Big Ten football power rankings: Missed chance for Gophers; Illinois ready to climb.

Iowa started the weekend with a loss at UCLA, but with a chance to pull ahead of the Hawkeyes, the Gophers stumbled at Rutgers.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 11, 2024 at 6:30PM
Hoosiers players celebrate after defeating Michigan on Saturday in front of their home fans in Bloomington, Ind. (AJ MAST)

Big Ten football power rankings

1. Oregon (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten): After a 39-18 win over Maryland, the Ducks can clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game with a win at Wisconsin on Saturday.

2. Ohio State (8-1, 5-1): The Buckeyes overwhelm Purdue 45-0 and now turn attention to Saturday’s game against Northwestern at Wrigley Field. They’ll also try to not peek ahead to the Nov. 23 showdown against Indiana.

3. Indiana (10-0, 7-0): The Hoosiers show they can win a low-scoring contest by beating Michigan 20-15. The win did wonders for their playoff chances, and they have a bye before their Nov. 23 clash at Ohio State.

4. Penn State (8-1, 5-1): Tight end Tyler Warren rushes for two TDs in 35-6 rout of Washington. Nittany Lions finish with trips to Purdue and Minnesota, and home game against Maryland.

5. Iowa (6-4, 4-3): The Hawkeyes bolt to 10-0 lead over UCLA in Rose Bowl Stadium, then score only one TD the rest of the way in 20-17 loss. Despite the defeat, Iowa is still in line for a trip to Tampa for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

6. Gophers (6-4, 4-3): One step forward, one step back. Gophers follow up their win at No. 24 Illinois by laying an egg in 26-19 loss at Rutgers. Bye week comes at a good time to get the running game healthy. They’ll need it against Penn State and Wisconsin.

7. Illinois (6-3, 3-3): Illini had a bye and saw teams they’re pursuing, Iowa and Minnesota, suffer upsets. They can move up with a win over Michigan State.

8. Wisconsin (5-4, 3-3): Bye week gave the Badgers extra time to prepare for Saturday’s home game against top-ranked Oregon.

9. Washington (5-5, 3-4): The Huskies had only 71 first-half yards in 35-6 loss at Penn State. In Big Ten road games, they are 0-4 and have been outscored 127-57.

10. Michigan (5-5, 3-4): Offensively challenged Wolverines muster only one TD against Indiana. They’ve lost four of their past five and need a win over Northwestern to gain bowl eligibility.

11. UCLA (4-5, 3-4): Resilient Bruins rally for 20-17 win over Iowa, running their win streak to three games. A win at Washington on Friday would put UCLA one win from bowl eligibility with USC and Fresno State left to play.

12. Nebraska (5-4, 2-4): The Cornhuskers were idle last week. They need one more win to reach a bowl game, and they travel to USC, host Wisconsin and finish at Iowa.

13. Rutgers (5-4, 2-4): QB Athan Kaliakmanis’ three TD passes and strong defensive play combine to lead Scarlet Knights to 26-19 win over Gophers. A win at Maryland will give Rutgers a bowl trip.

14. Michigan State (4-5, 2-4): The Spartans, idle last week, finish with Illinois, Purdue and Rutgers, and need to win two games to reach a bowl.

15. USC (4-5, 2-5): Coach Lincoln Riley has benched QB Miller Moss in favor of UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava. A visit from Nebraska on Saturday is the first chance to see if the move pays off.

16. Northwestern (4-5, 2-4): The Wildcats were idle last week and face Ohio State, Michigan and Illinois to close the season, so a bowl trip seems to be a long shot.

17. Maryland (4-5, 1-5): Three turnovers doomed any upset chances the Terrapins had at Oregon. With Rutgers, Iowa and Penn State left to play, a bowl appearance seems unlikely.

18. Purdue (1-8, 0-5): The Boilermakers weren’t competitive in a 45-0 loss to Ohio State. They’ve played both the No. 2 Buckeyes and No. 1 Oregon, falling by a combined 80-0.

about the writer

about the writer

Randy Johnson

College football reporter

Randy Johnson covers University of Minnesota football and college football for the Star Tribune, along with Gophers hockey and the Wild.

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