Power Rankings
- Oregon — A Pac-12 team came to the Big Ten and took over the football landscape.
- Ohio State — One more Buckeye loss and it’s a failed season for them.
- Indiana — Curt Cignetti is proof that having the right head coach can change an entire program.
- Penn State —The Nittany Lions are the quietest top-five team we’ve seen in a while.
- Iowa — Very much an up-and-down season, though sitting tied for fifth in the Big Ten standings.
- Minnesota — For the sake of the program, Iowa can’t finish below Minnesota in football.
- Illinois — I can’t think of anything for Illinois. Nothing special about this team to make fun of.
- Washington — Fun fact: the Huskies are undefeated at home and are winless on the road.
- Nebraska — Would be a ranked team if not for the offensive struggles thus far.
- Wisconsin — Just mid. Very mid.
- Michigan — The downfall of Michigan needs to be studied.
- USC — A 4-5 record yet the Trojans have outscored their opponents by 83 points on the season.
- Rutgers — At least the men’s basketball team will be elite with Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey.
- Michigan State — I had faith in the Spartans early on, but not anymore.
- UCLA — A team that scored 188 points and has given up 271 points shouldn’t be 4-6.
- Maryland — Not a terrible football team. Just a very competitive conference.
- Northwestern — Scheduling a game at Wrigley Field against Ohio State was a bad idea.
- Purdue — Continuing to be the Big Ten’s most disappointing football program.
Matchups
Spartan Stadium: Purdue (1-9, 0-7) @ Michigan State (4-6, 2-5)
East Lansing, MI
Where/When To Watch: Friday at 7 p.m. on FOX | Line: Michigan State -13.5 | O/U: 48.5
Having Purdue on primetime is rough, not to mention it’s playing a bottom-half conference foe. But I can’t say much because the Spartans embarrassed the Hawkeyes this season.
SHI Stadium: Illinois (7-3, 4-3) @ Rutgers (6-4, 3-4)
Piscataway, NJ
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on Peacock | Line: Illinois -1 | O/U: 47.5
I’m surprised to see Rutgers as a one-point favorite early in the week. These teams are relatively close, but don’t be surprised if Illinois gets the win in New Jersey.
Ohio Stadium: No. 5 Indiana (10-0, 7-0) @ No. 2 OSU (9-1, 6-1)
Columbus, OH
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on FOX | Line: Ohio State -12 | O/U: 51.5
The game of the week. This will be Indiana’s biggest test of the season and can validate its perfect season thus far with a huge road win over the Buckeyes.
SECU Stadium: Iowa (6-4, 4-3) @ Maryland (4-6, 1-6)
College Park, MD
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 11 a.m. on BTN | Line: Iowa -6.5 | O/U: 46.5
The Hawkeyes might have Jackson “Shaggy” Stratton as the starter. Iowa should come out on top regardless.
Huntington Bank Stadium: No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1) @ Minnesota (6-4, 4-3)
Minneapolis, MN
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on CBS | Line: Penn State -11.5 | O/U: 44.5
Minnesota pulled off the upsets over then-No. 11 USC and then-No. 24 Illinois and has a chance to do it again against Penn State at home. Mark this game down on your calendar.
Michigan Stadium: Northwestern (4-6, 2-5) @ Michigan (5-5, 3-4)
Ann Arbor, MI
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on FS1 | Line: Michigan -10.5 | O/U: 36.5
Nothing to see here, just a Michigan team slowly declining with each passing week versus a subpar Northwestern team. Indeed a snoozefest.
Memorial Stadium: Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4) @ Nebraska (5-5, 2-5)
Lincoln, NE
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on BTN | Line: Nebraska -2.5 | O/U: 42.5
Two teams with red logos and the exact same playing style. Might as well watch crops grow. But that’s what both of these fan bases do in real life.
Rose Bowl: USC (5-5, 3-5) @ UCLA (4-6, 3-5)
Pasadena, CA
Where/When To Watch: Saturday at 9:30 p.m. on NBC | Line: USC -4.5 | O/U: 51.5
Same matchup, different conference. Two former Pac-12 teams holding its annual meeting, only this time as Big Ten opponents. I’ll put my money on USC in this one.