The sands in the hourglass are beginning to run out in the 2023 college football season, and that means the games from here on out are going to take on more meaning with stakes that get higher and higher seemingly every week. The Big Ten race is no exception.
Things seem pretty clear in the East division. Ohio State and Michigan are on top, with Penn State just a game behind because of the loss in Columbus. All three won again on Saturday. One of the three big dogs of the league appear to be destined for the conference crown, with one or two of them having a shot to get into the College Football Playoff.
Meanwhile, in the West, things couldn’t be any more messy and wide open. Iowa won a close one against Northwestern, but Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin all lost. That means the Hawkeyes are in the driver’s seat again, but it’s a seat where the upholstery is hanging by a thread.
So, what does it all mean for our Big Ten power rankings this week? Here’s a look at who’s playing the best right now after Week 10 as we count down from last to first.
14
Purdue Boilermakers (2-7, 1-5)
Why the Ranking
The stomping of Illinois seems so long ago. Since then, the Boilermakers have lost four-straight and are eliminated from going to the postseason. It’s been a year of transition, but almost nobody had this year falling off a cliff like we’ve seen. The steam has run out of the engine and it’s time to start thinking about next season.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 13 (⇓ one spot)
Last Result: Lost at Michigan, 41-13
Next Up … vs. Minnesota
13
Northwestern Wildcats (4-5, 2-4)
Why the Ranking
In the least shocking development of last week, Iowa and Northwestern combined for just seventeen points total. The Wildcats are playing much better than what we saw at the beginning of the year, but the wins have to start coming in earnest to make it to a bowl game. Can the Wildcats win two out of three games against the likes of Wisconsin, Purdue, and Illinois? Honestly, at this point we might have a better chance of figuring out the meaning of life.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 11 (⇓ two spots)
Last Result: Lost vs. Iowa, 10-7
Next Up … at WIsconsin
12
Maryland Terrapins (5-4, 2-4)
Why the Ranking
It’s been another free fall during conference play for Maryland. The Terps looked intent on making some noise in the Big Ten East early in the year but have now lost four games in a row, and not just against the big boys. Two of those losses game against Northwestern and Illinois. Somehow, someway, Maryland has to find a way to win more games in Big Ten play. There’s still one more win needed to make postseason eligibility and that doesn’t seem like a lock any longer.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 9 (⇓ three spots)
Last Result: Lost vs Penn State, 51-15
Next Up … at Nebraska
11
Indiana Hoosiers (3-6, 1-5)
Why the Ranking
OK, we see you Indiana. Remember, this isn’t a column focused on the standings, but how teams are playing right now. After giving the Nittany Lions all they can handle in Happy Valley, the Hoosiers backed that up with an impressive win vs. Wisconsin. Maybe the Badgers were — ahem, badgered after the game with Ohio State? Either way, congrats to Tom Allen’s crew on notching its first conference win.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 14 (⇑ three spots)
Last Result: Won vs. Wisconsin, 20-14
Next Up … at Illinois
10
Michigan State Spartans (3-6, 1-5)
Why the Ranking
Michigan State stopped a six game skid by getting up off the mat to beat a Nebraska team that seemed to have turned the corner. Despite the losses piling up, the Spartans have been playing the middle of the league fairly well, and if not for being in the East, would probably be in the mix out in the West. Unfortunately, Michigan State goes back East to play No. 1 Ohio State Saturday.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 12 (⇑ two spots)
Last Result: Won vs. Nebraska, 20-17
Next Up … at Ohio State
9
Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-4, 3-3)
Why the Ranking
How can we have Nebraska ahead of Michigan State after the Spartans beat the Cornhuskers? Well, everyone seems to be beating up everyone and that contest could have gone either way. The Huskers still need one more game to become bowl-eligible, and you thought there was a good chance it would happen this past weekend. Now a victory will have to come against Maryland, Wisconsin, or Iowa. Nothing is a given there.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 7 (⇓ two spots)
Last Result: Lost at Michigan State, 20-17
Next Up … vs. Maryland
8
Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-4, 3-3)
Why the Ranking
If feels like the whole West division is just a pile of inconsistent yuck. Minnesota started off challenged, went through a stretch where you thought the boat was rowing in the right direction, and then lost a game it really needed to win at home this past weekend. The Gophers are another team on the doorstep of bowl-eligibility but we’re just not sure if anyone’s going to answer the knock.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 8 (⇔ no change)
Last Result: Lost vs. Illinois, 27-26
Next Up … at Purdue
7
Illinois Fighting Illini (4-5, 2-4)
Why the Ranking
It was a pretty gutsy win by the Illini on the road vs. Minnesota, and believe it or not, a postseason trip isn’t out of the question. There’s a possibility of two wins in there with games against Indiana, Iowa, and Northwestern because there’s not much offense to be found in that stretch. It’s been an up and down season for Bret Bielema’s crew, but a bowl would be a decent showing.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 10 (⇑ three spots)
Last Result: Won at Minnesota, 27-26
Next Up … vs. INdiana
6
Wisconsin Badgers (5-4, 3-3)
Why the Ranking
I give up.
It sure looked like Wisconsin was going to be the team to come out of the West a couple of times this year, but the Badgers keep losing games they just shouldn’t. This is still a good team, but the offense has to find more consistency and overcome injury. Sure, Luke Fickell and company can find one or two more wins against Northwestern, Nebraska, and Minnesota, right? Don’t be surprised if the Badgers still find a way to create a complicated layer of tiebreaking in the West division.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 5 (⇓ one spot)
Last Result: Lost at Indiana, 20-14
Next Up … vs. Northwestern
5
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-3, 3-3)
Why the Ranking
Yeah, Rutgers lost to Ohio State, but the game was competitive until very late. There’s simply no denying that this team is playing much better and would probably be a force in the West Division with that top-ten defense. Alas, at least there’s a bowl coming this season and things are headed in the right direction. The game in Iowa City could be very, very interesting Saturday.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 6 (⇑ one spot)
Last Result: Lost vs. Ohio State, 35-16
Next Up … at Iowa
4
Iowa Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2)
Why the Ranking
At this point, the term “ugly win” is probably patent pending for Iowa. As bad as things have looked offensively, you have to at least give credit to the program for knowing what it is and trying to bring leather helmets back via winning with guts and duct tape. Can the Hawkeyes score enough points to get to Indy is the question.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 4 (⇔ no change)
Last Result: Won vs. Northwestern, 10-7
Next Up … vs. Rutgers
3
Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1, 5-1)
Why the Ranking
Penn State throttled Maryland on the road Saturday and has looked dominant on offense aside from the Ohio State game. Can the Nittany Lions find a way to gobble up yards against Michigan in a couple of weeks or will we see the same conservative effort we saw against a Buckeye defense that was also really good? Either way, we’re all excited to watch that one next week.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 2 (⇔ no change)
Last Result: Won at Maryland, 51-15
Next Up … vs. Michigan
2
Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0, 6-0)
Tell me if you’ve heard this before. Ohio State’s offense took awhile to get going, but the defense once again played championship level on the road vs. Rutgers. The next two weeks should be relatively ho-hum until the massive matchup with Michigan with your turkey and cranberry sauce the weekend after Thanksgiving. Can the Buckeyes muster enough offense down the stretch? Is the defense good enough to slow down Jim Harbaugh and company on the road? We still have three weeks to wait.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 2 (⇔ no change)
Last Result: Won at Rutgers, 35-16
Next Up … vs. Michigan State
1
Michigan Wolverines (9-0, 6-0)
Why the Ranking
Despite the huge cloud hanging over the Michigan program, it’s not hard to see that this team is playing the most complete and complimentary football in the league. The offense and defense have both continued to look championship level, and we finally get a good gauge of just how good the Wolverines are when they travel to Penn State next weekend. We’ll be watching Ohio State of course, but we’ll be excited to see how those two make out in what should be one whale of a donnybrook.
Last Week’s Power Ranking: 1 (⇔ no change)
Last Result Won vs. Purdue, 41-13
Next Up … at Penn State
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