Big Ten Top Ten: Conference's football teams ranked ahead of Week 14 action
Boy, it sure does feel good to be right. It's Week 14 of college football, and I'm back with another week of my rankings. Once again, there were a lot of shake-ups toward the bottom of the list and a couple of close calls near the top. Below are the Big Ten's top ten teams heading into the penultimate week.
– No. 1 - Oregon (11-0, 8-0)
Last week: BYE
Next week: vs Washington
The slumbering giants wake up from their one-week hibernation with a chance to finish undefeated after a home matchup against Washington. Oregon has been ranked number one since week nine, and with the National Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, it's safe to say the Ducks will be flying south for the winter.
– No. 2 - Ohio State (10-1, 7-1)
LW: vs Indiana W 38-15
NW: vs Michigan
Another week, another Ohio State game I was correct about. I didn't think Indiana stood a chance against the Buckeyes, and that fact was proven by a 38-15 beatdown on Saturday. The story of the day was (in my opinion) the best defense in the country holding the Hoosiers to just 68 yards through the air and 85 on the ground. No. 2 Ohio State now prepares for "The Game" against the reigning national champs, who are coming fresh off a 44-point win.
– No. 3 - Penn State (10-1, 7-1)
LW: @ Minnesota W 26-25
NW: vs Maryland
Penn State decided to keep things interesting as it just barely escaped Minneapolis, Minnesota, with a win. I had my concerns with the Nittany Lions going into this game, and I don't think they will truly be tested until the playoffs. I sound like a broken record, but tight end Tyler Warren had another phenomenal week, racking up 102 yards through the air on eight catches. No. 4 Penn State should have an easy week at home against Maryland before it focuses its attention on the postseason.
– No. 4 - Indiana (10-1, 7-1)
LW: @ Ohio State L 38-15
NW: vs Purdue
As I mentioned before, No. 10 Indiana suffered its first loss of the season in Columbus, Ohio. The Hoosiers were outmatched in all three phases and crumbled against the toughest opponent they've faced this season. I was skeptical of this team after scraping by Michigan with a score of 20-15, and I don't think this team has what it takes to pick up a win in the postseason. An easy matchup against Purdue should see Indiana finish 11-1.
– No. 5 - Illinois (8-3, 5-3)
LW: @ Rutgers W 38-31
NW: @ Northwestern
It was a soul-crushing weekend for Rutgers fans, and it started when Illinois converted a 4th and 13 for a game-winning touchdown on the Banks. The Fighting Illini caught a lucky break when Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano called a timeout to "ice" kicker David Olano on what would've been a 58-yard try into gusting winds. The kick went up and was nowhere near the uprights, which prompted Luke Altmyer and company to jog back out for the game-winner instead of giving Olano another try.
No. 22 Illinois struggled much more than I thought against a hot team, and I believe its ranking is slightly inflated with no significant wins on its schedule. An easy week against Northwestern tees the Fighting Illini up for their bowl game next month.
– No. 6 - Minnesota (6-5, 4-4)
LW: vs Penn State L 26-25
NW: @ Wisconsin
Despite the loss, Minnesota has been playing great football the past couple of weeks. The Golden Gophers took the fourth-best team in the country down to the wire but couldn’t stop any of the Lions' fourth-down attempts to ice the game. Minnesota may have lost its past two, but I believe it can crush its bowl opponent next month. A regular-season finale against Wisconsin on the road should validate my optimism for the Gophers.
– No. 7 - Michigan (6-5, 4-4)
LW: vs Northwestern W 50-6
NW: @ Ohio State
Middling Michigan continues its average season by beating up Northwestern 50-6. The Wolverines have a history of beating bad opponents and losing to good ones. That's all there is to it. Michigan drops despite the win because I am positive Minnesota would win if the two teams had a rematch. The Wolverines will lose The Game against the Buckeyes this weekend.
– No. 8 - Iowa (7-4, 5-3)
LW: @ Maryland W 29-13
NW: vs Nebraska
Iowa handled business in College Park, Maryland, as its sneaky 7-4 record puts it at sixth in the Big Ten. Running back Kaleb Johnson has played a large role in that and is now just eight rushing yards short of 1,500 on the season. Next week's matchup against Nebraska will be huge in determining the final rankings of the Big Ten to end the season.
– No. 9 - Rutgers (6-5, 3-5)
LW: vs Illinois L 38-31
NW: @ Michigan State
It was a tough loss to stomach for Scarlet Knights fans as they fell 38-31 to Illinois. Ever since the team lost to the Badgers, Rutgers has put up 20 or more points in every game. The offense, led by senior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, has taken a noticeable leap, yet the defense, unfortunately, can not say the same. Altmyer picked the secondary apart, and it all culminated in the late go-ahead touchdown play. If the Knights can shore up the defense just enough, this team can win in East Lansing, Michigan, by multiple scores.
– No. 10 - Nebraska (6-5, 3-5)
LW: vs Wisconsin W 44-25
NW: @ Iowa
It was a toss-up between Nebraska and Washington for the tenth spot on the list, but I gave the edge to the Cornhuskers for beating the tougher opponent. Nebraska snapped its four-game losing streak with a win against Wisconsin and punched its ticket to a bowl game next month. The Cornhuskers had four touchdowns on the ground and ran for 185 yards, while quarterback Dylan Raiola played his best game this month, going 28/38 for 293 yards and a touchdown. As mentioned before, the matchup against Iowa this week will tell me a lot about where these two teams rank in the conference.
For more updates on the Rutgers football team, follow @TargumSports on X.
To view more of Philip Jaccoma's work, follow @PJaccoma on X.
