Big Ten Power Rankings (Week 4): Top-2 Debate Rages on, But Doesn't Include Ohio State

Iowa and Penn State both have a pair of impressive victories thus far, and they're the clear class of the Big Ten through three weeks, which might perturb fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes, the four-time defending conference champions who have yet to impress.

When Penn State beat Auburn from the mighty SEC on Saturday, it was yet another quality win for the Nittany Lions, who have now won seven games in a row dating back to last year. That's two now, counting that season-opening win at Wisconsin.

Iowa also has two quality wins thus far, too, beating then-No. 17 Indiana in the opener and then-No. 9 Iowa State a week later. They are, in my opinion through three weeks of the Big Ten season, the two best teams in the league.

Ohio State fans will surely take their jabs at that, but I stand by what I said last week when they had only played one half of good football so far. The Buckeyes beat a bad 0-3 Tulsa team last Saturday, but it was a one-score game early in the fourth quarter.

I'm still not impressed with the four-time defending conference champs, in other words. So much so, that No. 4 in the rankings is really nipping at their heels right now. Yeah, really. 

Here are the Big Ten power rankings as we head into Week 4 action:

1. Iowa Hawkeyes *** Last Week: 1

• Last game: Iowa 30, Kent State 7 on Sept. 18 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
• Records: 3-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Colorado State (1-2) at No. 5 Iowa, 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
• TV: FOX Sports 1
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Iowa is a 22.5-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 44.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No 5 in the Associated Press poll and No. 6 in the Coaches polls; No. 6 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 5
• Highest/lowest ranking: 1/5
• The skinny: The Hawkeyes had no trouble with Kent State, as expected, and the defense continues to look great, holding them to just 79 yards rushing and 1.9 yards per carry. Tyler Goodson had 153 yards on 22 carries, and scored three touchdowns running through huge holes. They stay on top, for now, and that Oct. 9 game with Penn State should be a doozy. 

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

• Last game: Penn State 28, Auburn 20 on Sept. 18 at Beaver Stadium, State College, Pa.
• Records: 3-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Villanova (3-0) at No. 6 Penn State, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Beaver Stadium, State College, Pa.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• SISportsbook.com point spread: There is no line on this game.
• National rankings: No. 6 in the AP poll, No. 8 in Coaches poll, No. 8 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 4
• Highest/lowest ranking: 2/4
• The skinny: Any time you can beat a ranked SEC team, it's impressive. Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford was tremendous, completing 28 of 32 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. He was great on a night where he really had to be, because it was tough to run against that stiff Auburn defense.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes *** Last Week: 3

• Last game: Ohio State 41, Tulsa 20 on Sept. 18 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
• Records: 2-1 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Akron (1-2) at No. 10 Ohio State (1-1), 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
• TV: Big Ten Network
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Ohio State is a 48.5-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 67.5 CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 10 in the Associated Press poll and No. 12 in the Coaches poll. No. 4 in Sagarin ratings.
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 1
• Highest/lowest ranking: 1/3
• The skinny: It has to be said that even though the Buckeyes still have issues as a team, they have certainly found the next superstar in freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson, who rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns. The Buckeyes still have some things to figure out, though, especially on defense.

4. Michigan Wolverines *** Last Week: 4

• Last game: Michigan 63, Northern Illinois 10 on Sept. 18 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Records: 3-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Rutgers (3-0) at No. 19 Michigan, 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• TV: ABC
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Michigan is an 18.5-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 51.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 19 in both the AP poll and Coaches poll. No. 9 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 7
• Highest/lowest ranking: 4/7
• The skinny: Another impressive win for Michigan has me thinking that maybe I should move them up a notch, but there's too much history for that to happen, at least for now. Michigan has looked good, but they need to show it against better teams, too.

5. Wisconsin Badgers *** Last Week: 5

• Last game: No. 18 Wisconsin 34, Eastern Michigan 7 on Sept. 11 at Madison, Wis. (Bye week on Sept. 18)
• Records: 1-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Next game: No. 18 Wisconsin vs. No. 12 Notre Dame, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill.
• TV: FOX
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Wisconsin is a 5.5-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 47. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No 18 in the AP poll, No. 15 in Coaches poll, No. 14 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 3
• Highest/lowest ranking: 3/5
• The skinny: The Badgers are coming off the league's first bye week, and now they get Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago. This is a statement game for the Badgers, without question, especially with that early loss still hanging over their heads. They get a square off with former teammate Jack Coan, who's now the Notre Dame quarterback. 

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

• Last game: Michigan State 38, Miami 17 on Sept. 18 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
• Records: 3-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Nebraska (2-2) at Michigan State, 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
• TV: FOX Sports 1
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Michigan State is a 5-point favorite in the game on the SISportsbook site. The over/under is 51.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 20 in the AP poll and No. 21 in the Coaches poll. No. 53 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 13
• Highest/lowest ranking: 6/13
• The skinny: OK, I admit it, I completely missed on the Spartans in the preseason. They got off to a nice start, but then they really showed me something by heading down to South Florida and pounding No. 24 Miami. Kenneth Walker rushed for 172 yards and he's a beast. I thought about moving them up one more notch, but I'll play wait-and-see for another week.

7. Maryland Terrapins *** Last Week: 9

• Last game: Maryland 20, Illinois 17 on Sept. 17 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
• Records: 3-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Kent State (1-2) at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Md.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Maryland is a 14-point favorite on the SISportsbook.com website as of Monday morning. The over/under is 67. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: Receiving votes in both polls and would be ranked No. 30 in the AP poll and No. 36 in the Coaches poll. No. 57 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 11
• Highest/lowest ranking: 7/11
• The skinny: I really wasn't all that impressed with Maryland's win at Illinois last Friday, but it is a conference win on the road, and it does mean something. Add that to the Week 1 win over West Virginia that looks better every week, and we'll move them up for now. Still a lot to prove, though. If I had to guess, they'll move down before they move up.

8. Indiana Hoosiers *** Last Week: 6

• Last game: Cincinnati 38, Indiana 24 on Sept. 18 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
• Records: 1-2 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Next game: Indiana at Western Kentucky (1-1), 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Houchens Industries/L.T. Smith Stadium.
• TV: CBS Sports Network
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Indiana is a 9-point favorite on the SISportsbook.com website. The over/under is 63.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No longer receiving votes in either poll. No. 42 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 2
• Highest/lowest ranking: 2/8
• The skinny: Indiana played well enough to beat a very good Cincinnati team, but four costly turnovers and three wasted trips to the red zone ruined it. Indiana's two losses are to top-8 teams, but the massive turnovers are a serious concern. The only reason I still rank them this high is because I do still see some potential in this team. There are a lot of bandwagon jumpers out there, but that's premature in my book.

9. Purdue Boilermakers *** Last Week: 7

• Last game: Notre Dame 27, Purdue 13 on Sept. 18 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.
• Records: 2-1 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Illinois (1-3) at Purdue, 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. 
• TV: Big Ten Network
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Purdue is an 11-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 55. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 61 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 10
• Highest/lowest ranking: 7/10
• The skinny: Purdue lost to Notre Dame even though it moved the ball well enough to score more than 13 points. It certainly wasn't the outcome they wanted, but all in all, I consider their nonconference slate a modest success. They've got a current four-game losing streak in Big Ten games, so that needs to end this weekend against Illinois. The David Bell watch is on, as is his concussion protocol.

10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights *** Last Week: 10

• Last game: Rutgers 45, Delaware 13 on Sept. 18 at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J.
• Records: 3-0 overall, 0-0 in Big Ten
• Next game: Rutgers at No. 19 Michigan (3-0), 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• TV: ABC
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Michigan is an 18.5-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 51.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: Received two votes in the Coaches Poll and would be ranked No. 50. No. 47 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 12
• Highest/lowest ranking: 10/12
• The skinny: Rutgers is 3-0, but the first real test of the season comes this weekend at Michigan. What I've liked so far is the speed of the defense, and their willingness to play aggressively. If the offense can hold up through this Big Ten season, there might be a bowl game at the end of the line. They should probably a notch or two higher, but they've got time to prove it now.

11. Minnesota Golden Gophers *** Last Week: 11

• Last game: Minnesota 30, Colorado 0 on Sept. 18 at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.
• Records: 2-1 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Next game: Bowling Green (1-2) at Minnesota, Noon  ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at TCF Field in Minneapolis, Minn. 
• TV: ESPNU
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Minnesota is a 31-point favorite in the opening line on Monday morning. Over/under is 51.5 CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 30 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 8
• Highest/lowest ranking: 8/11
• The skinny: Minnesota showed me a lot by going to Colorado and rolling to a 30-point win. They probably deserve to move up a few notches too, but it's tough to do with the teams in front of them for the moment. Road shutouts against Power 5 teams is always a good thing.

12. Nebraska Cornhuskers *** Last Week: 13

• Last game: Oklahoma 23, Nebraska 16 on Sept. 18 at Memorial Stadium, Norman, Okla.
• Records: 2-2 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Next game: Nebraska at No. 22 Michigan State (3-0), 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
• TV: FOX Sports 1
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Michigan State is a 5-point favorite in the game on the SISportsbook site. The over/under is 51.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 40 in Sagarin ratings.
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 9
• Highest/lowest ranking: 9/14
• The skinny: Even in defeat, the Cornhuskers impressed. They deserve a lot of credit for playing hard, and making it a game. Oklahoma isn't the dominant powerhouse we thought, but now Nebraska needs to prove they can win some conference games. This weekend is a good start against a red-hot Michigan State team. A win in East Lansing would really open up some eyes.

13. Northwestern Wildcats *** Last Week: 12

• Last game: Duke 30, Northwestern 23 on Sept. 18 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C.
• Records: 1-2 overall, 0-1 in Big Ten
• Next game: Ohio at Northwestern, Noon ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill.
• TV: Big Ten Network
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Northwestern is a 15-point favorite on the game on the SISportsbook.com site. The over/under is 48.5. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 83 in Sagarin ratings
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 6
• Highest/lowest ranking: 6/13
• The skinny: Northwestern might be a team I missed on, too, but only because I thought they'd be better. Losing at Duke as a road favorite really surprised me, but how they lost stunned me even more, giving up 562 yards to a very average Blue Devils team. Pat Fitzgerald, a great defensive player himself back in the day, has to be pulling his hair out 

14. Illinois Fighting Illini *** Last Week: 14

• Last game: Maryland 20, Illinois 17 on Sept. 17 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
• Records: 1-3 overall, 1-1 in Big Ten
• Next game: Illinois at Purdue (2-1), 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 25 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. 
• TV: FOX Sports 1
• SISportsbook.com point spread: Purdue is an 11-point favorite as of Monday morning. Over/under is 55. CLICK HERE
• National rankings: No. 101 in Sagarin ratings.
• Preseason B1G power ranking: 14
• Highest/lowest ranking: 10/14
• The skinny: Illinois hung around long enough against Maryland that they could have yanked out a victory,  taking a lead into the fourth quarter. Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagavailoa has his way with the Illini secondary, throwing for 350 yards. They need to get that buttoned up, and Purdue's dynamic passing game will be another good test this weekend.