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Big Ten Power Rankings: Penn State, Ohio State and Minnesota win big

By Alec Whitaker

Sep 24, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Central Michigan 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Central Michigan 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 24, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes players and coaches celebrate after a field goal during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes players and coaches celebrate after a field goal during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /

9-5

9. Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1) Last week: 6

Wisconsin got crushed 52-21 by Ohio State on Saturday. The defensive effort was not what we’ve come to expect from the Badgers as they gave up 52 points and 539 yards of offense. The offense struggled to get anything going through the air, but Braelon Allen still had a big day on the ground, running for 165 yards and a touchdown. He isn’t getting much help though, as once again quarterback Graham Mertz struggled against a team with a pulse. Illinois is up next for the Badgers, a game they need to win to keep their Big Ten West hopes alive.

8. Illinois (3-1, 0-1) Last week: 11

Illinois got a big win on Thursday, defeating Chattanooga 31-0 in primetime. It was a steady balanced attack by the Illini, but quarterback Tommy DeVito had one of the better games in his career, going 24-32 for 332 yards and three touchdowns. Illinois held its three out of conference opponents to just nine combined points, an impressive stat for a rebuilding team. The close loss to Indiana remains as the only blemish so far for the Illini. If they keep playing like this on both sides of the ball, they could factor into the Big Ten West discussion.

7. Rutgers (3-1, 0-1) Last week: 8

Despite losing their first game of the year, the Scarlet Knights see a slight bump because of how bad other teams have looked recently. Rutgers did its best to put up a fight against Iowa, losing 27-10. Allowing Iowa to score 27 on the surface doesn’t look great, but the Hawkeyes scored 14 of their points on a pick-six and a fumble recovery return. If Rutgers had just limited the turnovers, they likely come out with at least a close loss, but possibly a win. Rutgers showed some promise despite the loss, especially on defense. They face Ohio State next week, the Buckeyes opened as 40-point favorites. This likely is the highwater mark of the season for Rutgers.

6. Iowa (3-1, 1-0) Last week: 10

Iowa receives a big jump after its victory over Rutgers. The offense is still far from respectable, but the job this defense is doing is getting too hard to overlook. The defense outscored the offense 14-13 in this one and allowed Rutgers to score only 10 points. It was the second time this season that Iowa’s defense outscored the offense. The Hawkeyes are giving up just 5.8 points per game so far this year. The opposition has not been the best, but that’s just a crazy number anyway you look at it. Iowa has a big test this weekend with Michigan coming to town. This will be our first real look into whether this defense can truly carry this offense to the Big Ten title game.

5. Maryland (3-1, 0-1) Last week: 5

Despite losing, Maryland holds firm at the No. 5 spot. The Terps gave Michigan all they could handle on Saturday, falling short 34-27. Maryland did score a late touchdown, plus a two-point conversion, to make the score look better, but it was a respectable effort, especially with the backup quarterback in late in the game. The Maryland defense held in there for three quarters, allowing just 17 points up until then. Michigan did explode in the fourth though, scoring 21. Three turnovers ruined any chance Maryland had at an upset, but only being penalized once for five yards was a step in the right direction.

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