College football Week 10: Iowa falls to fourth in power rankings
“Having trouble getting a confession out of a suspect? Put on the Minnesota-Illinois football game.”
Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson trips trying to catch up to an overthrown pass during Iowa’s game against Penn State at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. The Nittany Lions defeated the Hawkeyes 30-24.
November 2, 2018
Big Ten Power Rankings
1) Ohio State (7-1):
I’m putting all my money on the Dwayne Haskins experience.
2) Michigan (7-1):
Let’s say Michigan wins the Big Ten. I’m not sure we’re ready for that version of Jim Harbaugh.
3) Penn State (6-2):
Playing “Mo Bamba” 50 times in a football game is how you move up in the rankings.
4) Iowa (6-2):
Despite being shut out offensively, Iowa is still the best team in the West.
5) Northwestern (5-3):
Can Northwestern pull off another top-25 upset this week against No. 3 Notre Dame?
6) Wisconsin (5-3):
The Badgers rank 109th in the country in passing yards per game.
7) Purdue (4-4):
Big Rondale Moore fan here.
8) Michigan State (5-3):
Rocky Lombardi went to Valley High School in Des Moines. I went to Waukee. Roll ’Kee, baby.
9) Maryland (5-3):
Maryland went 0-63 real quick last week (helps when you’re playing Illinois, though).
10) Minnesota (4-4):
P.J. Fleck finally got that elusive conference win this season. Proud of you, bud.
11) Indiana (4-5):
Four L’s in a row doesn’t get you much love in my book.
12) Illinois (3-5):
Anyone placing bets on how long Lovie Smith keeps his job?
13) Nebraska (2-6):
Two wins in a row for Big Red. I can hear the construction of a Scott Frost statue as we speak.
14) Rutgers (1-7):
One of these days, someone’s going to remove the “football” tab from the school’s athletics page.
Big Ten Schedule
Michigan State (-2.5) vs. Maryland
11 a.m. | ESPN2
Must-see television, if you don’t want to watch any of the other 11 a.m. games. Look for Michigan State to get the road win. The Spartans are 2-1 on the road this season (with their only road loss coming against Arizona State), and that trend will likely continue on Saturday.
Nebraska vs. No. 11 Ohio State (-17.5)
11 a.m. | FOX
Think Scott Frost will get his third win in a row? Keep thinking. Don’t be surprised if Dwayne Haskins throws for 300 yards and 4-5 touchdowns against a Husker secondary giving up 272 yards per game through the air.
Rutgers vs. No. 20 Wisconsin (-30.5)
11 a.m. | BTN
Let’s just say Wisconsin isn’t going to lose to a Rutgers team that’s won a single road game in the past 13 attempts. The quarterback position isn’t a strong suit for the Badgers, but it’s better than anything the Scarlet Knights have.
Minnesota (-9.5) vs. Illinois
11 a.m. | BTN
P.J. Fleck’s slowly sinking ship needs two more wins to become bowl-eligible. Can the Gophers conquer the mighty quest of reaching .500? A win over the Illini puts the Gophers at 5-4, but the rest of the schedule doesn’t look too promising. Neither do Lovie Smith’s chances of winning more than three games.
No. 18 Iowa vs. Purdue (-2.5)
11 a.m. | ESPN
If Iowa’s offense packs its passing game when it travels this week, there’s a chance for a shootout. Iowa’s defense has been great all season long, but Purdue’s offense is one of the most dynamic in the conference.
No. 17 Penn State vs. No. 5 Michigan (-10.5)
2:45 p.m. | ESPN
Michigan is 2-1 against ranked teams this season and has not lost at home. As much momentum as Penn State has from a sloppy win over Iowa last week, the Nittany Lions will have a much harder time in the Big House. Michigan’s defense is right there with Iowa’s for best in the Big Ten.
No. 3 Notre Dame (-9.5) vs. Northwestern
6:15 p.m. | ESPN
A loss doesn’t set the Wildcats back in the Big Ten West standings, and a victory will give them national recognition and most likely a top-25 ranking. After starting the season 1-3, Northwestern has picked things up and has won its last four. Roll Irish, though.
