Big Ten Football Power Rankings (Week 4): Has Indiana Arrived?

Is Indiana the real deal? After a blowout win over UCLA and a 3-0 start to the season, Curt Cignetti has a lot of people believing in the Hoosiers.

Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Amare Ferrell celebrates with defensive back Shawn Asbury II / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Is it time to start buying stock in Indiana? After a 3-0 start with blowout wins in all three contests, there's a lot of hype surrounding Curt Cignetti's program — a major accomplishment in itself in Bloomington.

The opponents haven't been great, dominating teams like FIU, Western Illinois and UCLA. Without question, though, this is a much better Indiana team than we've seen in previous years.

How far have the Hoosiers moved up in the power rankings? Here's the complete rundown after three weeks of college football.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

• Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 1 (no change)
• Last week: OFF
• This week: Marshall vs. Ohio State
• Location: Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio
• Time & TV: 12 p.m. ET (TV: FOX)
• The skinny: Ohio State retains the top spot after a week off. The schedule doesn't get much tougher this week, with the Buckeyes welcoming Marshall into Columbus. This should be a nice tune-up game to close out nonconference play for Ryan Day and his squad.

2. USC Trojans

• Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 2 (no change)
• Last week: OFF
• This week: USC at Michigan
• Location: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS)
• The skinny: Another early test awaits Lincoln Riley and Co. entering Week 4. The Trojans passed the first with a thrilling win over LSU to open the season. Now, USC hits the road to Ann Arbor for its first conference game as a Big Ten member. Can Miller Moss and the offense move the ball consistently against Michigan?

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

• Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 3 (no change)
• Last week: OFF
• This week: Kent State vs. Penn State
• Location: Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa.
• Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
• The skinny: The Nittany Lions had a week to recover from the scare they got from Bowling Green in their previous matchup. Penn State shouldn't have much trouble with Kent State this weekend, but keep an eye on the defensive side of the football to see if James Franklin and defensive coordinator Tom Allen addressed some of the tackling issues.

4. Oregon Ducks

• Record: 3-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 4 (no change)
• Last week: Oregon 49, Oregon State 14
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: Finally, Oregon looked like Oregon. Dillon Gabriel completed 20-of-24 passes for 291 yards and the Ducks averaged 7.5 yards per carry on the ground. It was really the first time the offensive line looked like it could handle a major opponent. The defense still has some questions, giving up over 300 yards, but it did pitch a shutout in the second half against Oregon State. This was exactly what Oregon needed entering an off week.

5. Nebraska Cornhuskers

• Record: 3-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 5 (no change)
• Last week: Nebraska 34, Northern Iowa 3
• This week: Illinois vs. Nebraska (Friday, Sept. 20)
• Location: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
• Time & TV: 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX)
• The skinny: Nebraska's defense continues to suffocate opponents, Northern Iowa was able to navigate its way down the field on a few different drives in the game, but managed just three points in the contest. The Huskers had another solid outing from Dylan Raiola, who threw for 247 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Nebraska's first major challenge of the season now awaits, hosting a ranked Illinois squad on Friday night.

6. Illinois Fighting Illini

• Record: 3-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 7 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Illinois 30, Central Michigan 9
• This week: Illinois vs. Nebraska (Friday, Sept. 20)
• Location: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
• Time & TV: 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX)
• The skinny: It was a sloppy outing from Illinois last week, but it still managed to earn a comfortable win over Central Michigan. The Illini averaged just 4.7 yards per carry in the run game and were flagged 10 times for 81 yards. Maybe it was a hangover after the upset win over Kansas a week ago, but Bret Bielema's team will have to play much better on the road against Nebraska this weekend.

7. Michigan Wolverines

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 6 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Michigan 28, Arkansas State 18
• This week: USC vs. Michigan
• Location: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich.
• Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: CBS)
• The skinny: Is it time for a new quarterback in Ann Arbor? Davis Warren threw three interceptions on Saturday, making many wonder if it's time for Alex Orji to take over permanently. The game was not really as close as the final score indicates, with Michigan owning a 28-3 advantage with six minutes left in the contest. But it also wasn't the type of dominant performance you'd expect to see out of the Wolverines.

8. Indiana Hoosiers

• Record: 3-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 11 (up 3 spots)
• Last week: Indiana 42, UCLA 13
• This week: Charlotte vs. Indiana
• Location: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.
• Time & TV: 12 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
• The skinny: Curt Cignetti has fans in Bloomington believing. Indiana locked up another blowout victory, this time over UCLA in the Rose Bowl. Kurtis Rourke continues to play at a high level, throwing for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Defensively, the Hoosiers forced two turnovers and held the Bruins to just 96 rushing yards. Don't look now, IU, but Cignetti already has the team halfway to bowl eligibility.

9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

• Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 8 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: OFF
• This week: Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech
• Location: Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va.
• Time & TV: 3:30 p.m. ET (TV: ACC Network)
• The skinny: We're about to find out a lot more about Rutgers this week. The Scarlet Knights have convincing wins over Howard and Akron, but how will that translate to a game against a Power Four opponent? Greg Schiano takes his team to Blacksburg for a showdown against Virginia Tech before jumping into Big Ten action.

10. Iowa Hawkeyes

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 9 (down 1 spot)
• Last week: Iowa 38, Troy 21
• This week: Iowa vs. Minnesota
• Location: Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
• Time & TV: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: NBC)
• The skinny: Kaleb Johnson continues to provide a spark for the Iowa offense, pling up 173 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Troy. Yes, a win is a win, but the Hawkeyes had some serious struggles in the first half. We have yet to see the Hawkeyes put together a complete game this season. We'll also see how the Iowa offense looks this weekend against a Minnesota team that has had shutouts in back-to-back games.

11. Michigan State Spartans

• Record: 3-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 13 (up 2 spots)
• Last week: Michigan State 40, Prairie View 0
• This week: Michigan State vs. Boston College
• Location: Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
• Time & TV: 8 p.m. ET (TV: ACC Network)
• The skinny: Not much was learned from Saturday's win over Prairie View. Michigan State was dominant on both sides of the football, as it should be in these types of matchups. A looming concern is the penalty situation in East Lansing. Threw three games, the Spartans have racked up 33 flags for 342 yards, worst in the Big Ten.

12. Wisconsin Badgers

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 10 (down 2 spots)
• Last week: Alabama 42, Wisconsin 10
• This week: OFF
• The skinny: Luke Fickell's team isn't quite ready for the big stage yet. Wisconsin was throttled by a superior Alabama team, struggling to do anything offensively. A chunk of that can be contributed to the loss of quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, exiting Saturday's game early with an injury. Wisconsin gets a week off to recover from a rough weekend before opening up league play with one of the Big Ten's top teams right now: USC.

13. Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 14 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Minnesota 27, Nevada 0
• This week: Iowa vs. Minnesota
• Location: Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
• Time & TV: 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: NBC)
• The skinny: Everyone understands that Minnesota has played Rhode Island and Nevada the last two weeks, but holding two opponents scoreless in back-to-back games is incredibly impressive. There are still some questions about the offense, but this is a Gophers team that hasn't allowed more than 252 yards of offense this season and has forced eight total turnovers. That likely sets up a defensive slugfest aganst Iowa this weekend in Minneapolis.

14. Maryland Terrapins

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 16 (up 2 spots)
• Last week: Maryland 27, Virginia 13
• This week: Villanova vs. Maryland
• Location: SECU Stadium in College Park, Md.
• Time & TV: 12 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
• The skinny: Saturday's win over Virginia was a nice bounce-back after a disappointing loss to Michigan State. Maryland got the win with a huge defensive effort, forcing four turnovers. Dante Trade Jr. had a monster performance, recording 11 tackles and an interception. The Terrapins return home for a tune-up game against Villanova. Expect to see a lot of points from Mike Locksley's offense in that one.

15. Washington Huskies

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 15 (no change)
• Last week: Washington State 24, Washington 19
• This week: Northwestern vs. Washington
• Location: Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
• Time & TV: 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1)
• The skinny: The officiating crew might still be throwing flags on Washington from last weekend's loss to Washington State. The Huskies were whistled for 16 penalties for 135 yards in a 24-19 defeat. Although Washington racked up 426 yards of offense, those mistakes and failures to convert on third down throughout the game proved to be costly. Now, Washington hosts its first Big Ten game of the season, welcoming in Northwestern.

16. Northwestern Wildcats

• Record: 2-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 16 (up 1 spot)
• Last week: Northwestern 31, Eastern Illinois 7
• This week: Northwestern vs. Washington
• Location: Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
• Time & TV: 7 p.m. ET (TV: Fox Sports 1)
• The skinny: It's not saying much, but Northwestern's offense looked the best it has all season. Yes, that's what you should expect against an FCS defense, but it's at least something positive after struggling in the first two weeks of the year. Mike Wright threw two touchdown passes and accounted for 227 yards through the air. Have the Wildcats found something offensively? That will be tested against Washington this weekend.

17. Purdue Boilermakers

• Record: 1-1 overall, 0-0 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 17 (down 5 spots)
• Last week: Notre Dame 66, Purdue 7
• This week: Purdue vs. Oregon State
• Location: Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore.
• Time & TV: 8:30 p.m. ET (TV: CW Network)
• The skinny: All offseason, Ryan Walters talked about how the defense was going to make a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2. Well, the Boilermakers surrendered 66 points and nearly 600 yards to Notre Dame in a blowout loss. Purdue also managed just six first downs in the entire game. It doesn't get much uglier than that. If this is a sign of things to come, life could get really messy in West Lafayette.

18. UCLA Bruins

• Record: 1-1 overall, 0-1 Big Ten
• Previous rank: No. 18 (no change)
• Last week: Indiana 42, UCLA 13
• This week: UCLA vs. LSU
• Location: Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
• Time & TV: 2:40 p.m. ET (TV: ABC)
• The skinny: Not much went right for the Bruins in their Big Ten debut, falling behind 14-0 early and never really recovering. Indiana was the better teams on both sides of the football from start to finish. Now, DeShaun Foster takes his team into Baton Rouge for a matchup against LSU.