Last weekend, we saw the biggest upset of the college football season so far, and it happened in the Big Ten. Penn State went on the road to take on 0-4 UCLA, and the Bruins came out on top. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions are a disaster right now, and they are sure to fall in our Week 7 Big Ten Football Power Rankings. Let’s take a look at who else is on the move ahead of a big Week 7:
1. Oregon (-)
The top team in our Big Ten power rankings is still Oregon. The Ducks were on a bye this past weekend, but they have another huge game on Saturday against Indiana.
2. Ohio State (-)
The Buckeyes cruised by Minnesota in Week 6 and look like one of the best teams in the country. Right now, we’re heading towards an Ohio State vs. Oregon Big Ten title game.
3. Indiana (+1)
Indiana can move up a spot or two this weekend if some things fall into place. A win against Oregon would be massive, and if Ohio State falls at Illinois, the Hoosiers will likely take the top spot.
4. Michigan (+1)
Michigan has a huge game coming up on Saturday. The Wolverines will hit the road to play USC, and both teams need to win to keep realistic CFP hopes alive.
5. Washington (+1)
Washington nearly suffered a disastrous loss vs Maryland, but a second half comeback earned the Huskies the win. It was an impressive effort.
6. Illinois (+1)
After losing to Indiana, it looked like Illinois’ season might be over. However, the Fighting Illini have bounced back nicely, and they have Ohio State at home this weekend. Massive opportunity.
7. Penn State (-4)
Where does Penn State go from here? James Franklin’s issue has always been losing the big one, but now he’s losing to UCLA? Not good.
8. Nebraska (-)
Nebraska got a good fight from Michigan State, but the Cornhuskers pulled away late to pick up the win. They are quietly very alive in the CFP race.
9. USC (-)
USC was on a bye after losing to Illinois, and now the Trojans are getting ready to host Michigan. The Trojans need to win.
10. Iowa (-)
Coming in at No. 10 in our Week 7 Big Ten Power Rankings is Iowa. The Hawkeyes have come close to pulling off big wins, but they haven’t finished the job.
11. Maryland (+1)
Maryland lost and blew a big lead against Washington, but the Terrapins still move up. The Huskies are a good team, and the Terrapins clearly have a lot of potential.
12. Michigan State (-1)
Michigan State looked like it might pick up a huge win on the road after leading in the third quarter against Nebraska, but the job wasn’t finished. The Spartans have some good talent, but they make too many mistakes.
13. Minnesota (-)
Last weekend was ugly for Minnesota as Ohio State pulled away quickly. That game was never going to be close.
14. Rutgers (-)
This Rutgers team has taken big strides in recent years, but there is still a lot of work to do.
15. Purdue (-)
Purdue is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, but it seems like the team has taken a lot of strides since last season.
16. Northwestern (-)
Northwestern picked up another win over the weekend, taking down UL Monroe. However, the Wildcats are going to have trouble with the rest of their Big Ten slate.
17. Wisconsin (-)
Wisconsin looked good for one drive against Michigan on Saturday, but it was all downhill after that. Luke Fickell’s seat is getting hotter by the week.
18. UCLA (-)
UCLA is the last team in our Week 7 Big Ten Power Rankings. The win against Penn State was big, but we’ll see if the Bruins can build on it and become a competitive team.
