Around the Big Ten: Matchups, power rankings for Week 3

Assistant Sports Editor Chloe Peterson previews this weekend’s conference matchups and updates the DI’s Big Ten Power Rankings.

Jerod Ringwald

Iowa players Zach VanValkenburg, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Tyler Linderbaum discuss Iowa football on Big Ten Network during day two of Big Ten Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Friday, July 23.

Chloe Peterson, Assistant Sports Editor


The Daily Iowan’s Assistant Sports Editor Chloe Peterson ranked all 14 Big Ten football teams and previewed every Week 3 conference contest in Around the Big Ten.

Here are the full rankings, along with start times and betting information for every game.

Week 3 Big Ten Power rankings

  1. Iowa — How could you not put Iowa here?
  2. Ohio State — Being No. 3 and losing to a No. 12 team will do that to you, Buckeyes
  3. Penn State — Are the Nittany Lions good again?
  4. Wisconsin — I still can’t tell if Wisconsin is good or bad.
  5. Michigan — Michigan somehow got into the AP Top-25 this week. That has to count for something, right?
  6. Michigan State — I have no opinion on Michigan State.
  7. Indiana — How was Indiana even ranked to start the season?
  8. Minnesota — Any dreams Minnesota had for this season were dashed by Ibrahim’s Achilles.
  9. Purdue — The Boilermakers beat UConn by 49 last week, but… it’s UConn football.
  10. Maryland — The Terrapins knocked out a couple wins before they imminently get pummeled by the Big Ten
  11. Northwestern — I’m still hanging on to when the Wildcats were good last year.
  12. Rutgers — Rutgers is never good at football.
  13. Illinois — The only reason Illinois isn’t last is because Nebraska is bad.
  14. Nebraska — Turning the program around is going really well for Scott Frost. 

RELATED: Around the Big Ten: Matchups, Power Rankings for Week 1

Week 3 Big Ten matchups

Maryland vs. Illinois

When/where to watch: Friday at 8:00 p.m. on FS1 | Line: MD -7.5 | O/U: 59.5

You can find tickets as low as seven dollars for this game, if that tells you anything.

Nebraska vs. No. 3 Oklahoma 

When/where to watch: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on FOX | Line: OU -22 | O/U: 61.5

Nebraska tried to get out of this game, but this marks the 50th anniversary since the Huskers were actually good.

No. 8 Cincinnati vs. Indiana

When/where to watch: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN | Line: CIN -3.5 | O/U: 50

This could be a Big Ten/Big 12 matchup in 2025.

Michigan State vs. No. 24 Miami

When/where to watch: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on ABC | Line: MIA -6.5 | O/U: 56

One of the only times Michigan State will get on national television, and it’s because the Spartans are playing a ranked team.

Northern Illinois vs. No. 25 Michigan

When/where to watch: Saturday at 11:00 a.m. on BTN | Line: MICH -27 | O/U: 54.5

I don’t care about this game, and neither should you.

Minnesota vs. Colorado

When/where to watch: Saturday at noon on Pac-12 Network | Line: COLO -2 | O/U: 50

The Gophers couldn’t even get the Big Ten to put them on their own TV station.

Purdue vs. No. 12 Notre Dame

When/where to watch: Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on NBC | Line: ND -7 | O/U: 58.5

I would say this is an easy win for Notre Dame, but the Fighting Irish almost lost to Toledo last week.

Tulsa University vs. No. 9 Ohio State

 When/where to watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on FS1 | Line: OSU -26.5 | O/U: 60

If Ohio State can’t win this one, the Buckeyes are truly hopeless.

Kent State vs. No. 5 Iowa

When/where to watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on BTN | Line: IOWA -22.5 | O/U: 55

Don’t even put the Iowa offense on the field — let its defense do all the work.

Delaware vs. Rutgers

When/where to watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on BTN | Line: TBD | O/U: TBD

If any Big Ten team would lose to an FCS school, it’s Rutgers.

Northwestern vs. Duke

When/where to watch: Saturday at 3:00 p.m. on ACC Network | Line: NU -3 | O/U: 50

Duke is good at basketball, not football. Then again, Northwestern isn’t good at either of those things.

No. 22 Auburn vs. No. 10 Penn State 

When/where to watch: Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on ABC | Line: PSU -6 | O/U: 53

Happy Valley should stay happy after this game.