Big Ten Power Rankings: Can anyone challenge Ohio State, Michigan?

By Michael Cohen
FOX Sports College Football Writer

Chaos reigned in college football this week as No. 3 Alabama, No. 7 USC and No. 8 Oklahoma State were upended in thrilling shootouts certain to be remembered among the best games of the season come January.

But as upsets rippled through the SEC and Big 12, the status quo prevailed in the Big Ten: No. 5 Michigan disposed of No. 10 Penn State; No. 24 Illinois toppled upstart Minnesota; and Purdue kept its hopes of a Big Ten West title alive by outgunning Nebraska.

What the Big Ten had instead were injuries to starting quarterbacks — lots of them — that could change the trajectories of teams across the league. Penn State’s Sean Clifford, Minnesota’s Tanner Morgan and Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa all left their respective games and didn't return. The ripple effect of their potential absences will stretch from one end of the standings to the other.

Here are our Big Ten power rankings ahead of Week 8:

1. Ohio State

Record: 6-0, 3-0 Big Ten

Last week: Idle

Up next: vs. Iowa

Ohio State reached the open week having scored 45 or more points in each of its last five games, including three straight against Big Ten opponents Wisconsin, Rutgers and Michigan State. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has eight times as many touchdown passes (24) as interceptions (3) despite No. 1 receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba logging just 38 snaps in two appearances due to injury. His 24 touchdown passes were the most of any quarterback through six games, and the Buckeyes rank second nationally in total offense at 543.7 yards per game. New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles should be in the running for the Broyles Award after shoring up the team’s biggest weakness from last season and elevating OSU to fifth nationally in total defense. Michigan might have won the conference title in 2021, but Ohio State remains the team to beat in the Big Ten.

2. Michigan

Record: 7-0, 4-0 Big Ten

Last week: 41-17 win vs. No. 10 Penn State

Up next: Bye week

Critics hammered Michigan for playing one of the softest nonconference schedules in the country against Colorado State (51-7), Hawaii (56-10) and Connecticut (59-0) before facing anyone who could pose a challenge. Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s team opened Big Ten play with consecutive wins over Maryland, Iowa and Indiana before welcoming No. 10 Penn State to Ann Arbor. The Wolverines shredded a Nittany Lions defense that entered the weekend ranked fifth nationally against the run. Tailbacks Blake Corum (166 yards, 2 TDs) and Donovan Edwards (173 yards, 2 TDs) reaped the benefits of an outstanding performance from Michigan’s offensive line to produce points on eight of their first nine possessions and pull away from Penn State. First-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter oversaw a group that held the Nittany Lions to a single first down in the opening half and smothered running backs Nicholas Singleton (six carries, 19 yards) and Kaytron Allen (six carries, 16 yards).

3. Illinois

Record: 6-1, 3-1 Big Ten

Last week: 26-14 win vs. Minnesota

Up next: Bye week

As wild as it sounds, Illinois seems like the favorite to win the Big Ten West with six weeks remaining before the title game in Indianapolis. Head coach Bret Bielema’s bunch ground out a wire-to-wire victory over Minnesota on Saturday to remain atop the standings and climb six spots to No. 18 in the latest Associated Press poll. The strength of this team remains its stingy defense orchestrated by 36-year-old coordinator Ryan Walters. Consider the numbers: Illinois leads the country in scoring defense at 8.9 points per game; ranks third in rushing defense at 77.9 yards per game; sits second in passing defense at 143.3 yards per game and allows 14 fewer total yards (221.1 per game) than any team in FBS. Running back Chase Brown became the first and only player to top 1,000 yards this season when he carried 41 times for 180 yards in Saturday’s win over the Gophers.

4. Penn State

Record: 5-1, 2-1 Big Ten

Last week: 41-17 loss at No. 5 Michigan

Up next: vs. Minnesota

Optimism bubbled in Happy Valley that perhaps this could be the turning point for head coach James Franklin after back-to-back middling seasons featuring 11 total wins. But the undefeated Nittany Lions were ravaged by Michigan in a beatdown lopsided enough to expose the sizable gap between the two rosters, especially in the trenches. On the offensive side of the ball, Penn State’s linemen allowed 14 quarterback pressures and two sacks as starter Sean Clifford eventually dropped out with a shoulder injury. On the defensive side of the ball, the Wolverines gouged coordinator Manny Diaz’s unit for 12 runs of at least 10 yards to consistently extend drives and dominate time of possession. Saturday’s date with Minnesota could be a battle of backup quarterbacks depending on the severity of Clifford’s injury. Either way, the Nittany Lions have plenty to fix before the Buckeyes visit Beaver Stadium in two weeks.

5. Purdue

Record: 5-2, 3-1 Big Ten

Last week: 43-37 win vs. Nebraska

Up next: at Wisconsin

Head coach Jeff Brohm has stabilized the Boilermakers after a rocky start featuring losses to Penn State and Syracuse in the first three weeks of the season. Since then, Purdue has reeled off four consecutive wins — including three against Big Ten opponents — while averaging 30.5 points per game. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell ranks eighth nationally with 325 passing yards per game and topped 350 yards in each of the last two weeks. On Saturday, he completed 35 of 54 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns to help the Boilermakers build a 27-10 lead over Nebraska at halftime. And while the defense began to crumble in the third and fourth quarters, Brohm will be elated with how his team closed out the win: a 12-play, 53-yard drive that milked the final 5:55 off the clock and never gave the Cornhuskers an opportunity to take the lead. The Big Ten West could be decided when Purdue travels to Illinois on Nov. 12.

6. Maryland

Record: 5-2, 2-2 Big Ten

Last week: 38-33 win at Indiana

Up next: vs. Northwestern

The trajectory of Maryland’s season hinges on the injury to starting quarterback Tagovailoa, but for now, the Terrapins are in the top half of the league. Tagovailoa, who has the sixth-most passing yards among Power 5 quarterbacks, was carted off the field early in the fourth quarter against Indiana with what appeared to be a leg injury. Head coach Mike Locksley said Tagovailoa would undergo an MRI when the team returned home. Backup quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., a transfer from Wake Forest, organized two fourth-quarter touchdown drives in a come-from-behind win over the Hoosiers. Though he did not complete a pass, Edwards ran the ball five times for 53 yards and what proved to be the winning score with 2:11 remaining.  He’s made four appearances in relief of Tagovailoa this season, completing nine of 16 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. The back half of Maryland’s schedule still includes games against Penn State (away) and Ohio State (home).

7. Minnesota

Record: 4-2, 1-2 Big Ten

Last week: 26-14 loss at No. 24 Illinois

Up next: at No. 16 Penn State

The Gophers are another team whose fortunes are tied to the health of their starting quarterback. Morgan, a sixth-year senior, was carted to the locker room after suffering a head injury early in the fourth quarter. He had already absorbed two big hits on Minnesota’s previous possession, after which he appeared unsteady, but he remained in the game on both occasions. Head coach P.J. Fleck said Morgan was transported to a local hospital accompanied by his wife, mother and the school’s athletic director. What was already a one-dimensional offense reliant on running back Mohamed Ibrahim (100-plus rushing yards in every game he played this season) became even more predictable without Tanner. Backup quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis finished with as many completions (two) as interceptions (two) in a scoreless fourth quarter. The Gophers have lost back-to-back games after beginning the season 4-0.

8. Iowa

Record: 3-3, 1-2 Big Ten

Last week: Idle

Up next: at No. 2 Ohio State

Head coach Kirk Ferentz and his maligned offensive staff welcomed the bye week as an opportunity to reset, reevaluate and hopefully heal a few injuries. The Hawkeyes limped through the first half of the season with the worst statistical offense in the country. Iowa ranks 131st out of 131 FBS teams in total offense at 238.8 yards per game and doesn’t fare much better when examining the specifics: tied for 127th in scoring (14.7 points per game); 127th in rushing (82.2 yards per game); and 120th in passing (156.7 yards per game). The nation’s eighth-worst conversion rate on third down (29.6%) has put enormous strain on Iowa’s defense to keep the Hawkeyes in games. The denouement was a 9-6 loss to Illinois on Oct. 8 in which Ferentz’s team punted eight times in 13 possessions and ran the ball 30 times for 52 yards.

9. Michigan State

Record: 3-4, 1-3 Big Ten

Last week: 34-28 win vs. Wisconsin

Up next: Bye week

It’s never a good sign when the head coach refers to himself as a "horses--- coach" the way Mel Tucker did amid Michigan State’s four-game losing streak to Washington (39-28), Minnesota (34-7), Maryland (27-13) and Ohio State (49-20). But the Spartans staved off a total implosion by rallying for a double-overtime win against Wisconsin last weekend. Quarterback Payton Thorne, whose unexpected regression in 2022 has sandbagged the offense, enjoyed one of his best performances of the season by completing 21 of 28 passes for 265 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. It was just the second time this year he’s navigated four quarters without throwing an INT. The teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime period before Wisconsin tailback Braelon Allen fumbled to begin the second stanza. Tucker’s team prevailed with a 27-yard touchdown from Thorne to star wideout Jayden Reed on third-and-12.

10. Nebraska

Record: 3-4, 2-2 Big Ten

Last week: 43-37 loss at Purdue

Up next: Bye week

Four games have come and gone since Nebraska fired coach Scott Frost following a hideous 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern in early September. Since then, interim head coach Mickey Joseph has overseen games against Oklahoma (49-14 loss), Indiana (35-21 win), Rutgers (14-13 win) and Purdue (43-37 loss). With two wins and a narrow defeat in their last three games, the Cornhuskers appear to still be playing with effort despite the uncertain future of the program. They climbed out of a 13-0 hole to beat the Scarlet Knights two weeks ago and whittled a 17-point deficit against Purdue to just four in the final minutes of the third quarter last weekend. But quarterback Casey Thompson threw a costly interception with 9:03 remaining when Nebraska had a chance to tie or take the lead. The Boilermakers scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive to put the game out of reach.

11. Wisconsin

Record: 3-4, 1-3 Big Ten

Last week: 34-28 loss to Michigan State

Up next: vs. Purdue

The Badgers shook the college football world when they fired head coach Paul Chryst on Oct. 2, partway through his eighth season in charge. Chryst had an overall record of 65-23 at Wisconsin entering 2022 and won 70.5% of his games in Big Ten play. But athletic director Chris McIntosh had seen enough after a 2-3 start followed a 9-4 mark last season. McIntosh elevated defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard to interim head coach with an understanding that the remainder of Wisconsin’s schedule would be something of an extended job interview. Leonhard had long been identified as Chryst’s potential successor by members of the media, and perhaps McIntosh wanted to see him in the top role before making a final decision. Neither man could be pleased with Saturday’s loss, in which Leonhard’s defense surrendered 290 passing yards and allowed Michigan State to convert seven of 15 third-down attempts. A costly turnover in overtime sealed Wisconsin’s third loss in its last four games.

12. Indiana

Record: 3-4, 1-3 Big Ten

Last week: 38-33 loss vs. Maryland

Up next: at Rutgers

A season-opening win over Illinois remains the high point for head coach Tom Allen, whose team has lost four consecutive games by an average of 15.3 points per game. With Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak at quarterback, the Hoosiers have adopted a pass-happy offense that throws the ball more than any other Power 5 team (338 attempts). But poor execution in the red zone, where IU scores touchdowns on just 50% of its drives (tied for 109th), has stalled the Hoosiers at a modest 25.6 points per game. The defensive brain trust of Allen and first-year coordinator Chad Wilt is overseeing a group that remains leaky at best and calamitous at worst. Indiana has allowed 30 or more points in each of its last five games, including Saturday’s loss when the Terrapins racked up 442 yards of offense.

13. Northwestern

Record: 1-5, 1-2 Big Ten

Last week: Idle

Up next: at Maryland

A disappointing 2021 campaign in which Northwestern finished 3-9 overall and 1-8 in the Big Ten has given way to another lowly start. The Wildcats enjoyed a euphoric win over Nebraska during an overseas trip to Ireland in Week 0 before dropping their last five games to Duke (31-23), Southern Illinois (31-24), Miami of Ohio (17-14), Penn State (17-7) and Wisconsin (42-7). Head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s team embarks on the second half of its schedule with an offense ranked 123rd in scoring at 17.7 points per game and a turnover margin of minus-six that is tied for 119th nationally. Northwestern is unlikely to be favored in any of its remaining games against Maryland, Iowa, Ohio State, Minnesota, Purdue and Illinois, which means Fitzgerald’s club will need to pull an upset to avoid a second consecutive one-win season in Big Ten play.

14. Rutgers

Record: 3-3, 0-3 Big Ten

Last week: Idle

Up next: vs. Indiana

After eight years away, Greg Schiano returned to Rutgers for a second stint as head coach in 2020. He improved the Scarlet Knights from three wins during the pandemic-shortened season to five wins last season as the program’s expectations swelled. But the combination of uncertainty and underperformance at the quarterback position has hamstrung Rutgers in 2022. Three wins against overmatched non-conference opponents have given way to three consecutive losses in Big Ten play. Three different players have attempted at least 15 passes for the Scarlet Knights with Evan Simon (71-for-123 for 740 yards) earning the brunt of the playing time. That Simon has thrown more interceptions (six) than touchdowns (four) and retains the No. 1 role speaks to the seriousness of Schiano’s problem at that position. Games against Indiana and Minnesota in the next two weeks should give Rutgers two realistic chances for its first conference win of the season.

Read more:

• RJ Young's Top 25: Michigan, Tennessee on the rise
• Michigan, Ohio State appear to be on a collision course
• Cam Rising makes the plays Utah needs to upset USC
• Michigan runs at, through and past Penn State
• Heisman Watch: Blake Corum runs wild, Bryce Young makes strong return
• All the top plays from a wild Week 7

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Cohen13.