Big Ten Power Rankings Tiers Week 11: Michigan, Ohio State Lead

Tier VI: Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State

The Hoosiers and Spartans are coming off their first Big Ten wins in Week 10, while the Boilermakers are the lone Big Ten team eliminated from bowl contention going into Week 11. MSU (at OSU) will join them this week, and IU (at Illinois) could.

Tier II: Penn State

PSU wasn’t up to the challenge against OSU, and they don’t appear to be in Michigan’s class. They’ll get their chance to prove themselves this Saturday. The gap is even bigger between the Nittany Lions and the teams below them.

Tier III: Iowa & Wisconsin

Like the top three teams in the East, the top two in the West have an excellent defense, elite in Iowa’s case. The problem is that their offenses are lacking… severely in Iowa’s case. They are closer to the teams below them than those above.

Tier IV: Rutgers, Minnesota, Maryland

Other than the fact that all three are coming off a loss but still should make a bowl game, these programs have little in common. Maryland has the most talent but is underachieving. Rutgers has the least talent and is playing the best.

Tier V: Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern

Unlike Illinois and Northwestern (both 4-5), Nebraska (5-4) has a winning record. However, unlike the Illini and Wildcats (both beat Maryland and Minnesota), the Huskers don’t have a win over a team in any of the above tiers.

Tier VI: Purdue, Indiana, Michigan State

The Hoosiers and Spartans are coming off their first Big Ten wins in Week 10, while the Boilermakers are the lone Big Ten team eliminated from bowl contention going into Week 11. MSU (at OSU) will join them this week, and IU (at Illinois) could.