College Football

2024 Big Ten power rankings: Penn State, Michigan on the rise

Updated Sep. 23, 2024 10:13 a.m. ET

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Michael Cohen

College Football and College Basketball Writer

A thrilling overtime classic between No. 22 Nebraska and No. 24 Illinois gave way to a thrilling showdown between two of the biggest and most prestigious brands in college football as No. 11 USC and No. 18 Michigan battled in a game that came down to the final seconds. These were the kinds of nationally televised showdowns the Big Ten envisioned on its years-long path toward becoming one of the preeminent conferences in the country.

Elsewhere across the Big Ten, it was business as usual for Ohio State and Penn State, both of whom scored seismic blowouts against opponents from outside the Power 4 conferences. They remain the two best teams in the league at the quarter mark of this year's regular season.

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

Here's our latest edition of the Big Ten Power Rankings: 

1. Ohio State (3-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten)

Result: 49-14 home win over Marshall

A game that was tied after one quarter quickly transformed into a blowout as the balanced Ohio State offense found its footing. Tailback Quinshon Judkins rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries, including an 86-yard score that helped break the game open. His backfield partner, TreVeyon Henderson, was similarly explosive by averaging 12.7 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns on six attempts. As a team, the Buckeyes churned out 280 yards and five scores on the ground in support of quarterback Will Howard, who completed 16 of 20 passes for 275 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Wide receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith both finished with at least 70 receiving yards and a score. Ohio State's defense, which struggled to pressure the opposing quarterback at times, held Marshall without a point in the second half and surrendered a meager 2.9 yards per carry on 43 rushes by the Thundering Herd. Conference play begins next week when the Buckeyes travel to Michigan State. 

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

Result: 56-0 home win over Kent State

One week after Kent State was obliterated by then-No. 7 Tennessee, 71-0, the Golden Flashes were eviscerated once again by another Power 4 opponent in blistering — and devastating — fashion. Down to its third-string quarterback after the top two signal-callers suffered serious injuries in the first half, Kent State proved no match for a Penn State team that bounced back emphatically from a dodgy win over Bowling Green. The Nittany Lions set a new school record by racking up 718 yards of total offense to eclipse a mark that had held firm since rumbling for 707 yards against Susquehanna in 1926. Quarterback Drew Allar completed 17 of 21 passes for 309 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while a ground game led by Nicholas Singleton (11 carries, 81 yards) and Kaytron Allen (11 carries, 66 yards) rumbled for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns overall. Penn State's defense yielded just 67 yards of total offense and only allowed one third-down conversion on 11 attempts. The Nittany Lions host undefeated Illinois next weekend. 

Highlights: Penn State routs Kent State

3. Oregon (2-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) 

Result: Idle

The Ducks enjoyed an off week following their most dominant victory of the season over Oregon State. Now they'll travel to UCLA to begin Big Ten play on Sept. 28. 

4. Michigan (2-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten)

Result: 27-24 home win over No. 11 USC

Some of the victories that head coach Sherrone Moore earned while filling in for the suspended Jim Harbaugh last season will certainly go down as more important for a team that capped its campaign with the school's first national championship since 1997. But an argument can be made that Saturday's triumph over No. 11 USC might have been Moore's most impressive moment given the circumstances. The Wolverines were without their best offensive player in tight end Colston Loveland, who missed the game with a shoulder injury, and started a new quarterback in Alex Orji who only threw for 32 yards and appeared largely incapable of completing passes downfield. Instead, Michigan leaned on its identity as a dominant line-of-scrimmage team and defeated the Trojans with the combination of a pounding rushing attack and unrelenting pressure on quarterback Miller Moss (28-of-51 for 283 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT). Tailback Kalel Mullings was borderline heroic with 17 carries for 159 yards and two scores, including the game-winning touchdown with 37 seconds remaining. The defense racked up eight tackles for loss, four sacks and enjoyed a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown by star cornerback Will Johnson, the third of his career.

5. Illinois (4-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten)

Result: 31-24 OT road win over No. 22 Nebraska

A terrific football game between two ascending programs in the Big Ten needed overtime to find a winner during the 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium in Nebraska. Tailback Kaden Feagin ripped off a 21-yard carry on Illinois' first snap in the extra session to set up a short touchdown throw by quarterback Luke Altmyer, who played his best game of the season against one of the nation's stingiest defenses by completing 21 of 27 passes for 215 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. A resurgent Illinois defense coordinated by Aaron Henry, who was coaching through the emotional pain of losing his younger sister earlier in the week, rose to the occasion in the fourth quarter and overtime by not allowing a point in the final two periods. The Illini sacked quarterback Dylan Raiola three times on the Cornhuskers' ill-fated overtime possession to push Nebraska's offense backward beyond midfield. It's the program's first 4-0 start since the 2011 campaign that ended with former head coach Ron Zook being fired in late November.

6. USC (2-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten)

Result: 27-24 road loss to No. 18 Michigan

It was somewhat fitting that USC's first conference game as a member of the Big Ten featured a road trip to the largest stadium in the country for a matchup with Michigan, the defending national champion and foremost ambassador of the league's mauling reputation. For fans who were curious about whether the Trojans could hang against the ruggedly run-first programs from the Midwest, the slugfest at Michigan Stadium certainly delivered. With a renewed emphasis on toughness that has been instilled by head coach Lincoln Riley and first-year defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, the visitors acquitted themselves well in a game that came down to the final minutes. USC limited Michigan to just 32 passing yards and zero first downs through the air, but the run defense faded on what proved to be the deciding drive. Some questionable clock management by Riley afforded the Wolverines more time than they should have had to march 89 yards on 10 plays and barrel into the end zone for the winning score. 

 7. Nebraska (3-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten)

Result: 31-24 OT home loss to No. 24 Illinois

Up until the end — the bitter, backbreaking, blasphemous end — so much about Nebraska's performance against Illinois felt different from the Cornhuskers' performances of old. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola, one of the fastest-rising stars in college football, completed 24 of 35 passes for 297 yards and three scores courtesy of one highlight-reel throw after another, his talent unlike anything the program has enjoyed in years. The defense forced two fumbles that helped Nebraska actually win the turnover battle after finishing minus-17 in that category last season, which was tied for 132nd nationally out of 133 FBS teams. But then came the ever-familiar ending: a single-digit defeat to a ranked opponent when an overtime drive went backward rather than forward, with Raiola sacked three times in the extra session alone. The end result was the Cornhuskers' 25th consecutive loss to a ranked opponent. Nebraska is now 3-18 in one-possession games dating to 2021.

Illinois edges Nebraska in a thriller

8. Iowa (3-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) 

Result: 31-14 road win over Minnesota

In some respects, not much about this Iowa team has changed since last year's offensive debacle under former coordinator Brian Ferentz, the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz. Through four games, the Hawkeyes still rank 122nd in passing offense under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, the former Western Michigan head coach, and still only have one receiver who has topped 100 yards overall in Jacob Gill, a transfer from Northwestern who is already enjoying the best season of his career. But Iowa has made considerable improvements in scoring offense (tied for 52nd nationally) and rushing offense (11th) thanks in large part to a veteran offense line and star tailback Kaleb Johnson, whose 685 rushing yards lead the nation and whose nine rushing touchdowns are tied for second. Johnson rumbled for a career-high 206 yards and three scores to fuel Iowa's impressive road win against Minnesota on Saturday.

9. Washington (3-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten)

Result: 24-5 home win over Northwestern 

Even after a coaching change in which Kalen DeBoer left for Alabama and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb joined the Seattle Seahawks, and even after the likes of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and wideouts Rome Odunze and Ja'Lynn Polk departed for the NFL, it's still somewhat jarring to see a Washington team anchored by defense rather than a high-flying aerial attack. But that stats through four games don't lie: The Huskies are ranked 11th nationally in total defense at 237.5 yards per game and tied for 11th nationally in scoring defense at 10.3 points per game, with only one opponent having reached double-figures against them this season. The defensive effort against Northwestern on Saturday was smothering in every way imaginable. Washington limited the Wildcats to just 112 yards of total offense, including a measly 53 through the air, and stopped Northwestern 11 times on 13 third-down attempts. Head coach Jedd Fisch described the performance as "extraordinary."

Washington shuts down Northwestern

10. Indiana (4-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten)

Result: 52-14 home win over Charlotte 

Another week, another lopsided win for first-year head coach Curt Cignetti against an overmatched opponent. It's impossible to tell how good the revamped Hoosiers really are after they've beaten up on Florida International (31-7), Western Illinois (77-3), UCLA (42-13) and now Charlotte, a team that was picked to finish 13th in the American Athletic Conference. But the offensive statistics are impressive nonetheless: Indiana now ranks 11th nationally in total offense (513.8 yards per game), fifth in scoring offense (50.5 points per game) and third in third-down conversion rate (58.5%). Quarterback Kurtis Rourke, a transfer from Ohio, continues to play exceptionally well in his first season with the Hoosiers. Rourke completed 16 of 20 passes for 258 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions against Charlotte, his fourth consecutive game without throwing an INT. As of now, the Hoosiers won't face a ranked opponent until hosting they host Michigan on Nov. 9. The favorable schedule continues.

11. Rutgers (3-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten) 

Result: 26-23 road win over Virginia Tech

A 24-yard field goal from kicker Jai Patel with 1:56 remaining saved the Scarlet Knights from an embarrassing defeat after they entered the fourth quarter with a 16-point lead. Back-to-back touchdowns and successful 2-point conversions from Virginia Tech in the opening 10 minutes of the fourth quarter erased Rutgers' advantage and threatened head coach Greg Schiano's run of nine consecutive non-conference wins, a streak that now stands at 10. The game-winning drive covered 68 yards in five plays, one of which was a perfectly executed screen pass that gained 63 to push the Scarlet Knights into field goal range. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for a season-high 269 yards on a day when Rutgers' vaunted rushing attack was limited to just 2.9 yards per carry on 52 attempts.

12. Michigan State (3-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten)

Result: 23-19 road loss to Boston College

Michigan State nosed in front, 19-16, on a 27-yard field goal from kicker Jonathan Kim with 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter for what would have been an impressive road victory over a much-improved Boston College team. But the Spartans' defense promptly crumbled as the Eagles mounted a six-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 42-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Thomas Castellanos to wide receiver Lewis Bond with 88 seconds left. Michigan State lost the turnover battle 4-1 courtesy of three interceptions from quarterback Aidan Chiles, who's now tossed seven INTs in four games, and a lost fumble by tailback Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams. The Spartans now rank tied for 119th in turnover margin at minus-five.

13. Maryland (3-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten)

Result: 38-20 home win over Villanova

This was a comfortable win for the Terrapins in which they built a 17-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, a 24-0 lead by halftime and were never threatened by an FCS opponent. Maryland outgained Villanova 497-231 in total yards as star wide receiver Tai Felton caught 14 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown. Felton now ranks second nationally in receptions with 41, third nationally in receiving yards with 604 and tied for fourth nationally in receiving touchdowns with five. The Terrapins converted eight of 11 times on third and fourth down combined against the Wildcats. 

14. Wisconsin (2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

The Badgers had a week to lick their wounds following the blowout loss to then-No. 4 Alabama in which starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke suffered a season-ending knee injury. It will be former Mississippi State transfer Braedyn Locke who leads Wisconsin into a difficult road game against No. 13 USC on Saturday. 

15. Minnesota (2-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten)

Result: 31-14 home loss to Iowa

After back-to-back impressive defensive efforts in shutout victories over Rhode Island (48-0) and Nevada (27-0), the Gophers wilted in the second half against a relentless Iowa rushing attack. Minnesota allowed 24 unanswered points to a team that became almost entirely one dimensional as Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara completed just 11 passes for 62 yards and no touchdowns. Instead, the Gophers were gashed by the tailback combination of Kaleb Johnson (21 carries, 206 yards, 3 TDs) and Jaziun Patterson (18 carries, 66 yards) while surrendering six yards per carry overall. When Minnesota itself proved unable to run the ball — 21 carries for 79 yards as a team — the offense was entrusted to quarterback Max Brosmer, who attempted a season-high 37 passes but also threw a season-high two interceptions.

16. Northwestern (2-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten)

Result: 24-5 road loss at Washington

After a long flight to Seattle, the Wildcats turned in an embarrassing showing during their Big Ten opener in which they failed to find the end zone, only converted twice on third down and were limited to 112 yards of total offense. Quarterback Jack Lausch, who began the season as Northwestern's backup but was elevated to the starting role after veteran Mike Wright struggled in the opening two games, only completed eight of 27 passes (29.6%) for 53 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. The knockout punch came when Washington stuffed Northwestern at the goal line in the fourth quarter to force a turnover on downs.

17. UCLA (1-2 overall, 0-1 Big Ten)

Result: 34-17 road loss to No. 16 LSU

UCLA led 10-7 at the end of the first quarter and tied the game shortly before halftime on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ethan Garbers to wideout Logan Loya, but the second half belonged to LSU. The Tigers scored 17 unanswered points to pull away for a relatively comfortable win in which they outgained the Bruins by more than 150 total yards and won the turnover battle 2-0. UCLA's schedule doesn't get any easier with consecutive games against No. 8 Oregon and No. 9 Penn State in the next two weeks.

18. Purdue (1-2 overall, 0-0 Big Ten)

Result: 38-21 road loss to Oregon State

Purdue fell behind 14-0 less than a minute into the second quarter and trailed 24-7 at the end of the third in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Quarterback Hudson Card completed just seven of 17 passes for 56 yards, one touchdown and one interception as the Boilermakers sunk to 110th nationally in passing offense. The run defense showed almost no improvement after being gashed by Notre Dame for 362 yards and six scores last week, this time surrendering 341 yards and four scores against the Beavers. 

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