Big Ten play starts to ramp up this week, which means we might get to see more separation between the 18 teams.
Week 3 was largely defined by blowouts in nonconference play, although there were two Big Ten games. Nevertheless, there weren’t many results that warranted much movement in the latest power rankings.
With five Big Ten games this week, including two matchups between some of the top teams in the conference, next week’s rankings will feature some shakeups.
For now, here’s how the 18 teams stack up:
18. UCLA (0-3)
Previous rank: 18
Last week: Lost to New Mexico, 35-10
Up next: Bye week
The Bruins moved on from head coach DeShaun Foster after back-to-back losses to Mountain West schools. They travel to Northwestern after their bye, which might be their best shot at getting a win this season.
17. Northwestern (1-2)
Previous rank: 17
Last week: Lost to Oregon, 34-14
Up next: Bye week
The Wildcats offense continues to lack firepower. They were losing 31-0 entering the fourth quarter against the Ducks before scoring a pair of touchdowns to make the final score look more respectable.
16. Purdue (2-1)
Previous rank: 16
Last week: Lost to USC, 33-17
Up next: at No. 24 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. Saturday
The Boilermakers hung around against the Trojans at home but couldn’t overcome three Ryan Browne interceptions. Purdue won’t compete for a conference title this year, but it looks like it will be more competitive under first-year head coach Barry Odom.
15. Wisconsin (2-1)
Previous rank: 13
Last week: Lost to No. 19 Alabama, 38-14
Up next: vs. Maryland, noon Saturday
Ouch. The Badgers fell into a 28-0 hole against the Tide and were outgained 454-209 while losing the turnover battle 2-0. Wisconsin could get starting QB Billy Edwards Jr. back this week which could give the offense a boost, but the defense needs to regroup after getting thrashed by Alabama.
14. Rutgers (3-0)
Previous rank: 13
Last week: Beat Norfolk State, 60-10
Up next: vs. Iowa, 8 p.m. Friday
The Scarlet Knights have yet to play a power conference opponent, but averaging 46.3 points under new coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca is notable. We’ll see if they can continue their offensive success against a stingy Hawkeyes defense.
13. Maryland (3-0)
Previous rank: 15
Last week: Beat Towson, 44-17
Up next: at Wisconsin, noon Saturday
Michigan’s Bryce Underwood isn’t the only high-profile freshman quarterback in the conference this year. Malik Washington continued his hot start to his career with 261 passing yards, one touchdown and an interception while also rushing for 29 yards and a score.
12. Minnesota (2-1)
Previous rank: 11
Last week: Lost to Cal, 27-14
Up next: at California, 10:30 p.m. Saturday
The Gophers and Hawkeyes flip spots this week since Minnesota’s 13-point defeat to Cal is worse than Iowa’s three-point loss to Iowa State in Week 2. The Gophers felt the absence of star running back Darius Taylor on Saturday, averaging 3.5 yards per carry. Nevertheless, they were only down three until the 6:55 mark of the fourth quarter.
11. Iowa (2-1)
Previous rank: 12
Last week: Beat UMass, 47-7
Up next: at Rutgers, 8 p.m. Saturday
The Hawkeyes’ lowly offense set off some fireworks Saturday for head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 206th career victory, which moves him ahead of Woody Hayes for most in Big Ten history. They totaled 435 yards, were 10 of 16 on third down and had zero turnovers against the Minutemen.
10. Michigan State (3-0)
Previous rank: 10
Last week: Beat Youngstown State, 41-27
Up next: at No. 25 USC, 11 p.m. Saturday
The Spartans are 3-0, but their defense has shown cracks each of the past two weeks. Injuries to key players are mounting, and they must open conference play on the opposite side of the country. MSU is an underdog against USC, but even if it gets tripped up by the Trojans, how many people will have stayed up to watch it?
9. Washington (2-0)
Previous rank: 9
Last week: Bye week
Up next: at Washington State, 7:30 p.m. Saturday
The Huskies face their in-state rival before opening conference play against No. 1 Ohio State the following week in Seattle.
8. Indiana (3-0)
Previous rank: 8
Last week: Beat Indiana State, 73-0
Up next: vs. Illinois, 7:30 p.m. Saturday
The Hoosiers could have won 100-0 last Saturday, and it likely wouldn’t have moved them up in the power rankings. They’ve cruised through an easy conference schedule and now have a chance to make an early statement in Big Ten play. Cal transfer QB Fernando Mendoza has put up Heisman-caliber numbers so far, but can he do it against tougher competition?
7. Michigan (2-1)
Previous rank: 7
Last week: Beat Central Michigan 63-3
Up next: at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. Saturday
The 21st-ranked Wolverines finally unleashed Bryce Underwood in the run game, and their offense erupted for 616 yards. It was a get-right game for Michigan after a lackluster performance on the road against Oklahoma. Can it build off it as it goes back on the road in another tough environment?
6. Nebraska (3-0)
Previous rank: 6
Last week: Beat Houston Christian, 59-7
Up next: vs. No. 21 Michigan, 3:30 p.m. Saturday
The Cornhuskers outscored Houston Christian and Akron 127-7 the past two weeks as Matt Rhule has the program looking like a potential contender in the Big Ten this year. But Nebraska has lost its last four against Michigan dating back to 2018. A win Saturday could go a long way toward its playoff hopes with a favorable conference slate in 2025.
5. USC (3-0)
Previous rank: 6
Last week: Beat Purdue, 33-17
Up next: vs. Michigan State, 11 p.m. Saturday
Defeating the Boilermakers certainly isn’t a signature win, but the Trojans were in control throughout on the road and did enough to maintain this spot. They still lead the Big Ten in scoring and total offense.
4. Illinois (3-0)
Previous rank: 4
Last week: Beat Western Michigan, 38-0
Up next: vs. at No. 19 Indiana, 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Head coach Bret Bielema was furious over his team’s first half against the Broncos, but the Illini responded in the second half, scoring touchdowns on three consecutive drives. Even after going three-and-out on their first five possessions, they outgained WMU 358-204. Illinois will need a better start offensively this week though in what could be a playoff-deciding game come December.
3. Penn State (3-0)
Previous rank: 3
Last week: Beat Villanova, 52-6
Up next: Bye week
The second-ranked Nittany Lions have been dominant on defense all season, including Saturday against Villanova by limiting it to 180 yards. However, it hasn’t been as smooth of an operation offensively as head coach James Franklin would have liked. QB Drew Allar hasn’t played to a Heisman-caliber level just yet, but the team has a bye before a huge showdown against Oregon on Sept. 27.
2. Oregon (3-0)
Previous rank: 2
Last week: Beat Northwestern, 34-14
Up next: vs. Oregon State, 3 p.m. Saturday
The sixth-ranked Ducks took a 31-0 lead into the fourth quarter against the Wildcats and still rank second in the conference in scoring. Head coach Dan Lanning has a plethora of new starters on both sides of the ball this season, but so far, there hasn’t been any drop off from last year’s Big Ten championship level.
1. Ohio State (3-0)
Previous rank: 1
Last week: Beat Ohio, 37-9
Up next: bye week
No. 1 OSU had a rocky start against the Bobcats and only led by four early in the third quarter before stepping on the gas in the final 27 minutes of the game. In the end, the Buckeyes racked up 573 yards, fueled by the Julian Sayin-Jeremiah Smith connection. Smith finished with nine catches for 153 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for a 17-yard score. The Buckeyes open Big Ten play at Washington in Week 4.