Things got messy again in the middle of a conference whose season now seems destined to be defined by much of the same parity we’re seeing elsewhere in college football. Against that backdrop, teams like Indiana and UCLA, which keep finding ways to win, rise above the fray once again.
Is that our likeliest Indianapolis matchup come December? Might be, unless Ohio State can straighten out the not-so-complementary football that reared its head in Los Angeles on Saturday night.
Let’s check this week’s power rankings:
1. Indiana (8-1, 5-1)
Last week (2): 23-16 win vs. Minnesota (OT)
This week: Bye
What to know: The Hoosiers’ open date comes just in time. Questions about Josh Hoover’s health will linger over the next two weeks, but Curt Cignetti probably has more players than just his quarterback in need of some rest and recovery.
2. UCLA (8-0, 5-0)
Last week (3): 27-0 win vs. Nevada
This week: at Minnesota, Nov. 7
What to know: The margin between 1 and 2 was razor thin this week. We’re giving the nod to Indiana, narrowly, though it’s worth pointing out most projections would favor the Hoosiers on a neutral field. We’d like to see that matchup, perhaps in a month in Indianapolis.
3. Ohio State (6-2, 4-1)
Last week (1): 30-18 loss at Southern Cal
This week: Oregon, Nov. 7
What to know: The defensive performance was arguably more concerning than what happened on the other side of the ball, in Luke Fahey’s first start. Now the Buckeyes get suddenly resurgent Oregon, with their season(s) on the line.
4. Iowa (6-2, 3-2)
Last week (6): 30-0 win vs. Wisconsin
This week: at Northwestern, Nov. 7
What to know: There might be teams on this list, especially out on the West Coast, we like for a better chance at making the playoff. But none we have greater faith in guaranteeing a nine-win floor, even with Kamari Moulton’s injury.
5. Oregon (5-3, 3-2)
Last week (9): 34-26 win vs. Northwestern
This week: at Ohio State, Nov. 7
What to know: Well, well, well. Look who’s back. It would take a lot of chaos for the Ducks to climb back into the Big Ten title race, but a win this weekend at Ohio State would at least kickstart a conversation.
6. Northwestern (6-2, 3-2)
Last week (4): 34-26 loss at Oregon
This week: Iowa, Nov. 7
What to know: Are we going to talk about the logjam of two- and three-loss Big Ten teams with the same reverence that we do the same group in the SEC? The next couple of weeks should at least give us a little separation in this muddy middle.
7. Southern Cal (7-2, 4-2)
Last week (10): 30-18 win vs. Ohio State
This week: Bye
What to know: Truthfully, we could rearrange 4-7 in any order and defend it. The Trojans got the signature win they’ve longed for Saturday, and they can score a bigger prize, at Indiana, after the bye.
8. Minnesota (5-3, 3-2)
Last week (7): 23-16 loss at Indiana (OT)
This week: UCLA, Nov. 7
What to know: Minnesota only falls because others rise. We’re not counting the Indiana loss against them. This weekend’s visit from UCLA will give the Gophers a fresh chance at a major upset.
9. Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2)
Last week (5): 30-0 loss at Iowa
This week: Rutgers, Nov. 7
What to know: We might have been a touch high on Wisconsin, though you can’t praise Southern Cal without some bullishness about Luke Fickell’s team. The good news for the Badgers is they have a clean-cut get-right game after the ugliness of Iowa City.
10. Illinois (5-3, 3-2)
Last week (11): 20-17 win at Maryland
This week: Nebraska, Nov. 6 (Friday)
What to know: Katin Houser wasn’t perfect in his return from injury Saturday, but every week he improves physically is another week from here on in that Illinois can spoil somebody’s season, and raise its own level.
11. Washington (5-3, 2-3)
Last week (12): 17-10 win at Nebraska
This week: Penn State, Nov. 7
What to know: Speaking of dramatic returns, Demond Williams Jr’s led Washington to a comeback win at Nebraska. Suddenly, what felt like a lost season in Seattle has new life.
12. Michigan (5-3, 2-3)
Last week (13): 28-21 win at Rutgers
This week: Michigan State, Nov. 7
What to know: It’s hard to unpack Michigan’s win at Rutgers. The offense looked much better, the defense, concerningly worse. Kyle Whittingham could calm a lot of noise this weekend with a win over the Spartans.
13. Nebraska (5-3, 2-3)
Last week (8): 17-10 loss vs. Washington
This week: at Illinois, Nov. 6 (Friday)
What to know: Nebraska has led in the fourth quarter of every game this season. Nebraska is 5-3. At some point, that becomes a pattern. And Champaign is not the place we’d want to go riding a three-game skid on a short week.
14. Penn State (4-4, 1-4)
Last week (15): 31-17 win vs. Purdue
This week: at Washington, Nov. 7
What to know: Beating Purdue at home was a non-negotiable. With both Washington and Penn State winning this weekend, someone is going to get to feel like they’re back on track after this weekend’s game at Husky Stadium.
15. Purdue (3-5, 2-3)
Last week (14): 31-17 loss at Penn State
This week: Maryland, Nov. 7
What to know: Run defense has stifled the momentum of back-to-back Big Ten wins in West Lafayette. Across losses to Washington and Penn State, Purdue has allowed 455 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
16. Michigan State (2-6, 0-5)
Last week (16): Bye
This week: at Michigan, Nov. 7
What to know: Pat Fitzgerald erases at least some of the rockiness of his first season in East Lansing if he beats his rival on Saturday night.
17. Rutgers (2-6, 1-4)
Last week (17): 28-21 loss vs. Michigan
This week: at Wisconsin, Nov. 7
What to know: Rutgers did well to compete with Michigan, especially without Dylan Lonergan and (for the most part) KJ Duff. But it’s not clear when the Scarlet Knights will see one or both again.
18. Maryland (2-6, 0-5)
Last week (18): 20-17 loss vs. Illinois
This week: at Purdue, Nov. 7
What to know: Ten Illinois fourth-quarter points stopped the interim-coach bounce from ending with a win Saturday in College Park. Lose this weekend at Purdue and Maryland will be staring down the barrel of its first winless season in Big Ten play since joining the conference.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How USC’s win over Ohio State shakes up Big Ten football race, CFP hopes
