Big Ten Top Ten: Conference's football teams ranked ahead of Week 8 action
Back for another edition of the Big Ten Top Ten following week 7. Last week's games had heavy implications on these rankings, so let's take a look at what's changed ahead of Week 8.
No. 1 - Oregon (6-0, 3-0)
Last Week (LW): vs Ohio State W 32-31
Next Week (NW): @ Purdue
It was a shootout Saturday night as Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks took down then-No. 2 Ohio State. Gabriel was the better quarterback all night, looking comfortable behind an offensive line that dominated the Buckeyes' defensive front. Now No. 2 Oregon can sit comfortably atop the Big Ten ahead of a road matchup vs Purdue.
No. 2 - Ohio State (5-1,2-1)
LW: @ Oregon L 32-31
NW: BYE
No, I'm not putting them below Penn State. The No. 4 Buckeyes loss has sparked a conversation on head coach Ryan Day's awful 2-6 record against top-five teams. The game was mismanaged by both Day and quarterback Will Howard, culminating in Howard's decision to tuck it and run as time expired. Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka are still the best receiver duo in football, though.
No. 3 - Penn State (6-0, 3-0)
LW: @ USC W 33-30
NW: @ Wisconsin
No. 3 Penn State came from behind on the road and pulled off an impressive win against a reeling USC team. Drew Allar overcame throwing three picks in this game, throwing for a career-high 391 yards and two touchdowns. Allar looks like the 2025 NFL Draft first-rounder he's been mocked as. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention tight end Tyler Warren, who did almost everything on offense, from pass-catching, to rushing, to blocking and even completing a pass. Warren finished with 17 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown.
No. 4 - Indiana (6-0, 3-0)
LW: BYE
NW: vs Nebraska
No. 16 Indiana coasted into the bye undefeated and now looks ahead to an equally rested Nebraska team that received votes in last week's AP Poll.
No. 5 - Illinois (5-1, 2-1)
LW: vs Purdue W 50-49
NW: vs Michigan
Purdue has been a thorn in the side of No. 22 Illinois for almost a decade, so it was no surprise that this game came down to the wire. The Fighting Illini were up 27-3 at halftime before the Boilermakers scored five touchdowns in the second half to send the game to overtime. The Illini defense is why they almost lost this game and are a concern for the rest of the season. On the other hand, the offense was explosive and fun to watch, responding well after only putting up 7 points against Penn State two weeks ago.
No. 6 - USC (3-3, 1-3)
LW: vs Penn State L 33-30
NW: @ Maryland
USC responded well to last week’s loss to Minnesota. The Trojans, at one point, had a 14-point lead against a top-five team in the country before allowing Penn State to come back and force overtime. In overtime, USC missed a go-ahead 45-yard field goal before the Nittany Lions kicked one of their own to win the game. Aside from the choke job, the Trojans ran for 189 yards on the ground and cracked 400-plus yards of offense.
No. 7 - Nebraska (5-1, 2-1)
LW: BYE
NW: @ Indiana
Following an ugly home win against Rutgers, Nebraska entered its bye with just one loss to No. 22 Illinois. The Cornhuskers have been a fringe-ranked team all season, and a win against No. 16 Indiana will surely give them that status come next week.
No. 8 - Washington (4-3, 2-2)
LW: @ Iowa L 40-16
NW: BYE
Washington came crashing back down to earth this past weekend against Iowa. One week removed from winning the 2023 NCAA Championship rematch, the Huskies were torn up by running back Kaleb Johnson in a 40-16 loss. Johnson ran 21 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards a carry in the Hawkeyes win. The Huskies are a shell of their 2023 selves and enter the bye week before a tough game against No. 16 Indiana on the road.
No. 9 - Michigan (4-2, 2-1)
LW: BYE
NW: @ Illinois
No. 24 Michigan's bye week couldn't have come at a better time. After losing to Washington 27-17 two weeks ago, the Wolverines had time to figure out what they plan to do with their current quarterback carousel. The team travels out to Champaign, Illinois, this weekend for what will be a massive test for the reigning champs.
No. 10 - Rutgers (4-2, 1-2)
LW: vs Wisconsin L 42-7
NW: vs UCLA
The Scarlet Knights were in line for a bounce-back game against Wisconsin and got steamrolled at home. This is now two questionably coached games in a row for head coach Greg Schiano.
Rutgers was without arguably its two best defensive players on Saturday — senior linebacker Tyreem Powell and senior cornerback Robert Longerbeam — and it showed. The Knights' defense was gashed for 309 yards on the ground and another 240 in the air.
The offense is not the same without senior offensive lineman Bryan Felter, senior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has regressed and senior running back Kyle Monangai is struggling to get anything going. This team is not the same as when it was 4-0 and its season outlook is seriously concerning.
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