Boiler Upload's Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Week 7
Week six of the college football season is in the books and it was another eventful one around the Big Ten. 11 teams were in action, including five conference matchups and the other team getting a scare at home. Boiler Upload recaps the week and updates the Big Ten football power rankings at the halfway point of the season.
1. Michigan: (6-0)
Week six result: 52-10 win over Minnesota
Week seven matchup: vs. Indiana
Michigan is simply playing too well to not be number one on Boiler Upload’s rankings. A 52-10 win over Minnesota was the largest margin of victory of the year for Harbaugh’s group. The Wolverines have allowed just 8 points per game through conference play and had a pair of interceptions returned for touchdowns on Saturday.
Jim Harbaugh and company should be on cruise control for the next month or so, until they play Penn State and Ohio State in two of the last three weeks of the year.
2. Ohio State: (5-0)
Week six result: 37-17 win over Maryland
Week seven matchup: at Purdue
Ohio State picked up another solid win over the weekend, stopping Maryland’s momentum with a 37-17 win in Columbus. The Buckeyes were on upset alert before scoring 27 unanswered to close the game.
That win came on the heels of a big time victory over Notre Dame two weeks ago as Ryan Day’s team starts to find its groove. The Buckeyes will have a potential trap game against Purdue in week seven, a program that’s had a knack for producing upsets, before a huge showdown with Penn State in a couple weeks.
3. Penn State: (5-0)
Week six result: BYE
Week seven matchup: vs. UMass
The Nittany Lions had the week off after a win over Northwestern. Penn State will take on UMass in what should be an easy victory before its biggest game of the year at Ohio State in two weeks
4. Wisconsin: (4-1)
Week six result: 24-13 win over Rutgers
Week seven matchup: vs. Iowa
After a week off, Wisconsin got back to its winning ways with a 24-13 triumph over Rutgers at home to move to 4-1.
The Badgers leaned on Braelon Allen and the run game, which produced over 200 rushing yards in the win. Luke Fickell’s defense has also improved since allowing 31 points to Washington State last month.
The victory sets up a matchup with Iowa that has big implications in the Big Ten West, with the winner sitting in the driver's seat of the division.
5. Maryland: (5-1)
Week six result: 37-17 loss to Ohio State
Week seven matchup: vs. Illinois
After a 5-0 start to the season, Maryland came back down to Earth with a 37-17 loss against Ohio State on Saturday. The Terps did hold a lead in the third quarter, but simply got outmatched down the stretch.
Saturday was a season-low point total and a season-worst mark in points allowed for the Terrapins in what was an opportunity to rise to the top of the conference with a win.
The Terrapins have back-to-back winnable games against Illinois and Northwestern before another big time matchup with Penn State in a few weeks.
6. Iowa: (5-1)
Week six result: 20-14 win over Purdue
Week seven matchup: at Wisconsin
The Hawkeyes just keep on winning, some way, somehow. Iowa secured its second win in as many weeks against Purdue, but still have question marks.
Deacon Hill went just 6-21 on the day as the Hawkeyes’ offense struggled, although the return of Kaleb Johnson paid dividends for Kirk Ferentz and company in the ground game. The Iowa defense has yet another stellar outing, holding Purdue to a season-low point total.
Iowa has an opportunity to take control of the Big Ten West with a win over Wisconsin in week seven that is the biggest game to date for both teams.
7. Rutgers: (4-2)
Week six result: 24-13 loss to Wisconsin
Week seven matchup: vs. Michigan State
Rutgers has now dropped two of its last three games after a 3-0 start to the season with a disastrous defeat at the hands of Wisconsin.
Kyle Monangai and the ground game struggled, which has been the theme of Rutgers’ two losses this season while Gavin Winsatt’s interception was returned for a touchdown. Saturday went about as bad as it could offensively, which kept Rutgers out of striking distance.
The Scarlet Knights still have a pair of winnable games the rest of the month against Michigan State and Indiana over the next two weeks before a grueling stretch to end the season in November.
8. Minnesota: (3-3)
Week six result: 52-10 loss to Michigan
Week seven matchup: BYE
PJ Fleck and company have continued their slide over the last month, dropping three out of the last four. The most recent of those losses was a 52-10 defeat to Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Athan Kaliakmanis had his worst outing of the year, finishing with just 52 yards and a pair of interceptions that were returned for six points. The run game also desperately missed freshman stud Darius Taylor, while the Gophers defense was gashed all day long.
Fleck will have to rally the troops during the bye week heading into a make or break matchup with Iowa in week eight.
9. Nebraska: (3-3)
Week six result: 20-7 win over Illinois
Week seven matchup: vs. Northwestern
Nebraska got a much needed Big Ten victory on Friday night over Illinois to crawl its way to 3-3 on the season.
It wasn’t pretty, but the Huskers came out on top of what was as close to a must win game as there is given the circumstances. The Nebraska defense stifled Illinois all night, allowing just seven points and did enough offensively to get the job done.
All of a sudden, the Huskers have won three of their last four (yes two came against low/mid-major teams) and have an opportunity to move above .500 against Northwestern in week seven.
10. Purdue: (2-4)
Week six result: 20-14 loss to Iowa
Week seven matchup: vs. Ohio State
The “close but no cigar” theme continued for Purdue this weekend, dropping to 2-4 with a loss to Iowa at Kinnick Stadium.
Quarterback Hudson Card had the worst outing of his Purdue career as the offense was held in check for most of the night. The Purdue defense also allowed several big plays from an anemic Iowa offense.
It’s not going to get any easier for Ryan Walters and company in week six, who host Ohio State on Saturday. Although, the “Spoilermakers” have been known to spring upsets of the Buckeyes in the past...
11. Northwestern: (3-3)
Week six result: 23-20 win over Howard
Week seven matchup: at Nebraska
Saturday was nearly a disaster in Evanston as Northwestern narrowly escaped a late comeback attempt from Howard.
The Wildcats deployed backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan after an injury to Ben Bryant as the offense went cold in the second half, but did enough to get the job done.
Beating a now 2-4 Howard team by three isn’t necessarily encouraging, but David Braun’s group is now 3-3 on the year. Northwestern will travel to Nebraska this weekend for a battle of 3-3 Big Ten West teams.
12. Michigan State: (2-3)
Week six result: BYE
Week seven matchup: at Rutgers
Sparty had an off week as they look to curb a three game losing streak with a trip to Rutgers awaiting them next week.
13. Illinois: (2-4)
Week six result: 20-7 loss to Nebraska
Week seven matchup: at Maryland
It's going from bad to worse in Champaign during what has been a nightmare first half of the season for Illinois. Bret Bielema and company fell to 2-4 after a 20-7 defeat at the hands of Nebraska on Friday night, which puts the Illini into an even deeper hole.
The Illini offense mustered just six points and is now averaging less than 20 points per game on the season, which is second worst in the Big Ten. On top of those struggles, the defense allowed Nebraska to get out to an early lead that proved to be too much to overcome.
Illinois will play Maryland on the road in week seven, which would push this season even further down the drain with a loss.
14. Indiana: (2-3)
Week six result: BYE
Week seven matchup: at Michigan
Tom Allen and the Hoosiers had a bye in week six as another nightmare season unfolds in Bloomington. Indiana is now rewarded with a trip to Ann Arbor after the time off.