Week 2 Big Ten Power Rankings

Just like that, the second week of the college football season is over. While you can read week one’s Big Ten Power Rankings here, it is time for a new order. While some picks will stay the same, there will definitely be some changes. First, the rankings will be broken up by the Big Ten East and the Big Ten West. Then it will be an overall Big Ten Power Rankings in the end.

Big Ten Power Rankings East:

1: Michigan

Michigan is still the best team in the Big Ten East. J.J. McCarthy is composed in the pocket, finding targets at ease. Their dominant win for the second week in a row shows how strong they are as a group. It is looking as though they will maintain the first spot on the Big Ten Power Rankings for weeks to come.

2: Penn State

The second-place spot once again goes to the Penn State Nittany Lions. They completely dominated in week two after also having a big week one game. They are an all-around good team. Being able to take out your starting quarterback and the team still scoring more than one touchdown speaks volumes. They are the second-best team in the Big Ten East as of week two.

3: Ohio State

Ohio State’s offense definitely looked better in week two of the season. They are still landing in third in the Big Ten Power Rankings, but it will be interesting to see how this will change over time. The Buckeye’s defense is how anyone would expect. Youngstown did put up a fight at the beginning of the game, but Ohio State maintained control.

4: Rutgers

Although this was not expected, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are in fourth in this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings in the Big Ten East. It was a slow game, but with the strong defense, they held their opponents to seven points for two weeks in a row. While their offense started slow on Saturday, putting up 23 points in the fourth quarter gives them this fourth spot.

5: Maryland

An argument could definitely be made for Maryland being ahead of Rutgers. Both teams had great fourth quarters, as Maryland put up 21 points in the fourth in order to get the win. Rutgers gets the edge because at no point in the game did they trail. Maryland was down 14 points against Charlotte to start, and it was not looking good for them. It will be interesting to see how the Big Ten Power Rankings change next week between these two teams.

6: Michigan State

Michigan State is 2-0, but they still fall to sixth place in the Big Ten Power Rankings for the East. They have won by a decent score, and if their offense continues to push, they could definitely move up in these rankings. It will definitely depend on how the team plays next week with the suspension of their head coach.

7: Indiana

Indiana had a great game last weekend against Indiana State. This could be a confidence booster the team needed, but they are still in last for the Big Ten Power Rankings for the East. They sit at a 1-1 record, the only team in the Big Ten East to have a loss so far. They could still move up in the next couple of weeks.

Big Ten Power Rankings West:

1: Iowa

The Iowa Hawkeyes are in first place for the Big Ten power rankings in the West. Iowa is 2-0 after their win against Iowa State. Iowa has maintained its strong defense, but its offense is also putting up points that lead to wins. If Iowa continues to play as a team, there is no reason to believe they won’t continue to get wins.

2: Minnesota

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are jumping up to second with their big win over the weekend. Minnesota now sits at 2-0 after putting up 25 points against Eastern Michigan. This was a strong game for a team that had a sloppy week one win against Nebraska. They face a tough opponent next weekend, and it will be interesting to see how the Big Ten Power Rankings shift next week.

3: Wisconsin

There was a ton of hope for Wisconsin this season, but they faced a tough loss against Washington State. Losing to an unranked opponent is what drops them in this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings. They could jump back up next weekend, but for now, they gave up too many points to be higher than third.

4: Purdue

The Purdue Boilermakers are in fourth place in the week two Big Ten Power Rankings. Despite this, they had a big win against Virginia Tech over the weekend. While both Wisconsin and Purdue are 1-1, Wisconsin gets the edge for the score difference in their one win this season. This can definitely change by next week.

5: Illinois

The Illinois Fighting Illini struggled in week two. They did make a comeback toward the end of the game but still lost against Kansas. Their schedule does not get easier as they will be facing the Penn State Nittany Lions next week. The push that they made to close the score is what keeps them in fifth place in the Big Ten Power Rankings for the West.

6: Northwestern

Northwestern earned a much-needed win this week. After a tough loss in week one against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, the Wildcats needed this win. They also won the game by a large enough score pushing them up to sixth place in the Big Ten Power Rankings. It will only get more difficult for Northwestern, but this win could be a big help for them moving forward.

7: Nebraska

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are truly having a hard time this season. They are officially 0-2 and struggling on offense. Matt Rhule has already stated that they are not making a switch at quarterback, after turning the ball over numerous times in week two. Ball security on the offense will be something to watch for next week. For now, Nebraska is staying at the bottom of this week’s Big Ten Power Rankings in the West.

Big Ten Power Rankings Overall:

1: Michigan Wolverines (2-0)

Next Opponent: Bowling Green Falcons (1-1)

2: Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0)

Next Opponent: Illinois Fighting Illini (1-1)

3: Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0)

Next Opponent: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (2-0)

4: Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0)

Next Opponent: Western Michigan Broncos (1-1)

5: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-0)

Next Opponent: Virginia Teck Hokies (1-1)

6: Maryland Terrapins (2-0)

Next Opponent: Virginia Cavaliers (0-2)

7: Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-0)

Next Opponent: North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0)

8: Wisconsin Badgers (1-1)

Next Opponent: Georgia Southern Eagles (2-0)

9: Purdue Boilermakers (1-1)

Next Opponent: Syracuse Orange (2-0)

10: Illinois Fighting Illini (1-1)

Next Opponent: Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0)

11: Michigan State Spartans (2-0)

Next Opponent: Washington Huskies (2-0)

12: Indiana Hoosiers (1-1)

Next Opponent: Louisville Cardinals (2-0)

13: Northwestern Wildcats (1-1)

Next Opponent: Duke Blue Devils (2-0)

14: Nebraska Cornhuskers (0-2)

Next Opponent: Northern Illinois Huskies (1-1)