The season is now hitting the home stretch in the Big Ten and in college football in general. We’re now ten weeks into the college football season, and we have a fairly good feel about who’s in this thing, and who’s not. Michigan seems to be a bit resurgent, Ohio State, Penn State and Minnesota all have their most difficult work ahead of them, and everyone else is looking to position themselves for the postseason.
We’re here to make sense of it all.
As we do each week, here’s your Big Ten football power rankings after the latest round of games. As always, give me a break on these, I was on an off-week myself with half of the league.
14. Rutgers – (Last week 14)
In a shocking development Rutgers dropped another game. Now for the big question, if there were odds published, would the bye be favored? By a couple of touchdowns?
13. Maryland – (Last week 13)
The ‘Terps are in a tail-spin. Maybe they’ll get it together this coming week against little ‘ole Ohio State. Then again, the oddsmakers seem to think there’s a better chance of a snowball surviving a summer heat wave in Florida.
12. Northwestern – (Last week 11)
You keep waiting for the Wildcats’ offense to wake up. Nope. It’s in a deep slumber that even true love’s kiss couldn’t wake it from.
11. Nebraska – (Last week 9)
Things are all kinds of bad in Lincoln. At this point, the only bowl ‘Husker fans are going to be enjoying for the holidays is a bowl full of popcorn.
Next … 10 thru 6
10. Purdue (Last week 12)
Pur-didit. The Boilers found a way to shake off a slew of injuries and railroad a ‘Husker team that has to be asking what it’s made of right now. That was a gritty win not even the world’s biggest drum could get in the way of.
9. Illinois (Last week 11)
The Fighting Illini are doing just that — fighting. It’s now won three in a row and (gasp) is in position to get to the postseason if things end well. That doesn’t usually happen in Champaign, but there is a chance. The last game against Northwestern might be for a shot to go bowling.
8. Michigan State (Last week 8)
We’re still waiting to see how the Spartans respond after a disappointing stretch the last few weeks. You like what you see on defense, but that side of the ball can’t win it all by its lonesome (bless it’s little heart). Who would score first between the Spartans and Northwestern? Would water boil faster or paint dry quicker?
7. Indiana (Last week 7)
Don’t look now but the Hoosiers are 7-2 and definitely on their way to the postseason. Head coach Tom Allen would like you Indiana fans to come watch his team. No, seriously, he would.
6. Iowa (Last week 6)
Iowa is just kind of hanging around while chaos happens around it. The truth is, coming off an idle week, the Hawkeyes can make it to Indy if they can beat Minnesota, and the Gophers drop one other game. Oh, that’s right, P.J. Fleck takes a whole truckload of Monster Energy drinks and his team against Penn State this week. So, that scenario might be there for the taking.
Next … 5 thru 1
5. Michigan (Last week 5)
Okay, look. As good as the Wolverines have looked over the last two weeks, we’ve seen this story before. Ya still gotta beat Ohio State. Everyone knows it including the guy wearing the headset and goofy glasses.
4. Wisconsin (Last week 3)
All is not lost for Wisconsin. Just hope for the Minnesota to lose one more game prior to renewing the rivalry for the most dangerous trophy in all of sports, and Indy is still in the navigation app. “Recalculating.”
3. Minnesota (Last week 4)
You had a good feeling that P.J. Fleck would infuse this program with some energy. He’s done that and more this year. Now, can the Gophers finish the deal on a very back-loaded schedule? If only that row-boat had a motor on the back.
2. Penn State (Last week 3)
Very quietly, Penn State has had a phenomenal year. The schedule hasn’t been a cakewalk, but the Nittany Lions just keep roaring right ahead. You get the feeling the one in Columbus in three weeks’ time might be the traffic light for a road trip to Indy. Take care of biz against Minnesota this week first though.
1. Ohio State (Last week 1)
We’re still waiting for the Buckeyes to show any signs of weakness, but it has yet to come. It gets its second bye-week in a row when it welcomes Maryland to the ‘Shoe this week. Then it travels to the bye-location of Rutgers. Then it’s a big one against Penn State. That one could be to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
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