Big Ten Top Ten: Conference's football teams ranked ahead of Week 9 action
Week nine of college football means week three of my Big Ten Top Ten Power Rankings. Bye weeks from No. 4 Ohio State and No. 3 Penn State keep the list mostly unchanged, but there is a new addition at the ten-spot.
No. 1 - Oregon (7-0, 4-0)
Last Week (LW): @ Purdue W 35-0
Next Week (NW): vs Illinois
No. 1 Oregon sits at the top of both my list and the AP Poll. The Ducks did exactly what they needed to do against Purdue, just one week after the Boilermakers fell 50-49 to then-No. 23 Illinois. Since Oregon blew out Purdue, it will be interesting to see what it does against the Fighting Illini this weekend.
No. 2 - Ohio State (5-1,2-1)
LW: BYE
NW: vs Nebraska
Ohio State may be below Penn State in the AP Poll, but I know college football. The Buckeyes exit the bye with a chance to bounce back against Nebraska after their tough loss to then-No. 3 Oregon.
No. 3 - Penn State (6-0, 3-0)
LW: BYE
NW: @ Wisconsin
No. 3 Penn State's ranking on my list and the AP Poll remains unchanged after its bye week. The team has a potentially dangerous matchup on the road this week against a hot Wisconsin squad.
No. 4 - Indiana (7-0, 4-0)
LW: vs Nebraska W 56-7
NW: vs Washington
Much to Rutgers fans' dismay, No. 13 Indiana is legit. The Hoosiers paved over Nebraska's corn fields en route to a 49-point dismantling last week at home. The win did come at a cost, though, as quarterback Kurtis Rourke exited the game early with a hand injury. The chief of Indiana's offense has been ruled out for the upcoming game against Washington, with his timetable to return uncertain.
No. 5 - Illinois (6-1, 3-1)
LW: vs Michigan W 21-7
NW: @ Oregon
The No. 22 Fighting Illini picked up a massive win against Michigan this past weekend, giving them their second notable win after beating a ranked Nebraska team in week four. Illinois is beginning to prove it deserves its ranking, but how it does against the top team in the country will provide some much-needed answers on how legitimate this team truly is.
No. 6 - Michigan (4-3, 2-2)
LW: @ Illinois L 21-7
NW: vs Michigan State
Michigan jumps to number six in the rankings despite the loss. The Wolverines slipped out of the top 25 this week after losing back-to-back games for the first time since 2020. But, if Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji, Davis Warren and company can pick up the favorable win against MSU, they could return to the top 25 as soon as next week.
No. 7 - USC (3-4, 1-4)
LW: @ Maryland L 29-28
NW: vs Rutgers
Chalk this one up as another highly confusing USC loss in 2024. The Trojans have entered the fourth quarter with the lead in their past three losses, further solidifying that this team is prone to breaking down late. USC should squeak out a win this week against a Rutgers team, which is also on a three-game skid. As always in college football, though, nothing is guaranteed.
No. 8 - Washington (4-3, 2-2)
LW: BYE
NW: @ Indiana
Washington should be nice and rested as it prepares to face squeaky-clean Indiana. The bye could not have come at a better time: After the Huskies travel to Bloomington, Indiana, they'll have to take on USC, Penn State, UCLA and Oregon to close out the season.
No. 9 - Nebraska (5-2, 2-2)
LW: @ Indiana L 56-7
NW: @ Ohio State
Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola was bullied by the Hoosier defense this week, as he threw for three picks in a 56-7 road loss. Nebraska may be 5-2, but its days of beating up on lesser programs are behind it. I don't believe the Cornhuskers will get back into the top 25 again this season, and I see them dropping 3 of their last 5 to finish 7-5 after starting 4-0.
No. 10 - Wisconsin (5-2, 3-1)
LW: @ Northwestern W 23-3
NW: vs Penn State
Chaining together two impressive Big Ten wins, Wisconsin sneaks onto the backend of the list. The Badgers stunned Rutgers in Piscataway two weeks ago with a score of 42-7, then traveled to Evanston, Illinois, to win their third conference game of the year. Quarterback Braedyn Locke fell back down to earth this week but continues to do a solid job in place of Tyler Van Dyke. Wisconsin only has losses to Alabama and USC, but don't be surprised if this team can keep it close against No. 3 Penn State next week.
Rutgers sidenote (L vs UCLA 35-32): I am truly at a loss for words about what occurred at SHI Stadium on Busch campus last week. UCLA was by far the worst offense in the Big Ten in terms of points per game and yards per game. The defense (albeit injury-riddled) allowed quarterback Ethan Garbers and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to hang 35 on them. It's difficult to imagine the Scarlet Knights back on this list anytime soon, much less this season.
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