How quickly time flies. We’re now seven weeks into the college football season, and now that we’re halfway down the road, we’ve got a much better feel for things. Which teams are on the path to something special, which are mediocre, and which ones aren’t living up to expectations?
We’ve now got a lot more film and observations to pick out the pecking order in the Big Ten, and there it’s becoming more clear.
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’ve recently discovered Stranger Things on Netflix and yes, I am extremely late to the party.
14. Rutgers – (Last week 14)
The Scarlet Knights have now lost five in a row. The universe is in order.
13. Illinois – (Last week 13)
Admit it, for awhile there you thought the Illini had a chance to pull off a shocker against Michigan. Then we all remembered it was the not-so-Fighting-Illini.
12. Maryland – (Last week 11)
Things have gone south faster than a retired snowbird in winter out in College Park. I’m beginning to have a hard time distinguishing between each of the last three years for Maryland.
11. Purdue – (Last week 12)
The Boilermakers finally got off the mat and found a way to notch another win Saturday against Maryland, but — it was against Maryland (see note above).
Next … 10 thru 6
10. Northwestern (Last week 9)
It was an off week for the fighting Pat Fitzgeralds, so not much to go on here other than the off-week didn’t win. That’s a bonus this year.
9. Nebraska (Last week 8)
Remember when the Cornhuskers were the media darlings of 2019? Yeah, those expectations have now been husked, popped and creamed.
8. Indiana (Last week 10)
The Hoosiers are getting ever so closer to being bowl-eligible, but as always, it’ll probably come down to some crazy last game scenario that doesn’t involve winning against the likes of Rutgers.
7. Iowa (Last week 6)
Apparently Kirk Ferentz bought the offense optional package of this year’s Iowa team. I’ve had prostate checkups more enjoyable than watching the Hawkeye offense the last two weeks.
6. Michigan State (Last week 5)
I don’t know if the Spartans have just run into much better teams the last couple of weeks or whether the team has quit, but it’s a little bit of a panic time in East Lansing. There’s really no shot at a division or conference championship — except in basketball.
Next … 5 thru 1
5. Michigan (Last week 6)
There’s still more sputtering and smoking in Ann Arbor than a broken down 1980’s Pinto, but at the end of the day the Wolverines are finding ways to win. That Pinto better get a tuneup fast because a trip to Happy Valley is on tap. It’s a white out, so queue up the chaos.
4. Minnesota (Last week 8)
I’ve been holding out on the Gophers, but P.J. Fleck has the team undefeated and seemingly getting better and better. There’s a whole boat full of energy drinks rowing right towards Wisconsin possibly. Who would have thought the ax might have such implications this year?
3. Penn State (Last week 3)
Penn State keeps passing every test put before it. Many teams have fallen in Iowa City at night over the last few years, but the Nittany Lions found a way to win ugly. Almost as ugly as the uniforms they wear, but not quite. There is clear separation at this point between the top three teams and everyone else.
2. Wisconsin (Last week 2)
Something is brewing up in Madison. Can this bet the year Wisconsin gets over the hump and finally breaks through on the national level? Ohio State and Penn State will have something to say about it all. Two weeks from now is looming very, very large folks.
1. Ohio State (Last week 1)
Out of sight out of mind? Not really, but with what Penn State and Wisconsin are doing, Ohio State will have earned everything it gets this year. Luckily, both teams come to Columbus. Up next is a wacky Friday night game at Evanston before a big one against the Badgers on October 26.
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