Heading into week 4 of the college football season we have seen a little more from some teams, while many others are coming off of a bye week and we still have not gotten a 'clean look' at them. There was no movement at the top of this weeks list because Ohio State and USC were both off, but there was definitely enough action for serious movement within our Big Ten Power Index and a new player in the upper deck. Has the 'top-heavy' Big Ten expanded their upper echelon? Has the bottom become clear, quickly? Looks take a look.
#1. Ohio State 2-0 (0-0) was off last week and is basically off again as the Buckeyes take on an over-matched Marshal team. Ryan Day wants to continue to show the people that OSU is just as formidable as the 6 SEC teams that surround #3 Ohio State in the AP Top 25 poll. This week: -40 vs Marshal
#2. USC 2-0 (0-0) still has the best win by a Big Ten team with their 27-20 neutral site, week one victory over LSU of the SEC. This week the Trojans play one of just a handful of Big Ten games, and one of the more interesting as they travel to the "Big House" to face a beleaguered Michigan team. There is no question for me as to which team has looked better thus far and I would imagine it continues this week? This week: -5.5 at Michigan
#3. Oregon 3-0 (0-0) finally played like the team we expected to see. After a couple of ho-hum wins Dan Lanning's team came alive against in-state rival and former PAC-12 mate Oregon State, 49-14. Oregon was blessed with a schedule that sets the Ducks up for a more than possible 11-1 season, with their toughest game coming in Eugene vs Ohio State in 3 weeks. This week: Bye
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At the moment these are the three Big Ten teams I see fighting for a spot in the B1G Championship game and a spot in the CFB Playoffs. But there will be 2-3 others that will challenge here and are capable of pulling off a shocker. More on them below.
Can the Big Ten get 4 spots into this year's expanded 12-team CFB Playoff? It's going to be tough if the committee follows a line close to that of the AP Top 25 where SEC teams currently take up 6 of the top 7 spots, but there is a plausible scenario of the Big Ten having four 11-1 teams going into the conference title game. Let's hope the B1G can pull it off, because I believe the 4th team would potentially be an absolute shocker and one of the following. These are the teams I think will legitimately have a shot at being in that fight for various reasons.
** #4. Illinois 4-0 (1-0) (Already moved up from #7 to #4 here) had what looked like a tremendous and surprising win over #19 Kansas in week 1, but the Jayhawk's 23-20 home loss to UNLV last week took some of that luster away. But Bret Bielema's team went into Lincoln and upset the Huskers in overtime to spoil Nebraska's 400 straight sellout. The Illini are for real. This week: + 7.5 won at Nebraska 31-24 OT
#5. Indiana 3-0 (1-0) while some of us were not surprised by Indiana's 42-13 win over UCLA in the Rose Bowl last Saturday, it certainly opened the eyes of many around the B1G and the country. The Hoosiers will not get to sneak up on anyone in the Big Ten now, but then again, it's hard to do that when your coach is Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers continue on their "path to 6-0." This week: -28.5 vs Charlotte at UCLA
#6. Penn State 2-0 (0-0) was off and, like Ohio State, has what should be a light scrimmage before starting B1G play next week at home against current #24 Illinois. I think PSU's AP Top 10 ranking is flawed. We shall see later, but by season's end I believe the Nittany Lions will be on the outside looking in to the CFB Playoffs. This week -49 vs Kent State
#7. Nebraska 3-1 (0-1) was ranked 22nd in this week's AP poll, but the Huskers will have a short stay as they lost 31-24 in overtime to #24 Illinois. Celebrating their 400th consecutive sell-out, Nebraska now has less margin for error and Matt Rhule's team is no longer one I see with a shot of being in the "upper level" of the B1G. This week: - 7.5 lost 31-24 vs Illinois OT
#8. Michigan State 3-0 (1-0) is a surprising 3-0 with Big Ten road win at Maryland in the coffers. But Sparty has a brutal 3 game stretch coming up that will determine how close to the top they can stay. Hitting the road for MSU's final non-con game sees Sparty as a road underdog. Then Ohio State comes to East Lansing, followed by a trip to Eugene. Yikes. This week: +7.5.5 at Boston College A&M
#9. Rutgers 2-0 (0-0) is fresh off of a bye week. The Terrapins played well in their first two games putting up lots of points. Now the Scarlet Knights get a true test hitting the road as an underdog to finish non-conference play against a tough team in a tough environment. If Greg Schiano's team can muster the offense they have shown early this season the Scarlet Knights would be 3-0 with a big Eagle feather in their cap . This week: +3.5 @ Virginia Tech
#10. Iowa 2-1 (0-0) has looked like a yo-yo on offense. Scoring points against lower level teams, but allowing them too. After letting Iowa State hold the Hawkeyes to just 19 points in a home loss the previous week, Iowa put up put up 38 against Troy last Saturday, but they allowed 21. This week: -2.5 at Minnesota
#11 Minnesota 2-1 (0-0) could easily be 3-0, but the Gophers choked away a week 1 game with 2 missed field goals at home against North Carolina. Since then PJ Fleck's team has been rowing the boat to a tune 75-0 over Rhode Island and Nevada. This is a huge game for both teams. Can Iowa slow the boat down? They will have to with hit and miss offense. This week: +2.5 vs Iowa
#12.Michigan 2-1 (0-0) is a year removed from winning the national title, but currently the biggest disappointment in the Big Ten, and falling like a rock here. And it get's no easier this week. The Wolverines are an underdog in the "Big House" and could be eliminated from common sense CFB Playoff talk with their 2nd home loss in 3 weeks on Saturday. Things are not quite as fun in Ann Arbor as they once were. This week:+5.5 vs USC.
#13. Maryland 2-1 (0-1) will get a chance to catch it's breath this week before traveling to Bloomington to take on the red-hot Indiana Hoosiers a little over a week from now. A road win at Virginia last week took some of the sting out of the Terrapins week 2, B1G opening home loss to Michigan State. This week: - 17.5 vs Villanova
#14. Washington 2-1 (0-0) had looked "ok" under new coach Jedd Fisch after a 2-0 start, a 35-3 win over Weber State and 30-9 over Eastern Washington. But the train went off of the rails last week as arch-rival and former PAC-12 foe Washington State handled the Huskies 24-19. Things get a little easier this week in the Puget Sound. This week: -10.5 vs Northwestern
#15. Wisconsin 2-1 (0-0) is a team that has not looked great. Two wins over tier 2 opponents and Alabama blew the Badgers out of Camp Randal Stadium last week. The good news is that Luke Fickell's team does not play this week. The bad news is when they return to play it will be against current AP #11 USC . This week: Bye
While there is always room, this is the bottom of the bottom of the Big Ten.
#16. Northwestern 2-1 (0-0) did not started strong edging Miami (Ohio) 13-6 and then losing to Duke 26-20, then getting back in the win column with a 31-7 victory over Eastern Illinois, all on the pitch in Evanston as the Wildcats wait for their new stadium to be built. There just isn't much "pop" in Northwestern. The Wildcats might want to pack some ear-plugs and some offense. They will need both in Seattle. This week: at Washington +10.5
#18a. UCLA 1-1 (0-1) is in for a long season. By virtue of being listed where they are here, the Bruins will fight Purdue and Northwestern to stay out of the Big Ten Cellar. The good news for DeShawn Foster's squad is that they do not play a B1G game this week. The bad news is that's because UCLA travels to Death Valley in Baton Rouge, LA. And that is not in Los Angeles. This week: +28 @ LSU
#18b. Purdue 1-1 (0-0) was picked by the Big Ten media to finish in this very spot. That selection is looking good so far. What appeared to be a dream opportunity for the Boilers to piggy-back off of Northern Illinois' shocking win over the Irish in week 2 turned out to be a nightmare instead with a 66-7 demoralizing loss at home. This week: +4.5 at Oregon State
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