Week 7 Big 10 Power Rankings

1a. Ohio State – The Buckeyes cruised to a win easily against Wisconsin, or so it would seem from looking at the score. In actuality Wisconsin double OSU in total yardage. The defense/special teams outscored the offense 21-10 in this contest. How long can the Buckeye defense keep bailing the offense out? Unless this offense improves I see another loss or two coming for OSU. 

1b. Iowa – Iowa squeaked by Michigan in an all around sloppy game. While the Hawkeyes did not give up much through the air, Michigan was able to run the ball on the Iowa defense. Stanzi continues to struggle early in games and will need to turn that around to make a run at an unbeaten season. There were three stumbling blocks in the way of that goal this season for Iowa. They got past the first one in Penn State. Iowa heads to Wisconsin this week, and Iowa should handle the Badgers, barring a complete meltdown. After the Badgers the only huge hurdle left for the Hawkeyes is the Nov 14 game at OSU.

3. Penn State – Penn State continued to strengthen its strength of schedule last week whooping up on perennial Ohio Valley League super power Eastern Illinois. It was hard to get much from this game as it was a complete mismatch from the start. Penn State should have won in convincing fashion and they did. Minnesota comes to town on Saturday and should give us some clue as to how good the young secondary of Penn State really is.

4. Wisconsin – Wisconsin moved the ball well against Ohio State. As I mentioned above, they doubled OSU in total yardage. The two pick 6’s and a punt return for a touchdown were too much for the Badgers to overcome. Things don’t get any easier as Iowa come to town this Saturday.

5. Michigan State – MSU beat Illinois on the road Saturday to improve their Big 10 record to 2-1. They seem to be getting back on track as the last wheel fell of the Illinois train.

6. Michigan – Michigan dropped another close one Saturday at Iowa. Iowa is a good football team and Michigan hung around and was in it at the end but came up just short. The inexperience at the Quarterback position is catching up with them. I was surprised to see Forcier benched in the 4^th Quarter with the game on the line.

7. Minnesota – Minnesota beat Purdue Saturday despite being outgained 402-281 by capitalizing on the Boilermakers mistakes. Adam Weber was 5-9 for 74 yds and 2 ints. The Gophers are going to have to get the passing attack going this Saturday. If Minnesota is going to beat PSU it best chance is against a young secondary, not the talented front seven of the Penn State defense.

8. Purdue - Purdue continues to show flashes of being a good football team. They are putting points on the board, but continue to make mistakes that take them out of the game. Things don't get any easier for the Boilermakers when Ohio State comes to town this weekend. Is it a good thing to be the best winless team in Big 10 play?

9. Northwestern - Northwestern beat Miami (Oh) in unconvincing fashion on Saturday 16-6. Northwestern meets up with Michigan State for a tough match-up against the Spartans.

10. Indiana  - Somehow Indiana almost beat Michigan, put 14 points on the OSU defense, then managed to get slapped around by a Virginia team that lost to William and Mary. If Illinois wasn’t so pathetic Indiana would be 11th.

11. Illinois – Illinois remains winless in the Big 10 after losing to Michigan State over the weekend. The notion that Juice Williams was the problem was debunked when his back-up failed to deliver any sort of offense whatsoever. The future looks brighter for the Illini as they head to Indiana in a battle for the basement of the Big 10.