Oregon running back Jordan James (20) - Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard/USA TODAY NETWORK
Week three of the college football season was a big one, now it is time for the week three Big Ten power rankings. Many teams had the game they needed, following a tough week two. For a look at the week two Big Ten power rankings, click here. Now, here is a look at the Big Ten power rankings following week three of the college football season.
Big Ten Power Rankings
By week three, teams begin to have a formed identity. While some teams have already had their bye week, some have played three games now. The rankings can always change, but now the beginning of the season rustiness is gone. Those that had a bye-week, their positions will not say too much. Here is a look at the week three Big Ten power rankings.
1: Ohio State (2-0)
The Ohio State Buckeyes had their first bye week. Their position will remain the same, which is first. They have been dominant all season so far, and there is no reason to move positions. Ohio State will next face the Marshall Thundering Herd.
2: USC (2-0)
In second are the USC Trojans. They are another team who had their first bye week. This leaves them in second for this week. USC will next face a big opponent, the Michigan Wolverines.
3: Penn State (2-0)
The Penn State Nittany Lions are another team that had their bye week. The top three having a bye in week three helps keep them all the same. They will still need a big game in week four following their tough win against Bowling Green. The Nittany Lions will next face the Kent State Golden Flashes.
4: Oregon (3-0)
The Oregon Ducks have moved back up to fourth in the Big Ten power rankings. The Ducks defeated the Oregon State Beavers 49-14. In the beginning, it seemed as though this would be another back-and-forth close call for Oregon. They ended up having the game they needed. Not only holding the Beavers to 14 points but holding them scoreless in the second half was crucial. The Ducks will now have their bye week, then can hopefully keep the momentum going.
5: Washington (2-1)
With the loss against the Washington State Cougars, the Washington Huskies dropped to fifth in the Big Ten power rankings. The final score of the game was 24-19. The matchup was close the entire time, but Washington could not stop making errors leading to penalties. Washington will need to work on their discipline moving forward. The Huskies will next face Big Ten opponent, the Northwestern Wildcats.
6: Michigan (2-1)
The Michigan Wolverines bounced back this weekend with a win against the Arkansas State Red Wolves. The final score of the game was 28-18 Still only a ten-point game, but the Wolverines needed the win. The Wolverines defense did well overall. The issue came in the fourth quarter when they allowed 15 points. Fortunately, they were up by enough that that is okay. Next up, the Michigan Wolverines will face the USC Trojans in an important Big Ten matchup. Michigan head coach, Sherrone Moore has announced Alex Orji will be Michigan’s starting quarterback, according to Austin Meek on X.
7: Nebraska (3-0)
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are now 3-0 after another big win this week. The Cornhuskers defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers, 34-3. It was a bit of a slow start, but then Nebraska kept scoring, and the defense shut Northern Iowa down. The talk has been about the Nebraska offense this season, but the defense gave the Panthers a tough time on third-down plays. According to ESPN, Northern Iowa only had six successful third down plays out of 16 tries. Next week, Nebraska will have a tough matchup this weekend against the Illinois Fighting Illini, who are also having a strong season this year.
8: Illinois (3-0)
The Illinois Fighting Illini are still showing their potential with another big win. They are now 3-0 after defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas. The final score of the game was 30-9. Illinois may not be seen as a top Big Ten team, but they are a tough matchup that should not be counted out. The focus with this team is usually the defense, but even the offense is doing well. Quarterback Luke Altmyer completed 19 out of 12 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns, according to ESPN. Illinois will have a big game this weekend against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
9: Indiana (3-0)
The Indiana Hoosiers had a big win over the weekend defeating a Big Ten opponent. They defeated the UCLA Bruins 42-13. Traveling to the West Coast could have been a bigger battle for Indiana, but that did not affect them. Indiana is one of those under-the-radar schools that may not be a top team, but they are winning and will give teams a run for their money. Indiana will next face the Charlotte 49ers.
10: Iowa (2-1)
The Iowa Hawkeyes bounced back with an important win in week three of the season. The Hawkeyes are now 2-1 following a 38-21 win against the Troy Trojans. The Hawkeyes had a good week one then a bad week two, and needed this win. The passing game still is not great, but the offense did well running the ball. They are in tenth in the Big Ten power rankings, but other teams are starting to creep up on them. Iowa will next face the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
11: Wisconsin (2-1)
The Wisconsin Badgers faced their first loss of the season against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The final score of the game was 42-10. This was a game that Wisconsin was expected to lose. Alabama was simply the better football team. Wisconsin will head into a bye week, where they can refocus, then face another tough opponent, the USC Trojans.
12: Rutgers (2-0)
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights had a bye week in week three of the season. This keeps them at 12th in the Big Ten power rankings, not moving much because they did not play. Rutgers will next face the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first away game of the season for the Scarlet Knights.
13: Michigan State (3-0)
The Michigan State Spartans are slowly rising up the Big Ten power rankings. They are now 3-0 after a blowout win against the Prairie View A&M Panthers. They are in 13th, but this was an important win because this is a score that should have happened. The Panthers are not a tough opponent, which means there is more pressure for the Spartans to do better. They were successful in that, with the final score being 40-0. Next up, Michigan State will face the Boston College Eagles. This will be a tougher matchup for the Spartans.
14: Maryland (2-1)
The Maryland Terrapins are now 2-1 after a win against the Virginia Cavaliers. The final score of the game was 27-13. Maryland went fairly pass-heavy, attempting 43 passes. It did not always work, but they ended up with 263 passing yards. A lot of this is thanks to wide receiver, Tai Felton, who had nine receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown, according to ESPN. Maryland will next face the Villanova Wildcats.
15: Purdue (2-1)
The Purdue Boilermakers are now 2-1 after a bad loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. This was a tough one, losing 66-7. Notre Dame did need a bounce-back win, but this was tough for Purdue. Quarterback Hudson Card threw two interceptions. The Boilermakers will next face the Oregon State Beavers, another team trying to bounce back from a tough loss.
16: UCLA (1-1)
The UCLA Bruins are now 1-1 following a tough loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. The final score was 42-13, a tough one for the Bruins. Indiana controlled that game. On the bright side for the Bruins, running back T.J. Harden is a strong all-around player that they can rely on in not just the run game, but passing the ball as well. UCLA will have a tough matchup this weekend as they face the LSU Tigers.
17: Northwestern (2-1)
The Northwestern Wildcats got the win over the weekend against the Eastern Illinois Panthers. The final score was 31-7. The main issue for Northwestern was their slow start, but they got the win and only allowed seven points. The good news is, they were able to adjust in the second half. The ability to adjust is crucial for any team. Next, they will face the Washington Huskies. In order to compete, Northwestern needs to get on the scoreboard early.
18: Minnesota (2-1)
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are in 18th, for now. They started slow this year, but have been picking it up. They had a huge win against the Nevada Wolfpack, winning 27-0. Minnesota is rising, they just need to stay consistent. Next up they will face the Iowa Hawkeyes. This will be a good test for where Minnesota is at, facing a Big Ten opponent with a stronger defense, but a questionable offense.
