College Football

2024 Big Ten power rankings: Can Indiana turn league's power trio into a quartet?

Updated Oct. 21, 2024 10:02 a.m. ET

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Michael Cohen

College Football and College Basketball Writer

Things were relatively quiet atop the Big Ten this week as three of the top four teams in our Power Rankings sat idle. Ohio State and Penn State retained their positions as Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, while watching an impactful slate of games from home. And Oregon, which reached the top of the heap after upending Ohio State two weeks ago, wasted little time disposing of Purdue in a business-as-usual performance on Friday night.

Instead, the biggest result of the weekend belonged to No. 16 Indiana, a team that was unbeaten but largely untested through its first six games. A nationally televised visit from Nebraska, which claimed one of the stingier defenses in the country, was expected to be a legitimate test for the Hoosiers and first-year coach Curt Cignetti. But all Indiana did was pummel the Cornhuskers, 56-7, in a blowout that proved Cignetti's team is certainly for real.

[Related: RJ Young's College Football Top 25]

Elsewhere around the conference, Wisconsin secured a third straight win and UCLA earned its first Big Ten victory in program history. But Iowa, which had a fairly straightforward path toward being in contention for the College Football Playoff, slipped up at Michigan State.

Here's a fresh batch of Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 8:

1. Oregon (7-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten)

Result: 35-0 road win over Purdue

There was no letdown from the Ducks after an emotional win over then-No. 2 Ohio State two weekends ago. Oregon made one of its longest trips of the season to West Lafayette, Indiana, and smashed the Boilermakers for the program's first road shutout since 1992 — at which point current head coach Dan Lanning was only 6 years old. A defense that yielded 31 points and more than 450 yards of total offense to the Buckeyes turned in a smothering effort against Purdue. Oregon forced two turnovers and also stopped the Boilermakers three times on fourth down for what amounted to five total changes of possession. The Ducks only allowed 93 passing yards on 19 attempts to a quarterback in Ryan Browne who was making just the second start of his career. The disparity between Browne and veteran Dillon Gabriel was alarmingly clear as the latter completed 21 of 25 passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns. Tailback Jordan James found the end zone for a fifth consecutive game while carrying 10 times for 50 yards and two scores. Now, Lanning and his team will prepare for a huge home game against No. 20 Illinois later this week.

2. Ohio State (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

The Buckeyes defense had plenty of issues to address during the bye after surrendering 496 yards of total offense to then-No. 3 Oregon last week. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' unit failed to generate a takeaway, failed to sack quarterback Gabriel and only tallied two tackles for loss in a thoroughly deflating performance. But there is good news for Ohio State: The Nebraska offense it's preparing to face later this week turned the ball over five times, including three interceptions, during a lopsided loss to Indiana on Saturday.

3. Penn State (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

Penn State had an extra week to revel in its 33-30 overtime victory over USC that doubled as one of the program's more impressive road wins under head coach James Franklin. Now the Nittany Lions embark on a two-game stretch that is arguably the most difficult patch remaining on their schedule: a trip to Wisconsin on Saturday and a home game against No. 4 Ohio State the following weekend. Franklin has his team in an excellent position to make a run at the expanded College Football Playoff.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti shares excitement over Hoosiers' 7-0 start

4. Indiana (7-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten)

Result: 56-7 home win over Nebraska

In his on-field interview with FOX Sports shortly before kickoff on Saturday, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said the Hoosiers were going to play well on their biggest stage of the season against Nebraska, a team whose only loss came in overtime against then-No. 24 Illinois. And boy did they. Cignetti's team eviscerated the Cornhuskers for what finished as the most lopsided Big Ten win in program history to extend IU's best-ever start to a season. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who is fast becoming one of the best signal-callers in the country, operated with surgical precision while completing 17 of 21 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown en route to a 28-7 halftime lead. Even a minor hand injury to Rourke, who sat out the second half for what Cignetti described as precautionary reasons, wasn't enough to derail the Hoosiers. Backup Tayven Jackson finished 7-of-8 for 91 yards and two scores in relief duty amid a second half in which IU scored 28 unanswered points. The Hoosiers' defense forced Nebraska to commit five total turnovers, including three interceptions by true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola. Indiana isn't slated to play a ranked opponent until traveling to Ohio State on Nov. 23. 

5. Illinois (6-1 overall, 3-1 Big Ten)

Result: 21-7 home win over No. 24 Michigan

After nearly blowing a 24-point second-half lead against lowly Purdue last weekend, Illinois responded with a resounding victory against Michigan — a team it hadn't beaten since 2009 — by dominating the game in all three phases. On offense, quarterback Luke Altmyer turned in his sixth interception-free effort of the season and chipped in two total scores (one rushing, one passing). On defense, the Illini sacked Michigan quarterback Jack Tuttle five times and forced him to commit a pair of turnovers (one fumble, one interception), buttressing their harassment of Tuttle by limiting the Wolverines to just three yards per carry on 38 rushing attempts. And on special teams, where kicker David Olano made a pair of field goals while Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada missed for the first time all year, the Illini executed a beautiful fake punt that gained 36 yards and sparked a short touchdown run. Illinois travels to No. 2 Oregon later this week before a closing quartet against unranked teams: Minnesota and Michigan State at home; Rutgers and Northwestern on the road. 

6. Wisconsin (5-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten)

Result: 23-3 road win over Northwestern

When Wisconsin announced that tailback Chez Mellusi, the team's leading rusher, was stepping away from the program in early October to focus on getting "his body healthy," many assumed it was the latest death knell for a roster that already lost starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to a season-ending knee injury. But unearthing capable running backs has never been a problem for the Badgers, who seem to have found their next high-level rusher in Tawee Walker, an Oklahoma transfer. A week after carrying 24 times for a career-high 198 yards and three scores, Walker shouldered 23 carries for 126 yards in a dominant win over Northwestern. He and quarterback Braedyn Locke, who chipped in two total scores, helped the Badgers to a third consecutive win that elevated them to fifth place in the Big Ten standings. Wisconsin's defense has now allowed just 16 points in its last three games combined ahead of a critical date with No. 3 Penn State on Saturday.

7. Nebraska (5-2 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: 56-7 road loss to No. 16 Indiana 

Nebraska entered Saturday's high-profile matchup at Indiana as the only team in the country yet to allow a rushing touchdown in 2024. A defense coordinated by Tony White, whose stock was surging through the early part of the season, had given up 10 or fewer points in five of its first six games, with then-No. 24 Illinois the only team to cross that threshold. But the Cornhuskers thoroughly disintegrated on both sides of the ball against the Hoosiers in a dreadful performance that will invite plenty of questions about head coach Matt Rhule. The defense surrendered 215 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, plus two passing touchdowns to Indiana's backup quarterback. The offense turned the ball over five times courtesy of three interceptions by quarterback Dylan Raiola and two lost fumbles, one of which was also from Raiola. "I'm embarrassed about the job I did," Rhule said after the game. And that just about sums it up.

Highlights: Nebraska handled by Indiana

8. Minnesota (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

Minnesota eased into its bye week after scoring back-to-back wins over the league's Los Angeles contingent by upsetting then-No. 11 USC on Oct. 5 and coming from behind to beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl on Oct. 12. Any kind of run the Gophers might make in the second half of the season will be fueled by their defense, a unit which remains one of the best in the country under first-year coordinator Corey Hetherman, formerly of Rutgers. Hetherman's group entered the bye ranked seventh nationally in total defense (262.3 yards per game) and 14th in scoring defense (15.9 points per game). Minnesota hosts Maryland on Saturday.

9. Michigan State (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: 32-20 home win over Iowa

The Spartans entered their bye week having lost three straight games to Boston College (23-19), then-No. 3 Ohio State (38-7) and then-No. 6 Oregon (31-10) and were treading water under first-year coach Jonathan Smith, formerly of Oregon State. But Smith and his staff proved on Saturday night that they used the extra practice wisely and responded with an impressive home victory over Iowa. Kicker Jonathan Kim set a school record by making six field goals from distances of 42 yards, 43 yards, 36 yards, 29 yards, 55 yards and 46 yards to shoulder more than half of the scoring responsibility. His efforts were supported by a balanced showing from quarterback Aidan Chiles, who completed 22 of 30 passes for 256 yards, one touchdown, one interception and 11 carries for 51 yards on the ground. The Spartans ran for 212 yards as a team on 40 carries (5.3 yards per attempt) and had four players chip in at least one rush of 11-plus yards. Michigan State's defense, which has now climbed to 30th in the country against the pass by allowing just 192 yards per game, held Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara to a 47.8% completion rate and only 150 yards through the air.

10. Washington (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

On a weekend when Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa — three teams from the middle of the pack in the Big Ten — all lost in disheartening fashion, the Huskies climbed to eighth in the league standings while enjoying the carnage from home. Head coach Jedd Fisch's team has not strung together back-to-back wins since Aug. 31 against Weber State and Sept. 7 against Eastern Michigan, but the Huskies rank among the top 25 in the country for both total offense (23rd) and total defense (8th). A difficult back half of the schedule begins with a trip to No. 13 Indiana on Oct. 26. 

11. Iowa (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: 32-20 road loss to Michigan State

Things had been setting up beautifully for Iowa during the first season of an expanded Big Ten, as the Hawkeyes received a favorable schedule that didn't include the names Michigan, Penn State, Oregon and USC. Yes, the Hawkeyes had been pummeled by then-No. 3 Ohio State, 35-7, earlier this month, but the remainder of Iowa's slate did not include a single ranked opponent. All head coach Kirk Ferentz and his team had to do was keep beating teams from the congested middle of the Big Ten standings, and the College Football Playoff would have been within reach. Instead, Iowa traveled to Michigan State on Saturday night and endured a season-altering loss. The Hawkeyes were outgained 468 yards to 283 yards in total offense as star tailback Kaleb Johnson failed to reach the century mark for only the second time this year. A passing offense led by quarterback Cade McNamara has now slipped to 128th in the country (136.9 yards per game).

12. Michigan (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: 21-7 road loss to No. 22 Illinois

Even with an extra week to prepare following a disappointing loss at Washington earlier this month, the first start for quarterback Jack Tuttle — a seventh-year senior who had relieved fellow signal-caller Alex Orji against the Huskies — left plenty to be desired in a hapless defeat to Illinois. Tuttle completed 20 of 32 passes for 208 yards but missed a handful of wide-open receivers and turned the ball over twice (one interception, one fumble) to hamstring the Wolverines. Maligned tailback Donovan Edwards also lost a fumble and was briefly benched in favor of third-string runner Benjamin Hall as Michigan finished minus-3 in the turnover battle. The misery extended to the defensive side of the ball, too, with Michigan failing to create a takeaway and only sacking quarterback Luke Altmyer once. Star cornerback Will Johnson also exited with an ankle injury. Head coach Sherrone Moore and his staff must regroup ahead of the rivalry game with Michigan State on Saturday.

13. Maryland (4-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten)

Result: 29-28 home win over USC

Head coach Mike Locksley's team trailed 28-14 early in the fourth quarter before roaring back to secure an impressive victory that snapped a two-game losing streak. Maryland put together a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to pull within six after quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. connected with wideout Kaden Prather for a successful 2-point conversion with 9:56 remaining. Then the Terrapins blocked what might have been a game-sealing field goal for USC and responded with a five-play, 47-yard scoring drive that ended with a short run by Edwards in the final minute. Edwards played arguably his best game as Maryland's starter by completing 39 of 50 passes for 373 yards, three total touchdowns and one interception. The Terrapins travel to Minnesota on Saturday.

14. Rutgers (4-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) 

Result: 35-32 home loss to UCLA

After back-to-back games in which he failed to top 100 yards, star tailback Kyle Monangai responded with an excellent performance by rushing 19 times for 106 yards and three scores. Embattled quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, the former Minnesota transfer, threw for a season-high 287 yards and only committed one turnover. So what happened to the Scarlet Knights? A defense that had carried Rutgers for much of the season continued to regress by allowing at least 35 points for a second consecutive week. Head coach Greg Schiano's team gave up 478 yards of total offense, including an unsightly 383 through the air, to a team that hadn't exceeded 20 points all year. Now the Scarlet Knights travel to USC on a short week for a Friday night kickoff.

15. USC (3-4 overall, 1-4 Big Ten)

Result: 29-28 road loss to Maryland

USC remains one of the most confounding teams in the country after it suffered yet another backbreaking defeat, this time to a struggling Maryland squad. Head coach Lincoln Riley's team led by 14 points early in the fourth quarter before a defensive implosion and special teams gaffe doomed the Trojans to a fourth loss in their last five games. That USC has lost four games by a combined 14 points and held a second-half lead in each of its four defeats speaks to just how maddening the season has been. Quarterback Miller Moss has thrown at least one interception in five consecutive games. Things are bleak for the Trojans.

Maryland Terrapin fans STORM the field after upset of USC

16. UCLA (2-5 overall, 1-4 Big Ten)

Result: 35-32 road win over Rutgers

The Bruins finally earned their first Big Ten victory thanks to an impressive offensive explosion against Rutgers in which they scored a season-high 35 points and never trailed. Quarterback Ethan Garbers, who had tossed five interceptions in the previous two games, turned in an electric performance by completing 32 of 38 passes for a career-high 383 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. He also added a 49-yard rushing touchdown late in the first half to give the Bruins a 14-7 lead. UCLA converted eight of 14 times on third and fourth down combined to finish with a nine-minute advantage in time of possession.

17. Northwestern (3-4 overall, 1-3 Big Ten)

Result: 23-3 home loss to Wisconsin

With the exception of a comprehensive win over Maryland on Oct. 11, the Wildcats have been blown out by three of their last four Big Ten opponents amid a tumble toward the bottom of the league standings. The trio of Washington, Indiana and Wisconsin outscored Northwestern by a combined margin of 88-32 in what was supposed to be the more reasonable portion of this year's schedule. The offense only managed 209 total yards against the Badgers, including just 82 through the air, and has now slipped into a tie for 119th nationally in scoring. Head coach David Braun and his team still have to face Iowa, No. 4 Ohio State, Michigan and No. 20 Illinois in what is looking like a very difficult closing stretch for the Wildcats.

Northwestern falls to Maryland

18. Purdue (1-6 overall, 0-4 Big Ten)

Result: 35-0 home loss to No. 2 Oregon

Things are beginning to spiral out of control for second-year head coach Ryan Walters, whose record dipped to 5-14 overall and just 3-10 in the Big Ten. A shutout loss to Oregon was the latest in a line of embarrassing defeats for Purdue following a season-opening win over Indiana State. Walters already fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell and assumed the play-calling duties himself — an unusual move considering Walters is a defensive coach and has never called offensive plays — but the Boilermakers still only passed for 93 yards and gave the ball away five times against the Ducks (two turnovers, three turnovers on downs). Three players from Purdue's 2025 recruiting class have decommitted in the last three weeks alone. And the Boilermakers still have to play Ohio State, Penn State and Indiana.

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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Michael Cohen