Big Ten Football Power Rankings Following Week 4: Michigan Bounces Back

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (1-2, 0-0)

There was hope that Hudson Card would take a step forward in his second season in Graham Harrell’s offense, but that hasn’t happened. He was 7 of 17 passing for 56 yards in their 38-17 loss at Oregon State. Card is not the only problem, as the Boilermakers were gashed for 341 yards on the ground.

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | Peacock | +10.5 vs. Nebraska

TIER II – THE CHALLENGERS: OREGON & PENN STATE

Oregon (-400) and Penn State (-190) are both projected to make the playoffs by the oddsmakers. Oregon is the top challenger in the Big Ten (+240 to Win the B1G Championship), and PSU (+450) is the only other program below +1000.

OREGON DUCKS (3-0, 0-0)

Oregon’s first Big Ten game is against…the UCLA Bruins! Wait, what? They will have to wait for their welcome to the Big Ten moment.

Week 5 | 11:00 PM E | FOX | -24.5 vs. UCLA

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (3-0, 0-0)

Oh my gosh. Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me. PSU wouldn’t look past another MAC team as they outgained Kent State 718 yards to 67! Three Nittany Lions threw TD passes, five caught touchdown passes, and three rushed for touchdowns as OC Andy Kotelnicki spread the wealth.

Week 5 | 7:30 PM ET | NBC | -17.5 vs. Illinois

TIER III – CONTENDERS: MICHIGAN & USC

Maybe the Trojans aren’t the clear-cut No. 4 team in the B1G? Odds-wise, they are (+1200), while Michigan has jumped from +4500 to Win the Big Ten Championship to +2000. The Trojans are 14th in odds to make the College Football Playoff (+230), and Michigan checks in at +600. I’m guessing no one will question me having the Wolverines this high this week.

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (3-1, 1-0)

Is it OK that I didn’t have Nebraska ahead of the Wolverines last week? Michigan did what Michigan does. Run the football (290 rushing yards) and dominate the line of scrimmage (4 sacks, 8 TFLs) with their defense. This is a rare case where the Twitter haters were incorrect. Honestly bad call from the haters.

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | FOX | -9.5 vs. Minnesota

USC TROJANS (2-1, 0-1)

Welcome to the Big Ten, indeed. USC’s offensive line could not hang with Michigan’s front four defenders, and while their defense held its own on most plays, they knew the run was coming (as if they had Michigan’s signals!) and still gave up too many big plays on the ground.

Week 5 | 3:30 PM ET | CBS | -15.5 vs. Wisconsin

TIER IV – THE MIDDLE CLASS: IOWA, INDIANA, NEBRASKA, ILLINOIS, & WASHINGTON

Iowa (+4200 to Win the Big Ten Championship) is back where they belong (and where we had them), the head of this class. One trendy team (Indiana +5500 to +5000) continues to rise, while another tumbles (Nebraska +3000 to +12000). Illinois (+13000 to +10000) and Washington (+22000 to +10000) also made big moves in the market.

IOWA HAWKEYES (3-1, 1-0)

It wasn’t quite Michigan-esque, but former Wolverine Cade McNamara threw for 62 yards in a road win at rival Minnesota as the Hawkeyes rumbled for 272 and four touchdowns to overcome a halftime deficit as they dominated the second half. Kaleb Johnson rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns, his third-straight game with over 170 yards and multiple TDs. The defense pitched a second-half shutout to reclaim the glorious Floyd of Rosedale trophy.

Week 5 | Idle

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI (4-0, 1-0)

Outside the top three teams in the Big Ten, Illinois can hang with anybody in the conference. They are playing well in the trenches, and Luke Altmyer continues to be sharp, throwing the football, going 21 of 27 for 215 yards and four touchdowns (no INTs) against Nebraska’s ballyhooed defense. They rushed for 4.7 yards per carry compared to 3.4 by the Huskers (taking out sacks) and recorded five sacks (7 TFLs total) while holding Nebraska to two (2 TFLs).

Week 5 | 7:30 PM ET | NBC | +17.5 @ Penn State

WASHINGTON HUSKIES (3-1, 1-0)

Last season’s runner-up quietly made their Big Ten debut hosting Northwestern, and from the looks of things, the Huskies would have enjoyed life in the B1G West. Washington more than tripled Northwestern’s yardage (391 yards to 112), as they held the ‘Cats to fewer than 60 yards rushing and passing. They’ve kept three of four opponents out of the end zone.

Week 5 | 8:00 PM ET | FOX | +2.5 @ Rutgers (Friday)

INDIANA HOOSIERS (4-0, 1-0)

Indiana continues to bludgeon opponents, and I get the feeling Curt Cignetti doesn’t mind running it up a little. That said, Kurtis Rourke only took 20 pass attempts to accumulate 258 yards, a whopping 12.9 yards per attempt. The Hoosiers also found their running game (229 yards, 5.7 YPC, taking out sacks), but they’re stepping up in competition this Saturday.  

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | BTN | -6.5 vs. Maryland

NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (3-1, 0-1)

There’s the team Nebraska thinks it is. The team people believe they are. And the team Nebraska is. The big bad defense wasn’t so big or bad against a competent offensive line, while their line failed to hold their own along the line of scrimmage to overshadow an impressive B1G debut by Dylan Raiola (297 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT). In fairness to them, injuries played a role.

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | Peacock | -10.5 @ Purdue

TIER V – SO YOU’RE SAYING THERE’S A CHANCE: RUTGERS, WISCONSIN, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN STATE, MINNESOTA

Rutgers (+10000 to Win the Big Ten Championship) is the lone undefeated team in this tier and got a big win toward bowl eligibility over Virginia Tech. Wisconsin (+12000) is tick behind and Maryland (+50000 to 24000) remains dangerous. Michigan State (+50000) is no longer undefeated, and Minnesota (+50000) suffered its second defeat. The Gophers and Spartans are the backend of this tier.

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (3-0, 0-0)

Rutgers picked up their first Power 4 win of the season, upsetting the Hokies on the road. Star running back Kyle Monangai was limited to 3.2 yards per carry (26 rushes for 84 yards) and they won with their passing game. When was the last time anyone said that about the Scarlet Knights? Athan Kaliakmanis was 16 of 25 passing for 269 yards and hit three different receivers for gains of over 35 yards. Maybe he wasn’t the problem in Minnesota.

Week 5 | 8:00 PM ET | FOX | -2.5 vs. Washington 

WISCONSIN BADGERS (2-1, 0-0)

With Tyler Van Dyke having surgery to repair his torn ACL, the Badgers are turning to Braedyn Locke. Filling in for an injured Tanner Mordecai last season, Locke completed 50 percent of his passes and averaged 5.1 YPA, numbers he will have to improve on if Wisconsin is to make a bowl game. Stepping into the QB2 role is Mabrey Mettauer, a three-star true freshman out of Texas who enrolled at Wisconsin in January.

Week 5 | 3:30 PM ET | CBS | +15.5 @ USC

MARYLAND TERAPINS (3-1, 0-1)

The Terps jumped out to a 24-0 lead against a solid FCS program in Villanova before they emptied the bench. There were too many penalties (8 for 89 yards), but you’ll take 7.8 yards per play to 3.6 any day and twice on Saturday.

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | BTN | +6.5 @ Indiana

MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS (2-2, 0-1)

After scoring on back-to-back possessions to end the first half, the Gophers punted on three second-half possessions before Max Brosmer threw his second interception. The Gophers do not look like a bowl team but like a program headed in the wrong direction.

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | FOX | +9.5 @ Michigan

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (3-1, 1-0)

An upset of Boston College would have been huge for Michigan State’s bowl hopes, and they held the lead three times, including a field goal lead with 4:12 left in the game. They outgained the Eagles (368 yards to 292, 5.4 YPP to 4.9) but couldn’t overcome three interceptions by freshman quarterback Aidan Chiles, who has seven picks through four games. That’s three more than the combined number of Washington’s, Indiana’s, Oregon’s, Illinois’, Penn State’s, Rutgers’, Ohio State’s, and USC’s starters.

Week 5 | 7:30 PM ET | Peacock | +23.5 @ Ohio State

TIER VI – THE RACE TO AVOID 18TH PLACE: NORTHWESTERN, UCLA, PURDUE

Northwestern (+50000), Purdue (+50000) and UCLA (+50000) all picked up their second loss of the season in Week 2. All by three scores.

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (2-2, 0-1)

How bad was Northwestern’s offense? The Wildcats averaged 2.3 yards per rush and an even worse 1.96 yards per pass. They returned a kickoff to the Washington 1-yard line and failed to score! A return to Mike Wright at quarterback feels inevitable.

Week 5 | Idle

UCLA BRUINS (1-2, 0-1)

The Bruins hung with LSU for half, but ultimately, the offense bogged down in the second (3 punts, INT), and they gave up too many big plays, including eight through the air that gained 15+ yards, not including a pass interference. The defense forced just one punt, and even on that drive, the Tigers got into UCLA territory.

Week 5 | 11:00 PM ET | FOX | +24.5 @ Oregon

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (1-2, 0-0)

There was hope that Hudson Card would take a step forward in his second season in Graham Harrell’s offense, but that hasn’t happened. He was 7 of 17 passing for 56 yards in their 38-17 loss at Oregon State. Card is not the only problem, as the Boilermakers were gashed for 341 yards on the ground.

Week 5 | 12:00 PM ET | Peacock | +10.5 vs. Nebraska