Major upsets in other conferences brought chaos to national rankings. Yet, for Big Ten teams, it was a quiet in-conference weekend. This week’s BadgerBlitz.com Big Ten Power Ranking, though, is anything but modest. Check it out below, beginning with:

1. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0, 3-0; DNP in Week 7)

Head coach James Franklin has hardly broken a sweat on the sideline this year, minus the Iowa game. However, the Nittany Lions figure to have their hands full this weekend when the Michigan Wolverines come to Pennsylvania. As two top defenses will face off in a grudge match at Beaver Stadium, running back Saquon Barkley’s performance should be a determining factor if PSU can remain a cut above the rest of the conference.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0; 56-14 W against Nebraska)

Since Ohio State’s last loss, quarterback J.T. Barret has been unstoppable. He has completed 72 percent of his passes, thrown for 1,351 yards, recorded 18 touchdowns and no interceptions. The team has scored over 50 points in their last four games and their defense has rebounded since a double-digit loss to Oklahoma.

3. Wisconsin Badgers (6-0, 3-0; 17-9 W against Purdue)

Despite their undefeated record, the Badgers offense is continually reliant on freshman running back Jonathan Taylor to carry the bulk of the offensive workload. An admirable defense kept Purdue at bay while quarterback Alex Hornibrook struggled. In all, the Big Ten West is theirs to lose.

4. Michigan State Spartans (5-1, 3-0; 30-27 W against Minnesota)

Who would have thought the Spartans, a team you were supposed to feel sorry for entering the 2017 season, would claim the fourth spot in Week 7? This year, MSU has allowed only five total touchdowns and performed well on the road against Minnesota last weekend. From an offensive standpoint, sophomore quarterback Brian Lewerke is becoming a versatile starter after suffering a season-ending injury last year. His speed (best among Big Ten quarterbacks in yards/carry and yards/ game) is one of the key factors of Michigan State’s impressive season.

5. Michigan Wolverines (5-1, 2-1; 27-20 W against Indiana)

Quarterback John O’Korn threw for just 58 yards against the Hoosiers because the Wolverines relied heavily on running back Karan Higdon. He [Higdon] recorded 200 yards with three touchdowns but he cannot be the only source of offense if this team is to be

6. Purdue Boilermakers (3-3, 1-2 17-9 L against Wisconsin)

The Boilermakers gave the Badgers a headache on Saturday but, ultimately, the Wisconsin defense and running game were too much to overcome. To summarize, head coach Jeff Brohm’s team gave up nearly 500 yards of offense, but his defense intercepted Hornibrook twice and forced a fumble. The Boilermakers are not quite comparable to the elite teams in the conference but continue to compete with the best.

7. Indiana Hoosiers (4-2, 1-2; 27-20 L against Michigan)

It is hard to succeed in the 2017 BIG Ten East and if you don’t believe me, just ask Indiana. The Hoosiers’ first three games were Ohio State, Penn State and then Michigan. Indiana stood tall against Michigan and a 10-point rally in the fourth quarter proves this team will not go down quietly.

8. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2, 1-2; DNP in Week 7)

The Hawkeyes battered offensive line took a much-needed week off to prepare for the second half of the regular season. For quarterback Nathan Stanley, the health of his linemen is critical to his success. This year, Stanley has 1,290 yards with 15 touchdowns and a completion percentage hovering near 58 percent. However, the offense has looked terrible at times and Iowa needs to execute the ground game if they are to obtain at least a 7-win season.

9. Northwestern Wildcats (3-3, 1-2; 37-21 W against Maryland)

Running back Justin Jackson delivered his best game of 2017, finishing with 171 yards on 28 attempts with two touchdowns. After the Wildcats, though, the competition gap between programs in the conference rears its ugly head. Despite their low-tier ranking, Northwestern boasts the fourth-best offense in the Big Ten.

10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-3, 0-3; 30-27 L against Michigan State)

The boat is lost at sea as the Gophers still are winless against conference opponents. An inspiring late comeback against the Spartans was stopped short, but head coach P.J. Fleck should be pleased with the performance from quarterback Demry Croft. With just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, Croft scrambled and passed his way downfield against MSU. He [Croft] finished with three touchdowns and deserves the starting spot.

11. Maryland Terrapins (3-3, 1-2; 37-21 L against Northwestern)

The Terrapin defense kept the score close, but Wildcats running back Justin Jackson exploded against a sinking Maryland team. On the year, this team has given up 14 touchdowns on the ground and the offense seems to adjust its strategy every week. What was one a 2017 bowl-hopeful program will struggle to keep a .500 record this year.

12. Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-4, 2-2; 56-14 L against Ohio State)

Three of the team’s four losses have come at Memorial Stadium in 2017, bringing the idea of home-field advantage into question. Whether quarterback Tanner Lee or new Athletic Director Bill Moos can trigger a change is yet to be seen, but both will contribute to the fate of head coach Mike Riley.

13. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-4, 1-2; 35-24 W against Illinois)

Yes, you read it right. That is a win against a conference team for the Scarlet Knights. It was the first BIG Ten victory in the last 17 conference games as Rutgers tries to keep the momentum going against Purdue this weekend.

14. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-4, 0-3; 35-24 L against Rutgers)

Are the Fighting Illini really fighting? The team is last in the conference in rushing defense (197.2) and their offensive run game is nothing to boast about. This team may not win another game in 2017.

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Jonathan Mills is a staff writer and covers Wisconsin football/basketball for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @realJ_Mills