Hoosier Huddle's Big Ten Power Rankings (Week 12)
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Written by Evan McShane
Week 11 saw Northwestern clinch the West title and Purdue lay an egg. Here is how those results shook up the Big Ten power rankings heading into week 12.
1. Michigan (9-1, 7-0 defeated Rutgers 42-7)
Ranking Last Week: 1
Michigan failed to cover a spread that reached somewhere in the ballpark of 38 points on Saturday. Nonetheless, the Wolverines continued yet another week of sustained dominance. They say defense travels and Michigan’s vaunted D was up to the task. Rutgers only managed 59 passing yards while surrendering over 450 yards of total offense to Michigan. The Wolverines have one more tune-up game against the Hoosiers at the Big House on Saturday. If they are victorious, Michigan will be playing in Columbus against Ohio State for the Big Ten East title.
Next Week: Michigan hosts Indiana at 4PM ET
2. Ohio State (9-1, 6-1 defeated Michigan State 26-6)
Ranking Last Week: 2
The Buckeyes picked up another road win against a formidable foe. While the victory at Penn State came down to the final play, Ohio State’s win against the Spartans broke open in the fourth quarter. Clinging to a 9-6 lead, the Buckeyes erupted for 17 points in the last 14 minutes to seal the deal. Ohio State has quietly crept to 9-1 following their letdown loss against Purdue several weeks ago. If the Buckeyes take care of business against Maryland, they will host a red hot Michigan team for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game.
Next Week: Ohio State plays at Maryland at noon ET
3. Northwestern (6-4, 6-1 defeated Iowa 14-10)
Ranking Last Week: 4
Northwestern has become the most unlikely divisional champs. Thanks to letdown losses from Purdue and Wisconsin, Northwestern clinched the Big Ten West title by beating Iowa. A spectacular catch on a late touchdown gave Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats a clutch road victory. As what usually seems to be the case with this team, Northwestern lost some games they should’ve won, and won some games they weren’t expected to. Despite losing all of its non-conference games, Northwestern reigns supreme in the Big Ten West. How will they fare against Ohio State or Michigan? Time will tell.
Next Week: Northwestern plays at Minnesota at noon ET
4. Penn State (7-3, 4-3 defeated Wisconsin 22-10)
Last Week Ranking: 8
Penn State bounced back from an embarrassing loss to Michigan last week. The Nittany Lions took care of Wisconsin at home despite losing quarterback Trace McSorley with an injury during the game. Penn State’s defense prevented the Badgers from getting anything going. In what was a typical Big Ten style game, Penn State ran the ball 47 times to Wisconsin’s 37. Penn State won the turnover battle and controlled time of possession. With a soft end to the schedule, Penn State has a good chance to finish the season 9-3. While this result may seem unfulfilling considering the playoff aspirations, but perhaps James Franklin has set the bar too high.
Next Week: Penn State plays at Rutgers at noon ET
5. Michigan State (6-4, 4-3 lost to Ohio State 26-6)
Last Week Ranking: 3
A commendable defensive effort wasn’t enough for the Spartans to overcome the talented Buckeyes. Michigan State held on to a 9-6 lead through the first three quarters. The Spartans were simply unable to run the ball – rushing for 54 yards on three yards-per-carry. Ohio State presented a more balanced offense and won the turnover battle. The Buckeyes also dominated time of possession. Michigan State faces a resurgent Nebraska team next week on the road. To be blunt, Michigan State fell short of expectations after finishing last season 10-3. If nothing else, the Spartans should end their season on a high note with Rutgers as their final opponent.
Next Week: Michigan State plays at Nebraska at noon ET
6. Wisconsin (6-4, 4-3 lost to Penn State 22-10)
Last Week Ranking: 5
Wisconsin dropped one slot in the power rankings this week after an uninspiring loss against Penn State. Despite rushing for over 200 yards, the Badgers only managed 10 points. That is inexcusable for a team pegged as one of the conferences better teams. Four turnovers prevented Wisconsin from ever giving themselves a chance in this game. Wisconsin will face a tough test on the road against Purdue next week. The Badgers defense will need to carry them to a victory against an explosive Boilermaker offense. Expect Wisconsin to continue to have success running the ball during their final two games. Badger fans are hoping to find some consistency at quarterback going forward.
Next Week: Wisconsin plays at Purdue at 3:30PM ET
7. Iowa (6-4, 3-4 lost to Northwestern 14-10)
Last Week Ranking: 7
Iowa didn’t move a spot because, quite frankly, the Big Ten is somewhat of a mess outside the top tier of teams. Iowa barely lost a must-win game at home against Northwestern. After Iowa beat Maryland to advance to 6-1, the Hawkeyes seemed poised to run away with the Big Ten West and challenge Ohio State or Michigan for a potential playoff spot. Three consecutive losses later – here we are. Iowa had a chance to win each game, losing by just six, two, and four points respectively. Nevertheless, Iowa plays Illinois and Nebraska to close out the year. Despite missing a golden opportunity, the Hawkeyes can still finish a respectable 8-4 if they play to their strengths and finish strong.
Next Week: Iowa plays at Illinois at 3:30PM ET
8. Minnesota (5-5, 2-5 defeated Purdue 41-10)
Last Week Ranking: 11
Minnesota has had a very confusing season. Following four straight Big Ten losses to open up conference play, the Gophers beat Indiana. They then lost to a struggling Illinois team, giving up 55 points in the process. After firing their defensive coordinator, Minnesota’s defense responded, shutting Purdue’s explosive offense down and holding them to just ten points. The Gophers also posted 41 points on the Boilermakers, continuing a trend of high-scoring for PJ Fleck’s offense. Minnesota needs one more win the become bowl eligible, but it will be a tall task. Northwestern and Wisconsin are the two teams remaining on Minnesota’s schedule.
Next Week: Minnesota hosts Northwestern at noon ET
9. Purdue (5-5, 4-3 lost to Minnesota 41-10)
Last Week Ranking: 6
In one of the more befuddling results this weekend, Minnesota absolutely annihilated Purdue 41-10. It turned into a snowy game, but the result was decided by the halfway point. Purdue only managed 88 yards rushing on 145 yards passing. The Boilermakers were 0-for-12 on third down. Meanwhile, Purdue’s defense gave up over 400 yards on seven yards-per-play. What contributed to the Boilermakers’ lame duck performance? Was Jeff Brohm’s head elsewhere on Saturday? His beloved alma mater, Louisville, parted ways with coach Bobby Petrino over the weekend and wide speculation is that Brohm is a front-runner for the job. Such a turn of events would be devastating for Purdue, but the focus is on the future: the Boilers need one more win to become bowl eligible.
Next Week: Purdue hosts Wisconsin at 3:30PM ET
10. Indiana (5-5, 2-5 defeated Maryland 34-32)
Last Week Ranking: 12
The Hoosiers were in a must-win situation and, finally, Tom Allen’s team pulled through. Despite giving up a wealth of yardage to Maryland, Indiana forced timely turnovers and put enough points on the board to walk away victorious. Aside from the yardage IU’s defense surrendered, there were a few old habits rearing their head in this game. Sloppy play and time management issues nearly cost Indiana the game, but at the end of the day, a win is a win. The Hoosiers are one win away from bowl eligibility. While IU has come close against Michigan in years’ past, this Michigan team appears to be an entirely different beast. Indiana’s season will likely come down to the Old Oaken Bucket. Can IU get revenge?
Next Week: The Hoosiers play at Michigan at 4pm ET
11. Maryland (5-5, 3-4 lost to Indiana 34-32)
Last Week Ranking: 9
Maryland was never able to capitalize on their opening week upset victory over Texas. Since that game, the Terrapins have been remarkably average. On Saturday, Maryland found a way to lose despite out-gaining Indiana 542 yards to 374. Four costly turnovers crushed any chance the Terrapins had of coming back to win the game. Maryland racked up nearly 100 penalty yards and experienced several in-game injuries. The Terrapins need one more win to become bowl eligible. With games against Ohio State and Penn State looming, Maryland may have squandered their postseason hopes in Bloomington.
Next Week: Maryland hosts Ohio State at noon ET
12. Nebraska (3-7, 2-5 defeated Illinois 54-35)
Last Week Ranking: 13
Nebraska’s offense has been completely unleashed. Despite surrendering over 500 yards of offense to Illinois, Nebraska still won comfortably by 19 points. Quarterback Adrian Martinez threw for 290 yards while the Cornhuskers accumulated 316 rushing yards. Nebraska tallied over 600 yards of total offense yielding an astonishing nine yards-per-play. Nebraska also benefited from five Illinois turnovers. While Scott Frost won’t be going bowling in his first year as the Cornhuskers’ coach, he has a lot to look forward to. Nebraska football is a sleeping giant and each week since their abysmal start, it seems like they’re closer to returning to prominence.
Next Week: Nebraska hosts Michigan State at noon ET
13. Illinois (4-6, 2-5 lost to Nebraska 54-35)
Last Week Ranking: 10
An outlier performance against Minnesota last week proved to be just that – an outlier. Illinois’ defense regressed toward their mean as they let Nebraska do whatever they want. Although Nebraska is experiencing a nice turnaround, Illinois had a real chance to build momentum. Lovie Smith may or may not be the answer, but for now, the Fighting Illini seem stuck in the bottom tier of the conference. With difficult games against Iowa and Northwestern remaining this season, there’s a high probability Illinois finished the season 4-8 with only two conference wins.
Next Week: Illinois hosts Iowa at 3:30PM ET
14. Rutgers (1-9, 0-7 lost to Michigan 42-7)
Last Week Ranking: 14
If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.
Next Week: Rutgers hosts Penn State at noon ET