40-16 after turnovers and failed 4th down attempts.  

9. Michigan (4-2) - The Wolverines were off and travel to Illinois this week, trying to get back in the win column.  

10. Wisconsin (4-2) - The Badgers throttled Rutgers on the road and showed progress on offense.  They travel to Northwestern this week.  

11. Minnesota (4-3) - The Gophers held off UCLA and are off this week.

12. Rutgers (4-2) - They lost a 2nd game in a row, this time to Wisconsin.  They were missing a large part of their defense.  They look to get back in the win column, hosting UCLA this week.  

13. USC (3-3) - Two losses in a row and the Trojans are closer to 100 than the top 10.  Lincoln Riley continues to find new ways to lose, this time blowing a 14 point half time lead against Penn St.  They travel cross country to Maryland this weekend.  

14. Northwestern (3-3) - The Wildcats had a nice win at Maryland on Friday night.  They host Wisconsin in their last home game at the temporary lakefront stadium.  

15. Maryland (3-3) - The Terrapins lost to Northwestern.  They host USC this weekend.  

16. Michigan State (3-3) - The Spartans were off and host Iowa this weekend. 

17. UCLA (1-5) - The Bruins came close to beating Minnesota, but remain winless in the B1G.  They travel to Rutgers for another 9 am PST banger.   

18. Purdue (1-5) - The Boilermakers almost came back against Illinois, but remain winless in the B1G.  They host Oregon on Friday night looking to pull the huge upset.