Boiler Upload's Big Ten football power rankings: Week #8
Another busy week around the Big Ten is in the books, which included all three of the conference's elite cruising to easy victories, Iowa surging to the top of the Big Ten West, a pair of thrilling games and more.
Boiler Upload breaks it all down and updates the weekly Big Ten power rankings heading into week eight.
1. Michigan: (7-0)
Week seven result: 52-7 win over Indiana
Week eight matchup: at Michigan State
The Wolverines are getting stronger as the 2023 season continues, moving to 7-0 with a dominant victory over Indiana, and retaining the top spot in Boiler Upload’s rankings.
Michigan dropped 52 points for the second straight game as the ever efficient JJ McCarthy had as many touchdown passes (3) as incompletions. The nation’s top scoring defense allowed just one touchdown, which came on a trick play by the Hoosiers in the first quarter.
The Paul Bunyan Trophy is on the line next week in East Lansing as Michigan travels to Michigan State before a bye week at the end of October.
2. Ohio State: (6-0)
Week seven result: 41-7 win over Purdue
Week eight matchup: vs. Penn State
Ohio State rolled into West Lafayette and took care of business against a struggling Purdue team on Saturday afternoon.
Ryan Day’s offense dropped a Big Ten season-high 41 points on the Boilermakers behind a stellar showing from Kyle McCord and a strong ground game despite being without TreVeyon Henderson. The defense also allowed just one score, which was its best mark since week two.
The Buckeyes are getting hot at the right time as fellow undefeated power Penn State comes to town in a massive game with College Football Playoff implications.
3. Penn State: (6-0)
Week seven result: 63-0 win over UMass
Week eight matchup: at Ohio State
Penn State coasted to a 63-0 win over UMass on Saturday in Happy Valley, doing whatever it pleased against the 1-7 Minutemen.
It was a nice tune up for what is the most high-profile matchup of the college football slate next weekend as the Nittany Lions head to Columbus. Can James Franklin and company break through and further solidify themselves as National Championship contenders or will Ohio State win its seventh straight in the series?
4. Iowa: (6-1)
Week seven result: 15-6 win over Wisconsin
Week eight matchup: vs Minnesota
The Hawkeyes might not pass the eye test, but Kirk Ferentz and crew just keep finding ways to win. Iowa makes a massive jump in this week’s rankings, rising all the way to No. 4 after going into Madison and beating Wisconsin 15-6.
Behind LeShon Williams, Iowa had 200 rushing yards and a score while Deacon Hill struggled throwing the ball once again. As always, the Hawkeyes defense was suffocating, giving up a pair of field goals while getting two interceptions and a safety in the win.
Iowa is now leading the Big Ten West and should be favored the rest of the way. That starts with a home matchup against a struggling Minnesota team.
5. Wisconsin: (4-2)
Week seven result: 15-6 loss to Iowa
Week eight matchup: at Illinois
Luke Fickell and company had their worst performance of the season in a frustrating 15-6 loss against Iowa at home, which now puts them behind the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten West race.
Wisconsin’s defense stood pat aside from an 82 yard score from LeShon Williams, but the offense couldn’t get much of anything going. To make matter worse, Tanner Mordecai went down and is set to be out for the foreseeable future with a broken hand.
The Badgers travel to Illinois in week eight after the defeat on Saturday as they look to get back on track.
6. Rutgers: (5-2)
Week seven result: 27-24 win over Michigan State
Week eight matchup: at Indiana
Rutgers escaped what would have been a bad loss against Michigan State at home behind a 21 point fourth quarter comeback to steal a win.
Kyle Monangai got back on track with a 148-yard performance on the ground and Gavin Wimsatt made some plays with his arm down the stretch. Special teams also came up big in the comeback, scoring on a blocked punt.
The Scarlet Knights will have an opportunity to be bowl eligible against Indiana before a brutal closing stretch to the season.
7. Maryland: (5-2)
Week seven result: 27-24 loss to Illinois
Week eight matchup: BYE
The Terrapins have begun trending in the wrong direction after a stellar start to the year, dropping their second straight game, this time on a game-winning field goal by Illinois.
Maryland did enough offensively, despite leaving some points on the board, to do enough for a win. The Illini simply made one more play and handed the Terps another loss.
Mike Locksley’s team will look to regroup during the bye week before a trip to Evanston at the end of the month.
8. Minnesota: (3-3)
Week seven result: BYE
Week eight matchup: at Iowa
PJ Fleck and company had a week off after getting dominated by Michigan and come out of the break to a matchup with the Big Ten West leading Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday.
9. Nebraska: (3-3)
Week seven result: BYE
Week eight matchup: vs. Northwestern
After a 20-7 win over Illinois, Nebraska had a bye week and will now host Northwestern in a battle of surprising 3-3 teams.
10. Northwestern: (3-3)
Week seven result: BYE
Week eight matchup: at Nebraska
The third straight team to have last week off, Northwestern, will battle Nebraska in Lincoln with the opportunity to do something nobody thought was possible before the season. Have a winning record.
11. Illinois: (3-4)
Week seven result: 27-24 win over Maryland
Week eight matchup: vs. Wisconsin
Illinois picked up its first win over a Power 5 opponent on Saturday, springing a slight upset over Maryland on the road.
It was a much needed victory for Bret Bielema and the Illini, who now move to 3-4. Luke Altmyer and the offense were able to do just enough as the defense slowed down the Terps attack.
Was that the start of a late-season resurgence? We’ll find out when the Illini hosts Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon.
12. Michigan State: (2-4)
Week seven result: 27-24 loss to Rutgers
Week seven matchup: vs. Michigan
Michigan State just can’t catch a break in 2023. The Spartans held an 18 point advantage in the fourth quarter before Rutgers stormed back to seal a come from behind victory.
Katin Houser got the start for Noah Kim and performed well in the first half before the well ran dry down the stretch. The Sparty defense also surrendered a pair of scores late that ended up being the difference.
Losers of its last four, Michigan State now heads into a rivalry showdown against Michigan, in which they are 25 point underdogs.
13. Purdue: (2-5)
Week seven result: 41-7 loss to Ohio State
Week seven matchup: BYE
It just keeps getting worse and worse for Purdue in the first year of the Ryan Walters era. The Boilermakers have lost four of five and reached a new low after a 41-7 defeat against Ohio State.
Both the offense and defense had their worst statistical days of the year. On top of that, injuries have begun rearing their ugly head in West Lafayette, with five starters suffering season-ending injuries in the last three weeks.
Purdue will look to regain some form of health during the bye week before a must-win trip to Nebraska out of the break.
14. Indiana: (2-4)
Week seven result: 52-7 loss to Michigan
Week seven matchup: vs. Rutgers
As expected, the Hoosiers got dominated from top to bottom against Michigan in the Big House on Saturday afternoon. Tom Allen tried to deploy both quarterbacks against the Wolverines, to no avail. The Hoosiers’ defense also allowed a season-high 52 in the defeat.
Rutgers now awaits Indiana in week eight, whose two wins this year have come against a winless Indiana State team and a triple overtime victory over 1-6 Akron.