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HuskerCorner's Big Ten Football Power Rankings Heading Into Week 6
The Big Ten football power rankings saw a pretty massive shakeup after a wild weekend of college football.
To some degree, there were some teams that I had been overlooking because of what they had been before. There were also some teams I was likely over ranking because of what they had been before.
It’s a safe bet there will be even more shakeups in the coming weeks at teams at the top and teams at the bottom of this week’s Big Ten football power rankings continue to square off against one another.
One thing we can say with certainty is there may not be a more disappointing team in the conference than Michigan State. There seems to be something seriously wrong in East Lansing. Mark Dantonio appears to be on the verge of having his worst season for the Spartans if he doesn’t figure out a way to turn the team around.
Speaking of turnaround, the Maryland Terapins now officially have more wins, after five weeks of the college football season, than they did all of last year. Yes their 4-0 start is largely thanks to wins over bad teams, but they’re taking down those bad teams with style, it’s not like they’re squeaking by.
Without further ado, check out this week’s Big Ten football power rankings and take not of some massive changes.
Oct 1, 2016; College Park, MD, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Darrell Hazell walks down the sidelines against the Maryland Terrapins during the fourth quarter at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Purdue Boilermakers
(2-2, 0-1)
Last week: Lost to Maryland 50-7Last rank: 13
It seems like it was inevitable that Purdue would eventually find it’s way back to the bottom of the Big Ten football power rankings. They managed to get up to number 13 last week after beating Nevada but the team couldn’t have looked worse in its conference opener.
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The game against Maryland was a way for the Boilermakers to prove this season was going to be different. Instead, by losing 50-7, it appears the squad showed it’s going to be another really long season.
Could this be the final year for Darrell Hazell? One has to think the program understands the limitations placed on their head coach. At the same time, this is a team that used to at least make bowl games from time to time.
Just how bad was it for Purdue last weekend? Quarterback David Blough completed just 18 of 41 passes for 132 yards. His backup Elijah Sindelar came into the blowout and completed just 4 of 12 passes.
The running game didn’t do any better, running for a total of 10 yards on 27 carries. By contrast, Maryland had 400 yards on 46 carries (an 8.7 YPC average.)
Oct 1, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Demario McCall (30) breaks through the Rutgers Scarlet Knights line during the fourth quarter at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 58-0. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
(2-3, 0-2)
Last week: Lost to Ohio State 58-0Last rank: 10
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the first of many teams that saw a pretty big fall in the Big Ten football power rankings. Last week they were ranked 10th thanks to an impressive showing against Iowa.
This week, they’re coming off a 58-0 loss to Ohio State and Iowa is looking like a middle of the pack team at best. Those two factors combine to make Rutgers one of the worst teams in the conference.
Much like Purdue, the real problem for the Scarlet Knights wasn’t that their defense gave up way too many points and yards. The real problem was the offense produced too few. Rutgers offense hasn’t been particularly good this season, but it degraded into “especially bad” territory this week thanks to quarterback Chris Laviano completing just 3 of 12 passes for 33 yards. His backup was 0-4. Yes, that means Rutgers QBs were 3-16 for 33 yards for the game.
The running game wasn’t any better, managing just 83 yards on 38 carries. Check out those numbers again. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights managed just 116 yards of total offense in their game last weekend.
Those numbers are always going to land you at or near the bottom of the Big Ten football power rankings.
Oct 1, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini running back Reggie Corbin (2) breaks away from Nebraska Cornhuskers safety Nate Gerry (25) in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Illinois Fighting Illini
(1-3, 0-1)
Last week: Lost to Nebraska 31-16Last rank: 14
Illinois hasn’t beaten an FBS opponent yet this year. They also don’t have a win in the Big Ten yet.
So how does a team with those two factors rise two spots in the Big Ten football power rankings? At least part of it is simply that the two teams below them are worse than I ever could have imagined.
There is also something to be said for the Illini, who went into Lincoln and gave the Nebraska Cornhuskers all they could handle for the second straight year. The Illini, in fact, led for a good portion of their game on Saturday, 16-10 but just couldn’t hold onto the victory.
Illinois is one of those teams that now that I’ve seen them up close and personal, I wonder why they’ve looked so bad so often. The team has talent on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, just not quite enough.
One piece of good news for Illinois, despite their 31-16 loss is that the running game seems to be coming along. Nebraska kept the Illini off the field for a good portion of the second half, but when they had the ball, both Reggie Corbin and Kendrick Foster looked good and both had 31 yard runs.
When the smoke cleared, Illinois was averaging 5.9 YPC against a run defense that has been solid, if not spectacular this season. Illinois should get its first win Big Ten football win next week when it takes on power rankings cellar dweller Purdue.
Oct 1, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Gerald Holmes (24) is tackled by Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Tegray Scales (8) in the second half of the game at Memorial Stadium. Indiana Hoosiers beat the Michigan State Spartans by the score of 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan State Spartans
(2-2, 0-2)
Last week: Lost to Indiana 24-21 in OvertimeLast rank: 5
No team has fallen as far or as fast as Michigan State has in this week’s Big Ten football power rankings. I’ll be the first to admit, I was one who apparently really overestimated just how good the Spartans were going to be this year.
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I even kept them in the upper half of the rankings despite unimpressive wins and a big loss to Wisconsin. Following an overtime loss to Indiana, it’s time to rank Michigan State where it deserves to be ranked, rather than where I think they might have finished.
The Spartans have one win over an FBS school and that school, Notre Dame is having it’s own problems this year. Michigan State also has a 24 point loss to a Wisconsin Badgers team that has a lot of problems scoring points.
At the same time, it’s hard to pinpoint just what exactly is wrong with what has been a perennial Big Ten football powerhouse. The offense scored just 21 points against Indiana, despite quarterback Tyler O’Connor having a pretty good game (21-35, 263 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT).
The defense was again, not exactly stout but it wasn’t lit up either. Whatever is bothering Mark Dantonio’s team, they better get it together soon because the season is more than a quarter of the way over now.
Oct 1, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions safety Marcus Allen (2) tackles Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Rodney Smith (1) during the third quarter at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Minnesota 29-26 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Minnesota Golden Gophers
(3-1, 0-1)
Last week: Lost to Penn State 29-26 in OvertimeLast rank: 8
Minnesota dropped a couple of spots in the Big Ten football power rankings thanks to their first loss of the season. The squad came into its contest against Penn State looking to make a statement against a weak opponent.
Instead, the Golden Gophers might have allowed the Nittany Lions to resurrect their season. It seems at the very least, James Franklin’s seat isn’t scorching hot this week. The game between the two teams was an old-fashioned, Big Ten conference slugfest with neither team landing a knockout blow until the overtime.
Despite Mitch Leidner throwing for 241 yards (on 24-40 passing) and the Gophers managing to run for a total of 228 yards, they lost to Penn State in overtime. Even in that extra period, the two teams were exchanging jabs, with Minnesota getting a field goal and then the Nittany Lions answering with a touchdown.
It’s pretty clear that the Gophers are not among the best teams in the conference this year, they’ve had too many close games against middle of the road opponents. At the same time, they could eventually rise in the Big Ten football power rankings if they can win winnable games. That includes this weekend’s contest against Iowa.
Iowa Hawkeyes
(3-2, 1-1)
Last week: Lost to Northwestern 38-31Last rank: 6
Much like there’s something really off in East Lansing, there appears to be a real problem in Iowa. Not only did the Hawkeyes lose for the second time in three games, but they lost to a Northwestern team that had all kinds of problems finding its offense the first four weeks of the season.
Iowa is another team that was getting the benefit for the doubt from me largely based on last year as they sat in the top half of the Big Ten football power rankings. Iowa tumbled from 6th to 9th thanks in large part to their loss to a Northwestern team that still doesn’t really have an identity.
Now sitting at 3-2 on the year, and just 1-1 in the conference, 2016 is already a far cry from the joyful event 2015 was. Especially when you’re talking about a loss to an FCS team just a few weeks ago.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Hawkeyes as they’ll have to visit Minnesota this weekend and take on a Golden Gophers team that is looking to avenge an overtime loss to Penn State. Even more important for both teams than revenge, is the fact that the loser of this game sits in the Big Ten West with two losses and an outside chance at best of winning the division.
Oct 1, 2016; Iowa City, IA, USA; The Northwestern Wildcats celebrate after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Northwestern won 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Northwestern Wildcats
(2-3, 1-1)
Last week: Beat Iowa 38-31Last rank: 12
The Northwestern Wildcats jump ahead of some teams with better records on the Big Ten football power rankings mainly because they appear to be getting a bit better as the season goes on. One week after they took Nebraska to the limit in Evanston, they managed to topple Iowa in Ames.
Not only did the Wildcats win their first Big Ten game of the season, but they scored the most points (by far) of the year and that could be a bad thing for the rest of the conference. The Wildcats had not scored 30 points in a game before last weekend’s contest but that isn’t what Northwestern fans should really be excited about.
The team finally got Justin Jackson, it’s incredibly talented runningback going. Jackson rushed for 124 yards and 5.0 YPC in the season opener but hadn’t reached 100 yards or had a YPC over 4 since that game. Against Iowa he ran for 171 yards and a touchdown while averaging a season best 6.6 YPC.
Northwestern has this next week off but then wil have a chance to show it truly belonds out of the bottom third of the conference when it takes on Michigan State. That game could be a season saver for one of these programs.
Oct 1, 2016; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State football players celebrate with the Governor
Penn State Nittany Lions
(3-2, 1-1)
Last week: Beat Minnesota 29-26 in OvertimeLast rank: 11
Penn State has never been a team that has exactly impressed me this season, but I have to give them props. Coming off a disheartening loss to Michigan, the Nittany Lions regrouped and managed to overcome Minnesota in Overtime.
In that game, sophomore quarterback Trace McSorley showed what he brings to the table when it comes to being an offensive weapon. He might have struggled with his accuracy from time to time, completing just 19 of 41 passes, but he made the most of those completions.
McSorley threw for a season-high 335 yards and a touchdown. That TD went for 80 yards by the way. He also did the most damage with his feet that he’s done all season. In the season opener he carried for 41 yards on 14 carries but has not run much since. Against Minnesota he carried eight times for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Penn State still has some problems and they likely aren’t going to be competing for the Big Ten Eastern Division, but they’re smack dab in the middle of the Big Ten football power rankings because they’ve got an outside shot, no matter how outside it is.
Oct 1, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman Jacob Bailey (70) and linebacker Dameon Willis Jr. (43) and other teammates hoist the brass spittoon in victory after the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Indiana Hoosiers beat the Michigan State Spartans by the score of 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Indiana Hoosiers
(3-1, 1-0)
Last week: Beat Michigan State 24-21 in OvertimeLast rank: 9
Indiana is another team that took a pretty good jump in the Big Ten football power rankings because they seem to be showing they’re for real. Yes there is still that bad loss to Wake Forest, but a good win against Michigan State evens that out.
Indiana doesn’t do anything spectacularly, but they don’t do anything really poorly either. Quarterback Richard Lagow had a solid outing, one week after he threw five interceptions. In total Lagow threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns, making his season totals nine TDs and six interceptions.
Take away his one turnover prone game and Lagow is having a heck of a season. Take away those five interceptions, or even one of them, and the Hoosiers are likely 4-0. While it may not feel as though beating Michigan State this year means much, the Spartans were ranked 17th in the country.
Up next for the Hoosiers? They’ll attempt to pull off another upset, this one likely the biggest in school history if they could make it happen. Indiana takes on Ohio State and is a 29 point undergod to the Buckeyes. A win isn’t likely, but show up and don’t get pummeled and the Hoosiers will start getting more respect around the nation.
Oct 1, 2016; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome (3) scrambles during the fourth quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Maryland Terapins
(4-0, 1-0)
Last week: Beat Purdue 50-7Last rank: 7
The Maryland Terapins have been steadily climbing up the Big Ten football power rankings because so far this season, all they do is win. Yes, the team has played some less than impressive opponents.
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In fact, most of the opponents they’ve played this year would qualify as some of the worst in college football. So why are the Terapins rated so high? There are four teams in the Big Ten football world that are still undefeated.
Maryland is one of those four. The team is also coming off a 50-7 shellacking of Purdue but that’s not all. The Terps have had a good showing offensively in every game they’ve played. Defensively, they’ve allowed 14 points or more exactly once in four games.
Maryland’s run first, run second, run third and then pass if we really have to approach is working for them. It worked especially well against Purdue. As a team they ran for 400 yards and Ty Johnson just went off. How off did he go? He carried seven (7!) times for 209 yards. That included a 76 yard touchdown run but take that out and he still have 6 carries for 133 yards. Yes, you’re doing the math right, he averaged 29.1 yards per carry.
He wasn’t the only back to explode on the Boilermakers. Lorenzo Harrison carried six times for 78 yards (13.0 YPC) and had a 62 yard run. The Terps take on Penn State this week, and if they win that game, have to be considered “for real.”
Oct 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Alex Hornibrook (12) passes in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 14-7. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin Badgers
(4-1, 1-1)
Last week: Lost to Michigan 14-7Last rank: 3
There are bound to be some Wisconsin fans who wonder how I could put them lower than Nebraska in my Big Ten football power rankings and still claim to be trying to be as impartial as I can. Here’s my answer. Wisconsin’s offense is incredibly uninspiring.
Yes, the Badgers were taking on one of the best teams in the country last week when they lost just 14-7 to Michigan. Yes Michigan’s defense has been pretty darn good this year, but it hasn’t been impregnable.
Wisconsin actually reminds me quite a bit of Iowa last year in that they just aren’t going to score many points. Their defense, on the other hand has been quite impressive. Keep in mind, the team has played three games against teams that were ranked in the Top 10 at the time the two teams met. Wisconsin has allowed a total of 34 points to those teams (11.3 points per game)
At the same time, this is a team that had to hold on with both hands in order to beat Georgia State, in Wisconsin 23-17. The Badgers have a week to work on their offense because they play the Ohio State Buckeyes on October 15. If they look good, or win that game, they’ll likely leapfrog Nebraska again.
Oct 1, 2016; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers cornerback Joshua Kalu (10) celebrates in the final moments against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska won 31-16. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
Nebraska Cornhuskers
(5-0, 2-0)
Last week: Beat Illinois 31-16Last rank: 4
The Nebraska Cornhuskers don’t always win pretty, but they have now equaled in five weeks, the number of games they won in the entire regular season a year ago. Husker fans are breathing a sigh of relief at how well the Huskers have played for most of the year.
Even better than their five straight wins is the fact that they are finishing strong. Against Illinois, the team trailed going into the fourth quarter, 31-16 and then turned on the jets. Thanks in large part to a 10 minute (10 game minutes, was more like 30 minutes in real time) that led to a touchdown the Huskers outscored Illinois 21-0 in the fourth quarter.
That final quarter dominance is nothing new for this crew. On the season, the Huskers have outscored their opponents 78-6 in the final period this year. Oregon is the ONLY team that has scored a single point in the fourth quarter against Nebraska this year.
Yes the Huskers have had problems beating teams as soundly as they probably should and that’s going to be a problem as the year goes on, but as long as they continue to be this dominant in the fourth quarter, it’s going to be hard for any team to beat them.
Oct 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Amara Darboh (82) makes a touchdown reception in the fourth quarter defended by Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Derrick Tindal (25) at Michigan Stadium. Michigan won 14-7. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Michigan Wolverines
(5-0, 2-0)
Last week: Beat Wisconsin 14-7Last rank: 1
Just like Wisconsin, Michigan jumped over the team they were closely following last week and then fell behind them again this week. Just like Wisconsin, there wasn’t a ton the Wolverines did that made them fall down from the top spot, but a combination of the entire season.
There’s also the fact that there may not be a more dominant team in the country than Ohio State. It’s hard to rank them lower than one considering their entire season. The Wolverines were taken to the limit by Wisconsin in Ann Arbor, winning just 14-7 and it was by far the worst offensive performance of the year.
Michigan still looks like a team that is going to give almost anyone they play a run for their money. This is a national title contending team. They simply find themselves ranked behind the team I think is going to actually win the National Title.
When you take that into consideration, it makes sense that Michigan would fall behind the Buckeyes in the Big Ten football power rankings. Ohio State has absolutely anihilated every team they’ve played this year. Michigan has solid victories, but a close one, even against another top 10 team drops them a spot.
Oct 1, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Joe Burrow (10) looks for an open receiver during the third quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won the game 58-0. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports
Ohio State Buckeyes
(4-0, 1-0)
Last week: Beat Rutgers 58-0Last rank: 2
The Buckeyes have allowed 37 points all season. They are averaging a 57-9 victory. Those numbers are absolutely insane. As much as I dreaded Urban Meyer doing exactly this with the Buckeyes, you have to give the man his props.
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Ohio State has simply looked like a man among boys in the college football world. Keep this in mind as well. Of those 37 points the team has allowed, 24 of those came in one game, against then 14th ranked Oklahoma. Despite allowing 24 points in that game, the Buckeyes still won by three touchdowns, 45-24.
The team has allowed exactly one touchdown outside of the Oklahoma game. Anyone want to question why this squad is the top team in the Big Ten football power rankings? I dropped them to second because of how well Michigan had been playing but in hindsight that shouldn’t have been a thing I did. Until Ohio State loses, it seems entirely likely that the Buckeyes are going to be the team to beat.
The team will get a test as to just how good they are in the next couple of weeks. This Saturday they take on the Indiana Hoosiers who are fresh off an upset over then 17th ranked Michigan State. After that game, OSU will face off against Wisconsin.
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