Hoosier Huddle's 2021 Big Ten Power Rankings After Week 8
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Written by Evan McShane
After eight weeks of football in the Big Ten things are as messy as ever as Penn State fell to Illinois and Wisconsin climbed back into the Big Ten West race with a win at Purdue.
1. Michigan (7-0, 4-0) – Defeated Northwestern 33-7
Michigan dominated Northwestern at home on Saturday for their seventh straight win, joining rival Michigan State as the only other team in the conference with seven victories. The two undefeated teams will meet in East Lansing next week for the most important B1G showdown to date.
2. Ohio State (6-1, 4-0) – Defeated Indiana 54-7
OSU made Indiana look like a Pop Warner team on Saturday. Ohio State may have a loss under their belt, but they might be the scariest team in the Big Ten right now. The Buckeyes have outscored their last four opponents by a combined 231-44. Ohio State will host Penn State next week for an important Big Ten East matchup.
3. Michigan State (7-0, 4-0) – Bye Week
MSU was off this week with a bye, the Spartans will face their toughest competition next week when Michigan comes to East Lansing.
4. Iowa (6-1, 3-1) – Bye Week
Iowa had the week off to recover from their embarrassing loss at home to Purdue. The Hawkeyes travel to Madison, Wisconsin next week to play the Badgers.
5. Minnesota (5-2, 3-1) – Defeated Maryland 34-16
Minnesota is tied for second in the Big Ten West after defeating Maryland at home. The Gophers are playing as well as they have at any point this season. Next week, Minnesota will play Northwestern on the road.
6. Penn State (5-2, 2-2) – Lost to Illinois 20-18 9OT
Penn State completely collapsed at home against Illinois. The Nittany Lions gave up over 350 rushing yards and ultimately came up short in overtime. Now fresh off two straight losses, PSU will play Ohio State on the road next week.
7. Wisconsin (4-3, 2-2) – Defeated Purdue 30-13
Wisconsin controlled Purdue on the road with ease, coasting to their 15th straight win over the Boilers. The Badgers have ripped off three straight wins. Iowa comes to town next week in what could be a defensive stalemate.
8. Purdue (4-3, 2-2) – Lost to Wisconsin 30-13
Purdue snuck into the top-25 and immediately flopped at home against Wisconsin. The Boilers offense looked broken once again. Next week, Purdue plays Nebraska on the road where they hope to get back into the win column.
9. Maryland (4-3, 1-3) – Lost to Minnesota 34-16
Maryland has lost three in a row after a 4-0 start to the season. The Terps didn’t have a chance on the road against Minnesota on Saturday. Luckily for Maryland, they’ll play the worst offense in the conference next week when Indiana comes to town.
10. Illinois (3-5, 2-3) – Defeated Penn State 20-18 9OT
Illinois saved their season with a massive upset win in Happy Valley. The Illini stunned the Nittany Lions in a nine-overtime thriller after racking up over 350 rushing yards in the game. Illinois can build on this momentum next week when they host Rutgers.
11. Northwestern (3-4, 1-3) – Lost to Michigan 33-7
Northwestern continues to struggle in conference play, suffering another blowout loss on Saturday, this time to Michigan. The Wildcats offense looks anemic, and the defense isn’t as stellar as usual. NW hopes to get back on track next week against Minnesota at home.
12. Rutgers (3-4, 0-4) – Bye Week
Rutgers was off with a bye week. The Scarlet Knights play Illinois on the road next week.
13. Nebraska (3-5, 1-4) – Bye Week
Nebraska had the week off. The Cornhuskers will host Purdue next week.
14. Indiana (2-5, 0-4) – Lost to Ohio State 54-7
Indiana has scored just two touchdowns across four Big Ten games. They’ve been outscored 132-28 in those contests. The Hoosiers season is hanging on by a thread. Can Tom Allen and Co. fix their offensive