Power Rankings Week 6

[MaximumSam]

1. Penn State (Beat Northwestern 31-7, next week BYE)  The stats weren't as pretty as you'd like, but another week of the defense dominating the game and the offense being pretty darned good, if not quite as good as we expected.  The bye week may help sort out their issues before some real meat comes there way.

2. Ohio State (Beat Maryland 62-14, next week @Nebraska)  As thorough a butt kicking as you're likely to see, but again, real meat is coming.  They go to Nebraska to see if their offense can maintain its pace.

3. Wisconsin (Beat Nebraska 38-17, next week v. Purdue) Took a long time to get space from Nebraska, and I dropped them a spot due to OSU's conference dominance.  But still the class of the West, though Purdue will provide perhaps the toughest test of the season.

4. Michigan State (Beat Michigan 14-10, next week @Minnesota) Hell of an effort by Sparty on the road.  Lewerke is perhaps the best QB in the conference, and the defense is real good again.  But I'm not sure they are good enough to jog past the also rans in the conference - the Gophers might provide a test.

5. Michigan (Lost to MSU 14-10, next week @Indiana) Defense is strong, but offense hitting Defcon 1 levels of crappiness.  O'Korn started off strong against Sparty but seemed to regress through the game.  OL still deficient.  A team capable of losing and winning every game.

6. Iowa (Beat Illinois 45-16, next week BYE)  No reason to rethink them.  Slow start and strong finish against inept Illini.

7. Purdue (Beat Minnesota 31-17, next week @Wisconsin)  A good win for Purdue despite the turnovers.  Get another chance against a B1G blue blood and a chance to compete for the conference.

8. Maryland (Lost to OSU 62-14, next week v. Northwestern) Welp, not their finest effort.  Tilt against NW will give us a another clue on whether this is a legitimate team or not.  QB situation getting desperate.

9. Minnesota (Lot to Purdue 31-17, next week v. MSU) Still struggling to move the ball, and now they get Sparty.  Though with a new coach you expect some ups and downs.

10. Indiana (Beat Charleston Southern 27-0, next week v. Michigan) A who cares game, but now get Michigan.  I'm sure they are looking forward to the easier part of the B1G schedule.

11. Northwestern (Lost to PSU 31-7, next week @ Maryland)  Not much resistance against the Lions. But still a scrappy group than will win some B1G games, maybe starting next week.

12. Nebraska (Lost to Wisconsin 38-17, next week v. OSU)  Showed a little bit against the Badgers.  I officially declare them out of the pit.  But now they get OSU.

13. Rutgers (BYE, next week @Illinois)  Pillow Fight!

14. Illinois (Lost to Iowa 45-16, next week v. Rutgers)  Pillow Fight!

[TyphonInc]

Can we stop misspelling "Power"?

Cream
1) Penn State
2) Wisconsin

Decent
3) M*chigan State
4) M*chigan
5) Ohio State - beating up on 4th string QB's doesn't prove much.
6) Iowa
7) Maryland - Any QB's on scholarship left?

Going Bowling?
8 )Purdue
9) Nebraska
10)Minnesota
11)Indiana
12)Northwestern

Very Bad
13) Illinois - battle of the Cellar takes place next
14) Rutgers - somehow lost to bye

[MichiFan87]

1. Penn State - They'll get exposed when they play someone with an offensive pulse, but that isn't going to happen in the Big Ten
2. Wisconsin - Still undefeated.
3. Ohio State - That Oklahoma loss doesn't look so good any more, but as I said last week, they'll move up if they dominate Maryland, which they did.
4. Michigan State - They never play this well against anyone else (except maybe Ohio State), but they won.
5. Iowa - I was unimpressed, but they're here by default (and that Iowa State win now looks better, of course)
6. Michigan - Weather and officiating aside, I just don't get how they played so badly. They might as well start giving Peters snaps at this point.
7. Purdue - Didn't see the end after the delay, but they looked decent in coming back.
8. Maryland - That Texas win is looking better, but there's only so much you can do with a 3rd string QB
9. Minnesota - Couldn't take advantage of all the turnovers they got.
10. Indiana - The Virginia win keeps them from being lower.
11. Nebraska - At least they kept it close.
12. Northwestern - They have a solid defense, but their offense is painful to watch.
13. Illinois - Gave Iowa a better challenge than I expected until the 4th quarter, but I don't think they'll beat anyone left except...
14. Rutgers - I don't think they're beating Illinois

[MaximumSam]

1. Penn State - They'll get exposed when they play someone with an offensive pulse, but that isn't going to happen in the Big Ten

Tough crowd.  Buckeyes 4th in the nation in scoring and total offense.

[Brutus Buckeye]

Contenders
1 Penn St
2 Wisconsin
3 Ohio St

Dark Harras
4 Michigan St
5 Michigan
6 Iowa

Bowl locks
7 Purdue
8 Maryland
9 Indiana

Bowl maybes
10 Minnesota
11 Northwestern
12 Nebraska

No Bowl for you
13 Illinois
14 Rutgers

[LittlePig]

1. PSU
2 blowout wins in a row

2.  Wisc
Neb may not be any good, but its still tough to go to Lincoln and get a solid win.

3.  OSU
OSU is looking dominant,  but I am interested how that OSU offense does against Iowa and MSU's defense and how OSU reacts in a close game.  Oklahoma loss looks worse now

4.  MSU
Back to back wins against Iowa and Mich.  I was completely wrong about MSU in the pre-season.  They are back!

5.  Iowa
Both Iowa and Mich did about the same against MSU, but Iowa lost @MSU.  Plus Iowa's early win over ISU looks more impressive now.

6.  Mich
Mich's lack of offense was going to catch up to them sooner or later.

7.  Purdue
Both MD and Purdue got close wins over Minn in last 2 minutes.  I just think Purdue has more potential going forward.

8.  MD
Jeckyl and Hyde team.  Good 1 week.  Awful the next.  I am putting them right in the middle.

9.  Minn
Close losses to MD and Purdue.  Just not good enough to pull out close vicories at the end of games.

10.  Indy
Just a notch below the decent teams

11.  Neb
Not a good team, but playing decent enough to jump NW

12.  NW
Competing with Neb for most disapointing team this year.

13.  ILL
As bad as they are, still better than Rutgers.

14.  Rut
Just awful

[mcwterps1]

Contenders
1 Penn St
2 Wisconsin
3 Ohio St

Dark Harras
4 Michigan St
5 Michigan
6 Iowa

Bowl locks
7 Purdue
8 Maryland
9 Indiana

Bowl maybes
10 Minnesota
11 Northwestern
12 Nebraska

No Bowl for you
13 Illinois
14 Rutgers

What other game do you see a 3rd or 4th string QB beating on our remaining schedule? 
LOL
Maybe Northwestern and Rutgers? 

[Brutus Buckeye]

Yeah, Bärenjäger will probably beat two of Rutgers, Northwestern, Indiana or Michigan.

If he's out, it might get a little sketchy.

[ELA]

Maryland won at Minnesota.  MSU is still young enough that no loss would surprise me.  I wouldn't pick a home loss to Maryland, but it wouldn't shock me either. MSU always stuggles against home run threats and Maryland still has those guys.  I wouldn't expect the Terps to put together drives against our defense, but I don't think they would game plan to do so either.

[Temp430]

1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. Wisconsin
4. Michigan State
5. Iowa
6. Michigan
7. Northwestern
8. Indiana
9. Purdue
10. Northwestern
11. Minnesota
12. Nebraska
13. Illinois
14. Rutgers

[PSUinNC]

And predictably, Michigan stays ahead of MSU in the national polls.  

1 Penn St
2 Wisconsin
3 Ohio St
4 Michigan St
5 Michigan
6 Iowa
7 Purdue
8 Maryland
9 Indiana
10 Minnesota
11 Northwestern
12 Nebraska
13 Illinois
14 Rutgers

[847badgerfan]

1. Penn State
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin
4. Michigan State
5. Iowa
6. Michigan
7. Purdue
8. Maryland
9. Northwestern
10. Indiana
11. Nebraska
12. Minnesota
13. Rutgers
14. Illinois

[ELA]

Last week in parenthesis

1. WISCONSIN (2) - feels weird to drop PSU after a convincing win, but that was more about Northwestern looking horrible
2. PENN STATE (1) - suddenly being led by their defense
3. OHIO STATE (4) - might be the most well rounded performance I've seen from this team since the 2015 Michigan game
4. MICHIGAN STATE (6) - defense has proven it's for real, enough that I think they can beat anyone on their schedule, but the offense still has a lack of playmakers outside of QB, that they could also lose to anyone
5. MICHIGAN (3) - so much for the Speight injury being a blessing in disguise, time to decide if you are still playing for 2017, and take off McCaffrey's redshirt, or not, and put in Peters
6. IOWA (7) - they let Illinois hang around for way too long
7. PURDUE (8) - would have felt wrong if they lost at home while honoring Tiller
8. MARYLAND (5) - would have bet my house that Maryland would have covered, this is why I don't gamble
9. INDIANA (10) - that Virginia win keeps looking more and more impressive too
10. MINNESOTA (9) - had chances to win the last two weeks, and just manufacturing ways to lose, Fleck has to overhaul the mentality of his inherited roster
11. NEBRASKA (12) - at least they showed some fight, they just had no answer for Taylor
12. NORTHWESTERN (11) - they look downright inept offensively right now, and that Duke thumping keeps looking worse
13. ILLINOIS (13) - at least it looked like they hadn't totally given up
14. RUTGERS (14) - bye week

[fezzador]

1) Penn State
2) Ohio State
3) Wisconsin
4) Michigan State
5) Michigan
6) Iowa
7) Purdue
8) Maryland
9) Minnesota
10) Indiana
11) Nebraska
12) Northwestern
13) Illinois
14) Rutgers

So far, it appears that Sparty and Purdue are the surprises, and the two NUs have been the disappointments.  Everyone else is probably at or near expectations.