After eight weeks of play, the BIG Ten is molding into what many believe it would be: top-heavy.

This week’s BadgerBlitz.com summarizes the best, and the worst, of the Big Ten with four-word descriptions. Once again, the frontrunner is:

1. Penn State (7-0, 4-0; 42-13 W against Michigan) is the King of the Jungle

The victor’s performance after this weekend’s shakedown in Columbus should speak immense volume. Yet, the big cats on the East Coast might have their tails tucked against the Buckeyes' defense. Between their last two meetings, PSU is a measly 3-25 on third down attempts. However, the Nittany Lions have something Ohio State doesn’t have: running back Saquon Barkley. For fans of the Big Ten, this is a must-watch game.

2. Ohio State (6-1, 4-0; DNP in Week 8) had Just a Minor Hiccup

Quarterback J.T. Barrett has Penn State’s number. In fact, Penn State was on the losing side against Barrett twice in the last three years. Once again, Barrett aims to tame the Lions when OSU hosts College Gameday and PSU at home. Additionally, he is close to surpassing a notable record. Barrett is one touchdown pass away from propelling past now-NFL star Drew Brees for the most in conference history.

3. Wisconsin (7-0, 4-0; 38-13 W against Maryland) wants to know, "Undefeated means something, right?"

Wisconsin’s matchup against Illinois this weekend should pose little threat to the Badgers. However, this contributes to the debate that follows UW like a shadow: Does Wisconsin deserve a playoff spot? Their undefeated record is admirable, but defeating teams like FAU or Maryland isn’t as impressive when comparing UW’s schedule to other conference foes. There are two things that are certain, though. Their defense is legit (sixth-best scoring defense in the nation) and true freshman Jonathan Taylor will be an offensive staple until he departs.

4. Michigan State (6-1, 4-0; 17-9 W against Indiana) proclaims, "We are not Fake."

Their record mirrors the sixth-best team in the country (Ohio State). They are tied for first place in the BIG Ten East against extremely competitive opponents. Surprisingly, head coach Mark Dantonio is still hesitant to celebrate the Spartan’s success in 2017.

“We've not run the ball fully. We've not gone through a game where everything is going right for us,” Dantonio said. “We need to have one of those football games as we get here in the second half of the season.”

If this is true, perhaps Michigan State’s dismal year in 2016 was truly an off-year.

5. Michigan (5-2, 2-2; 13-42 L against Penn State) has Too Many Khaki Wrinkles

Head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines experienced a rude awakening against Penn State last week. Ultimately, the Michigan defense can only do so much before the floodgates break. With an offense performing even worse than it did with quarterback Wilton Speight, the Big House may not be so big anymore.

6. Northwestern (4-3, 2-2; 17-10 W against Iowa) knows They still have Jackson

Last Saturday, running back Justin Jackson delivered once again. Despite recording just 93 yards on the ground against Iowa, his clutch play at the 1:12 mark below sealed the deal:

Enjoy a fourth-year of what should be another 1,000-plus yard rushing season, Wildcats.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-3, 1-3; 10-17 L against Northwestern) should fly Back to the Nest

The Hawkeyes are averaging 2.3 yards/carry in 2017, or not good. Also, their offense has scored just 39 points amidst a three-game losing streak. In total, this team is still experiencing a hangover after narrowly losing to Penn State.

8. Minnesota (4-3, 1-3; 24-17 W against Illinois) has Holes in the Hull

A top-notch performance from running back Kobe McCrary (24 carries with 153 rushing yards and one touchdown) last week highlights his importance to the injured Gopher running game. However, the rest of the offense isn’t shining as bright. The team has at least two offensive turnovers in every conference game thus far.

9. Indiana (3-4, 0-4; 9-17 L against Michigan State) wants you to Cut us some Slack

“I told our guys, I said, ‘You can choose to feel sorry for yourself or you can realize you just played arguably the toughest schedule in the country to start the season and you’re right there,'” Hoosiers head coach Tom Allen said after his team's loss. “So you can get disappointed and hang your head and mope, or you can draw confidence from the way you performed.”

Soon, comebacks against tough opponents will swing Indiana's way. Until then, Tom Allen has some work to do with a notably inefficient offense (37 percent success rate).

10. Maryland (3-4, 1-3; 13-38 L against Wisconsin) recognizes Three is not Magic

The quarterback carousel spinning in College Park, Maryland is one wild ride. Third-string quarterback Max Bortenschlager struggled against Wisconsin’s defense. He finished with a 43 percent completion rating and one interception last weekend. Yet, he is still young and improving. This year, he is averaging 5 yards/attempt and boasts 686 yards on just 67 completions. It is not an ideal situation for the Terps, but they are almost out of options.

11. Purdue (3-4, 1-3; 12-14 L against Rutgers) is Stuck in the Station

It is fascinating to watch the Boilermakers come close to beating Wisconsin, then somehow lose to Rutgers a week later. Head coach Jeff Brohm and his crew are tasked to forget their recent struggles and pick the offense back up. In 2017, Purdue is the second-worst conference team when converting third downs, obtaining another series only 31 percent of the time. You can't score if you can't move the ball, and Purdue is living proof of this.

12. Nebraska (3-4, 2-2; DNP in Week 8) Is experiencing a Changing of the Guard

Since head coach Mike Riley has been in control, Nebraska has gone 18-15 dating back to 2015. Yet, uncertainty looms. The university’s new Athletic Director Bill Moos has given no confirmation Riley will return next year and if the team doesn’t win at least six games by the season’s conclusion, Riley might be on his way out the door.

13. Rutgers (3-4, 2-2; 14-12 W against Purdue) is Improving along with Embarrassment

The 2017 Rutgers is very different than the 2016 version. It went 2-10 on the year, with blowout losses (78-0 loss against Michigan) and a poor defense. Yet, the new Scarlet Knights have kept close in games. They beat Purdue and Illinois recently, marking the program’s first time winning back-to-back Big Ten games. Yet, this team is still not very good, especially their passing offense (123rd in the nation).

14. Illinois (2-5, 0-4; 17-24 L against Minnesota) is Fighting for their Pride

Head coach Lovie Smith and co. find themselves dead last in a weak BIG Ten West division with Wisconsin coming into town this weekend. Illinois ranks among the worst in nearly every conference team statistical category. Their rushing defense is the worst in the conference (210.7 yards/game) and Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor should have a field day at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

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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