College Football

Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State still on top, Michigan State tumbles

Updated Oct. 31, 2022 6:41 p.m. ET

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Michael Cohen

College Football and College Basketball Writer

As the last weekend of October came and went, three primary storylines emerged from Saturday’s slate of Big Ten games.   

First came Ohio State’s thrilling come-from-behind win over Penn State in which defense kept the Buckeyes afloat until quarterback C.J. Stroud sprung to life in the fourth quarter.

Then came Illinois’ impressive 26-9 win at Nebraska that proved head coach Bret Bielema’s team can enter one of the toughest road environments in the Big Ten and impose its will on a subpar opponent.

And finally came the nightcap at Michigan Stadium, where No. 4 Michigan rolled to a 22-point win over Michigan State that was marred by horrible scenes of postgame violence from the Spartans.

Ohio State rallies past Penn State

RJ Young reacts to Ohio State's victory against Penn State and explains why J.T. Tuimoloau was so dominant.

Here are our Big Ten power rankings ahead of Week 10:

1. Ohio State

Record: 8-0, 5-0 Big Ten 
Last week: 44-31 win vs. Penn State
Up next: at Northwestern
Previous ranking: 1

The Buckeyes trailed 21-16 in the fourth quarter of what will likely be their stiffest test before hosting Michigan in the regular season finale. For the second consecutive week, head coach Ryan Day’s offense began slowly by scoring just a single touchdown in its first nine possessions. Traditional runs with tailbacks TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams, who left the game with an injury and did not return, proved futile along with the bubble screens Day described as an extension of the running game. But an OSU defense that forced six turnovers in last week’s win over Iowa forced four more against Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford (three interceptions, one lost fumble) and transformed one of them into a defensive score. The steady flow of takeaways afforded the Buckeyes favorable field position for much of the afternoon, and eventually, Stroud kicked into gear. The offense scored three touchdowns in the span of six minutes during the fourth quarter to turn a close game into a blowout. 

2. Michigan

Record: 8-0, 5-0 Big Ten
Last week: 29-7 win vs. Michigan State
Up next: at Rutgers
Previous ranking: 2

The scenes people will remember from Saturday’s rendition of the heated in-state rivalry come from video footage captured in the Michigan Stadium tunnel. Cell phone cameras recorded the vicious beating of U-M defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows by a handful of Michigan State players in a frightening display. Head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters two of his players were assaulted, though the identity of the second player wasn’t immediately revealed. Athletic directors from both schools communicated with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and local law enforcement on Michigan’s campus, and four players ended up suspended. The images overshadowed a dominant performance from the Wolverines in which tailback Blake Corum ran for 177 yards and a touchdown — he also caught a 2-yard touchdown pass — and the Spartans were limited to just 11 first downs. Harbaugh and his run-heavy offense more than doubled Michigan State’s time of possession. After two years in East Lansing, the Paul Bunyan Trophy returned to Ann Arbor.  

3. Illinois

Record: 7-1, 4-1 Big Ten
Last week: 26-9 win at Nebraska
Up next: vs. Michigan State
Previous ranking: 3 

Head coach Bret Bielema’s squad trailed for fewer than four minutes of an emphatic win over Nebraska in which the Illini scored the final 20 points of the game. Tailback Chase Brown remains one of the best stories in college football after rushing for 149 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries — his third consecutive game with at least 30 attempts. Offensive coordinator Barry Luney Jr. continues to marry Brown’s toughness with remarkable efficiency from transfer quarterback Tommy DeVito, who completed 20 of 22 passes for 179 yards and two scores highlighted by the 46-yard touchdown to wideout Isaiah Williams. A defense that ranks among the best in the country limited the Cornhuskers to 248 yards of offense, nine first downs and a pair of third-down conversions on 12 attempts. The loss to Indiana in Week 2 remains the only game in which the Illini have allowed more than 14 points this season. With home games against Michigan State and Purdue in the next two weeks, it’s difficult to see Illinois stumbling before its date with undefeated Michigan in Ann Arbor on Nov. 19.  

4. Penn State

Record: 6-2, 3-2 Big Ten
Last week: 44-31 loss to No. 2 Ohio State
Up next: at Indiana
Previous ranking: 4 

How quickly the outlook for Penn State’s season changed Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions overcame interceptions from Clifford on each of their first two possessions to take a 21-16 lead over the Buckeyes with 9:26 remaining in the fourth quarter. Had head coach James Franklin’s team secured the win, Penn State would have remained alive and well in the Big Ten East race. Instead, Clifford turned the ball over twice in the final eight minutes and a defense that stood tall against Stroud and his arsenal of receivers finally crumbled. The Buckeyes reeled off 28 points in the final 8:51 to snap out of another offensive funk and remind fans why many people view them as the best team in college football. For Penn State, the remaining schedule includes nothing but winnable games against Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers and Michigan State, which means a 10-2 record is firmly on the table. But how much is that record really worth if 10-2 still equates to the third-best team in the division?  

5. Maryland

Record: 6-2, 3-2 Big Ten
Last week: Idle
Up next: at Indiana
Previous ranking: 5

Fourth-year head coach Mike Locksley continues to impress with his rebuild of a Maryland program that won five games in his first two seasons combined. The Terrapins have scored conference wins over Michigan State (27-13), Indiana (38-33) and Northwestern (31-24) to draw level with Penn State in the Big Ten East standings. Their only conference losses to Michigan and Purdue came by seven points and two points, respectively. Nobody else has come within 13 points of the Wolverines this season. The bye week came at a wonderful time given the knee injury to star quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who was unavailable for the win over Northwestern on Oct. 22 in College Park. The next few games will shed light on whether Locksley’s team is for real with back-to-back trips to Wisconsin and Penn State before a home date with No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 19. The Terrapins close by hosting Rutgers and will expect to finish the regular season with at least seven wins for just the second time since 2014. 

6. Purdue

Record: 5-3, 3-2 Big Ten
Last week: Idle
Up next: vs. Iowa
Previous ranking: 6

The Boilermakers had a week to stew following a disappointing 35-24 loss to Wisconsin during which they were boat-raced in the first quarter and never recovered. That defeat dropped head coach Jeff Brohm’s crew a loss behind Illinois in the Big Ten West standings with four games remaining, though those two teams face each other in Champaign on Nov. 12. But before that pivotal clash, Purdue must contend with an Iowa team that snapped a three-game losing streak by scoring a season-high 33 points in something of a get-right performance against lowly Northwestern. The Hawkeyes gained 178 rushing yards on 5.1 yards per carry and will test a Purdue run defense ranked 20th nationally (111.3 yards per game). On the other side of the ball, Purdue wideout Charlie Jones ranks second nationally in receptions (72) and sixth in receiving yards (840) to present a fascinating challenge for Iowa’s elite cornerback tandem of Riley Moss and Cooper DeJean. The Boilermakers can’t get caught looking ahead to the date with Illinois.

7. Minnesota

Record: 5-3, 2-3 Big Ten
Last week: 31-0 win vs. Rutgers
Up next: at Nebraska
Previous ranking: 8

The Golden Gophers enjoyed a tremendous bounce-back performance against Rutgers after surrendering 45 points and 479 yards in last week’s season-altering loss to Penn State. Minnesota’s defense smothered the Scarlet Knights by holding them under 90 passing yards, under 50 rushing yards and forcing three turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble recovered). For Rutgers, the longest offensive play of the game was an 18-yard completion to wide receiver Sean Ryan. The return of sixth-year quarterback Tanner Morgan from a concussion offered an emotional boost for head coach P.J. Fleck’s offense. Morgan was steady if unremarkable by completing 66% of his passes for 122 yards on an afternoon when rugged tailback Mohamed Ibrahim starred with 36 carries, 159 yards and three touchdowns. Ibrahim is now tied for third nationally with 13 rushing touchdowns and ninth in rushing yards with 955. He’s topped 100 yards in every game this season and has 16 consecutive 100-yard games dating to 2019.  

Mohamed Ibrahim rushes for TD

Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim runs for a short touchdown against Rutgers on Saturday.

8. Wisconsin

Record: 4-4, 2-3 Big Ten
Last week: Idle
Up next: vs. Maryland
Previous ranking: 7

Wisconsin’s flicker of hope in the pursuit of a Big Ten West title is all but extinguished following Illinois’ win over Nebraska on Saturday. But there remains plenty to play for in Madison, where interim head coach Jim Leonhard continues his audition for the full-time role and players must decide if staying at Wisconsin trumps beginning anew via the transfer portal. The Badgers won’t face another ranked opponent this season and will like their chances to compile a strong finish against Maryland, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. Sophomore tailback Braelon Allen is rounding into form with three consecutive 100-yard outings against Purdue (113 yards, one TD), Michigan State (123 yards, two TDs) and Northwestern (135 yards). His season average of 108.8 yards per game ranks 14th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten behind Illinois’ Brown (151 yards per game), Minnesota’s Ibrahim (136.4 yards per game) and Michigan’s Corum (134.8 yards per game).  

9. Iowa

Record: 4-4, 2-3 Big Ten
Last week: 33-13 win vs. Northwestern
Up next: at Purdue
Previous ranking: 11

It couldn’t have been a pleasant week in Iowa City after a 54-10 shellacking at Ohio State last weekend, and several days of back and forth between head coach Kirk Ferentz and the media regarding his son Brian Ferentz, the team’s offensive coordinator. But the Hawkeyes responded with a resounding victory over cellar-dwellers Northwestern to halt a three-game losing streak and claw back to .500 on the season. Maligned quarterback Spencer Petras completed 21 of 30 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown in arguably his best performance of 2022, while tailbacks Kaleb Johnson and Leshon Williams combined for 136 rushing yards on 24 attempts. Defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s unit tallied seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and an interception against a Northwestern offense that has scored more than 20 points in a game just once since losing to Southern Illinois (31-24) on Sept. 17. The Hawkeyes face a difficult closing stretch — by Big Ten West standards, at least — with games against Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska.

10. Nebraska

Record: 3-5, 2-3 Big Ten
Last week: 26-9 loss to No. 17 Illinois
Up next: vs. Minnesota
Previous ranking: 10 

Nebraska’s chances of pulling the upset against Illinois were doused in the second quarter when starting quarterback Casey Thompson exited with a right arm injury. Interim head coach Mickey Joseph told reporters Thompson was experiencing numb fingers after suffering a blow to his elbow. Backups Logan Smothers and Chubba Purdy combined for just four completions gaining 16 yards on nine attempts. Purdy’s interception near the Illinois goal line stifled one of Nebraska’s only quality scoring opportunities in the second half, and the Illini turned that mistake into a field goal that extended the lead to 14. Things don’t get easier for Joseph and the Cornhuskers in the coming weeks. A home date with Minnesota is followed by a trip to No. 4 Michigan before a difficult closing stretch against Wisconsin and Iowa. It’s difficult to see Nebraska finishing with more than five wins, and even that number might be a pipe dream for a program in turmoil.   

11. Michigan State

Record: 3-5, 1-4 Big Ten
Last week: 29-7 loss at No. 4 Michigan
Up next: at No. 14 Illinois
Previous ranking: 9

The only thing people will remember about Michigan State’s dulling loss to Michigan on Saturday is what happened in the stadium’s tunnel. Overnight, cell phone videos surfaced capturing two separate incidents in which groups of MSU players attacked defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows and another unidentified Wolverine. The footage shows Spartans punching, kicking and smashing the Michigan players with helmets in ugly melees that will force head coach Mel Tucker, athletic director Alan Haller and Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren to take swift action in conjunction with the ongoing police investigation in Ann Arbor. Already four players were suspended. The violence overshadowed a hollow performance in which Michigan State’s offense became glacial in the second half until the final, meaningless drive. The Spartans were limited to 37 rushing yards on 23 attempts and never posed much of a legitimate threat. Tucker has plenty of problems to deal with on and off the field.

12. Rutgers

Record: 4-4, 1-4 Big Ten
Last week: 31-0 loss at Minnesota
Up next: vs. No. 4 Michigan
Previous ranking: 12

The high of last week’s win over Indiana that snapped a 21-game home losing streak in the Big Ten was replaced by an echoing thud in Minneapolis. Former four-star recruit Gavin Wimsatt earned the start in Rutgers’ ongoing quarterback carousel but completed just six of 17 passes for 68 yards and an interception before leaving with an injury. His replacement, Noah Vedral, finished 3-of-7 for 18 yards and an interception. The Scarlet Knights finished with seven first downs and 134 yards of offense. Their defense wasn’t much better on a day when the Golden Gophers converted 12 of 18 third-down attempts behind tailback Ibrahim's 159 yards and three scores. Minnesota dominated time of possession by holding the ball for 41 minutes.

13. Indiana

Record: 3-5, 1-4 Big Ten
Last week: Idle
Up next: vs. No. 16 Penn State
Previous ranking: 13

At this point, it’s fair to wonder if first-year offensive coordinator Walt Bell will be one-and-done at Indiana. The Hoosiers rank 106th in total offense at 345.6 yards per game, 128th in rushing offense at 80.4 yards per game, last in time of possession with an average of 24 minutes per game, and they’re one of just nine Power 5 schools without a 60-yard gain this season. Bell’s group has eclipsed 24 points just once in the last five games — all of which were losses. A bye week gave the coaching staff time to reassess, but the next two games against No. 16 Penn State and at No. 2 Ohio State will almost certainly be losses. Indiana finishes the year with a trip to Michigan State and a final home game against Purdue. The possibility of a one-win conference season looms.

14. Northwestern

Record: 1-7, 1-4 Big Ten
Last week: 33-13 loss at Iowa
Up next: vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Previous ranking: 14

The Wildcats sunk to a new low Saturday by allowing Iowa to score a season-high 33 points after the Hawkeyes had surpassed 14 points just twice all year. Northwestern was held to 18 rushing yards on 37 fruitless attempts and finished with less than half as many total yards as a historically inept Iowa offense that ranks last among Power 5 programs and 129th overall. Northwestern’s only win came in Week 0 against Nebraska in Ireland, which means head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s team still hasn’t won a game on this continent in 2022. A finishing stretch that includes Ohio State, Minnesota, Purdue and Illinois could produce four more losses in a truly heinous campaign.

Read more:

• RJ Young's Top 25: Ohio State tightens grip on No. 1
• Tennessee is on the rise in Joel Klatt's Top 10
• Michigan routs Michigan State as teams scuffle in tunnel
• Heisman Watch: Corum, Williams challenge Stroud
• C.J. Stroud may have had his Heisman moment vs. Penn State
• Ohio State's struggles vs. Penn State spark joy in Michigan
• All the top plays from a wild Week 9
• Football coaches call game-planning a science, but really it's an art

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

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CFB - Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions - 10/29/2022

CFB - Michigan State Spartans vs. Michigan Wolverines - 10/29/2022

CFB - Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers - 10/29/2022

CFB - Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers - 10/29/2022

CFB - Northwestern Wildcats vs. Iowa Hawkeyes - 10/29/2022

Michael Cohen