Each week during the regular season, BadgerBlitz.com will compile a power rankings article that ranks each program in the conference from best to worst. The top team in the nation survived a scare in Madison, avoiding a major shakeup in the rankings.
Without further ado, here's every team in the conference ranked from first to worst:
1. Oregon Ducks
WEEK 12 RESULT: Beat Wisconsin, 16-13
PREVIOUS RANK: 1
MOVEMENT: N/A
That was quite the scare in Camp Randall Stadium, but the Ducks survived one of Dillon Gabriel's worst performances to improve to 11-0. Head coach Dan Lanning is a madman for calling a fake field goal that came up short to give the Badgers another shot to tie the game at the end of the fourth quarter. If Wisconsin had a competent offense and went down and scored to win the game, that would've gone down as one of the worst coaching blunders in recent memory.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
WEEK 12 RESULT: Beat Northwestern, 31-7
PREVIOUS RANK: 2
MOVEMENT: N/A
It was never really in doubt in Wrigley Field, even when Jack Laush's rushing touchdown gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead. The Buckeyes have certainly played with their food a little this season, but there won't be any room for error against No. 5 Indiana (yes, you read that correctly) next week.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
WEEK 12 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 3
MOVEMENT: N/A
What a week this will be for the Hoosiers. This is the biggest game in the program's history. Indiana has beaten just one team that currently has a wining record this season (6-5 Washington), but it's hard to blame the Hoosiers for their schedule. Still, this is a needed litmus test for head coach Curt Cignetti's squad.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions
WEEK 12 RESULT: Beat Purdue, 49-10
PREVIOUS RANK: 4
MOVEMENT: N/A
Penn State crushed Purdue, like it was expected to. How about the tight end Tyler Warren, who is truly a throwback player. He racked up 127 receiving yards and 63 rushing yards against the Boilermakers.
5. Illinois Illini
WEEK 12 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 7
MOVEMENT: +2
A convincing win over Michigan State helps settle the Illini a little more firmly at the 5th spot in these rankings. With Rutgers, Northwestern and a guaranteed bowl game remaining, there's a very realistic shot at double-digit wins for Illinois in 2024.
6. Minnesota Gophers
WEEK 12 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 6
MOVEMENT: N/A
Minnesota enjoyed a bye week before its clash with Penn State this Saturday. Vegas gives the Gophers, who've been feisty this season, a chance against the Nittany Lions, who are favored by 12.5 at the time of writing.
7. Iowa Hawkeyes
WEEK 12 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 7
MOVEMENT: N/A
Iowa was idle this week, but still got some big news Monday: Brendan Sullivan will miss the final two games of the regular season with an ankle sprain, paving the way for Cade McNamara to start once again. The Hawkeyes will close out their season against Maryland and Nebraska.
8. Wisconsin Badgers
WEEK 12 RESULT: Lost to Oregon, 16-13
PREVIOUS RANK: 9
MOVEMENT: +1
Wisconsin deserves a lot of credit for this game. With a massive slate of visitors on campus and fans and boosters alike growing restless, the Badgers absolutely needed to be competitive against Oregon. Taking a lead into the fourth quarter will do the trick. The defensive effort was especially impressive. No team has been able to do what Mike Tressel's unit just did to the Ducks. Not Ohio State, not Michigan, nor anyone else.
9. Washington Huskies
WEEK 12 RESULT: Beat UCLA, 31-19
PREVIOUS RANK: 10
MOVEMENT: +1
Washington deserves credit for knocking off a UCLA team that quietly had some serious momentum after winning three straight. Quarterback Will Rogers continued to struggle, but Demond Williams Jr. breathed enough life into this Huskies team both by air and ground to clinch bowl eligibility for Washington.
10. Michigan Wolverines
WEEK 12 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 8
MOVEMENT: -2
Michigan has one more contest against Northwestern to get right before what has become, arguably, the only game that matters this season: The Game in Columbus on November 30. Even in a down year, the Wolverines will deem this season a success if they can knock off the Buckeyes for a fourth straight time and spoil Ohio State's Big Ten title hopes.
11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
WEEK 12 RESULT: Beat Maryland, 31-17
PREVIOUS RANK: 15
MOVEMENT: +4
Beating Maryland isn't all that impressive, but the Scarlet Knights have won two in a row and successfully stopped their skid, earning bowl eligibility in the process. That alone is huge for the momentum of Greg Schiano's program after, for several weeks, it appeared as if Rutgers was set to take a step back in 2024. They're not exactly making big strides, but missing the postseason would be unfathomable.
12. USC Trojans
WEEK 12 RESULT: Beat Nebraska, 28-20
PREVIOUS RANK: 16
MOVEMENT: +4
The Trojans' problems extend far beyond their quarterback play, but it's a little wild to think that Lincoln Riley had a gunslinger like Jayden Maiava just marinating on the bench. He looked more than ready to facilitate a Riley-led offense, tossing for 259 yards and three touchdowns against a very solid Nebraska defense. Maiava seems like the heir apparent in Los Angeles, while Miller Moss seems all but guaranteed to enter the transfer portal.
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers
WEEK 12 RESULT: Lost to USC, 28-20
PREVIOUS RANK: 11
MOVEMENT: -2
Nebraska's offense has been lousy all season — that's why it fired play-caller Marcus Satterfield. But as long as supposed phenom quarterback Dylan Raiola is still a freshman, teams will have a great shot to limit the Huskers offense. Why? Because Raiola has turned the ball over 11 total times, and has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 11/10. That, coupled with a lack of explosive plays, makes it hard for this unit for sustain any sort of momentum.
14. UCLA Bruins
WEEK 12 RESULT: Lost to Washington, 31-19
PREVIOUS RANK: 12
MOVEMENT: -2
UCLA's mini resurgence was snapped with a Friday night loss to the Huskies. The Bruins now face a difficult road to bowl eligibility: they must win out against crosstown rival USC and Fresno State in the regular season finale.
15. Michigan State Spartans
WEEK 12 RESULT: Lost to Illinois, 38-16
PREVIOUS RANK: 13
MOVEMENT: -2
Michigan State has now lost three in a row and six out of its last seven. Bowl eligibility is still on the table, though, and the 4-6 Spartans' season could come down to the last game against Rutgers (assuming they find a way to beat 1-9 Purdue next week).
16. Northwestern Wildcats
WEEK 12 RESULT: Lost to Ohio State, 31-7
PREVIOUS RANK: 14
MOVEMENT: -2
Northwestern played about one competitive quarter with the Buckeyes. Other than that, there was no Wrigley Field magic to be had for the Wildcats. David Braun's team now needs to win out to make a bowl game for the second straight year.
17. Maryland Terrapins
WEEK 11 RESULT: Lost to Illinois, 38-16
PREVIOUS RANK: 17
MOVEMENT: N/A
Just how hot is head coach Mike Locksley's seat right now? It should be relatively warm at least, given the Terps' dreadful 1-6 showing in conference play thus far. Change, likely of the sweeping variety, is needed in College Park.
18. Purdue Boilermakers
WEEK 12 RESULT: Lost to Penn State, 49-10
PREVIOUS RANK: 18
MOVEMENT: N/A
It seems like with every passing game in this horrendous Boilermakers season, there's another play that epitomizes Purdue's agony in 2024. Last week, it was attempting a sad field goal while down 45-0 against Ohio State — and missing. In Saturday's romp at the hands of Penn State, wideout De'Nylon Morrissette caught what he thought was a touchdown pass, except that both of his feet were out of bounds behind the end zone, inexplicably painted to look exactly like the end zone.
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