Big Ten Power Rankings (Week 2): Penn State Makes Its Move Toward the Top

Beating ranked teams on the road has been difficult during James Franklin's tenure at Penn State, but going into Madison to win on Saturday was a huge deal. The Nittany Lions move up to No. 2 in our rankings, now the big question is, can they stay there?

Week 1 in the Big Ten provided plenty of drama, and we learned a lot about a few teams right off the bat in some crossover conference games. Iowa and Michigan State had impressive wins over Indiana and Northwestern respectively, and those bad losses forced some serious tumbling in our Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 2.

All 14 teams are in action this week, and every matchup is a nonconference game. Ohio State and Michigan are hogging the spotlight, with huge home matchups against Pac-12 foes Oregon and Washington, respectively. 

There's a lot of movement in the rankings, with more to come for sure as each week passes.

(Note: Because of Labor Day weekend and games through Monday, there aren't updated Associated Press and Coaches Polls as of Monday morning. The rankings below reflect last week's polls.)

Here's the updated Big Ten power rankings in Week 2:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes *** Last Week: 1

• Last season: Ohio State finished 7-1 in 2020, going 5-0 in the Big Ten and beating Northwestern in the conference championship game for their fourth straight league title. Beat Clemson in the College Football Playoffs semifinals, but lost to Alabama in the national championship game.
• National rankings: No. 4 in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls, with one first-place vote in AP poll. No. 3 in Sagarin ratings.
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 1
• Highest/lowest ranking: 1/1
• Records: 1-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31 on Sept. 2 in Minneapolis, Minn.
• Next game: No. 11 Oregon at No. 4 Ohio State, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
• TV: FOX
• Fanduel point spread: Ohio State is a 14-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 64 CLICK HERE
• The skinny: The C.J. Stroud era has begun at Ohio State, and the rookie quarterback took a while to find his groove, but he had a huge second half in the win at Minnesota. It's got to be nice to have a stable of wide receivers who can  get so wide open all of the time. The Buckeyes get a good national test on Saturday, and there will be a lot of eyeballs on Stroud against Oregon.

2. Penn State Nittany Lions *** Last Week: 4

• Last season: Penn State finished 4-5 in 2020, going 4-5 in the Big Ten and not playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2013. The Nittany Lions lost their first five games before winning the final four.
• National rankings: No. 19 in the AP poll, No. 20 in Coaches poll, No. 14 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 4
• Highest/lowest ranking: 2/4
• Records: 1-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• First game: Penn State 16, Wisconsin 10 on Sept. 4 in Madison, Wis.
  
• Next game: Ball State at No. 19 Penn State, 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Beaver Stadium, State College, Pa.
• TV: FOX Sports 1
• Fanduel point spread: Penn State is a 22.5-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 53.5. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: Penn State has struggled on the road against ranked teams in the James Franklin era, winning just one of nine games before finally getting a huge win in Madison over Wisconsin. This was a slugest from the start, and Penn State continued to come up with one big red-zone stop after another to get the win. That was a huge conference win for Penn State, which has now won five games in a row since last season after that epic school-record 0-5 start. Perched at No. 2 now, though I wavered back and forth between No. 2 and No. 3. 

3. Iowa Hawkeyes *** Last Week: 5

• Last season: Iowa finished 6-2 in 2020, and was 6-2 in the Big Ten, finishing second in the Big Ten West, winning their final six games in a row after starting the season 0-2. They weren't able to play their Music City Bowl game because of COVID.
• National rankings: No 18 in both the AP and Coaches polls, No. 17 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 5
• Highest/lowest ranking: 3/5
• Records: 1-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Iowa 34, Indiana 6 on Sept. 4 in Iowa City, Iowa.
• Next game: No. 18 Iowa at No. 7 Iowa State, 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.
• TV: ABC
• Fanduel point spread: Iowa State is a 3.5-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 44.5. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: The Hawkeyes came into the game with Indiana on a six-game winning streak from a year ago, and they picked up right where they left off in walloping the Hoosiers 34-6. Iowa's opportune defense forced three interceptions, and defensive back Riley Moss took two of them back for scores, something that's happened only three times previously in Iowa history. Yeah, I thought long and hard about putting them at No. 2, but gave a slight edge to the fact that Penn State got their big win on the road in a tough place to play. The Hawkeyes get another huge test this weekend at Iowa State, and another win moves them up for sure.

4. Michigan Wolverines *** Last Week: 7

• Last season: Michigan went 2-4 in 2020, and 2-4 in the Big Ten, finishing tied for fifth in the Big Ten East. It was their lowest win total since 1962. The Wolverines did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 32 in the AP poll (receiving votes) and No. 33 in Coaches poll (receiving votes), No. 36 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 7
• Highest/lowest ranking: 4/7
• Records: 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14 on Sept. 4 in Ann Arbor, Mich. 
  
• Next game: No. 20 Washington at Michigan, 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. 
• TV: ABC 
• Fanduel point spread: Michigan is a 6-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 51. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: I'm still not buying in completely on Michigan, but they move up in the rankings partly because of others' losses and the Wolverines also looking good on both sides of the ball against Western Michigan. Jim Harbaugh added several younger coaching pieces in the offseason, and that vibrant energy seemed obvious in the opener. There's still a lot to prove, of course, but it was a good start, and Washington will be a good test this weekend.

5. Wisconsin Badgers *** Last Week: 3

• Last season: Wisconsin finished 4-3 in 2020, going 3-3 in the Big Ten. The Badgers finished third in the Big Ten West. Wisconsin beat Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
• National rankings: No 12 in the AP poll, No. 15 in Coaches poll, No. 9 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 3
• Highest/lowest ranking: 3/5
• Records: 0-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Last game: Penn State 16, Wisconsin 10 on Sept. 4 in Madison, Wis.
  
• Next game: Eastern Michigan at No. 12 Wisconsin, 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
• TV: FOX Sports 1
• Fanduel point spread: Wisconsin is a 24.5-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 50.5. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: The Badgers had a ton of chances to win Saturday's game against Penn State, but kept shooting themselves in the foot. They ran 95 plays and scored just 10 points, which just can't happen in a big game like this. We saw this play out a few times last year, too, so now we'll have to see how this trend continues going forward. They have big tests coming up against Notre Dame (Sept. 25) and Michigan (Oct. 2), so we'll learn more soon.

6. Indiana Hoosiers *** Last Week: 2

• Last season: Indiana finished 6-2 in 2020, going 6-1 in the Big Ten for its highest league winning percentage since 1945. Indiana finished second in the Big Ten East. Indiana lost to Ole Miss in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
• National rankings: No. 17 in both the AP and Coaches polls. No. 24 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 2
• Highest/lowest ranking: 2/6
• Records: 0-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Last game: Iowa 34, Indiana 6 on Sept. 4 in Iowa City, Iowa.
  
• Next game: Idaho at No. 17 Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Fanduel point spread: There is no point spread on the game on the FanDuel.com site.
• The skinny: All that preseason hype about Indiana completely blew up in an ugly 34-6 loss to Iowa. The Hoosiers allowed two touchdowns in the first two-plus minutes and could never recover in a deflating loss that has the fan base already jumping off the bandwagon. The good news for the Hoosiers was that it's just one game. They can get right against a poor Idaho team this weekend, setting the stage for a national TV showdown with No. 8 Cincinnati a week later in Bloomington. An ugly start, to be sure, but  the thought here is that this is still a pretty good team. All that's changed is that they need to prove it to us now. And yeah, I get it, leaving them at No. 6 might be too generous. I'm with you on remaining in wait-and-see mode.

7. Purdue Boilermakers *** Last Week: 9

• Last season: Purdue went 2-4 in 2020, and was 2-4 in the Big Ten, finishing sixth in the Big Ten West. The Boilermakers, who lost their last four games after starting the season 2-0, did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 75 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 10
• Highest/lowest ranking: 7/10
• Records: 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Purdue 30, Oregon State 21 on Sept. 4 in West Lafayette, Ind.
  
• Next game: Purdue at Connecticut, 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Conn.
• TV: CBS Sports Network
• Fanduel point spread: Purdue is a 33-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 64.5. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: Purdue had to hold off a pesky challenge from Oregon State, but they were impressive in making big plays down the stretch to grab an important early-season win after ending last year on a four-game losing streak. There's no reason they shouldn't be 2-0 after the weekend because UConn might be the worst team in college football this season.

8. Michigan State Spartans *** Last Week: 13

• Last season: Michigan State went 2-5 in 2020, and was 2-5 in the Big Ten, finishing last in the Big Ten East. The Spartans did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 99 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 13
• Highest/lowest ranking: 8/13
• Records: 1-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• First game: Michigan State 38, Northwestern 21 on Sept. 3 in Evanston, Ill.
  
• Next game: Youngstown State at Michigan State, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Fanduel point spread: There is no point spread on the game on the FanDuel.com site.
• The skinny: Mel Tucker's Spartans had an impressive win over Northwestern on Friday night, and they did it in a way no one really expected, pounding the Wildcats on the ground. Michigan State rolled up 326 yards rushing, which almost never happens against Northwestern. Kenneth Walker was the best thing I saw all weekend, gaining 264 yards on 23 carries and scoring four touchdowns. My biggest mistake in the preseason rankings? No doubt, I was wrong on the Spartans. This weekend should be easy, but I'm looking forward to two weeks from now when the Spartans head south to take on No. 14 Miami. We'll know a lot more about the Spartans then.

9. Maryland Terrapins *** Last Week: 11

• Last season: Maryland went 2-3 in 2020, and was 2-3 in the Big Ten, finishing fourth in the Big Ten East. The Gophers did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 78 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 11
• Highest/lowest ranking: 9/11
• Records: 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Maryland 30, West Virginia 24 on Sept. 4 in College Park, Md.
  
• Next game: Howard at Maryland, 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Md.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Fanduel point spread: There is no point spread on the game on the FanDuel.com site.
• The skinny: Mike Locksley said the Terrapins would start winning high-profile games soon, and beating West Virginia – a perennial bowl team – was a good start. There's no reason why Maryland can't be 4-0 when they meet up with Iowa on Oct. 1. This is a team well worth watching right now.

10. Minnesota Golden Gophers *** Last Week: 8

• Last season: Minnesota went 3-4 in 2020, and was 3-4 in the Big Ten, finishing fourth in the Big Ten West. The Gophers did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 41 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 8
• Highest/lowest ranking: 8/10
• Records: 0-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Last game: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31 on Sept. 2 in Minneapolis, Minn.
  
• Next game: Miami of Ohio at Minnesota, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
• TV: ESPNU
• Fanduel point spread: Minnesota is a 20.5-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 56.5 CLICK HERE
• The skinny: Minnesota had some moments against four-time defending champion Ohio State, still holding a lead well into the third quarter. They're probably better than No. 10 because I still remember 2019, too, but they'll have to show that on the field to move up. They don't play a ranked team again until the middle of November, so it's going to be interesting to see if they can get on a hot streak. 

11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights *** Last Week: 12

• Last season: Rutgers went 3-6 in 2020, and was 3-6 in the Big Ten, finishing tied for fifth in the Big Ten East. The Scarlet Knights did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 89 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 12
• Highest/lowest ranking: 11/12
• Records: 1-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Rutgers 61, Temple 14 on Sept. 4 in Piscataway, N.J.
  
• Next game: Rutgers at Syracuse, 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
• TV: ACC Network
• Fanduel point spread: Rutgers is a 1.5-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 50.5. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: Rutgers got points from all phases, and really looked good on both sides of the ball in the rout of Temple. It was an impressive performance, especially since the game was moved from Thursday to Saturday because of flooding from Hurricane Ida. This Saturday will be a good test at Syracuse, and a win  there will do a lot to keep the Greg Schiano train rolling in Piscataway. That's one of the more interesting games to watch this weekend.

12. Northwestern Wildcats *** Last Week: 6

• Last season: Northwestern finished 7-2 in 2020, and went 6-1 in the Big Ten to win the Big Ten West. The Wildcats lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, but beat Auburn in the VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
• National rankings: No. 33 in the AP poll (receiving votes) and No. 27 in Coaches poll (receiving votes), No. 33 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 6
• Highest/lowest ranking: 6/12
• Records: 0-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Last game: Michigan State 38, Northwestern 21 on Sept. 3 in Evanston, Ill.
  
• Next game: Indiana State at Northwestern, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Fanduel point spread: There is no point spread on the game on the FanDuel.com site.
• The skinny: Northwestern has had a real roller-coaster ride the past three years, and Friday night's loss brought back a lot of ugly memories of 2019 when the Wildcats went 3-9. They couldn't stop the run at all, allowing 326 yards on the ground, and they were average at best on offense, even though Hunter Johnson passed for 275 yards and three scores. They left some points on the table. I know dropping them this far in the rankings was probably a little too harsh, but now I need to see them put a few games together in a row. They'll probably be favored in their next five games, so they'll move back up in a hurry, more than likely.

13. Illinois Fighting Illini *** Last Week: 10

• Last season: Illinois went 2-6 in 2020, and was 2-6 in the Big Ten, finishing last in the Big Ten West. The Illini, who had the worst record in the league last season, did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 77 in Sagarin ratings, moving up from 102 after the win over Nebraska.
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 14
• Highest/lowest ranking: 10/14
• Records: 1-1 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Last game: Texas-San Antonio 37, Illinois 30 on Sept. 4 in Champaign, Ill.
• Next game: Illinois at Virginia, 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.
• TV: ACC Network
• Fanduel point spread: Virginia is a 10-point favorite as of Monday morning. Illinois is a 6.5-point favorite. Over/under is 55. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: Bret Bielema got his first win two weeks ago, but then suffered a tough loss to UTSA on Saturday night. As a touchdown favorite, that was a game that Illinois needed to win, too, and they let it slip away. We'll see what happens down the road.

14. Nebraska Cornhuskers *** Last Week: 14

• Last season: Nebraska went 3-5 in 2020, and was 3-5 in the Big Ten, finishing fifth in the Big Ten West. The Cornhuskers did not play in a bowl game.
• National rankings: No. 108 in Sagarin ratings, dropping all the way from No. 57 after the loss to Illinois.
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 9
• Highest/lowest ranking: 9/14
• Records: 1-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Last game: Nebraska 52, Fordham 7 on Sept. 4 in Lincoln, Neb. 
• Next game: Buffalo at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 11 at Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Fanduel point spread: Nebraska is a 12.5 point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 51.5. CLICK HERE
• The skinny: After dropping them to the bottom of the rankings after the loss to Illinois, who was dead-last themselves at the time, I said that I wasn't buying into Nebraska until they showed me, and running roughshod over an overmatched Fordham team doesn't count. Still in show-me mode with the Cornhuskers.