How does the Big Ten shape out heading into Week 4 of the college football season?
18. UCLA (1-1, 0-1 conf.)
Week 3: 42-13 loss vs. Indiana
Maybe Indiana is better than we think, but UCLA couldn’t find a rhythm in its first-ever Big Ten conference game. This game told us that DeShaun Foster has a lot of work to do to rebuild the Bruins. Perhaps you already knew that, but it was confirmed in a tough home loss.
17. Purdue (1-1)
Week 3: 66-7 loss vs. No. 18 Notre Dame
Riley Leonard didn’t have to throw more than 16 passes for Notre Dame to absolutely demolish Purdue. To put it into context, the Boilermakers’ defense gave up 364 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. There was nothing to like about Purdue’s performance, and for that, they move down in the power rankings.
16. Northwestern (2-1)
Week 3: 31-7 win vs. Eastern Illinois
It’s mostly because Purdue and UCLA looked bad, but Northwestern moves two spots up to 16th in the power rankings after a much-needed win against Eastern Illinois. Jack Lausch looked good, completing 21 of 30 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. On the flip side, the defense took some steps, albeit against an FCS opponent, but the Wildcats did their job.
15. Minnesota (2-1)
Week 3: 27-0 win vs. Nevada
The Golden Gophers’ defense has looked good all season, the question is P.J. Fleck’s offense. Max Brosmer hasn’t exactly been stellar under center, but Darius Taylor and Marcus Major have been solid as a duo in the backfield. A win against a Mountain West program is a good look for Minnesota, however, we’ll get a better feel for this team this Saturday against Iowa.
14. Maryland (2-1, 0-1 conf.)
Week 3: 27-13 win @ Virginia
Maryland’s Week 2 loss versus Michigan State is holding it back from being higher in the power rankings, but a 14-point win against a Power 4 opponent helps. Billy Edwards Jr. is emerging as a formidable successor to Taulia Tagovailoa, with his third-straight game throwing for 250-plus yards and two touchdowns.
He and Tai Felton are building a great QB-WR connection, as Felton had his third-straight game with at least 100 yards and a touchdown.
13. Wisconsin (2-1)
Week 3: 42-10 loss vs. No. 4 Alabama
On top of a brutal 32-point loss, the Badgers lose their starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to an ACL tear. Braedyn Locke stepped into a game he did not expect to be thrown into, but there’s debate on whether or not he should start over true freshman Mabrey Mettauer.
Two uninspiring wins against poor competition followed by a blowout to a real FBS team gives fans a negative feeling moving forward. The schedule isn’t getting easier as conference play begins.
12. Indiana (3-0, 1-0 conf.)
Week 3: 42-13 win @ UCLA
Indiana is starting to bring buzz to its program after a dominant 3-0 start and a 1-0 record to kick off conference play. Curt Cignetti’s team hasn’t faced good enough competition to get a good gauge on the team’s expectations for the rest of the season, but the Hoosiers are expected to defeat Charlotte this weekend, which would make them an impressive 4-0.
It’s hard not to get excited for what lies ahead because Indiana has two inferior opponents lined up for the following weeks in Maryland and Northwestern. There is a very real chance Indiana starts the season 6-0.
11. Michigan State (3-0, 1-0 conf.)
Week 3: 40-0 win vs. Prairie View
Many people, including myself, wrote off Michigan State as being at the bottom of the Big Ten, but a 3-0 start with a recent dominant win against Prairie View puts them at the fringes of the top 10 in the power rankings. Aidan Chiles is still finding his way under center, but it’s not like he had much of a responsibility against an FCS program.
As the Spartans build momentum, it could easily get knocked down in the coming weeks, as the majority of their opponents have a significant edge. A 3-0 start overall and a 1-0 start in conference play is a great sign for Jonathan Smith as he rebuilds the program.
10. Washington (2-1)
Week 3: 24-19 loss vs. Washington State
Expected to defeat their rival at home, the Washington Huskies fell in a tough one to Washington State. Will Rogers impressed for the most part, throwing for 314 yards and a touchdown, but the offense just couldn’t find the end zone as WSU found it three times. I’m going to give the Huskies the benefit of the doubt, as the Cougars have a solid program even in the ‘Pac-2.’
9. Iowa (2-1)
Week 3: 38-21 win vs. Troy
Oddly enough, a team known for its defense just gave up 21 points to Troy. Kaleb Johnson is the real deal, having rushed for 479 yards and six touchdowns through three games. He is carrying this Iowa offense, but Cade McNamara didn’t have to do much in Week 3. We saw him struggle against a real defense in Iowa State, now let’s see if he can bounce back against another solid defense in Minnesota.
8. Rutgers (2-0)
Week 3: N/A
Maybe I’m too high on Rutgers, but the pride of New Jersey is coursing through my veins as Rutgers marches into Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech. The Hokies aren’t all that great, so it should be a win for the Scarlett Knights in this ACC-Big Ten showdown.
Rutgers’ ground game looks to continue its dominance, as the offense is averaging 46.5 points through two matchups. Virginia Tech’s defense ranks outside of the top 60 through three weeks.
7. No. 18 Michigan (2-1)
Week 3: 28-18 win vs. Arkansas State
As Davis Warren continues to struggle, Michigan looks more vulnerable each week. The defense was fantastic through the first three quarters, then a 15-point fourth quarter from Arkansas State stained the win. If you ask me, the Wolverines could find themselves outside of the top 20, maybe even the top 25 by the midway point of the season. This should be expected after the program loses all of its best assets.
6. No. 24 Illinois (3-0)
Week 3: 30-9 win vs. Central Michigan
I’m starting to believe in Bret Bielema’s program, and the AP Poll is too. Illinois finds itself nationally ranked for the first time since 2022, and the defense is a major part of that. They’ve let up less than nine points per game, and they’ll face a similar opponent in No. 22 Nebraska this weekend. Both defenses have been standout, and it’s sure to be a brawl in Lincoln.
5. No. 22 Nebraska (3-0)
Week 3: 34-3 win vs. Northern Iowa
Similar to Illinois, Nebraska is surprisingly rolling as the defense is dominating through three weeks. Through the criticism of cosplaying Patrick Mahomes, Dylan Raiola is finding his way and getting the job against inferior opponents. The real test will come against the No. 24 Fighting Illini. Nebraska has the offensive edge, but it will still be a battle.
4. No. 10 Penn State (2-0)
Week 3: N/A
I don’t want to spend much time talking about Penn State, as enough was covered last week as they come off of a bye to face Kent State. The Nittany Lions need to dominate this game after squeezing out a win against Bowling Green in Week 2. The defense will need to step up after giving up 39 points through two games.
3. No. 11 USC (2-0)
Week 3: N/A
The Trojans come off of their bye to face a falling Michigan team in Ann Arbor. The program’s first Big Ten conference game finds them favored, but USC is traveling away in the Big Ten to face a top-25 team.
Having defeated LSU helps, and a win against the Wolverines supported by an impressive offensive performance would likely move this team into the top ten.
2. No. 9 Oregon (3-0)
Week 3: 49-14 win @ Oregon State
After a shaky start to Oregon’s season, it finds its way with a dominant win against rival Oregon State in Corvallis. Unsurprisingly, Dillon Gabriel was extremely efficient once again, and this time the defense held up.
Something to note was the Ducks’ ability to close on the defensive end. In Weeks 1 and 2, Oregon gave up a combined 28 second-half points and 21 fourth-quarter points, but the Beavers failed to score in the second half. It’s a great sign as the Ducks get a week off before facing the worst team in the Big Ten (UCLA).
1. No. 3 Ohio State (2-0)
Week 3: N/A
The Buckeyes moved down a spot in the national rankings after Texas dominated last weekend. The top tier of college football has evened out after Georgia proved to be human against Kentucky, which means the top spot in the country is up for grabs between a plethora of 3-0 teams. Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, and Alabama look to be in that 1A tier, however, with Ole Miss and Tennessee knocking on the door.