Big Ten Power Rankings: 10/15

posted October 15, 2014 in CommRadio, Sports by Jack Milewski

1) Michigan State: The Spartans probably played that game against Purdue a little too close for comfort for many of their fans, but they ended up winning the game any way. That’s what good teams do; they beat the teams they are supposed to, even if they don’t have their “A” game on that particular day. Connor Cook continues to be solid along with Jeremy Langford and the rest of the Spartans offense. The No. 8 Spartans stay atop our Big Ten rankings

Last Week: 1

2) Ohio State: The Buckeyes had a bye this week, but they have consistently gotten better this season after their upset loss to Virginia Tech. They will host a solid Rutgers team before heading to Happy Valley to face a reeling Penn State team. The schedule sets up nicely for the 13th ranked Buckeyes and with J.T. Barrett playing at a very high level they have a good shot to go into their November 8 clash with Michigan State with only one loss under their belt.

Last Week: 2

3) Nebraska: Another team with a bye this week, Nebraska, is looking to rebound from a loss against Michigan State. Ameer Abdullah is a Heisman contender on a team that seems to favor the run over the pass. The Cornhuskers are shaky at quarterback, but the rest of their team is solid and they pose a threat to anyone they play against.

Last Week: 3

4) Minnesota: The Golden Gophers are actually a pretty impressive team this year. This past weekend they defeated a red-hot Northwestern team 24-17 to move to 5-1 on the season. Despite giving up almost 400 yards, Minnesota was able to win the game in the fourth quarter with a 100 yard kickoff return. With their stout defense, this team is built for the Big Ten and could be on their way to a very successful season.

Last Week: 5

5) Wisconsin: Last week I mentioned that this team had Melvin Gordon but lacked in the passing department. The key to that last sentence is that they have Melvin Gordon. Gordon put together another ridiculous performance this past Saturday, rushing for 175yds and four touchdowns. Although a balanced attack is necessary to be a great team, with Gordon playing the way he is, despite the lack of a passing game, the Badgers are still a very good team.

Last Week: 8

6) Iowa: Propelled by a monster first quarter, the Hawkeyes took care of Indiana 45-29. Much like Minnesota, this is a team that has flown under the radar this season and is now quietly sitting at 5-1 and in a great position moving forward. Despite talk of splitting the quarterback role, the Hawkeyes stuck with Jake Rudock after he completed 9-11 to start the game. Their defense is also very strong and will need to be going forward as Iowa looks to continue to move up the Big Ten ranks.

Last Week: 6

7) Rutgers: Maybe I didn’t give the Scarlet Knights enough respect last week when I put them ninth as a 5-1 team. However, the road ahead is tough for Rutgers as they have Ohio State next. The team has a solid defense and a gunslinger in Gary Nova. However, the offense is turnover prone and against big time defenses like Ohio State’s, that won’t fly. We will see how they stack up this weekend.

Last Week: 9

8) Northwestern: Despite the loss to Minnesota, I’m convinced this team has turned the corner and will be dangerous the rest of the year. Trevor Siemian is playing better and better every week, and the team’s defense is shutdown at times. They are still 2-1 in the Big Ten and have a pretty favorable schedule moving forward.

Last Week: 4

9) Maryland: I normally don’t like moving teams up in the ranks after a bye week, but after the performance of some of the teams above them, Maryland moves up a spot this week. They have a great offense and a subpar defense, sort of the opposite of most Big Ten teams. It remains to be seen if their offense can make up for their lack of strength on defense, but they should be well tested against Iowa this weekend.

Last Week: 10

10) Michigan: The win over Penn State could help jump-start a strong second half for the Wolverines. Devin Gardner was gimpy all game, so that is something to watch going forward, but the magnitude of that win cannot be overstated. The Wolverines now have a week to rest before they face Michigan State. While it is unlikely they will win, the team has talent and this win, as I said before, was huge.

Last Week: 12

11) Penn State: It’s starting to seem like that 4-0 start was an illusion after the Nittany Lions past two performances. Going up against a reeling Michigan team you would expect a stronger performance than a 13-point effort. The offensive line is terrible and the rest of the team is feeling the effects of their poor play. With Ohio State in two weeks the Nittany Lions need to do some major revamping of their offense if they want any hope of keeping it close.

Last Week: 7

12)  Purdue: The team looked explosive at times against Michigan State. Even though they lost, they showed a lot of promise and fought back to give the Spartans a scare. Austin Appleby looks to be the future for the Boilermakers as he played the full game and looked promising at times.

Last Week: 13

13) Indiana: The team’s running attack is fantastic. That’s about as far as the positives go for Indiana. Nate Sudfield left Saturday’s game with an apparent injury and the defense gave up 45 points to an Iowa team not known for their offensive prowess. Simply put, the rushing attack isn’t enough to pull the team up from the bottom of the Big Ten standings.

Last Week: 11

14) Illinois: Once again the Fighting Illini bring up the rear. They have lost four of their last five and their upcoming games don’t seem to help their chances of breaking out of their slump. Anything can happen, but chances are it won’t for Illinois.

Last Week: 14

Jack Milewski is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email him at jbm250@psu.edu.