Big Ten Power Ranking: Oregon cruza Ohio en el número 1; Indiana está en el top 3

In what was an epic weekend of college football across the country, the Big Ten certainly did its part in contributing to the drama. 

Five of the conference’s six games were decided by six points or fewer on Saturday. The two matchups between ranked opponents — No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State; No. 21 USC vs. No. 23 Illinois — both came down to the final play, with the former needing double overtime to separate the two teams. Even Iowa, which lost starting quarterback Mark Gronowski to injury, pushed then-No. 11 Indiana to the absolute brink. 

When the smoke finally cleared, Ohio State and Oregon emerged fom the weekend having done enough to cement themselves as the two best teams in the league — and, as of Sunday afternoon, the top two teams in the AP Poll. Indiana and Penn State joined them to give the Big Ten four teams in the top 10. 

For a team-by-team look at the league, here’s our newest set of Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 5:

The Top 10

Result: 30-24 road win over No. 3 Penn State in 2OT

While it’s true that Oregon scored some impressive victories last season en route to a Big Ten Championship and the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff, none of those wins were as extraordinary as what it accomplished against Penn State on Saturday night. Playing before a delirious crowd of 111,015 fans — the second-largest attendance figure in Beaver Stadium history — the Ducks were nearly unflappable in a pulsating, double-overtime triumph.

Quarterback Dante Moore, who had yet to be tested in his brief tenure as Oregon’s starter, turned in a masterful performance by completing 29 of 39 passes for 248 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, mixing in 10 carries that gained 35 hard-fought yards for good measure. His calm stewardship of an offense that seemed thoroughly unbothered by the environment was remarkable when juxtaposed with the clunky, uneven play of his more experienced Penn State counterpart Drew Allar, who didn’t have to deal with the noise. But Allar did have to contend with a smothering Oregon defense that limited the Nittany Lions to just three points through the opening three quarters and stopped them 11 times on 15 third-down attempts.

It was Ducks’ safety Dillon Thieneman, the transfer from Purdue, who delivered the knockout blow with his game-clinching interception of Allar in the second overtime session. 

Result: 24-6 road win over Washington

It only took a month for first-year defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, whose checkered past invited legitimate questions about his candidacy, to validate the gutsy decision by head coach Ryan Day to bring him to Ohio State off the unemployment line. Patricia’s unit opened the season with a statement performance against Texas, limiting the Longhorns and their star quarterback, Arch Manning, to just seven points with some wizardry in the secondary. And a few weeks later, against a high-powered Washington offense that entered Saturday’s showdown averaging north of 55 points per game, Patricia authored another incredible game plan to smother one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the country in sophomore Demond Williams Jr. 

The ravenous Buckeyes invaded Washington’s backfield for six sacks and nine tackles for loss that disrupted any sense of rhythm the Huskies hoped to build in front of an anticipatory home crowd. Edge rusher Caden Curry and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald combined for five of those sacks. Patricia’s unit only surrendered a single third-down conversion on 11 attempts and did not allow a touchdown, twice forcing turnovers on downs that tilted momentum. Ohio State now leads the country in scoring defense (5.5 points per game) and ranks eighth in total defense (229.3 yards per game).  

Result: 20-15 road win over Iowa

Several days before kickoff, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti hinted at the potential dogfight to come when he described his team’s matchup with Iowa as presenting a far greater challenge than what the Hoosiers faced in their demolition of Illinois two weeks ago. Cignetti recognized the difficulty of playing at Kinnick Stadium, which is one of the strongest environments in the Big Ten, and understood just how schematically sound the Hawkeyes’ defense would be under excellent defensive coordinator Phil Parker. His hunch proved stunningly accurate in a game when Indiana punted, failed to convert on fourth down or turned the ball over on seven of its first 10 possessions, dragged into a fourth-quarter brawl for the first time all season.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was blitzed on 70% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus, made two unbelievable throws to wideout Elijah Sarratt on what proved to be the game-winning drive in the final minutes. His back-shoulder throw to Sarratt along the left sideline helped flip the field and move Indiana closer to scoring range, while his gutsy slant to Sarratt against an all-out blitz resulted in a 49-yard, catch-and-run touchdown.

That Mendoza was on the verge of tears when celebrating Sarratt’s final score reflected just how much pressure and damage he’d absorbed throughout the game, finishing 13 of 23 for 233 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Hoosiers have a bye before a mouthwatering trip to face No. 2 Oregon.  

Result: 30-24 home loss to No. 6 Oregon in 2OT

Penn State head coach James Franklin had everything he wanted entering Saturday’s marquee matchup with Oregon. He had a five-star quarterback in Drew Allar and a handpicked offensive coordinator in Andy Kotelnicki who is widely regarded as one of the sport’s most creative play designers. He had arguably the nation’s best running back tandem in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, three flashy wide receivers from the transfer portal and an extremely experienced offensive line in the trenches. He had the nation’s highest-paid defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles, formerly of Ohio State, and future first-round talents in edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton and cornerback A.J. Harris to anchor the defense. He had his biggest home game of the season, being played at night in a “White Out” environment that is among the best in college football. And yet it still wasn’t enough. 

For three-plus quarters on Saturday night, the story was the same as it’s always been during big games under Franklin: The offense was putrid, the defense held serve and the opposing coach — in this case Dan Lanning — crafted a far better plan. Chants of “Fire Franklin!” were interspersed with choruses of boos in the second half. And were it not for a frantic, last-ditch comeback that forced overtime, this game might have turned into a lopsided laugher. When all was said and done, after Allar threw an interception in double overtime, Franklin’s record with the Nittany Lions against top-10 opponents sunk to 4-21. 

Result: Idle

The Wolverines welcomed head coach Sherrone Moore back to practice last week following the completion of his self-imposed, two-game suspension. Saturday’s date with Wisconsin marks the beginning of an extremely favorable scheduling run in which the next six opponents are all unlikely to be ranked. It’s possibly the only ranked team Michigan will face between now and the postseason is No. 1 Ohio State on Nov. 29. 

Result: 34-32 home win over No. 21 USC

What a response this was from Illinois following an embarrassing 53-point loss to then-No. 19 Indiana two weeks ago. It would have been easy for Illinois’ players and coaches to doubt themselves, the scheme and the operation as a whole, considering just how thoroughly they were shellacked in all three phases by a team that reached the College Football Playoff last season. But everyone associated with the Illini — from head coach Bret Bielema and his staff to a veteran-laden roster that entered the season dreaming big — deserves immense credit for responding the way they did against USC, righting the ship immediately against another ranked opponent.

Quarterback Luke Altmyer, who had thrown for a season-low 146 yards the week prior, responded with one of his finest performances since transferring from Ole Miss. Facing a much-improved Trojans defense, Altmyer completed 20 of 26 passes (76.9%) for 328 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while also chipping in an additional score with his legs.

An Illinois offensive line that imploded in the loss to Indiana redeemed itself by only surrendering a single sack to an explosive USC defensive front. The line manufactured crease after crease for tailback Kaden Feagin on the final drive as he carried five times for 26 yards to push the Illini into field goal range. That’s when kicker David Olano connected on a walk-off, 41-yarder to give Illinois the win. 

Result: Idle

The bye week came at an opportune moment for head coach Matt Rhule and his staff after Nebraska was thoroughly whipped by Michigan in the trenches two weeks ago. Neither the offensive line nor the defensive line played well enough against its first quality opponent to suggest the Cornhuskers can realistically contend with the best teams in the Big Ten. It was a difficult pill to swallow for Rhule, who spoke all offseason about how much better his team would be up front after several high-profile additions through the transfer portal. Nebraska hosts Michigan State on Saturday. 

Result: 34-32 road loss to No. 23 Illinois

After back-to-back, double-digit victories against Purdue (away) and Michigan State (home) to begin Big Ten play, this represented a coming-back-to-earth moment for USC and a fan base desperate to achieve national relevance in Year 4 under head coach Lincoln Riley. 

The Trojans trailed by four points at the end of the second quarter, by seven points at the end of the third quarter and by 14 points early in the fourth quarter before finally mounting a rally down the stretch. A 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jayden Maiava (30-of-43, 364 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) to wide receiver Makai Lemon (11 catches, 152 yards, 2 TDs) nudged the Trojans in front with 1:55 remaining, momentarily salvaging what had begun to feel like a lost cause. But a defense still searching for consistency against high-level opponents quickly surrendered an eight-play, 51-yard drive when USC’s front proved incapable of stopping the run, allowing gains of 9 yards, 8 yards, 6 yards and 3 yards to tailback Kaden Feagin. It was enough for Illinois to move into field goal range and connect on a 41-yarder as time expired, saddling the Trojans with their first defeat. 

USC’s next three games are against No. 20 Michigan (home), No. 21 Notre Dame (away) and Nebraska (away).

Result: 24-6 home loss to No. 1 Ohio State 

Washington’s 22-game home winning streak was snapped in frustrating fashion as the visiting Buckeyes appeared more composed, more confident and more controlled despite playing in a difficult road environment. The Huskies’ offense was penalized five times on its first two possessions alone, in a harbinger of the choppy, inefficient performance to come.

Head coach Jedd Fisch’s offense advanced to the Ohio State 27-yard line or deeper three times on Saturday afternoon but only had six points to show for it, with two field goals sandwiching a turnover on downs. Even though star quarterback Demond Williams Jr. completed 18 of 22 passes (81.8%), the Buckeyes’ hellacious pass rush and disciplined secondary nullified any threat of verticality, forcing Williams to settle for one check down after another. None of Williams’ completions netted more than 23 yards as he finished with a season-low 173 yards and failed to find the end zone. His primary running mate, tailback Jonah Coleman, who’d scored nine touchdowns in his first three games, was limited to just 12 carries for 36 yards outside one 34-yard burst that briefly flipped the field.

As a team, the Huskies finished 1-for-11 on third down and 1-for-3 on fourth down while only crossing midfield once in the second half. They’ll have to regroup quickly before a cross-country trip to face undefeated Maryland on Saturday. 

Result: 20-15 home loss to No. 11 Indiana

While it’s true that Iowa suffered a heartbreaking loss to Indiana over the weekend, allowing the game to slip away despite leading until the 9:47 mark of the fourth quarter, the Hawkeyes engineered more of a fight than most opponents have mustered against the Hoosiers since head coach Curt Cignetti turned the program around.

Iowa’s defense, which had been gashed for 400 yards and 28 points by Rutgers the week prior, responded with its most impressive performance of the season considering the caliber of opponent. The Hawkeyes limited Indiana’s high-flying offense to just 386 total yards and stopped them 12 times on third and fourth down combined, finishing the game with a five-minute advantage in time of possession. But a late-game injury to starting quarterback Mark Gronowski, who appeared to hurt his lower leg, disrupted Iowa’s offense at the most inopportune time. Gronowski’s backup, Hank Brown, a transfer from Auburn, completed 5 of 13 passes for 48 yards and one backbreaking interception down the stretch.

With Iowa entering an idle week, Gronowski will have some extra time to recover before the Hawkeyes travel to Wisconsin for a rivalry game on Oct. 11 and return home for a showdown with No. 7 Penn State on Oct. 18.  

The Rest

Result: Idle

Led by their rookie quarterback Malik Washington, who ranks 27th nationally and second among freshmen with 259.5 passing yards per game, the upstart Terrapins return from a bye week to host Washington on Saturday afternoon. It continues a stretch of winnable conference games against middle-of-the-pack opponents before Maryland begins a brutal back half of the season that includes No. 8 Indiana (home), No. 22 Illinois (away) and No. 20 Michigan. The Terrapins need to rack up wins while they can. 

Result: 31-28 home win over Rutgers

This was an impressive victory for head coach P.J. Fleck and Co. considering Minnesota played without its two leading rushers ­— tailbacks Darius Taylor and Grant Washington — and fell behind 14-0 early in the second quarter. But freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey completed 31 of 41 passes for 324 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions to spark a comeback that ended with a seven-play, 72-yard drive in the waning minutes. Lindsey spread the ball to nine different receivers on Saturday, including seven who made at least three receptions. 

Result: Idle

The Spartans had an extra week to lick their wounds after allowing 523 yards and 45 points in a road loss to USC two weeks ago. They’ll return from the bye with a tricky road game at Nebraska before returning home for a winnable game against UCLA. Beyond that, a brutal four-game stretch that includes dates with No. 8 Indiana (away), No. 20 Michigan (home) and No. 7 Penn State (home) will shed some light on the program’s trajectory under second-year head coach Jonathan Smith. 

Result: 31-28 road loss to Minnesota

For the second time in as many games, Rutgers fell short against a Big Ten opponent despite scoring 28 points and gaining at least 390 yards of total offense. For the second time in as many games, starting quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis completed at least 60% of his passes and produced a pair of scores. But for the second time in as many games, the Scarlet Knights’ defense proved unable to hold up its end of the bargain against an offense that no one would consider to be among the league’s most explosive units. Rutgers has now sunk to 79th in scoring defense (25.4 points per game) and 62nd in total defense (346.6 yards per game). 

Result: Idle

As if back-to-back games against USC (33-17 loss) and Notre Dame (56-30 loss) weren’t difficult enough, the Boilermakers return from their bye week to host No. 22 Illinois, which just defeated the Trojans on a walk-off field goal over the weekend. Oh, and Purdue still has to face No. 20 Michigan (away), No. 1 Ohio State (home) and No. 8 Indiana (home) in November. It could be a long second half of the season for new head coach Barry Odom. 

Result: Idle

This has been a long first month for embattled head coach Luke Fickell, who answered plenty of questions about his job security following an embarrassing 27-10 home loss to Maryland two weeks ago. Even athletic director Chris McIntosh, a former Wisconsin football player himself, felt the need to publicly defend Fickell in interviews with local media. But the job doesn’t get any easier from here. The Badgers’ schedule in October features No. 20 Michigan (away), Iowa (home), No. 1 Ohio State (home) and No. 2 Oregon (away). 

Result: 17-14 home win over UCLA

It was Northwestern’s turn to beat up on lowly UCLA this past weekend as the Wildcats, who had lost six of seven Big Ten games dating to last season, scored on their first three possessions to build a 17-0 lead. That proved more than enough to stave off the foundering Bruins and reach .500 or better in conference play for the first time since Nov. 25, 2023. 

Result: 17-14 road loss to Northwestern

What’s left to say about UCLA at this point? The Bruins have been outscored 33-0 in the first quarters of games this season and were picked apart by Northwestern for the better part of 30 minutes on Saturday. This week’s home game against No. 7 Penn State could be a hideous scene at the Rose Bowl. 

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Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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