Big Ten Football Power Rankings 10/13/2021

14) Northwestern Wildcats

The Wildcats had a bye this past week, and nobody played terrible enough to unseat them at number 14.

13) Illinois Fighting Illini

A 24-0 loss to a struggling Wisconsin shows how bad this team has gotten since a season-opening win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

12) Purdue Boilermakers

Yes, I know Purdue has a winning record, but I don’t think they are a very good football team. Let’s see if they can prove me wrong this week at Iowa.

11) Maryland Terrapins

The Terps always get everybody excited about a fast start against bad teams, and as always, as soon as the competition ramps up, they slide quickly back to earth.

10) Indiana Hoosiers

High expectations in Bloomington have not been met. Michael Penix is now out, so things are not working out the way the Hoosiers had hoped. However, they get a shot to turn everything around this week as they travel to Michigan State..

9) Rutgers Scarlet Knights

This is similar to Maryland, beat up a soft early schedule and get brought back to earth against better competition. The only solace to take is that Rutgers hasn’t been embarrassing themselves as Maryland has.

8) Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers at least temporarily righted the ship by shutting out the Fighting Illini. But shutting out Illinois doesn’t mean everything is fixed in Wisconsin, though.

7) Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota had a bye after last week’s win, and I think I may have them too high at this time, but that will be found out very soon.

6) Nebraska Cornhuskers

The Cornhuskers are the best 3-4 team in America. Scott Frost’s team needs to learn how to close out games. But, you get the feeling that Frost has this program headed in the right direction.

5) Michigan Wolverines

Michigan has not looked impressive so far this year, but the important thing is they figure out how to win games, and they have done it on the road the last two weeks.

4) Penn State Nittany Lions

The Nittany Lions would be ranked number one if Sean Clifford didn’t get hurt and leave the game. Without Clifford, Penn State did not look like the same team. The big question will be how long Clifford will be out?

3) Michigan State Spartans

The Spartans went on the road and dominated an improved Rutgers team. The Spartans are a mentally and Physically tough team, and they will be a handful for any team they play the rest of this season.

2) Ohio State Buckeyes

I feel like the Buckeyes may be the best team in the Big Ten, but their resume comes up well short of Iowa. But, if you had to pick a winner in an Iowa/Ohio State matchup right now, who would you choose?

1) Iowa Hawkeyes

The Hawkeyes came from behind to beat Penn State, but they’re still have to be significant questions surrounding the Hawkeyes. None of those questions are on the defensive side of the ball, though. To win a Big Ten title, the Hawkeyes will need better quarterback play.

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