Here are the latest Big Ten football rankings from Sam McKewon:
1. Ohio State (3-0)
Last game: Beat Ohio 37-9
Next game: Bye week
Sam’s take: Julian Sayin has found his stride and so has receiver Jeremiah Smith, who leads the league with 20 catches for 315 yards.
2. Oregon (3-0, 1-0)
Last game: Beat Northwestern 34-14
Next game: vs. Oregon State, 2 p.m., BTN
Sam’s take: The Ducks handled the lakefront weather — and the Wildcats’ decent defense — and now travel home to play a woebegone rival.
3. Penn State (3-0)
Last game: Beat Villanova 52-6
Next game: Bye week
Sam’s take: The tissue soft portion of PSU’s schedule is over. Now comes a bye week before the big Oregon game.
4. Illinois (2-0)
Last game: Beat Western Michigan 38-0
Next game: at Indiana, 6:30 p.m., NBC
Sam’s take: The Illini’s offensive line has been leaky at best, allowing nine sacks already this season. Can quarterback Luke Altmyer hold up for a whole season like this?
5. USC (3-0, 1-0)
Last game: Beat Purdue 33-17
Next game: vs. Michigan State, 10 p.m., Fox
Sam’s take: Jamaal Jarrett, a 6-foot-5, 360-pound defensive tackle, returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown, then sat on one of those sideline folding chairs you find in a church basement. Pretty incredible few minutes.
6. Nebraska (3-0)
Last game: Beat Houston Christian 59-7
Next game: vs. Michigan, 2:30 p.m., CBS
Sam’s take: Running back Emmett Johnson ranks second in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game. He’s on pace for 1,000 yards.
7. Michigan (2-1)
Last game: Beat Central Michigan 63-3
Next game: at Nebraska, 2:30 p.m., CBS
Sam’s take: Bryce Underwood definitely has some tools as a runner and passer. Can Nebraska heat him up and force a few mistakes?
8. Indiana (3-0)
Last game: Beat Indiana State 73-0
Next game: vs. Illinois, 6:30 p.m., NBC
Sam’s take: The Hoosiers haven’t been tested in the slightest. Illinois’ defensive front seven might be four or five times better than what IU has seen so far.
9. Washington (2-0)
Last game: Bye week
Next game: at Washington State, 6:30 p.m., CBS
Sam’s take: The Huskies have a rivalry game before the big tilt with Ohio State. Is it possible UW could look ahead?
10. Michigan State (3-0)
Last game: Beat Youngstown State 41-24
Next game: at USC, 10 p.m., Fox
Sam’s take: MSU’s Eastern Standard Time body clock will say it’s 11 p.m. at kickoff. Have fun sitting around all day, Sparty.
11. Iowa (2-1)
Last game: Beat UMass 47-7
Next game: Friday at Rutgers, 7 p.m., FOX
Sam’s take: No power conference team is throwing for fewer yards per game than the Hawkeyes, but quarterback Mark Gronowski threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns last week.
12. Minnesota (2-1)
Last game: Lost to California 27-14
Next game: Bye week
Sam’s take: Two mistakes by punt returner Koi Perich — one he fair caught at his own 3, and another he muffed — eventually led to 14 of Cal’s points. Otherwise, even game.
13. Rutgers (3-0)
Last game: Beat Norfolk St. 60-10
Next game: Friday vs. Iowa, 7 p.m., FOX
Sam’s take: RU hasn’t lost a nonconference game since 2019. The Big Ten schedule, featuring games vs. Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon, is brutal.
14. Wisconsin (2-1)
Last game: Lost to Alabama 38-14
Next game: vs. Maryland, 11 a.m., NBC
Sam’s take: The Badgers might have the least talented offense in the Big Ten. Even less talented than Iowa.
15. Maryland (3-0)
Last game: Beat Towson 44-17
Next game: at Wisconsin, 11 a.m., NBC
Sam’s take: First team in 14 might win in Madison this week. The Terrapins have the Big Ten’s second-best red zone defense and its third-worst red zone offense.
16. Purdue (2-1, 0-1)
Last game: Lost to USC 33-17
Next game: at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m., NBC
Sam’s take: Pretty stingy! And I’m always impressed by the support of Purdue fans — at least early in the season. The Boilermakers don’t stand much of a chance in South Bend though.
17. Northwestern (1-2, 0-1)
Last game: Lost to Oregon 34-14
Next game: Bye week
Sam’s take: NU will be a seasonlong project on offense. How many games can its defense compete in before it gives out from exhaustion?
18. UCLA (0-3)
Next game: Bye week
Sam’s take: The Bruins, without true financial commitment from the administration, may be down for a long time after the firing of Deshaun Foster. UCLA’s defense looks wholly ill-equipped for Big Ten rush defenses.
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Sam McKewon
Sports Editor
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