BIG TEN POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 8

Well we had another weekend of exciting Big Ten football on our hands, and Iowa also played Wisconsin.

Michigan has now planted itself at No. 1 following Ohio State’s loss to Penn State. Penn State’s recent surge has made the Big Ten slightly less top-heavy, but it’s still not a great look overall.

I think we know the identity of just about every team, and have a good idea on how the rest of the season is going to shake out. The West will come down to Wisconsin-Nebraska, while the East is going to be determined by Michigan-Ohio State, most likely.

1. Michigan (7-0, 4-0): The Wolverines benefitted from playing Illinois last week and just watched the world burn in the form of their top rival folding to a less-talented Penn State squad. Michigan-Michigan State is this week, but I don’t see an upset there. Though the game is in Lansing …

2. Ohio State (6-1, 3-1): Sorry Nebraska, but Ohio State is still in a class of its own despite your spotless record. Northwestern does go to Columbus this week, and that could make for a cute little upset special. We’ll see how that shakes out.

3. Nebraska (7-0, 4-0): I really wanted to put Wisconsin here, but then I remembered that Iowa looked well above-average against the Badgers when I thought they were going to get stomped all along. Nebraska did not look great for four quarters against a … troubled Purdue team, but a win’s a win I s’pose.

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4. Wisconsin (5-2, 2-2): As I mentioned above, one could knock the Badgers for not beating Iowa by more, but still. This is a damn good ball team, and I fully expect them to beat Nebraska next week and represent the Big Ten West in Indianapolis. I just wanted to give Nebraska one week in the top-three because that’s how nice I am.

5. Penn State (5-2, 3-1): Welcome to the top-five, Penn State. That was a nice little show you put on against Ohio State, too bad you got shitstomped by Michigan and lost a winnable game to Pitt, otherwise you might be in the mix for Indy here!

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6. Northwestern (4-3, 3-1): Solid win against Indiana last week. After a real shaky start to the season, the Wildcats are starting to look like a real football team. Nothing like beating Iowa to turn a season around!

7. Iowa (5-3, 3-2): Iowa being in the top-seven says more about the top-heaviness of the Big Ten than it does about Iowa as a football team. The Hawkeyes have a much-needed bye coming up, and then they get to Penn State for a night game. What fun that will be to watch.

8. Maryland (5-2, 2-2): Look at Maryland, masquerading as a competent football program with big wins over troubled Michigan State and that’s about it. I would put Minnesota here but the Gophers damn near just lost to Rutgers so the Terps are getting the nod.

9. Minnesota (5-2, 2-2): Minnesota still has games left against Nebraska, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Best of luck, Gophers.

10. Indiana (1-3, 3-4): I had really high hopes for this Indiana squad after … actually I don’t know why I ever had high hope for the Hoosiers. Indiana and Iowa have a lot in common, in that I had high hopes for both teams this year for no good reason, and now both fanbases are counting down the days to basketball season.

11. Michigan State (2-5, 0-4): Everything I just said about Indiana above applies here.

12. Illinois (2-5, 1-3): Bowl eligibility isn’t out of the equation for an Illinois team that still plays Minnesota, Michigan State, Iowa and Northwestern. However, it’s important to remember this is still Illinois we’re talking about here.

13. Purdue (3-4, 1-3): Give Purdue credit for playing Nebraska kind of close. And that’s likely the last time we’ll have something nice to say about Purdue football.

14. Rutgers (0-5, 2-6): Oh Rutgers you were so close to getting a Big Ten win against Minnesota! Too bad that you Rutgers’d all over the place in the process. Good luck the rest of the year in games against Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State and Maryland.