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. This week's rankings saw plenty of movement past the top three teams.
Without further ado, here's every team in the conference ranked from first to worst:
1. Oregon Ducks
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat Purdue, 35-0
PREVIOUS RANK: 1
MOVEMENT: N/A
An emphatic victory over a bottom-feeding team in the conference is exactly the way to follow up a statement upset win over one of the best teams in the nation. Oregon is rolling, and will face Illinois this week in its biggest remaining test of the regular season.
2. Penn State Nittany Lions
WEEK 8 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 2
MOVEMENT: N/A
The Nittany Lions enjoyed a bye before their clash with Wisconsin. Is this a trap game on Saturday night in Madison? After the Badgers, Ohio State awaits in State College.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
WEEK 8 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 3
MOVEMENT: N/A
The Buckeyes also took a bye in Week 8. Next, they’ll face a reeling Nebraska team that just got gut-punched and is running out of chances to maintain national relevance. That will be a hungry Cornhuskers team, but will it matter against an Ohio State squad that, despite the loss to Oregon, still looks like one of the four or five best teams in the country?
4. Indiana Hoosiers
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat Nebraska, 56-7
PREVIOUS RANK: 4
MOVEMENT: N/A
The dream season is officially on in Bloomington. The Hoosiers played out of their minds against Nebraska, running all over the Huskers’ supposed stout defensive front. The concern for Indiana is that starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke just underwent surgery on his right thumb, and Tayven Jackson may have to step in at signal caller for at least one week. He looked plenty capable against Nebraska, however, completing 7-of-8 passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
5. Illinois Illini
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat Michigan, 21-7
PREVIOUS RANK: 6
MOVEMENT: +1
The Illini beat Michigan at home for a big-time win, and looked good doing it — I wasn’t sure about the throwback jerseys at first, but they’ve grown on me. As has this team, who’s one of four schools in the Big Ten with a perfect record at home through Week 8. Can Illinois shock the world in Eugene?
6. Wisconsin Badgers
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat Northwestern, 23-3
PREVIOUS RANK: 9
MOVEMENT: +3
Perched at No. 6 in these rankings, the Badgers find themselves ranked as high as they have been all season. Beating Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern is all fine and dandy, but it’s time for Luke Fickell’s first signature win in Madison. Coming to town this weekend? None other than the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions.
7. Nebraska Cornhuskers
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to Indiana, 56-7
PREVIOUS RANK: 5
MOVEMENT: -2
Indiana only seems to get better each week, but a 49-point loss is still somewhat shocking for a Nebraska team that was 5-1 just over two weeks ago. Dylan Raiola struggled mightily against the Hoosiers, tossing three interceptions and struggling to create big plays. He hasn't thrown a touchdown since September 28.
8. Michigan Wolverines
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to Illinois, 21-7
PREVIOUS RANK: 7
MOVEMENT: -1
It’s been a frustrating year in Ann Arbor. The quarterback situation is one of the least enviable in the conference. Head coach Sherrone Moore said Monday that if Michigan had to play right now, Jack Tuttle would remain the starting signal-caller. That seems like the appropriate decision, but the position remains a glaring weakness.
9. Michigan State Spartans
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat Iowa, 32-20
PREVIOUS RANK: 14
MOVEMENT: +5
This is a Spartans team that feels like it will be a force to be reckoned with in maybe two years’ time. The offense had an excellent day against a good Iowa defense, fueled by its young cornerstones, quarterback Aidan Chiles and true freshman wideout Nick Marsh. The Spartans' rivalry game against Michigan next week should be highly entertaining. The Wolverines are favored by five as of Tuesday…that seems like easy money.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to Michigan State, 32-20
PREVIOUS RANK: 8
MOVEMENT: -2
The 32-20 defeat to Michigan State was easily the toughest loss Iowa has taken all season. The Spartans surprisingly had their way with the Hawkeyes on the ground, and aside from a 75-yard run, Michigan State completely bottled up superstar running back Kaleb Johnson. Meanwhile, Cade McNamara and the passing game are still a complete liability.
11. Washington Huskies
WEEK 8 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 11
MOVEMENT: N/A
The Huskies had a bye week to think about their 40-16 drubbing at the hands of Iowa the week prior. Getting back on track will be easier said than done against a surging Indiana team in Bloomington this week.
12. Minnesota Gophers
WEEK 8 RESULT: BYE
PREVIOUS RANK: 12
MOVEMENT: N/A
Minnesota also enjoyed a bye before their clash with Maryland in Week 9. This will be a pivotal game for both programs, especially in terms of the hunt for bowl eligibility. Both teams are 4-3, and 5-3 is a much better way to enter November than 4-4 with how treacherous this conference is week in and week out.
13. Maryland Terrapins
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat USC, 29-28
PREVIOUS RANK: 16
MOVEMENT: +3
The Terps got in on the fun most of USC’s conference opponents have enjoyed as well: beating the Trojans in their debut season in the Big Ten. The Los Angeles schools are now a combined 2-8 against Big Ten teams in their first year in the conference.
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to UCLA, 35-32
PREVIOUS RANK: 10
MOVEMENT: -4
In danger of dropping three straight in a game against UCLA it couldn’t lose, the Scarlet Knights did just that in Piscataway. Coming into Week 8, the Bruins had a strong case for the worst team in the conference. After an exciting 4-0 start, the wheels are starting to come off for head coach Greg Schiano.
15. USC Trojans
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to Maryland, 29-28
PREVIOUS RANK: 13
MOVEMENT: -2
If the wheels are coming off for Rutgers, they’re fully detached in Los Angeles for Lincoln Riley's hapless Trojans. Both Los Angeles schools seemed to have timed their jump to the Big Ten poorly, and USC is a grim 1-4 in conference play. This team’s dreams are all but dashed in 2024.
16. UCLA Bruins
WEEK 8 RESULT: Beat Rutgers, 35-32
PREVIOUS RANK: 18
MOVEMENT: +2
The Bruins are on the board in the Big Ten! This season is already down the drain for UCLA barring a remarkable turnaround, but the play of Ethan Garbers against Rutgers was eye-catching. The quarterback, who had struggled through five games, tossed for 383 yards and four touchdowns while completing 32-of-38 passes.
17. Northwestern Wildcats
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to Wisconsin, 23-3
PREVIOUS RANK: 15
MOVEMENT: -2
The Wildcats ran into a Wisconsin team that’s playing some inspired football, but Northwestern’s offense reverted to its old ways against a stout Badger defense and the Wildcats couldn’t contain Wisconsin’s ground game. Looking at Northwestern's remaining schedule, with games against Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan, it’s looking like an uphill climb towards bowl eligibility in year two of the David Braun era.
18. Purdue Boilermakers
WEEK 8 RESULT: Lost to Oregon, 35-0
PREVIOUS RANK: 17
MOVEMENT: -1
It’s hard to blame Purdue for getting destroyed by the current No. 1 team in the nation, especially with their backup quarterback. With the losses mounting at six straight, change feels immenent in West Lafayette.
_________________________________________________
*Chat about this article in The Badgers' Den
*Check out our videos, interviews, and Q&As on our YouTube channel
*Subscribe and listen to the BadgerBlitz.com podcast (as seen on Apple, Google, Spotify and wherever you listen to podcasts)
*Follow us on Twitter: @McNamaraRivals, @TheBadgerNation, @RaulV45, @seamus_rohrer, @DonnieSlusher_
*Like us on Facebook
- CB
- OG
- OT
- WDE
- WR
- OLB
- OT
- OLB
- TE
- S
