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. A big top-20 matchup between USC and Michigan helped shake up the top of the pecking order this week.
Without further ado, here's every team in the conference ranked from first to worst:
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Marshall, 49-14
PREVIOUS RANK: 1
MOVEMENT: N/A
Ohio State has eviscerated two straight MAC foes. The Buckeyes travel to East Lansing to face Michigan State next week, but after that they start their toughest stretch: Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska and Penn State consecutively.
2. Oregon Ducks
WEEK 4 RESULT: Bye
PREVIOUS RANK: 3
MOVEMENT: + 1
Oregon had a bye after its first convincing win of the season, but USC's loss helps bump the Ducks up to the No. 2 spot. Given its respective schedules, Oregon and Ohio State will likely remain No. 1 and No. 2 until their collision in Eugene on Nov. 12.
3. Penn State Nittany Lions
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Kent State, 56-0
PREVIOUS RANK: 4
MOVEMENT: +1
Penn State, like Oregon, benefits here from the USC loss. Now, this team could certainly lose to the Trojans or the Wolverines, currently ranked lower. But the Nittany Lions remain undefeated, and have cruised save for the scare against Bowling Green. It's easy to look good against Kent State, however — we'll see how the Nittany Lions fare in a clash with the upstart Illini next week.
4. Michigan Wolverines
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat USC, 27-24
PREVIOUS RANK: 7
MOVEMENT: +3
The fact that Michigan won this game with 32 passing yards is outrageous. It was the most Wolverines thing to do possible. Michigan managed to pummel the Trojans for four quarters, ultimately bludgeoning them to death with its rushing attack. And that run by Kalel Mullings, where he spun out of a tackle and flipped field position on the game-winning drive? Absolutely heroic considering quarterback Alex Orji offers almost nothing as a passer. This is how Michigan will try to win every game.
5. USC Trojans
WEEK 4 RESULT: Lost to Michigan, 24-27
PREVIOUS RANK: 4
MOVEMENT: -1
It's hard to look that good in a loss, but USC played extremely valiantly against Michigan. Quarterback Miller Moss proved his toughness by orchestrating a solid game through the air despite being roughed up on nearly every play. The run defense simply gave out in the fourth quarter. This game was exactly as billed: old-school, Big Ten-style power football vs. a high-flying West Coast offense. It didn't disappoint, and the Trojans looked very capable. This loss, however, indicates that USC could struggle against the more physically dominant Big Ten teams it faces.
6. Illinois Illini
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Nebraska, 31-24
PREVIOUS RANK: 6
MOVEMENT: N/A
Illinois likely deserves to rise in these rankings for such a gutsy road win in a hostile environment, but how about this start to the season for Bret Bielema and company? Illinois now finds itself inside the top-20 in the AP Poll (No. 19) with a chance to make a massive statement on the road against Penn State next week. The Nittany Lions are currently 17.5-point favorites, but this Illinois offense has found itself with quarterback Luke Altmyer and wideout Pat Bryant.
7. Indiana Hoosiers
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Charlotte, 52-14
PREVIOUS RANK: 8
MOVEMENT: +1
A 4-0 start has Bloomington buzzing. Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke has been excellent, and Indiana has a balanced offensive attack coupled with a defense that's quietly only giving up 9.25 points-per-game. What's more, the Hoosiers' slate is incredibly manageable until it must face Michigan and Ohio State consecutively in November.
8. Nebraska Cornhuskers
WEEK 4 RESULT: Lost to Illinois, 24-31
PREVIOUS RANK: 5
MOVEMENT: -3
Nebraska's offense crumbled in the second half, and the Huskers couldn't establish a ground game all night. Dylan Raiola still looks incredibly talented, but there were some clear true freshman moments in the biggest test of his collegiate career yet. Nebraska should be just fine, but this was a good reminder that this team still has some gelling to do.
9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
WEEK 4 RESULT: Bear Virginia Tech, 26-23
PREVIOUS RANK: 9
MOVEMENT: N/A
Rutgers is incredibly unimpressive for a team that boasts a 3-0 record. Still, it has an identity (defense and a whole lot of tailback Kyle Monangai) that's worked up until this point. Tougher foes await the Scarlet Knights in the coming weeks with Washington and Nebraska back-to-back.
10. Washington Huskies
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Northwestern, 24-5
PREVIOUS RANK: 10
MOVEMENT: N/A
Washington's defense was stellar against the Wildcats...or does Northwestern still simply have one of the worst offenses in the nation? Both things can be true. Nonetheless, a good bounce-back win here from a Huskies team that still has a chance to make some noise in this conference. Rutgers presents an intriguing matchup in Week 5.
11. Iowa Hawkeyes
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Minnesota, 31-14
PREVIOUS RANK: 11
MOVEMENT: N/A
Iowa remains utterly unable to throw the football, but when tailback Kaleb Johnson runs for 206 yards and three scores, that doesn't really matter, does it? That'll work against the Gophers, but with Ohio State and Washington on tap in the next two games, we'll find out how good this team really is.
12. Maryland Terrapins
WEEK 4 RESULT: Beat Villanova, 38-20
PREVIOUS RANK: 13
MOVEMENT: +1
For the most part, Maryland did what it was expected to against an FCS foe. But my biggest takeaway is that wideout Tai Felton could be one of the most slept-on players in the conference. He reeled in a whopping 14 grabs against Villanova, and has posted 41 catches for 604 yards and five scores through four games.
13.Wisconsin Badgers
WEEK 4 RESULT: Bye
PREVIOUS RANK: 15
MOVEMENT: +2
Wisconsin benefits from movement around it to move up slightly in the rankings here. It's close between the Badgers and Michigan State, but the Spartans have a glaring problem — and a larger sample size — that leads to their lower ranking. More on that below.
14. Michigan State Spartans
WEEK 4 RESULT: Lost to Boston College, 19-23
PREVIOUS RANK: 12
MOVEMENT: -2
Boston College has some legitimate talent, and it was the Red Bandana game for the Eagles. They're a formidable foe. Still, Michigan State has an Aidan Chiles-sized problem. The quarterback threw three interceptions and no touchdowns against Boston College, and now has a 4/5 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season.
15. UCLA Bruins
WEEK 4 RESULT: Lost to LSU, 34-17
PREVIOUS RANK: 17
MOVEMENT: +2
If there was any place I didn't think UCLA belonged after its atrocious start to the season that had them ranked at No.17 on this list last week, it was Death Valley facing a top-25 LSU team. But the Bruins held their own, tying the game right before half and putting some pressure on LSU. This could be a corner-turning moment for head coach Deshaun Foster's squad.
16. Minnesota Gophers
WEEK 4 RESULT: Lost to Iowa, 14-31
PREVIOUS RANK: 14
MOVEMENT: -2
Minnesota couldn't get the ground game going against a stout defense, and quarterback Max Brosmer turned the ball over twice while averaging just 5.6 yards-per-attempt. Meanwhile, the Gophers' defense had no answer for the Hawkeyes' tailback Johnson. Minnesota has looked riddled with problems in both of its games against Power conference opponents.
17. Purdue Boilermakers
WEEK 4 RESULT: Lost to Oregon State, 21-38
PREVIOUS RANK: 18
MOVEMENT: +1
This is a team that has struggled mightily and will continue to do so. After a brilliant first game, quarterback Hudson Card has fallen off a cliff. He was 7-for-17 with 56 yards, a touchdown and an interception against the Beavers. Meanwhile, the defense remains highly permeable. A pitiful performance by the team ranked at the bottom of this list saved the Boilermakers from that fate.
18. Northwestern Wildcats
WEEK 3 RESULT: Lost to Washington, 5-24
PREVIOUS RANK: 16
MOVEMENT: -2
At a certain point, you have to feel bad for Northwestern. It's simply in the throws of some of the worst quarterback play in recent memory in Evanston, and that's saying something. Jack Lausch, the man who already replaced Mike Wright, was horrendous, completing 8-of-27 passes for 53 yards and two interceptions. It's been brutal to watch for the Wildcats in 2024, and this five-point showing epitomizes that perfectly.
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