Big Ten Power Rankings: Week Two

Week two of the college football season is in the books, and things are looking pretty good across the board for the Big Ten.

And then there’s Northwestern.

Without further ado, here are the indisputable Big Ten power rankings following the second week of play.

1. Wisconsin: (2-0) No other team did enough to unseat the Badgers from the top spot this week, as their win over LSU still looms large. Wisconsin massacred Akron on both sides of the ball, and impressively allowed just a shade over 200 yards on defense.
2. Ohio State: (2-0) The Buckeyes looked like an Urban Meyer-coached team in a 48-3 rout over Tulsa, a game where J.T. Barrett did this:

The Ohio State defense allowed under 200 yards to Tulsa, and Nick Bosa is starting to look a lot like his brother. Next week Ohio State travels to Oklahoma in game that can easily decide the rest of the season for either team.

3. Michigan: (2-0) The Wolverines racked up over 400 yards of offense against Central Florida, and it looks like Jabrill Peppers is growing into his role as a captain of the Michigan defense accordingly.

I think I’m in love.

4. Iowa: (2-0) I think I speak for all of us when I say we were just a little nervous going into the Iowa State game. Well, Kirk Ferentz and that big ol contract of his put those worries to rest. Iowa tucked Iowa State in to bed before the end of the first half, and that was just some much-needed catharsis for all of us.

5. Michigan State: (1-0) The Spartans didn’t play this week, for some reason, but take on Notre Dame this week. No. 5 is where they belong.

6. Nebraska: (2-0) This is where things get dicey. Is Nebraska the sixth-best team in the Big Ten? Maybe. Nobody knows. They put up a lotta yards against Wyoming but sill, Tommy Armpunt threw an interception to an inferior team. The earth is round and the sun will rise tomorrow.

7. Maryland? (2-0) The Terps are starting to show some grit in these early games, and Perry Hills like a good quarterback! That’s all I got.

8. Indiana? (2-0) The Hoosiers led Ball State 30-6 in the fourth quarter and kind of let their foot off the gas to make this game look closer than it really ever was. CHAOS TEAM awaits.

9. Minnesota: (2-0) The Gilded Rodents are only here because they’re the last undefeated team in the conference. Minnesota beat Indiana State 58-28, but honestly it was closer than that. Minnesota committed 10 penalties for 82 yards, three of which were false starts in an empty and silent TCF Bank Stadium, which is just LOL funny.

10. Penn State: (1-1) I was tempted to put Penn State higher, but then I saw this Tweet:

Now I’m persuaded to put them lower.

11. Illinois: (1-1) This game was actually close in the fourth quarter where the Tar Heels led Illinois 31-23, but then Elijah Hood turned on the jets and scored a 62-yard touchdown to dash the hopes of an upset. Wes Lunt managed the game about as well as one could ask. Perhaps the Illini are a team to watch here?

12. Rutgers: (1-1) I just don’t even know what to put here. Rutgers scored one more point against Howard than Maryland did last week, so that’s good?

13. Purdue: (1-1) I suppose you can give Purdue credit for scheduling a team like Cincinnati this early in the season, but I suppose like Illinois, they may have bit off more than they can chew. David Blough did throw 57 passes for the Boilers, which is ... something.

14. Northwestern: (0-2) LIVE LOOK AT NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL