Big Ten Football Power Rankings (Week 11): Only 2 Undefeated Teams Remain

Oregon and Indiana are the Big Ten's last remaining undefeated teams. Ohio State picked up a huge win and Penn State is still in the Playoff hunt.

Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

And then there were two.

After Week 10 action, only two undefeated teams remain in the Big Ten: Oregon and Indiana. Just as everyone predicted, right?

Penn State's undefeated season came to an end on Saturday, falling 20-13 to Ohio State. While the Buckeyes' win kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive, the Nittany Lions still have a chance to earn a spot in the 12-team field. Could the Big Ten actually get four teams in?

There's still a lot of football left before we get to that point. So, let's dive into the Big Ten power rankings instead.

1. Oregon Ducks

• Record: 9-0 overall, 6-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 1 (no change)
• Last week: Oregon 38, Michigan 17
• This week: Maryland at Oregon
• Location: Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
• Time & TV: 7 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network
• The skinny: In all reality, Saturday's trip to Ann Arbor was probably the last true hurdle standing in Oregon's path to an undefeated season. The Ducks put together another impressive showing against one of the Big Ten's traditional powers. Now, Oregon has Maryland, Wisconsin and Washington remaining on the schedule. Barring any crazy college football shinanigens, the Ducks are bound for Indianapolis to play for a Big Ten title.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Record: 7-1 overall, 4-1 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 3 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Ohio State 20, Penn State 13
• This week: Purdue at Ohio State
• Location: Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
• Time & TV: Noon ET on FOX
• The skinny: Things couldn't have started any worse for Ohio State in Beaver Stadium on Saturday, trailing Penn State 10-0 early. But once the Buckeyes settled down, they completely controlled the game on both sides. Ryan Day put a heavy emphasis on running the football, with the Buckeyes rushing for 179 yards on 38 carries. The defense also held Penn State to just 270 total yards of offense. This was a big win to keep Ohio State in contention to return to Lucas Oil Stadium in early December.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

• Record: 9-0 overall, 6-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 4 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Indiana 47, Michigan State 10
• This week: Michigan at Indiana
• Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
• Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
• The skinny: For the first time all season, Indiana faced adversity. The Hoosiers trailed Michigan State 10-0 early, but it didn't last long. Curt Cignetti's squad ripped off 47 straight points in a blowout road victory and bringing the Old Brass Spittoon to Bloomington. Forget everything you thought you knew about IU football. This team isn't just a good Big Ten team, it's playing like one of the best teams in the country right now.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions

• Record: 7-1 overall, 4-1 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 2 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Ohio State 20, Penn State 13
• This week: Washington at Penn State
• Location: Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa.
• Time & TV: 8 p.m. ET on Peacock
• The skinny: Once again, James Franklin comes up short against top-five opponent. Penn State's struggles against Ohio State are well documented, but Saturday's loss to the Buckeyes wasn't a devastating blow to the Nittany Lions' College Football Playoff hopes. This team just needs to respond with a win next weekend over Washington. The schedule is fairly manageable, although a Nov. 23 contest Minnesota at Huntington Bank Stadium could be tricky.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes

• Record: 6-3 overall, 4-2 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 10 (up 5 spots)
• Last week: Iowa 42, Wisconsin 10
• This week: Iowa at UCLA (Friday, Nov. 8)
• Location: The Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, Calif.
• Time & TV: 9 p.m. ET on FOX
• The skinny: Iowa may have three losses, but it's playing some really good football right now. Running back Kaleb Johnson had another huge outing, rushing for 135 yards and three touchdowns in a rivalry win over Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes find themselves in an interesting situation this weekend, traveling to Los Angeles on a short week to play UCLA on Friday night. How will Kirk Ferentz's team handle the accommodations this weekend?

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Record: 6-3 overall, 4-2 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 11 (up 5 spots)
• Last week: Minnesota 25, Illinois 17
• This week: Minnesota at Rutgers
• Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J.
• Time & TV: Noon ET on NBC
• The skinny: Don't look now, but PJ Fleck has his team rolling. Minnesota has now won four straight games, which includes its second upset win of the year by beating No. 24 Illinois on the road. The Gophers did it again defensively, forcing two Illinois fumbles, turning one into a field goal and forcing the other on Illinois' final drive. Minnesota is playing confident football and looks like a much different team than the one that started the season 2-3.

7. Illinois Fighting Illini

• Record: 6-3 overall, 3-3 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 5 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Minnesota 25, Illinois 17
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: After a 6-1 start and turning a lot of heads, Illinois has come back down to earth. The Illini have now lost back-to-back games to Oregon and Minnesota, dropping a few spots in the power rankings this week. This is still a really good football team with plenty of talent. But it also looks tired. Quarterback Luke Altmyer, receiver Pat Bryant and the rest of the Fighting Illini get a week off before closing out the season with a three-game stretch against Michigan State, Rutgers and Northwestern, all very winnable games.

8. Michigan Wolverines

• Record: 5-4 overall, 3-3 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 6 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Oregon 38, Michigan 17
• This week: Michigan at Indiana
• Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
• Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
• The skinny: Michigan really lost this game in the second quarter, getting outscored 21-3 and trailing 28-10 at halftime. The secondary had no answer for Oregon receiver Treashon Holden, who had six catches for 149 yards. Plus, the Wolverines struggled to run the football, which had been their bread-and-butter all season long. Now, Sherrone Moore's team will face another high-powered offense, traveling to Bloomington to play an undefeated Indiana squad.

9. Wisconsin Badgers

• Record: 5-4 overall, 3-3 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 7 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Iowa 42, Wisconsin 10
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: Just a few weeks ago, it looked like Wisconsin had figured some things out. Turns out, this is still a work-in-progress for coach Luke Fickell. The Badgers couldn't do anything well against Iowa on Saturday night. It's a good time for a bye week after dropping back-to-back games.

10. Washington Huskies

• Record: 5-4 overall, 3-3 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 13 (up 3 spots)
• Last week: Washington 26, USC 21
• This week: Washington at Penn State
• Location: Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa.
• Time & TV: 8 p.m. ET on Peacock
• The skinny: Jedd Fisch deserves more credit than he's receiving for the job he's done in Seattle this year. It's been far from perfect, but Washington had to replace 21-of-22 starters from last season's team, brought in an entirely new coaching staff and entered a new conference with a tough schedule. Yet the Huskies are one win away from bowl eligibility after an impressive win over USC. Getting that sixth win will be tricky, though, with Penn State, UCLA and Oregon still ahead.

11. Michigan State Spartans

• Record: 4-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 8 (down 3 spot)
• Last week: Indiana 47, Michigan State 10
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: There was some belief that Michigan State might give Indiana a run for its money, especially with the game in East Lansing. The Spartans started hot, but cooled off quickly. The Spartans finished the game with -36(!) rushing yards. To put it politely, that's not good. Michigan State has now lost five of its last six games.

12. UCLA Bruins

• Record: 3-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 17 (up 5 spots)
• Last week: UCLA 27, Nebraska 20
• This week: Iowa at UCLA (Friday, Nov. 8)
• Location: The Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, Calif.
• Time & TV: 9 p.m. ET on FOX
• The skinny: UCLA continues to play pesky football in the Big Ten. The Bruins upset Nebraska in Lincoln on Saturday, notching a second straight road victory and getting their third win of the season. A pick-six by linebacker Kain Medrano on the first play of the second half was the turning point in the game and proved to be the difference.

13. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Record: 5-4 overall, 2-4 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 9 (down 4 spots)
• Last week: UCLA 27, Nebraska 20
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: Another team that benefits from a bye week is Nebraska. After a 5-1 start to the year, the Huskers have lost three straight games, falling to Indiana, Ohio State and UCLA. The Huskers were competitive in two of those games, losing by one possession to both the Buckeyes and Bruins. This team is chasing a sixth win to return to bowl eligibility. The final stretch includes games against USC, Wisconsin and Iowa.

14. USC Trojans

• Record: 4-5 overall, 2-5 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 12 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Washington 26, USC 21
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: It's been a frustrating year at USC, and that's putting it lightly. The Trojans suffered another one-score loss, falling to 4-5 on the season and eliminating the chances of finishing the year with a winning record in Big Ten play. Coach Lincoln Riley is going to have to make some serious adjustments in the offseason.

15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Record: 4-4 overall, 1-4 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 14 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: OFF
• This week: Minnesota at Rutgers
• Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J.
• Time & TV: Noon ET on NBC
• The skinny: Not much to say about Rutgers, which had an off week. Greg Schiano will welcome his former pupil, PJ Fleck, to Piscataway this weekend. The Scarlet Knights are in desperate need of a win after losing four straight games.

16. Northwestern Wildcats

• Record: 4-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 15 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Northwestern 26, Purdue 20 (OT)
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: Northwestern found just enough offense to escape West Lafayette with a win on Saturday. The Wildcats held Purdue to just 47 rushing yards on 23 attempts, a key factor in the outcome. It wasn't pretty, but finding ways to win Big Ten games in November is all that matters.

17. Maryland Terrapins

• Record: 4-4 overall, 1-4 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 16 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: OFF
• This week: Maryland at Oregon
• Location: Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
• Time & TV: 7 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network
• The skinny: Maryland had two weeks to prepare for Oregon. Will it matter? Mike Locksley is really good at drawing up offensive schemes, but he hasn't played agaisnt a defense as good as Dan Lanning's yet.

18. Purdue Boilermakers

• Record: 1-7 overall, 0-5 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 18 (no change)
• Last week: Northwestern 26, Purdue 20 (OT)
• This week: Purdue at Ohio State
• Location: Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
• Time & TV: Noon ET on FOX
• The skinny: Saturday might've been Purdue's last chance to get a win this season. After falling to Northwestern in overtime, the Boilermakers now have Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State and Indiana remaining on the schedule. The good news is basketball season tips off on Monday.