It’s late October and just two Big Ten teams – Ohio State and UCLA – remain without a loss in league play. And it would have been hard to believe back in August, but the Bruins are the only Big Ten squad with an unblemished overall record. So do Ohio State and UCLA own the top two spots in our Big Ten power rankings? Find out below:.
Week 8 Big Ten football top five
No. 5 Iowa
The Hawkeyes crash the top five on the heels of their bye week, thanks to a loss from last week’s No. 5 – Nebraska fell on the road at Oregon. But it’s not as though Iowa isn’t deserving.
It sits at 5-1 (2-1 Big Ten), and owns league wins at Michigan and Washington – both of which are nothing to sneeze at despite the Wolverines’ and Huskies’ underwhelming campaigns thus far.
Per usual, the Hawkeyes’ defense is suffocating (held Washington to negative three rushing yards in last outing). And the offense, for once, has been sparked by strong quarterback play, from both Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski.
And if the rushing attack, which had been uncharacteristically bad through five weeks but finally got going at Washington (263 yards and two scores), sustains its recent success, Iowa can beat anyone.
No. 4 USC
The Trojans (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) also enjoyed a weekend off – and it was perhaps much-needed. USC has mostly looked the part through seven games (lone loss at home to Oregon), but we’ll see what Lincoln Riley’s club is actually made of in the coming weeks.
The gauntlet begins on the road at Wisconsin – which is an intriguing matchup. Camp Randall is never an easy place to play, and the Badgers, one of college football’s surprises of the year, have a tremendously stingy defense.
In Big Ten play, Wisconsin hasn’t surrendered more than 20 points. USC, with its high-powered offense, hasn’t been held under 25 points. Which trend breaks on Saturday? And, of course, can the Trojans play some defense? Those two questions will decide the game – and, in turn, perhaps the Trojans’ CFP fate.
No. 3 UCLA
Undefeated through six games with four Big Ten wins – including one at Autzen Stadium over Oregon. Bob Chesney’s club was predicted by many to outplay expectations, but not to this extent. The Bruins are the real deal, though.
The only question: how do they respond to losing quarterback Nico Iamaleava for the year? UCLA has rode its defense on occasion – and especially as of late. It held Maryland to three points, forced a shocking seven turnovers at Oregon and then yielded just seven points to Wisconsin.
Oh, and the Bruins have rushed for 1386 yards (more than they’ve passed for, actually) on an efficient 5.6 yards per carry. But Iamaleava, a veteran quarterback, has been sound and played his role to a tee.
Then again, UCLA has a shockingly light schedule for the back half of its campaign (only one ranked opponent – USC – and it’s at home). At this point, a CFP bid is arguably the Bruins’ to lose.
No. 2 Indiana
Should Indiana have dropped further after its loss (after all, UCLA is undefeated)? That would be a hard no. The Hoosiers were a play – and a should-have-been-made play – from knocking off Ohio State on Saturday.
And Indiana showed a lot in that game. Its defense is arguably the best in the country. The Hoosiers’ playmakers on the outside are unfathomably gifted. The front five is elite in pass protection.
Curt Cignetti’s squad remains all of a national title contender, and, of course, Big Ten championship contender. That said, there is still quite a bit of room for improvement – which, in all honesty, is encouraging.
No. 1 Ohio State
The Buckeyes, who many still pegged as the best team in the nation entering Week 7, walked into Bloomington and came out with a 19-15 victory.
Star quarterback Julian Sayin goes down (after he throws two interceptions, mind you). Jeremiah Smith “struggles” to the tune of four catches for 68 yards and one score. The rushing attack churns out just 2.1 yards per carry. None of it matters. Ohio State finds a way.
Year in and year out, the Buckeyes’ defense elevates the team’s floor to an astronomically high level. With Ohio State’s ability to apply pressure on a quarterback (which, this year, could actually use some work), hold up in coverage and bottle up opposing ground games, it’s going to have a chance to win any game.
And with a healthy Sayin, it probably would win every game. But Sayin is out (at least for a few weeks). In the meantime, is freshman Luke Fahey up to the task? With land mines scattered throughout the rest of the Buckeyes’ schedule, plus a loss already to their name (that would be the Week 1 debacle in Austin), Fahey better be.
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