The new and, can we say, approved — Big Ten conference is now two full weeks into the 2024 season, and we now have two games to judge teams instead of all of the knee-jerk judgements formed in our minds after seeing the seal break on the season last week.
We’ve been doing this for a few years now. We let all of the Big Ten football games play out each week then do our level best to make sense of what the pecking order is in the conference. With the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington, we now have more to take into consideration, including later nights and more teams to try and sift through.
But hey, that’s OK, we get paid to try and figure this all out, so we’re here for it. So, how did conference favorites Ohio State and Oregon look this week? What about Michigan after being bludgeoned by Texas, having to replace so much lost talent and coaching personnel? And Penn State? Did the Nittany Lions look just as good in Week 2 as it did in Week 1? What are the surprise teams in the league so far? Can Wisconsin, Nebraska, or USC make a serious run at this thing?
Here’s a look at how we see the power rankings of the Big Ten after two weeks of action. Don’t sling mud at us just yet because we’re sure this thing will change a hundred different ways from now until the end of the season when we get even juicier matchups.
18. Northwestern Wildcats (1-1)
Last Week (No. 18 – no change)
Lost to Duke, 26-20
Why the Ranking
After barely getting by a MAC opponent in Week 1, the Wildcats fell to fellow protractor and calculator football club, Duke. The offense looks significantly challenged, but at least the intimate environment on Lake Michigan is worth taking in.
Next Up … vs. Eastern Illinois
17. UCLA Bruins (1-0)
Last Week (No. 17 – no change)
Idle
Why the Ranking
UCLA barely got by Hawaii in paradise and had a week off to reflect on an offense that needs a spark of some sort. Unless there is significant improvement when we see the Bruins next, it’s hard to fathom how this team is a factor in almost anything in the Big Ten in what can only be seen as a transition year.
Next Up … vs. Indiana
Last Week (No. 15 – down one spot)
Won vs. Rhode Island, 48-0
Why the Ranking
The Golden Gophers bounced back after a heartbreaking loss in Week 1 to North Carolina by dismantling a FCS opponent. There are still a lot of question marks regarding exactly how fast P.J. Fleck’s team can row that boat in 2024.
Next Up … vs. Nevada
15. Maryland Terrapins (1-1)
Last Week (No. 9 – down six spots)
Lost vs. Michigan State, 27-24
Why the Ranking
It’s the same old story for Maryland, though time to turn it around in 2024. The Terrapins just haven’t been able to be consistently competitive in the Big Ten, and this time it popped up in an early conference game in a loss at home against a team that isn’t supposed to factor into much. Time to turn the page and hope for improvement. Good news; there is a nonconference game on tap.
Next Up … at Virginia
14. Purdue Boilermakers (1-0)
Last Week (No. 12 – down two spots)
Idle
Why the Ranking
We still don’t know a whole lot about Purdue after seeing the Boilermakers play just one game, albeit in impressive fashion. We’ll for sure know more this week when Notre Dame comes to town for a measuring stick type of matchup.
Next Up … vs. Notre Dame
13. Michigan State Spartans (2-0)
Last Week (No. 14 – up one spot)
Won at Maryland, 27-24
Why the Ranking
Rejoice Spartans fans! Michigan State sits alone atop the 18-team Big Ten standings. Granted there’s only been one conference game so far, but hey — celebrate what you can, right? Credit goes to MSU for winning on the road, but there were some significant signs of concern in Week 1 with an offense that looked very clunky. Has there been real improvement or fools gold against a Maryland team that kind of choked the game away. We shall see. We won’t really get a good feel this week because Michigan State plays a landscape as opposed to a real, live football team.
Next Up … vs. Prairie View
12. Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)
Last Week (No. 11 – down one spot)
Won vs. South Dakota, 27-13
Why the Ranking
We can only go by what we’ve seen so far (that’s what it’s about right?), and so far Wisconsin has looked like a team that lacks and identity on offense, struggling with two subpar opponents at home in the first two weeks. Opportunity and a really good team arrives in Madison this week with Alabama coming to Camp Randall. Oh boy.
Next Up … vs. Alabama
11. Indiana Hoosiers (2-0)
Last Week (No. 16 – up five spots)
Won vs. Western Illinois, 77-3
Why the Ranking
Indiana is the biggest riser in our power rankings. Now that you’ve gotten up from falling off your chair, we have to give credit to the Hoosiers for how they have looked through the first two weeks. I don’t care who you are, putting up 77 points on the local high school team would have been impressive. Let’s see how a trip on the road to the West Coast goes and maybe we’ll be even bigger believers in what Curt Cignetti is doing in Bloomington.
Next Up … at UCLA
10. Iowa Hawkeyes (1-1)
Last Week (No. 6 – down four spots)
Lost vs. Iowa State, 20-19
Why the Ranking
Yeah, yeah, I know it was a rivalry game, but the claims that the Iowa offense have been fixed seem to be premature after some pretty poor quarterback play and the fact that the Hawkeyes scored as many points in the second half as I did sitting on my couch eating pizza and drinking soda. Maybe we’ll see more as the Hawkeyes find a way to win, but it’s a wait-and-see affair at this point.
Next Up … vs. Troy
9. Washington Huskies (2-0)
Last Week (No. 7 – down two spots)
Won vs. Eastern Michigan, 30-9
Why the Ranking
Washington is still a work in progress with a slew of transfers acting as reinforcements, but there was improvement in quarterback play from Week 1 to Week 2, and the athleticism is apparent. Just how good things are in Seattle remains to be seen, but you have to believe the Huskies will continue to figure things out. Next up is a very early edition of the apple cup and that should tell us more.
Next Up … vs. Washington State
Last Week (No. 8 – no change)
Won vs. Akron, 49-17
Why the Ranking
He’s done it before and might be doing it again. Head coach Greg Schiano made Rutgers into a top ten program and has been slowly building things again in Piscataway. It’s early, but so far this looks like his best team since the return. Rutgers is physical, well coached, and the talent level continues to get better. We’ll see what happens against the bigger boys of the league, but so far so good.
Next Up … Off Week
7. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-0)
Last Week (No. 13 – up six spots)
Won vs. Kansas, 23-17
Why the Ranking
Look, I don’t know if Illinois will continue to be in this spot, but we have to give credit to the Illini for beating a Kansas team we think is pretty good. Again, it’s only two weeks of football, so the next few weeks will show us plenty more to jump on the train.
Next Up … vs. Central Michigan
Last Week (No. 10 – up four spots)
Won vs. Colorado, 28-10
Why the Ranking
There’s a temptation to move the Cornhuskers up further, but it’s hard to believe in what Coach Prime is selling in Boulder at this point. Could it be possible that Matt Rhule is finally going to take this program back to a bowl game and turn the corner? It definitely looks plausible this time around and feels different.
Next Up … vs. Northern Iowa
5. Michigan Wolverines (1-1)
Last Week (No. 5 – no change)
Lost vs. Texas, 31-12
Why the Ranking
Michigan looked so bad against Texas there was the notion to drop the Wolverines down from what I had last week, but I wasn’t sold on them in the first place. However, I do believe when we look back on the season, the Longhorns will be one of the best and have a chance at winning it all. So, for now, let’s see if Michigan can bounce back this week before a big matchup with USC in two weeks.
Next Up … vs. Arkansas State
4. Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0)
Last Week (No. 3 – down one spot)
Won vs. Bowling Green, 34-27
Why the Ranking
It was kind of a reality check in a close game against a MAC opponent last week after the impressive win at West Virginia in Week 1. The offense was fine — not great — but the defense showed some leaks that will need to be corrected. Will the real Penn State please show itself? First though, it’s a week off to get after it and look towards a matchup with another MAC opponent in two weeks.
Next Up … Off Week
3. Oregon Ducks
Last Week (No. 2 – down one spot)
Won vs. Boise State, 37-34
Why the Ranking
Oregon simply has not lived up to the preseason hype thus far, but there’s no denying the talent on this team. Things might be a little clunky right now, but it’s hard to fathom the Ducks not being there at the end with a chance to win the Big Ten and make the 12-team College Football Playoff. We’ve dropped them a spot but still believe the talent will find a way soon. A huge test is on tap with a trip to the rival Beavers on Saturday. The environment should be off the hook.
Next Up … at Oregon State
Last Week (No. 4 – up two spots)
Won vs. Utah State, 48-0
Why the Ranking
If this defense we are seeing for the Trojans is for real, this team might have a shot at some pretty special things in 2024. After arguably the most impressive win in Week 1, USC followed it up with a dominating performance at home. You could even make the argument for vaulting the Trojans up to No. 1 at this point in the season in these power rankings. Two weeks vs. Michigan should be fun.
Next Up … Off Week
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0)
Last Week (No. 1 – no change)
Won vs. Western Michigan, 56-0
Why the Ranking
Ohio State may have gotten off to a slow start in the first half of the Akron game, but since then, the Buckeyes have looked every bit the part of a team that can win the Big Ten and a College Football Playoff national championship. The defense is one of the best in the country and the offense continues to improve in a game that wasn’t even as close as the blowout score indicated. There will be some adversity at some point, but it won’t come for a few more weeks most likely.
Next Up … Off Week
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Big Ten football power rankings after Week 2: A new team on the rise.
