Big Ten Football Power Rankings (Week 2): USC Gets Biggest Win of the Weekend

USC picked up the biggest win of the weekend, defeating LSU. Penn State clobbered West Virginia. What do the power rankings looks like after Week 1?

Dustin Schutte | Sep 2, 2024

Southern California Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) celebrates / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

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Pull out the receipts, Lincoln Riley, you've earned the opportunity to call out all the critics and doubters. USC picked up the biggest win of the weekend, taking down LSU 27-20 in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

That win doesn't just quiet the USC haters, it also puts the Trojans in the College Football Playoff conversation — at least after Week 1.

Overall, it was a really good weekend for the Big Ten, which went 17-1 to begin the season. But the only other team to notch a signature win was Penn State, who demolished West Virginia 34-12 in Morgantown.

How much did the opening week of the season shake up our power rankings? Here's what it looks like heading into Week 2:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Ohio State 52, Akron 6
This week: Western Michigan vs. Ohio State
Location: Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
Time & TV: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: Things looked a little clunky for the Buckeyes in the first half of the season opener, only leading Akron 17-3. But Ohio State shifted into another gear in the second half, cruising to a blowout win. The defense played well, holding Akron to just 177 total yards and recording three turnovers. At times, Ohio State's offense sputtered, but with so many offseason changes, it may have just taken some time to get into a rhythm. Overall, Ryan Day's team did exactly what it needed to against a team like Akron.

2. Penn State Nittany Lions

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Penn State 34, West Virginia 12
This week: Bowling Green vs. Penn State
Location: Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa.
Time & TV: Noon ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: Opening with a Power Four rival on the road isn't an easy task, but Penn State really had no trouble with West Virginia. The Nittany Lions scored 20 points in the second quarter, which proved to be the big difference in the game. Nick Singleton ran with purpose, piling up 114 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. Drew Allar wasn't the most accurate, completing 11-of-17 passes, but he still racked up 216 yards and three scores. It's only one week, but Penn State looks like a contender.

3. USC Trojans

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: USC 27, LSU 20
This week: Utah State vs. USC
Location: Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif.
Time & TV: 11 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: No team in the Big Ten had a more impressive Week 1 victory than USC. Not many people expected the Trojans to beat LSU, but Lincoln Riley picked up a critical win to open the season. Hiring D'Anton Lynn away from UCLA looks like it could be the smartest move of the offseason in college football, with USC holding LSU to 20 points. USC also has options galore in the passing attack, with six different receivers totaling at least 45 yards in the game.

4. Oregon Ducks

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Oregon 24, Idaho 14
This week: Boise State vs. Oregon
Location: Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore.
Time & TV: 10 p.m. ET (TV: Peacock)
The skinny: There was a little too much nervous energy inside Autzen Stadium over the weekend. Idaho game Oregon all it could handle in the opener, but the Ducks ultimately pulled away. It's hard to believe the game was so close when you look at the box score. Oregon racked up 487 yards to Idaho's 217. Poor offensive line play and penalties allowed the Vandals to keep things close in Eugene. Dan Lanning's team is still really talented, but there's a lot to clean up.

5. Michigan Wolverines

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Michigan 30, Fresno State 10
This week: Texas vs. Michigan
Location: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Time & TV: Noon ET (TV: FOX)
The skinny: Michigan's defense may not be quite as good as it was a year ago, but it's definitely a strength in 2024. That's the good news. The bad news? The offense needs some work. Sherrone Moore opted to play both Davis Warren and Alex Orji at quarterback, utilizing both skill sets. Bute the Wolverines ended the day with just 269 total yards, converted just 4-of-11 third-down chances and needed a pick-six to put Fresno State away. We're going to find out a lot more about Michigan this week when Texas comes to town.

6. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Nebraska 40, UTEP 7
This week: Colorado vs. Nebraska
Location: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
Time & TV: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: NBC)
The skinny: For the first time since 2019, Nebraska is 1-0 to start the season. The Huskers had a huge second quarter, outscoring UTEP 23-0 and never looked back. Dylan Raiola made some freshman mistakes, but overall looked like they type of quarterback Matt Rhule needs to run an efficient and effective offense. The Nebraska defense lived in UTEP's backfield most of the afternoon, finishing the game with nine tackles for loss and forcing two turnovers.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Iowa 40, Illinois State 0
This week: Iowa State vs. Iowa
Location: Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa
Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS)
The skinny: Hello, Hawkeye offense. After an ugly first half, leading just 6-0, Iowa kicked it into another gear in the final two quarters, outscoring Illinois State 34-0. Kaleb Johnson provided a huge spark in the second half, rushing for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Cade McNamara had a nice afternoon, completing 21-of-31 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Can the Hawkeyes carry that momentum into this weekend's game against Iowa State.

8. Maryland Terrapins

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Maryland 50, UConn 7
This week: Michigan State vs. Maryland
Location: SECU Stadium in College Park, Md.
Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: Offense is still Mike Locksley's specialty and Maryland produced a lot of it in a blowout victory over UConn. Billy Edwards Jr. looked great in his debut, completing 20-of-27 passes for 311 yards and two touchdowns. The Terrapins had 11 players catch a pass and eight recorded at least one carry. Maryland's defense shut down the Huskies' rushing attack, as well, allowing just 2.9 yards per carry.

9. Wisconsin Badgers

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Wisconsin 28, Western Michigan 14
This week: South Dakota vs. Wisconsin
Location: Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
Time & TV: 3:30 p.m, ET (TV: Fox Sports 1)
The skinny: The Badgers found themselves in a fight until the very end on Friday night's game. Wisconsin needed a muffed punt from Western Michigan in the fourth quarter to take a lead and essentially seal the game. This is a defensive front that needs a lot of work, finishing the game with just one tackle for loss. Plus, it looks like the offense is enduring some growing pains. We'll see if things look better in Week 2 when the Badgers have a full game under their belts.

10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Rutgers 44, Howard 7
This week: Akron vs. Rutgers
Location: SHI Stadium in Piscataway, N.J.
Time & TV: Noon ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: Sometimes, scheduling matters. Rutgers dealt with a ton of injuries in fall camp and had a number of players sidelined for its season opener on Thursday. Fortunately, the Scarlet Knights played a Howard squad that just didn't match up well from a talent perspective. It's hard to get a true read on Rutgers, which had to play so many young guys in Week 1. We'll find out more about Greg Schiano's 2024 squad in the coming weeks.

11. Indiana Hoosiers

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Indiana 31, FIU 7
This week: Western Illinois vs. Indiana (Friday, Sept. 6)
Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
Time & TV: 7 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: Curt Cignetti's debut in Bloomington went pretty well, especially on the defensive side of the football. The Hoosiers held FIU to under 200 yards of total offense and linebacker Aiden Fisher had a tremendous afternoon, racking up 12 tackles, including two for loss. Indiana had some sloppy play offensively, but it still rushed for 234 yards in a blowout win. Not a bad way to start the year.

12. Purdue Boilermakers

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Purdue 49, Indiana State 0
This week: OFF
The skinny: Purdue made a statement in its season opener, thanks to a tremendous day from quarterback Hudson Card, who tied an FBS record by completing 24-of-25 passes (96%). The Boilermakers played really well to start the season off on the right foot. But Indiana State isn't exactly a great measuring stick. Purdue gets an off week before the competition ratchets up, hosting Notre Dame on Sept. 14.

13. Illinois Fighting Illini

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Illinois 45, Eastern Illinois 0
This week: Kansas vs. Illinois
Location: Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
Time & TV: 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1)
The skinny: Illinois enjoyed its biggest win since a 52-3 victory over Murray State in 2016. Luke Altmyer threw for 213 yards and four touchdowns while Kaden Feagin rushed for 108 yards and a score. The defense forced four turnovers and held Eastern Illinois under 200 yards. It was a well-rounded performance. But how much did we really learn? Things get more difficult this weekend as Bret Bielema and his team face Kansas.

14. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Record: 0-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: North Carolina 19, Minnesota 17
This week: Rhode Island vs. Minnesota
Location: Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
Time & TV: Noon ET (TV: Peacock)
The skinny: It feels like more of the same at Minnesota, doesn't it? Despite placing an empahsis on offensive improvement, P.J. Fleck's team averaged just 2.4 yards on the ground and threw for just 166 yards in a home loss to North Carolina. The Gophers' defense wasn't flawless, but it played well enough to win. Minnesota is a team that plays a conservative brand of football offensively, but that proved to be a costly mindset Thursday night.

15. Washington Huskies

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Washington 35, Weber State 3
This week: Eastern Michigan vs. Washington
Location: Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: Landing Will Rogers and bringing in running back Jonah Coleman were two pretty significant moves by coach Jedd Fisch in the offseason. Both put up impressive numbers in a blowout victory over Weber State on Saturday. There's still a lot we don't know about the Huskies right now, especially defensively. But Washington looks like a team that has the weapons to move the ball on offense.

16. Michigan State Spartans

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Michigan State 16, FAU 10
This week: Michigan State vs. Maryland
Location: SECU Stadium in College Park, Md.
Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
The skinny: At times, Michigan State showed flashes of a team that could make some noise in the Big Ten. In other instances, it looked like a team that would finish at the bottom of the barrel in the conference. We saw more of the latter on Friday. Aidan Chiles tried to force way too many throws and the offense never really looked comfortable. It appears that the biggest strength for the Spartans will be on the defensive side of the football. Keep an eye on Khris Bogle, who gave FAU problems all day.

17. Northwestern Wildcats

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: Northwestern 13, Miami (Ohio) 6
This week: Duke vs. Northwestern (Friday, Sept. 6)
Location: Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill.
Time & TV: 9 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1)
The skinny: Nobody really knew what to expect from Northwestern coming into the season. Saturday's performance against Miami (Ohio) wasn't good, but the Wildcats did get the win. There really isn't much to say. Northwestern's defense played well, getting four sacks and forcing two turnovers, but the offense needs to make a lot of improvements. But, remember, this team looked awful in last year's opener against Rutgers and churned out eight wins.

18. UCLA Bruins

Record: 1-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Last week: UCLA 16, Hawaii 13
This week: OFF
The skinny: UCLA avoided disaster in the first weekend of the season, thanks to a late field goal from Mateen Bhaghani. The Bruins struggled to run the football and quarterback Ethan Garbers tossed two interceptions against Hawaii. It was a pretty ugly afternoon. Now, DeShaun Foster's team gets two weeks to prepare for Indiana.