Big Ten Power Poll: Week 2
BadgerBlitz.com's power poll is back for another season, where Jon McNamara, Jessi Schoville and I will rank the Big Ten teams after each week of action.
Our ranks following the second week of the season are included below.
No. 1 - Ohio State (2-0) -- 2 First Place Votes
The Buckeyes trounced Tulsa on Saturday, holding the Golden Hurricanes to just three points in the game. With a stout defense and talented offensive players, the Buckeyes are always going to be a tough out.
No. 2 - Michigan (2-0) -- 1 First Place Vote
The Wolverines picked up a first-place vote from Jessi Schoville this week, and it's hard to blame him after they've dominated their first two opponents. New quarterback Wilton Speight threw four touchdown passes against UCF this week, so they have some time to figure out their running game.
No. 3 - Wisconsin (2-0)
The Badgers dominated Akron after scoring a big win against LSU two weeks ago, so there wasn't any kind of let down in Madison. They have one more tune up game against Georgia Southern up next before their make-or-break Big Ten stretch.
No. 4 - Iowa (2-0)
The Hawkeyes avoided what has been a trap game for them in years past and dominated in-state rival Iowa State for a 42-3 win. The Hawks looked as good as they did during their undefeated regular season run, which is a good sign for them moving forward.
No. 5 - Michigan State (1-0)
The Spartans had a bye this week, but they have an interesting test coming up this week when they take on Notre Dame. They open up Big Ten play against Wisconsin in East Lansing in two weeks.
No. 6 - Nebraska (2-0)
Wyoming was a trendy upset pick this weekend, but the Cornhuskers handled them with relative ease and came away with a 52-17 win. If Tommy Armstrong can throw the ball this well in Big Ten play then the Huskers could be a dark-horse division threat.
No. 7 - Indiana (2-0)
Indiana is 2-0 and their defense is showing signs of life, although they did allow 17 points in the fourth quarter against Ball State to eke out a 20-17 win. If the Hoosiers can piece together a strong offense with a competent defense they could make a second straight bowl game.
No. 8 - Minnesota (2-0)
The Gophers are 2-0 after posting some impressive offensive numbers against Indiana State, with QB Mitch Leidner throwing four touchdown passes. We'll see if the Gophers can keep moving the ball through the air against Big Ten teams.
No. 9 - Penn State (1-1)
The Nittany Lions rallied to give in-state rival Pittsburgh a run after digging an early hole for themselves in the first quarter, but Penn State needs to prove they're the best team in the state before they can compete with the rest of their division.
No. 10 - Maryland (2-0)
The Terps are 2-0 and playing well under new head coach D.J. Durkin, but we need to see them compete against some better teams before they climb much higher in our rankings.
No. 11 - Illinois (1-1)
Illinois seems to be on the right track under new head coach Lovie Smith, but North Carolina boat-raced them on the road for a 48-23 win on Saturday, so it's clear there's still work to be done.
No. 12 - Rutgers (1-1)
It wasn't always easy, but Rutgers pulled away from Howard in the second half for a 52-14 win. That's a step in the right direction- Rutgers needs to beat the teams we expect them to beat before they take the next step.
No. 13 - Purdue (1-1)
The Boilermakers have been working under head coach Darrell Hazell for a few seasons now, and this felt like a game where they should have been more competitive. We'll just have to see how they stack up in conference play to judge if Purdue will be in the market for a new head coach soon.
No. 14 - Northwestern (0-2)
So, we're pretty sure this is not how the Wildcats envisioned starting their season. Going 0-2 at home against a MAC team and an FCS team suggests that Pat Fitzgerald and company could be in for a long season in Evanston.