Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State survives sloppy conditions, Illinois falters
It took all of a week following Penn State‘s loss to Ohio State for the Nittany Lions to climb right back into the upper echelon of our Big Ten Power Rankings.
Both Illinois and Maryland tripped up this week, Illinois shockingly at home against Michigan State. So it’s back to the traditional powerhouses dominating the top of the Big Ten.
Let’s take a look at the weekend’s action.
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Today we update the Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 10 games.
2022 Big Ten Power Rankings – Week 10
Survive and advance was the name of the game for Ohio State playing in abjectly horrible conditions Saturday. Quarterback CJ Stroud couldn’t do much throwing in a driving rain with wind, and the Buckeyes settled for leaning on Miyan Williams. He ran for 111 yards and two scores as Ohio State edged Northwestern 21-7.
The Wolverines trailed the Scarlett Knights at halftime but the defense stepped up with three interceptions in the third quarter to help Michigan win the frame 28-0. That was all she wrote for Rutgers, which collapsed in the second half in a 52-17 loss. Michigan faces Nebraska now before closing with Illinois and a road trip to Ohio State.
- Penn State (+2)
Penn State trampled Indiana 45-14, aided by a strong running game and quarterback issues for the Hoosiers. Indiana played without starting quarterback Connor Bazelak, then watched backup Jack Tuttle get knocked out of the game in the first half. The Nittany Lions did what they were supposed to and have a relatively easy closing stretch as they eye a New Year’s Six bowl appearance.
- Illinois (-1)
The Fighting Illini dropped a surprising one to the Spartans, throwing the Big Ten West into potential chaos again down the stretch. Michigan State stood tall defensively when it needed to, holding Illinois to just 1-of-6 on fourth down and 6-of-17 on third down in a 23-15 win. Because Illinois still has Michigan on the schedule, the Big Ten West looks sure to turn into absolute madness in the final three weeks, with Illinois currently 4-2 in Big Ten play and four other division teams at 3-3.
- Maryland (-1)
Like Ohio State, Maryland was beset by awful playing conditions, which seemed to really take quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa out of his game. Maryland totaled just 189 yards of offense and Wisconsin was able to get its ground game going for 278 yards rushing in a 23-10 win. Maryland’s next two games? At Penn State, then home against Ohio State.
- Minnesota (+1)
Both Minnesota and Nebraska had quarterback issues Saturday, with Golden Gophers starter Tanner Morgan leaving the game due to injury just before halftime and Cornhuskers starter Casey Thompson missing the game in the first place. Nebraska jumped in front 10-0 by halftime before the offense sputtered and interim coach Mickey Joseph began rotating quarterbacks. Tailback Mohamed Ibrahim helped Minnesota surge ahead in a 20-13 win, rushing for two touchdowns and 128 yards.
- Wisconsin (+1)
When you think about Wisconsin football you typically think of a team built to win games in sloppy conditions with a powerful ground game. Well, that’s what happened on Saturday. Braelon Allen and Isaac Guerendo both topped the century mark on the ground in the 23-10 win over Maryland, even with quarterback Graham Mertz completing only five passes. The Badgers are still in the thick of the Big Ten West race after Illinois’ loss.
- Iowa (+1)
Another team that has hovered between the bottom and middle third of the Big Ten Power rankings for most of the year, Iowa also finds itself right in Big Ten West contention after a 24-3 win over Purdue. Running back Kaleb Johnson led the charge. He ran for 200 yards, while quarterback Spencer Petras threw for two touchdowns without an interception. Iowa closes the slate with Wisconsin, Minnesota (on the road) and Nebraska.
- Michigan State (+1)
For all the bad press during the week after the tunnel brawl at Michigan you have to be at least mildly impressed with Michigan State’s ability to rally together and play one of its best games yet. The upset of Illinois was a really nice win, with quarterback Payton Thorne throwing for two touchdowns. Bowl eligibility looks doable now, with two more wins needed and the next two against Rutgers and Indiana at home.
- Purdue (-4)
Purdue blew a golden chance to make a power play in the Big Ten West with Illinois losing. The normally offensively potent Boilermakers got almost nothing going against the Hawkeyes, though weather had at least a little to do with that. The good news? Purdue faces Illinois on the road next week, so it can still play its way to the top of the division.
Rutgers made it a really compelling game for a half, even taking a 17-14 lead into the break. Then the dam broke and Michigan won the second half 38-0. The Scarlett Knights’ bowl eligibility hope is on life support, with two wins needed from a final three of at Michigan State, vs. Penn State, at Maryland.
The Cornhuskers continue to be reasonably competitive under interim coach Mickey Joseph, but Nebraska dropped its third straight with a 20-13 loss to Minnesota. There’s probably not much chance of Nebraska moving up the Big Ten power rankings from here, with road games at Michigan and Iowa sandwiching a home contest against Wisconsin to close the year.
The Hoosiers were down to their third-string quarterback by game’s end, with Casey Thompson not playing Saturday and Jack Tuttle knocked from the game in the first half. That just made life difficult, and Indiana failed to reach 200 yards in the contest as it dropped its sixth straight game. Now a road trip to Ohio State looms.
Northwestern got the conditions it wanted against Ohio State but not the outcome. The Wildcats were very competitive early on in a rainy, windy affair against the Buckeyes. But Ohio State’s superior depth won out and Northwestern lost its eighth straight, falling 21-7.
Want to see how this week’s power rankings compare to our previous edition? Check out the 2022 Week 9 Big Ten Power Rankings here!