Hello there and welcome to the Big Ten Power Rankings! Each week we’ll rank how the teams across the conference are playing, in the hopes of seeing just who is a contender, and who is a pretender over the course of the season.
The rules are few, but resolute:
Advertisement
Teams are ranked by how they’re playing at that time. Not body of work, not rankings in the polls, but simply how each team is playing at that point in the season.
The approach to the rankings is not necessarily on the field results (though those do count, as an obvious, tangible data point), but more generally if the two teams played at a neutral site 100 times, which team would win 51 times (or more).
These rankings are subjective. As the author I get to follow the rules as closely or loosely as I want to, and if you don’t like the rankings, you’re wrong.
Week 4 is in the books, and we’re starting to get some shakeups with conference play getting into full swing. Let’s get to it!
Tier 1: Playoff Locks
Teams that are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs, if they continue to play the way they have played thus far.
Advertisement
1. Ohio State
OSU was on their bye week, and head west to take on Washington next.
2. Penn State
The Lions were also on their bye week, and welcome Oregon to Happy Valley for a prime time, top 10 White Out.
3. Oregon
The Ducks completed their non-conference slate with a 41-7 win over Oregon State. Next up, Penn State.
Tier 2: Playoff Hopefuls
Teams that could very well end up in the playoffs, but need to continue to improve their resume and move up the rankings before they can make it.
4. Indiana
Indiana put an absurd beatdown on Illinois, defeating the Illini 63-10. This firmly puts the Hoosiers into the playoff hopeful tier, and with continued play like that, they may push even farther up this list. Next up, at Iowa.
Tier 3: High-Level Bowl Teams
Teams that likely won’t make the playoffs, but will represent the conference in quality bowls, including the Citrus Bowl and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
Advertisement
5. USC
The Trojans beat Michigan State 45-31, inching them closer to eying the playoffs. Up next, they head out to take on Illinois.
6. Michigan
Michigan continued its winning ways, defeating Nebraska 30-27. The Wolverines have a bye next.
7. Iowa
In what ended up being one of the more entertaining games of the week, the Hawkeyes defeated Rutgers 38-28. Iowa is going to have to get its defense sorted out quickly, because Indiana comes to town next.
8. Illinois
After a lot of hype, Illinois flopped in its first test of the season. There’s a lot of football left to be played, but the Illini are going to have to sort some things out. They have to do it soon, too, because USC is coming to town.
Advertisement
9. Nebraska
The one-score woes continue for Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers fell to Michigan by just a field goal. Something they’ll have extra time to be sore about as they as they head to their bye.
Tier 4: Low-Level Bowl Teams
Teams that will end up making it to a bowl game, but likely the bowls that aren’t quite as prestigious, including the Pinstripe Bowl and the Music City Bowl.
10. Maryland
September Maryland continued its storied history, defeating Wisconsin 27-10. The bye week is next, with Maryland on an upward trajectory.
11. Washington
The Huskies defeated in-state rival Washington State 59-24, but head out to take on Ohio State next in their toughest test yet this season.
Advertisement
12. Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights put together a fun performance against Iowa, but couldn’t carry through to the end. They’ll head on the road to play Minnesota next.
13. Michigan State
The Spartans did their best against USC but came up short. The bye week welcomes them as they try to regroup.
Tier 5: Bowl-Ineligible Teams
Teams that are on a trajectory to end the season below .500 and miss out on a post-season bowl game.
14. Wisconsin
The Badgers look lost at this point. Given a chance to right the ship against Maryland, Wisconsin instead scored just 10 points at home. The bye week comes at the best possible time.
Advertisement
15. Minnesota
The Gophers were on a bye, and now welcome Rutgers to town.
16. Purdue
The Boilermakers tried their best against Notre Dame, but couldn’t hang offensively, losing 56-30. Next up is the bye.
Tier 6: The Basement™
The worst of the worst, teams whose fans wear paper bags over their heads and count down the days until they have a new head coach.
17. Northwestern
The Wildcats come off the bye, and get to play UCLA in what may likely be the only bowl game they play this year – The Toilet Bowl.
18. UCLA
The Bruins are also coming off a bye, and will fight to get out of last place this week.
While I’m trying to keep a steady hand on the tiller, a few games this week are making for some sizable jumps in the squiggles.
Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon hold on at the top, with Indiana making a big move up the board. USC holds steady, with Michigan and Iowa on the rise. Illinois and Nebraska tumble, meeting Maryland and Washington moving up. Rutgers and Michigan State fall, while Wisconsin, Minnesota, Purdue, Northwestern, and UCLA stay steady near the bottom.
On to Week 5!
