Big Ten Football Power Rankings: A New number one, How Far does Indiana drop?

Updated October 18, 2026 — following all Week 7 games

Ohio State earned the top spot by going into Bloomington and beating Indiana 19–15. The Hoosiers remain second because a competitive loss against the Buckeyes does not erase everything they have accomplished. UCLA, meanwhile, continues to strengthen its case after another defensive victory.

These rankings weigh results, quality of opposition, and current performance. Records below include Oregon’s late-night victory over Nebraska, which left the Ducks 4–2 and the Cornhuskers 5–2. Overall and conference records were checked against the Big Ten’s updated standings.

18. Maryland Terrapins

Record: 2–5 overall, 0–4 Big Ten. Week 7: Lost to Rutgers 37–30

Maryland had a chance to escape the conference basement but instead suffered another damaging home defeat. The Terrapins surrendered 24 consecutive points during Rutgers’ comeback, extending a conference losing streak that now spans 12 games.

Scoring 30 points offered some encouragement, but Maryland needs defensive stops when games begin slipping away. Until the Terrapins demonstrate that they can protect an advantage and finish against another struggling conference opponent, there is little justification for moving them higher.

17. Michigan State Spartans

Record: 2–5 overall, 0–4 Big Ten Week 7: Lost to Northwestern 24–21

Michigan State was close to a much-needed breakthrough. Instead, a blocked field goal with approximately a minute remaining opened the door for Northwestern, which drove into position for the winning kick with two seconds left.

The Spartans deserve credit for making this competitive, but another narrow defeat leaves them searching for their first conference victory. Close games reveal how much finishing matters. Michigan State must turn competitive stretches into complete performances before it can climb out of the bottom tier.

16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Record: 2–4 overall, 1–2 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Maryland 37–30

Rutgers finally has a conference victory to build around. Winning on the road matters, particularly for a team that needed a reason to believe its season could improve. The Scarlet Knights’ official statistics confirm the victory moved them to 2–4 overall and 1–2 in conference play.

This result earns Rutgers separation from the two winless teams below it. It does not yet establish the Scarlet Knights as a reliable middle-of-the-conference team. The next step is to show that Saturday’s offensive production and resilience can carry into another matchup.

15. Illinois Fighting Illini

Record: 3–3 overall, 1–2 Big TenWeek 7: Bye

Illinois had the weekend off after its 38–37 overtime victory at Michigan State. That win kept the Illini from falling into a much deeper hole, but the narrow margin against a struggling opponent limits how much weight it carries.

At .500 overall, Illinois remains difficult to trust. The Illini need a performance that establishes something beyond their ability to survive against another lower-tier team. For now, they sit ahead of Penn State because they have a conference victory, but behind teams with stronger recent accomplishments.

14. Penn State Nittany Lions

Record: 3–4 overall, 0–4 Big Ten Week 7: Lost to Michigan 21–18

Penn State’s slide continued in Ann Arbor. The Nittany Lions have now lost four consecutive games, with all four defeats coming in conference play. Saturday’s three-point loss provided another frustrating example of a team getting close without finding a winning finish.

The program’s reputation cannot carry its ranking. Penn State needs sustained offensive execution and better results in decisive possessions. There is still time to recover, but the evidence through seven games places the Nittany Lions well below the conference’s stronger teams.

13. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Record: 4–2 overall, 2–1 Big Ten Week 7: Bye

Minnesota’s open weekend came after a 41–13 loss at Purdue. That result remains difficult to overlook, even with the Gophers’ winning record and earlier 20–14 victory over Michigan. Those two performances illustrate how wide the gap has been between Minnesota’s best and worst football.

The Gophers retain a place near the middle because they have demonstrated they can win conference games. However, their next performance needs to restore confidence in their physical consistency. A team with upper-half aspirations cannot afford another collapse like the one in West Lafayette.

12. Purdue Boilermakers

Record: 3–4 overall, 2–2 Big Ten Week 7: Lost to Washington 38–26

Purdue’s improvement remains real, but Friday’s loss showed why the Boilermakers are still outside the conference’s upper half. They forced five Washington turnovers and nevertheless lost by 12 points at home. Those extra possessions should have created a much more favorable outcome.

Purdue must convert defensive opportunities into points while limiting the opponent’s scoring chances. The Boilermakers have become more competitive, but consistency remains the difference between occasional encouraging results and a sustained climb.

11. Washington Huskies

Record: 4–3 overall, 1–3 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Purdue 38–26

Washington earned its first conference victory with a productive offensive performance in West Lafayette. Putting up 38 points on the road was an important response for a team that needed to interrupt its difficult start to Big Ten play.

The five turnovers remain a serious concern. Washington cannot regularly give opponents that many additional opportunities and expect to win. Still, beating Purdue directly earns the Huskies the higher position this week. Cleaning up possession would make this team considerably more dangerous.

10. Michigan Wolverines

Record: 4–2 overall, 1–2 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Penn State 21–18

The quarterback situation remains central after Michigan turned to Tommy Carr during the victory. That change adds another question as the Wolverines prepare for Indiana.

Michigan has enough ability to become a difficult opponent, but beating a winless conference team by three points does not resolve its offensive concerns. This was a necessary step toward recovery.

9. Wisconsin Badgers

Record: 4–2 overall, 2–1 Big Ten Week 7: Lost to UCLA 17–7

Wisconsin’s defense kept the Badgers competitive at the Rose Bowl. Its offense could not provide enough support. Seven points left little room for error against an unbeaten opponent, and Wisconsin returned home with its first conference defeat.

The Badgers remain respectable because of their winning record and earlier conference victories. To move higher, however, they need an offense capable of doing more against quality defenses. Saturday showed a team that can stay within reach but still needs more scoring production to beat the conference’s better opponents.

8. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Record: 5–2 overall, 2–2 Big Ten Week 7: Lost to Oregon 17–14

Nebraska has suffered consecutive painful defeats. The Cornhuskers led Oregon 14–6 entering the fourth quarter before being outscored 11–0. The winning touchdown came with 28 seconds remaining. Nebraska held the Ducks to 242 yards, making the loss especially difficult to accept.

The defense gives Nebraska a legitimate foundation. Finishing games remains the obstacle. The Cornhuskers have shown they can compete with good teams, but rankings must reward completed victories. Until Nebraska closes those opportunities, it stays below the teams that have delivered more consistently.

7. Northwestern Wildcats

Record: 5–1 overall, 2–1 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Michigan State 24–21

Northwestern found a way to leave East Lansing with another victory. The Wildcats’ late escape was hardly comfortable, but winning a close conference road game still adds value to their season.

A 5–1 record deserves recognition, even if Saturday did not suggest a team ready to dominate stronger opponents. Northwestern’s position reflects its ability to keep collecting victories. The Wildcats must become more convincing offensively to push into the top tier, but they have earned a place ahead of several more prominent programs.

6. Oregon Ducks

Record: 4–2 overall, 2–1 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Nebraska 17–14

Oregon badly needed Saturday’s comeback. The Ducks scored all 11 fourth-quarter points and finished the winning possession with a touchdown in the final half-minute. It was a hard-earned result against a Nebraska defense that made almost everything difficult.

The offense still has work to do. Oregon cannot depend on late escapes to sustain a climb. Nevertheless, beating Nebraska provides meaningful separation in this part of the rankings. The Ducks remain dangerous, and Saturday offered a response after the previous week’s loss to UCLA.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes

Record: 5–1 overall, 2–1 Big Ten Week 7: Bye

Iowa remains fifth after an open weekend. The Hawkeyes’ most recent result was a convincing victory over Washington, providing a stronger immediate impression than several teams directly below them.

The question is whether Iowa can maintain that standard as the conference schedule continues. The Hawkeyes have positioned themselves well, but moving into the top four requires more than waiting for another team to stumble. They need to keep winning and demonstrate that their offense can complement their defense against increasingly difficult opposition.

4. USC Trojans

Record: 6–1 overall, 3–1 Big Ten Week 7: Bye

USC remains in a strong position after its open date. The Trojans entered the break following a 31–23 victory at Penn State, while their loss to Oregon remains the main blemish on an otherwise productive season.

The Trojans rank above Oregon because of their stronger overall body of work, although the head-to-head defeat keeps the comparison close. USC has earned contender status. The next challenge is producing the kind of complete performance that would justify placing it alongside the conference’s leading three teams.

3. UCLA Bruins

Record: 6–0 overall, 4–0 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Wisconsin 17–7

UCLA is the Big Ten’s last unbeaten team. The Bruins strengthened their case by holding Wisconsin to 214 total yards, while Ty Dieffenbach completed 22 of 33 passes for 264 yards in his first career FBS start.

That performance deserves considerable respect. UCLA found a way to maintain offensive stability while its defense controlled the game. The Bruins sit third here because Ohio State and Indiana remain my strongest two teams, but UCLA is close. Continued winning will make the argument for moving the Bruins higher increasingly difficult to resist.

2. Indiana Hoosiers

Record: 6–1 overall, 3–1 Big Ten Week 7: Lost to Ohio State 19–15

Indiana’s 22-game winning streak ended, but the Hoosiers remain second. A four-point loss to Ohio State establishes a narrow separation between the teams; it does not justify a dramatic drop. The Buckeyes earned Saturday’s result, and Indiana must correct the execution errors that proved costly.

The Hoosiers remain firmly in the championship conversation. Their response now matters more than the streak that ended. Indiana needs sharper offensive finishing and cleaner possession, but nothing about this result suggests the program should surrender its ambitions.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Record: 6–1 overall, 4–0 Big Ten Week 7: Beat Indiana 19–15

Ohio State earned No. 1 by winning the conference’s biggest game to date on the road. The Buckeyes ended Indiana’s long winning streak and left Bloomington with control of their own conference championship path.

Jeremiah Smith contributed four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Julian Sayin threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an injury, with Luke Fahey finishing at quarterback. Sayin’s health is now an important issue to monitor.

The performance was not flawless, but power rankings must reward beating an elite opponent in its stadium. Ohio State is first because it won the game that settled the top spot.