1. Penn State (Beat Michigan 42-13, next week @OSU) A somewhat surprising and thorough asskicking on Michigan. That offense wasn't quite what we saw earlier this season, but it was what I was expecting coming into the season, as Penn State had an answer for everything UM tried. The defense started to look vulnerable, but buttoned it up at halftime and that was all she wrote. Sets up a tremendous matchup Saturday.
2. Ohio State (BYE, next week Penn State) A good week for a bye. Hopefully they watch how playing man against Penn State might not be the best strategy.
3. Wisconsin (Beat Maryland 38-13, next up @Illinois) Another humdrum Wisconsin game against an overmatched team. More of the same next week.
4. Michigan State (Beat Indiana 17-9, next @Northwestern) They can play some defense, which can win you some games. But boy that was not great looking offensively.
5. Michigan (Lost to Penn State 42-13, next week Rutgers) Welp, sometimes you get your ass kicked by a better team. The offense had some moments where they didn't look hopeless. Interesting to see if they change quarterbacks and prepare for next season.
6. Indiana (Lost to MSU 17-9, next week @Maryland) 0-4 in the conference, but you can't get closer to winning than they have the past couple weeks. Now they are favored to win - are they a legit team? We shall see.
7. Northwestern (Beat Iowa 17-10, next week MSU) A spunky performance from the spunky group.
8. Iowa (Lost to Northwestern 17-10, next week Minnesota) Dropped them for losing and because Indiana deserves a shoutout. Thi mushy middle is tough to rank.
9. Purdue (Lost to Rutgers 14-12, next week Nebraska) Don't sleep on Rutgers! Not a bad performance statistically, but it sounds like they don't trust the team to line up and run the ball with any consistency or to get tough yards. Which, hey, Purdue wasn't going to become really good in one season.
10. Minnesota (Beat Illinois 24-17, next week @Iowa) Somehow made Illinois look competitive
11. Nebraska (BYE, next week @Purdue) Time to see if the Cornhuskers have given up on the season
12. Rutgers (Beat Purdue 14-12, next week @Michigan) Can they slow down Michigan enough to go for three in a row?
13. Maryland (Lost to Wisconsin 38-13, next week Indiana) Not sure they are this bad, but not looking good on either side of the ball
14. Illinois (Lot to Minnesota 24-17, next week Wisconsin) Splat