Big Ten power rankings: Where is Penn State after the win over Rutgers?

Every week here at the Centre Daily Times, we’ll release our Big Ten power rankings online Monday and in the newspaper Tuesday.

We had a handful of movers and shakers this weekend — the middle of the rankings completely changed — so let’s get straight to it. Did Penn State’s position change? Did Wisconsin regain any ground? Take a look.

1. Michigan Wolverines (10-1, 8-0 Big Ten)

Game result: W, vs. Indiana, 31-20

Movement from last poll: None

Jim Harbaugh finally has his quarterback, and the Wolverines are finally making waves in the race to the College Football Playoff. This has been the Big Ten’s most complete team all season, and Harbaugh’s eyeing his first win against Urban Meyer — against whom he’s currently 0-3.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1, 7-1)

Game result: W, at Maryland, 52-51 OT

Movement from last poll: None

Call Ohio State overrated this season, and we won’t disagree. It barely pulled out wins against lowly Nebraska and Maryland, lost to Purdue by four touchdowns and didn’t pull away until late against mediocre Indiana and Minnesota. But — and this is a big but — more often than not, it still finds a way to win. And that’s most important.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-3, 5-3)

Game result: W, at Rutgers, 20-7

Movement from last poll: None

The fact PSU is still in the hunt for a New Year’s Six Bowl speaks to just how “down” the Big Ten is this season. If it were up to the fans, at least 30 percent of Franklin’s coaching staff would be canned before next season. This is a good team with a criminally underachieving offense.

4. Northwestern Wildcats (7-4, 7-1)

Game result: W, at Minnesota, 24-14

Movement from last poll: None

There isn’t a coach in the Big Ten who does more with less every year than Pat Fitzgerald. Forget Meyer and Harbaugh, the former All-American linebacker deserves this season’s conference coach of the year honors. Northwestern has already clinched the West, and it’s one upset away from its first conference title in 18 years.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes (7-4, 4-4)

Game result: W, at Illinois, 63-0

Movement from last poll: Up (1 spot)

If Northwestern does the most with the least and Ohio State always finds a way to win — what’s the polar opposite of that? Answer: Iowa. With the nation’s best pair of tight ends and a top-10 defense, this team was supposed to do a lot better than four conference losses. Instead, three of those losses came by a combined 12 points. Essentially, this season, it’s the Penn State of the West.

6. Wisconsin Badgers (7-4, 5-3)

Game result: W, at Purdue, 47-44 3OT

Movement from last poll: Up (2 spots)

Can we take a moment to fully appreciate the season that Jonathan Taylor is having? He currently has a nation-leading 1,869 rushing yards — and is on pace for 2,208, the seventh-best total in NCAA history. He won’t win the Heisman, but he deserves consideration for an NYC invite.

7. Michigan State Spartans (6-5, 4-4)

Game result: L, at Nebraska, 9-6

Movement from last poll: Down (2 spots)

Sparty hasn’t surpassed 24 points on offense since Sept. 29, when it beat Central Michigan 31-20. That’s a lot of struggling. Heck, it’s gone the last eight quarters without even scoring a touchdown. Granted, QB Brian Lewerke’s shoulder injury — which appeared to come against Penn State — hasn’t made matters easier. But it’s not as if he was lighting it up before that moment either; prior to PSU, he had six TDs to six INTs against so-so competition.

8. Purdue Boilermakers (5-6, 4-4)

Game result: L, vs. Wisconsin, 47-44 3OT

Movement from last poll: Down (1 spot)

Before Jeff Brohm arrived in West Lafayette, the Boilermakers had won three conference games over four years. Well, in Brohm’s first year last season, they won four — and they’ve already won four again in 2018. The Big Ten is better with Brohm. Here’s hoping he doesn’t leave for Louisville.

9. Maryland Terrapins (5-6, 3-5)

Game result: L, vs. Ohio State, 52-51 OT

Movement from last poll: Up (1 spot)

We were one open pass away from completely turning these power rankings on their head. Maryland missed out on the upset against Ohio State, and now only Penn State stands between it and a bowl berth. It’s certainly been a unique season — with losses against Temple and Indiana but a win against Texas and pushing it to OT with the Buckeyes.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-7, 3-5)

Game result: W, vs. Michigan State, 9-6

Movement from last poll: Up (2 spots)

How do you follow up the worst season start (0-6) in school history? By winning four of the next five and offering some hope to the fan base. The Huskers may not be going bowling this season, but they’ve shown a lot of progress down the stretch. Scott Frost always deserved the benefit of the doubt in Year 1, and it looks as if he’s building something in Lincoln.

11. Indiana Hoosiers (5-6, 2-6)

Game result: L, at Michigan, 31-20

Movement from last poll: Down (2 spots)

Indiana isn’t a bad team. It was within a score of Michigan in the final quarter, it trailed Ohio State by six in the fourth quarter, and it nearly upset Penn State. Tom Allen is an underrated coach and, although the Hoosiers don’t have the wins to show for it, this is a program with the potential to surprise in the future.

12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-6, 2-6)

Game result: L, vs. Northwestern, 24-14

Movement from last poll: Down (1 spot)

PJ Fleck’s squad is just one win away from bowl eligibility, and there’s nothing it’d love more than to get it this weekend against Wisconsin in the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. Minnesota hasn’t taken the Axe home in 15 years, and the last eight meetings have been decided by double digits. This is a down year for Wisconsin, so maybe this is the year for Minnesota.

13. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-7, 2-6)

Game result: L, vs. Iowa, 63-0

Movement from last poll: None

Can you say one nice thing about Illinois’ team — without mentioning Lovie Smith’s beard? Didn’t think so. A nine-touchdown loss on senior day is pretty inexcusable. If we were ranking Big Ten coaches, Smith would either be at this spot or one spot lower.

14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-10, 0-8)

Game result: L, vs. Penn State, 20-7

Movement from last poll: None

The football embodiment of a dumpster fire. Among the teams currently ranked above Rutgers in the S&P+ ratings: Georgia State, which created its football program in 2010 (or 141 years after Rutgers) and South Alabama, which started football in 2009 (or 140 years after the Scarlet Knights). Progress!

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 12:51 PM.